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Is It Time for a Requiem? — 22 Comments

  1. Your title intrigues me, Stephen. A "requiem," if not a mass for the dead, is usually a musical composition for death or mourning.

    So what is it that we need to bury?

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    • The title refers to the many articles, blogs and studies pointing out that the church is struggling in North America. It is a rhetorical question regarding if the church is struggling to survive, is it time for a requiem?

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  2. For the most part, Stephen, I agree with you but I am not sure that many of those people attend all of that entertainment for the sake of the entertainment. On top of that many of those churches are preaching Jesus as the answer but the message is shallow with little substance. Even we at times fail to put a handle on things and occasionally use catch phrases that basically mean nothing.
    I can be very wrong here but I'm not to sure that the base reason for failure is about which covenant we are trying to keep. It seems to me to be the reason why ancient Israel failed, why the church of the middle ages failed, and why we so often fail as a church.

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    • Hi, Tyler. This is the problem with generalizations. There are always exceptions. However, the point of the article is that simply swapping worship styles to facilitate revival and bring life into the church is misguided. This is true whether one is pushing for contemporary worship programs or trying to maintain a more conservative worship approach. If people are not finding hope and salvation, no matter what style we are using, we will lose them.

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      • Stephen, I really didn't mean to pick what you said apart. It's just in a lot of worship services it seems to me that everything is there except Christ. No real substance, nothing that a person can really grab on to. I think I am saying what you are only using different wording, I hope so anyway.
        I also want to say one other thing. I appreciate you, Inge, and Joyce. All of you seem to have a grasp of human relations and need that I simply don't have. To me everything is a machine with a computer attached. I do OK with doctrines and facts but fall down on personal relationships.

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        • Tyler, I think we agree on the issue of Christ and worship. I am happy to see you posting on the Sabbath School Net blog and enjoy your input.

          Your interaction with Jesus is an interpersonal relationship and as it grows and develops it cannot keep from bursting forth in all sorts of wonderful ways in your relationships with others. I wish you all the best, brother Tyler.

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      • I wish you had said that in your main article, both about generalizations (and then refraining from doing just that: generalizing) and that the problem is equally present in traditional worship styles, also. There are thousands of people who sing those "7/11" songs you referred to with as much reverence, meaning and awe, and receive as much blessing, as those using the church hymnal. The bottom line is not the worship style: it's knowing whom you are worshiping. Human beings were designed to worship; and worship, they will. When a human being falls in love with Jesus, true worship will be a life lived in harmony with his life as a result of the indwelling Holy Spirit ... not the order of service once a week, or the choice of music, or the sermon's subject.

        I totally agree that if "Not I, But Christ" were preached every week rather than theological doctrines or lifestyle issues, we wouldn't have a "worship crisis". We'd have a new problem: overflowing churches!

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  3. @ Stephen, after reading, is it Time for a Requiem? My mind went back to what I was saying all the time, no matter how much or how often we change the stiles of worship it will do nothing for the dead.

    If hope came from what we as humans do then Jesus died in vain. Here is the problem, as leaders we can only give what we have and oftentimes what we have to share with others is only a religious experience and not Christ.

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  4. People overall are tired, broken, beat down by life and the struggles that can come with it. I think that too often church is just 'something we do'. It's a habit - a good one no doubt - but our worship experience can become redundant, therefore not genuine. It's the same response song week after week, the same song after offering, the same benediction song often being led by a chorister with no zeal. It all becomes a thoughtless 'process' that we dare come before God our Maker and our Redeemer with. Does he not deserve better? My prayer for all is that we'll take a better look at who God really is, what He has really done for us and to treat him accordingly, therefore with honor, glory and respectful worship and praise. In this manner, those who are seeking Him will be able to visibly recognize Him and partake of Him.

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  5. This is an insightful observation to current worship trends. There is nothing wrong with contemporary worship music. I visited a Sunday church. After 40 mins of singing "Awesome God" types songs, I turned to mom and asked "Are we going to hear from the Word?"

    On the other hand, I have attended Saturday services where the message was laced with verbal Atomic Fireballs for certain people. Although the music was traditional and the service was acceptable, the words just wounded hearts.

    Please Feed the Sheep!

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  6. I believe that as Christians we have become a reading generation. We read about Christ and we then tell people what we have read and leave it at that. Then assuming they have digested a little of what we have said they then go and tell what was read to them and so. But after a while the reading becomes tiresome and meaningless because we have not put into practice what we have read. If we cannot find a way to make Christianity an experience and not just theory then we will forever be bobbing up and down looking for the next spiritual high.

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  7. Sounds great, exactly what I need. But what do you do to offer hope for the guilty? I am one of them and my church is the one described above.

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    • Michael, I could preach forever on that topic. But essentially I would remind people that they are fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving Creator for a specific purpose. (Psalm 139:14-16) The Bible tells us that God knit us together in the womb. Psalm 139:13) He made no accidents. He included everything each of us needs to fulfill our purpose. He also arranged everything in life's pathway, placing people and resources along our way to help us along toward that purpose.

      He does not force us to walk that path. We can choose to go our own way. But if we choose to return to that right path, He will restore us and fulfill a glorious destiny for each of us. (Psalm 145:9, 14; Psalm 147:3) The Bible tells us that He will give us beauty for our ashes. (Isaiah 61:3). This is a message that lifts up hearts and brings hope.

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  8. Dear Ones, It is not the rituals of music or the stations of the cross or any other things we do. It is connecting with the Savior that Loves us as we are, and as has been put clearly, loves us enough not to leave us that way.

    The worship styles; music and words to make a difference. They should be uplifting, biblical and reverent without being mesmerizing.

    Being spiritual without being in church with others that we can minister to and fellowship with is deceiving yourself. The alternate to organized religion is disorganized religion.

    Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

    It is a mistake to go to church to earn salvation or to be entertained. We will be blessed as we seek to honor God and be a blessing to others that are hurting and in need of comfort, guidance, love, and hope.

    11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
    12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
    13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
    14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
    15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
    16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

    We, as members of the Body of Christ, need to bear one another's burden in love. Ro 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
    Jesus said that people will know His disciples by their love, John 13:35, not their music or rituals.

    John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, (and us) If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

    John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

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  9. Thank you Steven for that wonderful message of HOPE that you shared with Michael. As Christians, we have a grave responsibility to share the Love of Jesus to others. We can talk Christianity but, our actions speaks louder than words. How we live our life speaks volumes of which master we are serving and where we are heading. Let our lifestyle be a great testimony that we are one of His children. How we treat and interact with others demonstrates our FAITH and who lives in our hearts!

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  10. The Devil is doing all he can to get us, Gods children, to doubt that our God loves us and has great plans for us. If he can't get us outside of the church, then he will try to get us while we are in the church. Our God is an awesome God, and we should praise him each and every day.

    We are beat down and struggling, but the promise is, we will never be given more than we can bear. God has a promise for every situtation we will ever come under, and we, as the body of Christ, need his spirit to uplift each other, and the people we are trying to reach. Praise God in music, in prayer, and in the pulpit. Let our walk with God become real, so we can live a life that draws others to Christ. He did it all for us. When this happens, our music will have power, our sermons will uplift the heart and strengthen the soul of the weary, and each week, we will receive power to live the life that God intended us to live.

    We need to be excited about our church services, not because of entertainment, but because of what Jesus has done for us, and has promised to complete in us. If we welcomed a friend or family member we had not seen in years the same way many of our chuch services welcome God each week, what message would that send?

    Our God is an awesome God, and thankfully, that song has been written. Our doctrines are wonderful, but they do not save anyone, only Jesus does that. Sometimes we forget that if we don't have love in our hearts, for God and for our fellow man, all the rest does not make one bit of difference. Thank God for the wonderful contempory christian music, and for the wonderful hyms in the church. Both reach people, and both praise God. It is a heart thing, and thankfully, God judges the heart, and not us.

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  11. When I go to church is to worship God, present my family to Him, family who do not attend Church, I go to ask for His blessing on me, to clean my soul, to cure my heart, to open a path, to fix my way, then I listen the sermon and I took it as a message from God to me, I believe that we are save listening to sermons that correct our way, Jesus saves us, but we need sermons that are full of Hope, encouraging, that shows us that God is in control and that Him loves us, so we do not need to be afraid, I am afraid of living in cities, I want to go away to the country, but I do not have the means, but I need to trust God will open a way for my family,I am afraid of the job shortage, but I need to trust God will provide, we are in the end time, and I do not need prophesies to see that, I lived long enough to see that all is pointing to our end as humans, but our Church is not preparing us for it, only some Ministries are worry about and they are preaching to the world, I hung from Jesus feet, I am afraid I could be deceived by miracles and signs, I study more than all, I know the sign is only when the Gospel is preached to all, and all now have the chance to know the Gospel, TV, Internet, books, radios, Literature Evangelist, ADRA, missionaries lay and clergy, one on one mission work, prisons, even Presidents and dignitaries are getting to know us and see our work, receive our books,soon we will have Sabbath issues and then I believe the Gospel preaching will be completed,attention will be brought on us and the Truth will be clearly exposed to all to see it, events will be fast, many will not discern the work of the Holy Ghost, the unconventional preaching of the Gospel and miracles of the faithful last preachers and will be shocked and will reject that because they did not keep a dynamic relationship with Jesus and His Spirit, and I am afraid I could be narrow minded like those conservatives shallow adventists who always slow down the work of God and try to keep the Church in good status with the world, but the world is our enemy and who loves the world become enemy of the Father, we cannot be in Good status with the world looking good for our ADRA and Communities Services works, we have a message that is not popular and the lives of all depends on it to be delivered, the end is at hand and lives will be lost if our Message is not given, and the loss will be eternal, Lot had a message like this, they mocked him and they got burned, but they were warned and God justified, we preach to justify God, if they do not believe is their fault, they were warned, our job is to warn, the world will be not converted, but all need to be warned, so we really do not know how many already knew the Gospel.

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  12. our worship only reflect what we really feel, if we don't have Christ in our hearts then we can't show forth his praises. We cannot give what we do not have, we need to search ourselves and decide what it is we really want, we have to make the service what we want it to be. As with everything else it starts with me; if i wait on some other church member to revive the service or for my personal relationship with Christ to be on par; then i will never accomplish anything.

    Too many times we look on others for some type of awakening but it starts with us. Let each individual examine himself and see what the Lord has done in our lives, then we can lift our hands and praise out of a heart of love and joy because we know whom we serve: a risen God and Saviour, we have much to sing and give praise for,let us rejoice and be glad in him.

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  13. I always thought that it was HOPE that separated Christians from nonChristians and helped us press on when the world seemed unbearable. If we are in fact hopeless, and just going to church and leaving unfulfilled I believe it is on us. We cannot continue to go to church just in order to receive. Instead, we must learn how to actively participate in the service of worshiping God and ministering to others so our burdens will be lifted and our call to witness will be carried out. I believe that by helping the broken-hearted, the down-trodden, and others we will mend our own sadness, soothe our own broken hearts, and rise above oppression that weighs us down.

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  14. I have always wondered about worship and church services. Last week when studying the quarterly something struck my mind...enough times i have complained that a church service is boring. then this is what i realizd, it always not about the church service, its always about me. It has never been about worshipping and praising God. its always been what is convinient to me. Just a question to y'all. How many times do you flinch and murmur under your breath when a child starts screaming in church, how many times do you cast a disapproving glance to someone who walks into church and you feel they are not properly dressed, how many times do you complain if somebody or if accidentally skips a part in the normal church program. This is what am trying to say, we all have a part in the church worship. The devil is really trying hard to make us distracted when we are worshipping God. We should always be like David when he prayed in psalms 51:10, "Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me. " How about we sincerely pray for all those who are in church with us instead of waiting for the alter of prayer. How about asking God for a spirit of discernment that we would know who to lift up in prayer. How about praying for tha annointing of holy spirit even as the preacher continues in his sermon, how about praying for those sleeping next to you instead of wondering why they even came to church, how about praying for God to calm the child who is getting onto you nerves...how about continually praying that God to reveal Himself during the worship services and pray that we understand 2Cor 10: 4 and make 2Cor 10:5, our prayer knowing that alot is at stake. It my prayer that we will always remember its all about God, whether in church worship or when out there at home or work going through our daily activities.

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  15. [This comment was edited to remove potentially offensive content -Moderator]

    That was a good article by Stephen.This article can't come at a better time as 'worship' is what we are studying in this quarter's Bible Study Guide.As Stephen points out,we have lost the true essence of worship which is lifting the burdens of guilt.It is both preposterous and presumptous to claim that the worship format is the reason the pews are empty.The mantra,'' the service is boring'',is a ploy by Satan to ruin souls.As a result,sensual gratification has become a fad in churches.

    As they say,it takes two to tango.Both the church officials and members are culpable on why people leave the church in droves.Thank God most who left came back when the matter was settled but it still left a scar in the church.On the other hand,members play a role on others leaving the church.An ideal church should be like a family where love love reigns supreme.Unfortunately,that is not the case in most of our churches.There is little or no brotherly love among members.Nobody cares about each other's welfare.New members are hardly given a pride of place in the church.And so, sooner than later,they feel uncomfortable and unwanted in the church,and consequently bolt away.In a nutshell,let's all worship God in spirit and truth.By so doing,souls would be drawn to Christ.

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  16. I must say I truley have enjoyed all of the comments. I thought I felt this way all by myself. A true worship is obidence unto God.Like one has said already "If I would be lifted up I would draw all man unto me" Let us all strive for the mark of perfection in Jesus Christ our Lord in savior.in all these things the bordem the music and evened some of the preachings will fade away. Because we have made Jesus Christ first in our life. Brothers and sisters let us love one another and let us be more caring but until then our hope must be built on nothing less then Jesus Blood and righteousness.

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