Here is a reflection paper I just wrote for school in response to a Seminar put on at Bethlehem Baptist Church on November 11th and 12th. I submitted it to my instructor, so please forgive the slightly different writing style :) I would LOVE to talk about these things with anyone who is also thinking about these issues! Please let me know how God is working in your heart!
---
The seminar put on by Bob Kauflin and John Piper concerning a theology and somewhat of a methodology of worship called “Gravity and Gladness” (from 2 Corinthians 6:10) was thought-provoking and perspective-changing. During the lecture part of the seminar, Pastor John expounded from the Scriptures concerning reasons why God needs worship, and why a robust theology of worship is not a dry subject that should be studied exclusively by pastors and seminarians. He went through many of the typical "John Piper" passages, outlining the truth that God acts for the purpose of self-glorification whenever He accomplishes anything. Such a doxological approach is helpful, but nothing in particular stood out to me as anything that was specifically memorable as far as giving me something new by way of a challenge in my constant masticating of the orthodoxy (why) and praxeology (how) of proper worship. However, the Q&A session combined with the question I asked Bob Kauflin afterwards provided help and enlightenment towards that end.
During the Q&A, Bob Kauflin addressed many practical problems that music directors may encounter in the life and span of their ministry. Because we were at Bethlehem Baptist Church, both Piper and Kauflin seemed to emphasize the "Gravity" part of worship rather than the "Gladness" part, as per the cultural emphasis in this particular body of believers. They discussed how to be a music pastor that wants to engender a culture of worship that carries a weightiness in the context of a preaching pastor that doesn't take anything seriously and makes jokes in between songs, subverting the spirit of "Gravity" that the music pastor is attempting to facilitate.
It was good that they addressed the issue, but that issue particularly wasn't helpful for me because of my personal background. I have been a part of churches where neither the preaching pastor nor the congregation seem to much of an idea about gladness, passion, or joy, but are stuck in a mindset that flows from a heart of unhealthy "Gravity" and a lack of any real enjoyment in God in response to the Gospel. This is the problem that I want to combat especially because I feel called to ministry in the spiritual wasteland of New England, and I may possibly come on staff somewhere in the capacity of some sort of pastor- this is an issue with which I want to know how to deal.
Because of that, I approached Bob after the Q&A and asked him what one should do in that situation. His advice was incredibly insightful; he said that it is not helpful or loving to approach such a pastor or pastoral team while harboring an attitude that attempts to fix every perceived problem. Kauflin communicated that as a rule, humility is the key to any of these kinds of interactions. First, the worship leader should do his best to learn everything he can from the preaching pastor; while the preaching pastor may truly have a lack of joy in the Lord, he may see other things clearly and it is essential to recognize where his thoughts are helpful rather than dismissing everything he has to say. Having a right spirit of loving humility, an approach that seeks to dialogue rather than question is the only way that one should think about such a dialogue. Nobody responds well to his or her modus operandi being arrogantly questioned, especially by a regarded inferior. As a whole, a culture must be developed where suggestions can be made without someone feeling attacked and others feeling as though they have come to fix all the problems in the church.
The issue that Piper and Kauflin answered in the Q&A was concerning the issue of how to integrate new and youthful worship styles in with those of the older generation. Because Bob has particular sway among many younger worship leaders, he said from the get-go that it is imperative to never think that someone can walk into a church and again, think that he or she can solve all the of the church's problems. Older people must be respected- not only because they are older, but because they actually are smarter than young people in many, many areas.
However, while this is very true, the energy and the passion that usually accompanies the youthful generation is also crucially important in the constant flux of reviving "retro" styles and incorporating new ones. Because Scripture never prescribes specifics in praxeology, change is a part of Church life that is needed to sustain the ebb and flow of culture and multi-generations. For this reason instituting new methods of operation is crucial to the growth and general life of the church. However, in a moment of cogency, Bob reaffirmed that as he grew in years, he began to realize why his predecessors did certain things the way that they did. What didn't make sense to him when he was younger made sense to him after years of experience, because they actually worked. He emphasized the point that there are things that older people do that are forged through the fires of adversity and conflict and should be learned from as such.
The bottom line to both of these addressed issues is humility, humility, humility. Whenever approaching any difference of method or even practical theology, it is essential to remember that we worship God who is One, His ways are higher than our ways, and we often know way less than we think we know. Then good things might begin to happen.
No comments:
Post a Comment