Reflections on our first service without music.

Feb 7, 2012 by admin    2 Comments    Posted under: Blog Archive

The worship band and the sermon are to Sunday Evangelical Church experience what Apple Pie and Baseball are to America. To many the success and value of any given church rises and falls on these two elements.

 This is the typical formula:

• good band=good church
• good speaker=good church
• good band+good speaker=great church

The modern order and elements of the Sunday gathering has become comfortable, expected. We expect to the band to play and to play well. We expect the speaker to deliver a slightly funny, somewhat emotional message. And when we don’t connect to the music or the speaker we feel cheated.

In all honesty, in just a few short weeks we had become just as comfortable with this formula as those who expect this from a church. This past week we struggled with this when one of our key band members was out due to health concerns. The Leadership of Hope Church had embraced a philosophy that “faith is more that entertainment” and “worship is more than music.” We believe the church is more than performers and observers. Leadership is necessary, but not without connection to the people being led. As I’ve heard it said, worship should not be a  juggernaut that plows forward regardless who gathers. There is something powerful music, inside and outside the church. Music in church helps unify the community, and helps the community meditate on its faith. Yet, it is not the only way we can worship God corporatley, nor is it without regard for those who gather. We have a deep conviction that worship is more than songs we sing on a Sunday morning. We believe worship encompass the order of our values, the times, places, and people who receive our resources. The Sunday gathering comes as a response to those living for God throughout the week.

 We struggled with the question of how could we value one thing, yet only display the opposite?

So, rather than looking for something to fill the void of the band, we embarked on a journey of re-imaging the Sunday gathering without music.

This led us to view the entire gathering as a narrative, instead of individual blocks or segments of time and space. The gathering itself took on the form of a story. Different voices, media, and expressions were weaved together to form a larger movement.

I would not say we did it perfectly, or even that we would do it again the same way. However, it was a powerful experience, one that challenged us to get uncomfortable in our worship. It also encouraged us to think outside of the box, and expect more from God.

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