And So? Reflecting on the Upsides and Downsides of Contemporary Worship in Light of 2,000 Years of Christian Worship

Upsides and Downsides Of Contemporary Worship What do you think? What would you list?

Upsides Of Contemporary Worship Language, it did need to change Immediacy of the music and accessibility of the services have brought about many new Christians. Reinvigorated congregational singing Re-established praise as a central liturgical act Global connections

Downsides Of Contemporary Worship Worship=music Worship=mood Privatization of worship (solo listening; concert lighting and sound management) Taken away congregational singing Diminished prayer diet Diminished scriptural diet/diet of salvation history Marginalization of pastor as worship leader Reinforced hyper Christo-centrism (Patrisuperfluidity and Pneumasuperfluidity) Commercial industries not considering what is good for the church Loss of patience as a desirable virtue in worshipers

“Reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated.” But that doesn’t stop bloggers and commentators from reporting on contemporary worship’s demise. What bloggers and commentators overlook: No support from actual statistical or sociological studies It’s not just—and never has been—just about the music. No one’s reversing the language shift and the multiple changes that shift has brought about. Massive investments in technology and architecture. The multiple industries—not just commercial music—that stand behind the phenomenon. The shift overall in Pentecostal worship and non-United States forms of worship.