Very carefully do I tread into this subject, because it is the hot button subject when it comes to worship. Unfortunately, it's more than an actual style of worship which has caused the most division in the church. It is more about personal preferences in music style.
First, let me state a premise I believe from my own study and experience not only here in USA, but overseas as a music missionary, dealing with cultural differences. The premise is that culture should not necessarily inform our music as a church, but we must be sensitive to engaging the culture with the music of the church. There is a difference in the way we approach this according to that premise.
Just as God is no respecter of persons or cultures, so He is no respecter of music styles. He does not love Bach over a Zimbabwean song or Indian song or traditional hymn over contemporary praise and worship.
Harold Best says, "It is only a secular or paganized culture that chooses to divide people on the basis of their artistic preferences and choices. It is a spiritually connected culture that takes cultural differences, works through the tensions that they may create, and comes to the blessed condition of mixing and reconciling them and of stewarding their increase and growth."
If we say, "Not my style, not my cup of tea", are we really saying, "Not my kind of people"? This is anti-biblical and goes against the teaching of the function of the Body of Christ in the church. Is there music that is inappropriate for worship? Of course. But, it is because some particular music is bad, poorly composed or has bad connotations, rather being a particular style. We serve a creative and diverse Creator. He will base His judgement on faith or its absence or whether our worship is authentic or inauthentic worship. He looks on the heart and as the Word says, "He has put a song in our hearts and on our lips". May we sing it with all that we are for His glory - no matter what style it is. mjm
