- Col. Gwenyth Redhead (R)
This article is adapted from a series of articles that Gwen wrote for the New Zealand War Cry, originally published in August 2004, and reprinted in THEME Apr-May-Jun 2005. Gwen and her husband Col. Robert Redhead retired from active officership in May 2005, after serving two years in their final appointment as the General’s Representatives for the Development of Worship and Evangelism through Music and Other Creative Arts. They now reside in Orillia Ontario.

Worship is a hot topic - so hot that it is a challenge to keep up to date with new material that appears on the subject daily in the form of articles on the Internet, books on the shelf, and CDs and DVDs on the computer. Even in those parts of the world where such resources are not readily available, people young and old are anxious to engage in conversation on the subject.

In this article we will look briefly at some of the factors which arise from, or contribute to, the world-wide interest in worship.

Lessening of denominational boundaries

In past eras denominational loyalty was greater than it is today. Many parts of the Western world have become increasingly secular. Children no longer adhere to the faith of their parents - or, more likely, grandparents. Church is not seen to be relevant.

Forms of worship used to vary greatly from denomination to denomination. Today it is possible to walk into worship services in various denominations and find great similarities in the corporate worship being offered.

Worship Conflict

Sadly, one of the reasons worship has become a hot topic is because skirmishes are seen in all denominations, in every part of the world, even if they have not yet escalated to full blown wars.

There are multiple roots and symptoms. Some that we have observed are:

Consumer mentality
In many cultures people attend corporate worship services asking the question: “What’s in it for me?” rather than asking of God: “What will you get out of the worship we offer to you?” This leads to:

Focus on the form of worship rather than the object

Too many attempts to resolve worship conflict still revolve around “fixing forms” to please the congregation, rather than providing the reminder that worship is about God, not us, and that there is so much more to worship than the hour spent together on a Sunday morning.

Lack of freedom in worship

Those who worship gods with a small ‘g’ in rugby stadiums or at pop concerts are quite uninhibited in their expressions of adulation. Sadly, lack of awareness that scripture is filled with examples of freedom of expression in worship causes some who are bursting to give full expression of their love for God to feel inhibited by the judgemental attitudes of others, while those whose natural form of expression is less extravagant feel embarrassed.

Lack of understanding that the church is the Body of Christ

The New Testament makes it clear that the church “was gathered”, in other words, the church was people, uniquely described as “the Body of Christ.” Now Christians tend to think of going to church to worship, and equate the church with a place.

Many congregations do not grasp the fact that each individual member makes an important contribution to the whole, and the mutual respect and interdependence that should exist in any congregation and across the denominations in the church universal is, all too often, sadly lacking.

Globalization

The influence of the West has increased greatly in developing countries through the rapid advances constantly being made in technology. And linked are deliberate marketing strategies of major commercial companies to penetrate developing countries with their goods, and their use of people in developing countries to supply goods or services at cheaper rates.

The ready availability of Christian CDs and videos, together with Christian programs on radio and TV, mean that even in the most remote parts of the world youthful Christians, especially, are being influenced by the latest song or expression of worship. We have noted that youthful Salvationist worship teams, whose native tongue is not English, learn songs from recordings and sing them in English with the accent of the recording artist!

Tribalization

While some in developing countries buy into the idea that West is best, others are increasingly interested in making sure that their languages and cultures do not disappear into the melting pot.

This has affected worship since they desire to move away from forms of worship imposed through the colonialist attitudes of the past, to celebrating indigenous forms of worship.

Multiculturalism

People from developing countries continue to flock to the western world. Some found churches that relate to the culture from which they have come, but others join existing congregations. Their influence can be seen where there has been a deliberate attempt to fuse together a variety of cultures in worship.

But culture relates to age as well as ethnicity and this has resulted in multi-congregations within a church which engages in youth worship, contemporary worship, family worship, or traditional worship at different hours throughout a given Sunday. In other places genuine attempts are made to provide “blended” worship rather than “blanded” worship.

Postmodernism

Brian D. McLaren, in his book More Ready Than You Realize, draws attention to the fact that the postmodern generation is seeking spiritual truth while feeling, all too often, that the church does not relate.

A new generation is emerging that is looking for authenticity and participation in worship, through multi-sensory experiences, rather than being spectators at a performance. They are open to exploring the transcendence of God rather than buying into the “God in my pocket” syndrome.

Salvation Army Worship at the Beginning of the Third Millennium

What impact are the phenomena of the lessening of denominational boundaries, worship conflict, globalization, tribalization, multiculturalism, and postmodernism having on our worship?

The lessening of denominational boundaries

There are still many places in the world where one would arrive at the Salvation Army to worship and find visible Salvation Army symbols such as the flag and mercy seat. Many worshippers would be in uniform, and there would be a brass band sitting in formation.

In other places, especially in new plants in some parts of the Western world, there would be no physical evidence that one was attending a Salvation Army meeting, few uniformed worshippers, and the format of the meeting would be similar to that of many other denominations - 20 minutes of sung worship led by a worship team, followed by the offering, a 30 minute sermon and closing song.

Globalization

The ready availability of new worship songs through modern technology, and the fact that they are used across denominations means that they have been translated into many languages. In a variety of Salvation Army worship settings we have seen words in the local language on a screen, by means of PowerPoint or overhead transparency, or on a printed sheet. As soon as the song has begun to be sung we have been able to join in because it is a song we have learned either in Canada, New Zealand or the United Kingdom.

Tribalization

Salvation Army youth, especially, are expressing the desire to engage in corporate worship in ways that reflect their ethnicity. While some enjoy and appreciate the brass bands that were imposed by the colonialist mission style of those who first took the Salvation Army to their countries, many want to enjoy the freedom and depth of worship that is only possible if it is culturally relevant.

Multiculturalism

There is a new awareness that any worship in which we engage on earth is but a pale shadow of the worship of heaven, described in Revelation: “ a great multitude..from every nation, tribe, people and language…And they cried out… ‘Salvation belongs to our God.’” (7:9,10, NIV)

The increasing multiculturalism of the Salvation Army provides opportunity for there to be small foretastes of that here and now. Two examples:

MOSAIC - The International Music and Other Creative Ministries Forum (held June 2004) - provided the opportunity for the 61 delegates from 38 territories and commands, half of whom did not speak English as their first language, to experience that joy. On several profoundly moving occasions all lifted their voices simultaneously in prayer and song in their native tongue.

In Kuala Lumpur in August 2004 we participated in a regional Sunday morning worship service, attended by over 500 Salvationists from Western Malaysia, and conducted in three languages at once: Chinese, Tamil and English. Both distinctively Salvation Army songs and newer inter-denominational songs were sung with great fervour, and all repeated the Lord’s Prayer together.

Postmodernism

The desire for authenticity in worship from emerging generations is providing challenges to some of our existing forms of worship.

While, in principle, we have great freedom in our approaches to corporate worship, all too often the worship prepared is very predictable, whether it is “traditional” or “contemporary” in style. In too many places a computer template is constructed and merely tinkered with from week to week, rather than taking advantage of all the multi-sensory experiences that can help to bring us into touch with God.

Response

Our appointment was evidence of the General’s desire that there should be a positive response to these phenomena.

We have now visited several territories and commands and have worked with the territorial leadership to address issues that are particularly relevant to them.

However, MOSAIC, for which we were responsible, provided a catalyst for addressing the phenomena from a global perspective. Many delegates were Territorial Music Secretaries or Territorial Creative Arts Directors.

Several of the Resolutions and Recommendations which they formulated provide a way forward:

“We affirm the cultural relevance and background of worship, evangelism and creative arts in the local setting. While we affirm our unity by sharing across cultural barriers, we will avoid the westernization of developing cultures, and will assist in the affirmation of their own identity.

“That culturally relevant and indigenous SA music will be encouraged by the provision of training in music typesetting/editing/publishing with the appropriate computer software and hardware through territorial partnerships.

“We will be proactive in bringing scripture alive in our own territories through instruction in the basics of scripture reading and subsequent group reading, monologues and scripture-based drama and dance.

“While recognizing the importance of developing and encouraging all worship arts as methods of discipleship and evangelism, The Salvation Army should continue to recognize, support and develop the tradition of larger inclusive music groups such as brass bands and songster brigades. In doing so The Salvation Army will continue to develop innovative ways for presentation and use all forms of the worship arts.

“The selection of the title: ‘International Music and Other Creative Arts’ reflects our international leaders’ recognition and support that music remains our principle art form.

“We resolve and affirm: 1. that our existing music organizations remain effective and valid expressions of SA worship and evangelism, and 2. that Army music organizations should find the means to work in partnership with our other creative arts ministries.

“That territories speaking the same language combine efforts in translation to avoid duplication of materials and to promote standards of excellence and artistic integrity.”

We are already having the opportunity to witness first hand the Resolutions being put into effect by delegates from cultures as far apart as those of Indonesia and Portugal - and several places in between.

And for this we thank God.