We continue our series of top papers from our Earnestly Contending Lecture Series at Fairhaven Baptist College.  During a recent two-day course, we assigned students to write a short paper explaining what is wrong with contemporary worship, and why we must contend for the issue.  As an incentive, I promised to post online any articles that I thought were well-written and compelling. At the beginning of each post, I have highlighted a statement that I thought was excellent. 

In our first post, we included three honorable mentions. We continue today with four of the top ten papers, counting down from number 10. 

#10 – Illiomarc Gachette

Hence, we must avoid all contemporary worship because it is not pleasing in God’s sight. It is a misinterpretation of who God is and what He is all about.

In this day and age where people are careless about their music, we as Christians must be wise with our choice of music. If a song has a Christian title, it does not mean it is a song that pleases God. It appeals to the flesh and it is worldly and sensual (I John 2:15-16). It pulls the believer back to the world. Contemporary worship is trying to worship God with worldliness and selfish desires. Instead, godly worshiping is in spirit and in truth. It tends to make the believer stay stagnant instead of moving forward. It is unholy. It exalts the singer instead of the Savior. It confuses the unbelievers (I Corinthians 14:13). Also, it promotes charismatic and nondenominational doctrines. Most of the songs are repetitive (Matthew 7:7). Most of the songs do not have Jesus’ name. It sounds more like a love song instead of a hymn to honor a Holy and Righteous God (I Peter 1:15-17). It dishonors the Lord (Psalms 33:8). It does not follow the standards and fundamentals of holy music. The beat is louder than the melody. The message is unclear (Psalm 68:25). We must be careful about what we listen to. Most of CCM singers and composers do not believe what we believe in the Bible. They mix their doctrines in their songs. Their attire and lifestyle dishonor God.

The songs we listen to do a great deal with the focus and direction of our life. As children of God, we must obey His Word and honor Him with songs that we listen to and sing. God is a God of order. He loves holiness; hence, we must worship Him in holiness. Contemporary worship promotes unholy lifestyles.

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:3)

Hence, we must avoid all contemporary worship because it is not pleasing in God’s sight. It is a misinterpretation of who God is and what He is all about.  Contemporary worship is rebellious toward a Holy and Just God. It is disgusting in His sight. Contemporary is unholy and unscriptural.

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (Ephesians 5:19)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)

We must worship God the way He wants, not the way we want.

#9 – Cooper Gressly

I grew up in a massive church that used the wrong type of contemporary music, and I can say that is the kind that is wrong. They would often use electric guitars, trap sets, the women would be dressed immodestly, and this is what I grew up around thinking that it was pleasing to God. After 14 years of being at that church I realized that God is not in that kind of music at all. I started to realize that the music I was hearing in the “church” was no different then what I would listen to with my friends. It sounded the same as the world…

The first and most important thing to realize when on the topic, what is wrong with contemporary worship, is that there is contemporary music that is not wrong. The word contemporary can also mean modern or present time.  In the true definition, there are many different songs and music that are “modern” or that have just been written and are not wrong. We have the idea today that the word contemporary is wrong, but it is the music that is wrong, not the word. For instance, Golden State Baptist College has modern songs that they have written and sung, but they are not wrong and could be considered contemporary. I grew up in a massive church that used the wrong type of contemporary music, and I can say that is the kind that is wrong.  They would often use electric guitars, trap sets, the women would be dressed immodestly, and this is what I grew up around thinking that it was pleasing to God. After 14 years of being at that church, I realized that God is not in that kind of music at all. I started to realize that the music I was hearing in the “church” was no different then what I would listen to with my friends. It sounded the same as the world, and God’s name and salvation were never in the lyrics. Satan has deceived many people today in getting them to believe that all genres of music are okay and there is no kind of music that is wrong. I believe most people would change their listening habits if they only knew the truth, the problem is that many people are ignorant of the scriptures and don’t have a close walk with God. Another problem with people today is that they don’t want to give up what their flesh enjoys. Many people know the “Christian” music they listen to is wrong, they just enjoy it too much and don’t want to get rid of it. While music can be a great tool in reaching the lost it can also be a hindrance to the Gospel being spread. Overall the topic is greatly misunderstood today, and Christians need to do a better job at standing up for the truth.

#8 – Caleb Hallman

True worship is surrender and doing God’s will. Our style of worship shows our attitude towards the things of God to the ungodly world that surrounds us.

True worship is surrender and doing God’s will. Our style of worship shows our attitude towards the things of God to the ungodly world that surrounds us. Contemporary “worship” takes away the pesky rules and commandments of God and encourages a freestyle worship that makes one comfortable. The old hymns and choruses clearly gave glory and praise to God and His Son.  Contemporary worship has changed its music to be more desirable to this generation with rock and country music and lyrics that vaguely mention God or Jesus. The rock and roll beat and easy listening country music conform to this world’s music. Dress is very big to contemporary worship. They do not like the stuffy suits and ties and dresses. They actually spend a lot of time and money looking shabby.  How we dress shows how we reverence the House of God. In the Old Testament, the priest had to be dressed a certain way to enter into the presence of God or they would die. However, that is too hard and strict. The main push of Contemporary worship is to “Come as you are.” Contemporary churches have done away with the pulpit, replaced it with a stool, and have added a drum set and electric guitars, screens, iPads, and other electric devices. All of this is a distraction. With the pulpit gone, it turns into a motivational speech or story time instead of God’s Words teaching us how to live our lives. The lights are turned down low, spotlights, laser lights, and fog machines are added and it no longer even feels like a church service.

Instead, it’s a Christian concert. With the Christian rock and feel good music blaring throughout the auditorium there is no sense of worship left. The church of God has been transformed into a worldly, feel-good place to rock out with friends and it’s all acceptable because we are to “Come as you are.” Therefore, Contemporary worship is not worship at all, it is a conformity to attract the world. In 2 Corinthians 6:17 Paul told the Corinthians, “Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate.” We are to be an example to this world in all these points, and we must take a stand and not let the world take over the House of God.

#7 – Sarah Hallman

A Christian that dresses shabbily or deliberately dresses down is trying to gain the attention of the crowd, not worship God. As Christians we should be telling the world that we want to please God through the way we dress.

God made us to worship and glorify Him. Biblical worship means to fully surrender everything to God. One’s style of worship is a message to the world telling it how we view God. To rob God of what He wants, Satan has distorted the Biblical view of worship. Contemporary “Christian” Worship is Satan’s and the World’s alternative to Biblical Worship. Four distinctives of Contemporary worship are contemporary music, dress, platform arrangement, and stage lighting.

The pace at which contemporary music has replaced the traditional, God-glorifying hymns and songs used to worship God is frightening. “Christian” rock and country music have completely overtaken the song services in modern churches.  However, there is nothing “Christian” about rock or country music. The overwhelming beat in rock music and the excessive syncopation in country music was not put in that music to worship God. The whole point is that it appeals to the flesh and draws in the World. The Bible clearly states that we are to be separate from the World and not yield to the flesh.

Dress is often a controversial subject even in Fundamental Independent Baptist Churches. “God does not look at our outward appearance; He looks at the heart!” Many contemporary Christians use this reasoning when questioned about their casual and shabby dress. If taken in context, one can clearly see that that verse means that God not only sees the outward appearance but the heart as well. One’s dress reflects what is in the heart.  A Christian that dresses shabbily or deliberately dresses down is trying to gain the attention of the crowd, not worship God. As Christians, we should be telling the world that we want to please God through the way we dress.

Platform arrangement is another problem in contemporary churches. The traditional pulpit, piano, and organ have been replaced with a trap set and electric guitars. Notice that they completely remove the pulpit. The pulpit is meant to hide the pastor and emphasize the sermon. By removing the pulpit from the platform contemporary churches are focusing on the man, not the message and certainly not on God.

Lastly, stage lighting has become a serious problem in contemporary churches.  Instead of well-lit auditoriums, these churches tend to turn the lights off, using spotlights, fog machines, laser lights, and hazers to bring attention, not to God, but to the people on the stage. As Christians, our focus should be on God; not the people on the platform.

Contemporary “Christian” worship is not at all glorifying to God. As Christians, we need to build up our defenses against the world and contend for our faith in the area of worship.