Separate but equal?
How do I equate the value of one worship style to another. What is it about worship that reaches the
core of who you are and blesses you.
This is where differences really begin to matter. To say that all “black” churches are alike is
every bit as foolish as assuming all “white” churches worship the same
way. There are degrees of variation
along common themes. But these little variations
are enough to segregate membership by choice.
For instance, there are many churches who enjoy the practice
of “worship” music. This sub-genre of
Christian music tends to have repetitive verses, simple themes, and is usually
sung with many instruments including guitars, drums, sometimes a saxophone or
two. It is generally lively, heartfelt,
and has become so common, many professional Christian recording artists release
a “worship” album even if this is not their natural style. You know it when you see it. However, there still exist today, more
culturally conservative churches that “frown” on contemporary music. For them, only hymns or classical offerings
are preferred. Drums or electric guitars
are not even permitted in the building, let alone tolerated in the forefront of
a service. A person visiting both of
these styles of churches would walk away with radically different experiences
(in style).
But what is important to the worshipper? Is it the style? What if one of these churches was filled with
people who genuinely loved you. I am not
talking about Jesus-freaks that pledge their love to you on a whim, and follow
it up with only more empty words. Nor am
I talking about people screaming out messages of “love” to those contemplating
abortion outside of a clinic or two. I
am talking about genuine Christians who are really connected with Christ. People who are able to overlook your
imperfections and love you right where you are, right how you are. People who will not participate in your sin,
nor will they judge you for it. They
simply care about you, pray for you, talk to you, and be there for you
consistently. The kind of crowd you
could ask to help you move apartments, and 50 people would show up without a
second request. Yup, those kind of
people, REAL Christians. What if this is
what you encountered when walking through the doors of the sanctuary? Would it change your perceptions about the
value of style?
And in truth, are not we all seeking to find this group of
people? Don’t we long to hang out with
them? And isn’t it sad that we cannot
find them. Might be that because we
don’t see them in the mirror, we don’t see them in the aisles and on the
pews. But Love is the base common
denominator of all churches purporting to follow Christ. And isn’t it interesting that no worship
“style” has yet to produce a congregation of our mythical lofty
aspirations. There may be a church like
this somewhere, but I doubt “worship” music or traditional “hymns” are the
reason it flourishes. No, it is the Love
that is distinct. The sermons become
incidental, as the life of its members do the testifying. The music is silent, when it is unconditional
Love that reaches out to each human heart, bonds us, brings us before the
throne in humility. When REAL worship is
present, style matters almost for nothing at all.
So why has style kept us so separate for so long, when in
truth it is so unimportant?
Distraction. Evil diverts our
minds from truth and substance by focusing our attention on delivery, wording,
and sour notes. We fail to exhibit the
unconditional Love we seek, because we are too distracted by the clapping of
hands, stomping of feet, or tone of the preacher. We sit sedate in our pews, being quiet, when
we should be weeping aloud for the pain of the neighbor who sits immediately to
our right. But we hold our tears and our
tongues, and fail to even take interest in our neighbor’s pain. Or we get so wrapped up in the joy of the
Spirit that we forget not only our own troubles, but those of our neighbor who
for the moment seems to have forgotten his.
In either case, through unbridled expressions of joy, or quiet (and
therefore “reverent”) complacent disinterest, we ignore completely the life of
our neighbor to our immediate right.
Congregations grow large and impersonal. We are able to safely mask our pain, and hide
in the vast numbers of those who sit near us in church. And in so doing style helps us not at
all. Ambivalence has replaced Love as
our common denominator. Self interest
has replaced self-less-ness in service.
And the delivery method holds all of our attention, rather than the
content of what is being delivered. We
begin to cling to cherished traditions ignoring completely the true
“temperature” of our church and ourselves.
It is we who are the problem. It
is we who hold our wisdom of choices, and preferences in the style of worship
in such high regard that we have no NEED to seek out anything different –
especially in ourselves. It is we who
choose this pattern. It is we.
I am white. But I
yearn for; no, even stronger stated; I am in desperate NEED of, the emotional
commitment of my black brothers and sisters in the faith who fear not to show
the world what they feel about their Lord.
I must learn to open my mouth and let His praise flow out. I must follow the example of my brothers of
another culture and learn to be Loud for the Lord. I have come to truly enjoy the music of every
Christian culture, ethnicity, genre, and background. I must take what I have found in music, and
apply it to preaching, teaching, and service.
I am white. But I
yearn for, and desire more than I can communicate, the sense of community that
my Hispanic brothers and sisters in the faith have developed. That sense of family that is SO gracious to
accept me, and my lack of language skills, and treat me as if I were born of
their blood line, not just as the adopted child I truly am. I must unlearn my sense of independence and
self-reliance and instead begin to look at my brothers and sisters as the
family they have truly chosen to be, my family.
I must honor their choice and acceptance by returning it completely
without pause, hesitation, or self-consideration.
I am white. But I
long to find myself the simple humble servant that many of my Asian brothers
and sisters set so wonderful an example of in my journey. I must learn to keep my need for recognition
and gratitude completely subjected, and allow my service for others to be its
own reward. I must learn NOT to seek
attention, but be content with honorable service and performance of even the
simplest of the tasks set in front of me.
I aspire to become more than I am, and my Asian brothers and sisters
have helped me along the way. I see the
differences in me through them, and I realize how far from the Kingdom I truly
am.
When you stop looking and focusing so much on the style, and
start searching for the meaning in the differences, it does not take long to
learn to appreciate your brethren of other cultures. When you are able to forego the notion of
cultural superiority and adopt the truth of cultural humility you can begin to
see truth all around you. It is evil
that keeps us so focused on differences as being the source of problems, rather
than a method of finding truth. It is
evil that raises the idea that everything you need to know, can be found in one
church, in one congregation, in one style of worship. God is bigger than that. God is better than that. He can be found outside the walls you erect
to separate you from others. He can be
found in the basic expression of unconditional Love for another. He can be found in every “black” church in
America, or the world. He can be found
in every “white” church, every “Hispanic” church, every “Asian” church. It is not the buildings that contain our
God. It is the hearts of His believers.
If we, are the reason for the voluntary segregation of our
religious culture and style of worship, then “we” must end the problem in
ourselves first. We must take our pride,
our traditions, and our preferences themselves to God and in humility accept
His changes in us. We will be better off
because of it. But it begins with a
recognition that this problem is not in the hearts of others so much as it lays
in our own hearts. We must ask God to
begin by changing us, not others. And
only then can we begin to see over our differences, and become one church
united under the banner of Christ.
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