I'm familiar with it as well. I like it. I like the energy and I do love the use of media and all of the visuals. And, frankly, as a pastor of a small church with a (more or less) traditional service it's easy to look at those big church services and get more than a little covetous. They're so "big"...and "shiny"...and "pretty." I know that those churches have to work extra hard to achieve the levels of intimacy that we're able to accomplish just because we're small. But, what they're doing is very attractive.
However, there are ways to be "contemporary" without having a "contemporary" worship. People are hungering, I believe, for a faith that intersects with their lives and there is a power to liturgy and tradition that can sometimes seem absent from worship that is so "contemporary" and "relevant" that it loses a sense of "otherness" or "holiness." To be fair, this can happen whatever the style is. In one of the churches I was at before here, I was told I was "too colloquial," "too familiar" in my worship leading. Fortunately, I've been able to by quite colloquial and familiar and informal at Girdwood Chapel, but I'm sure that, along the way, some persons have been put off by it.
Another thing about "contemporary worship" is that persons can be lulled into thinking it's free of form; that there is really no set pattern for liturgy and that allows the worship leaders to be more open the Spirit of God. My experience is that good contemporary worship is at least as planned and orchestrated as good traditional worship.
See how the video below looks at the subject. According to the notes I found, this is a video from the mega church video team at North Point Church in Atlanta. It's a satire pointing out the formula conventions of some contemporary worship. Discussion about the video probably centers on "What is our motive for worship?"
The comments on this video clearly show some think it's the best thing ever and some are offended by it. I would argue that it's both absurd and accurate as churches try to be something they are not to attract folks who just wouldn't be normally attracted to the group of persons who are normally sitting in those pews or seats on a Sunday morning.
I like one of the comments on the VIMEO page for this video. It's from a commenter named Craig Wilson:
I understand why some of you are upset...I get that what matters is not the medium in which the message is delivered, but the heart of the people and is the service spirit filled.
What happens though is a bunch of church leaders go to a conference and are told "this what cool church looks like, so do this." It may not be who they are, who God has called them to be or even who their community is. We should not ignore culture and even popular culture, but there is no "Cookie Cutter" stamp for all churches. If this is who you are or if you truly believe God has called you to be about these things, then by all means do it.
For all the "cool" stuff we can do in a church with lights and media it will never be as good as the "Cold Play" or "Muse" concert I go to...but you know what the world cannot compete with when it comes to the church? True Love, True Grace, and True Community. They will always fall short in that arena. I feel like we will always fall short competing with the world's culture and sometime we may look silly trying.
So, how can we show the world True Love, True Grace, True Community?
It may come with a flashy video or great guitar work. It may mean I need to find myself more cool t-shirts or finally get that tatoo I've always wanted. But without the love, grace, and community, we're just spinning our wheels.
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