Check out this interesting article written by a 20 something about reaching his generation and be sure to read the comments to the post. Here are some of the comments that I found most thought-provoking:
I talked to a handful of 20somethings who dropped out of church for a few years and are now back and engaged. When I asked them about the worship style of our church (we’re a mix between blended and traditional), the answers were all different. Most of them indicated that they would rather we sing less and get to the preaching quicker. “That’s what we’re there for,” said one. Others mentioned how much they loved the organ. A couple mentioned that the “hymns” could be hard sometimes, but that they wanted to learn them anyway, as they felt they were important.
Even funnier is the mindset among the Boomer generation that if we were to start using the organ and singing hymns again that all the young people would leave. The Boomer generation is making the same mistake that their parents did, thinking that what attracted them to church is what will attract their kids. Sorry. It isn’t happening.
It’s easy to update musical style and think that this is the “sacrifice” it takes to reach the younger crowd. It’s much harder to actually invest in the relationships and serious Bible teaching that are actually more effective in reaching the 20somethings.
And from the comments to his blog:
When we focus on worship style, we miss both worship and God. When we focus on God, we can’t help but worship.
i would say that this is pretty dead on. being “contemporary” is so uncontemporary, and following closely behind is the irrelevence of being “relevant”. The one drawing factor I see for 20 somethings in church is honesty, and a super produced contemporary service is not delivering that, at least in image. if we got rid of every dynamic media and production feature, i doubt we would lose anyone, save those who are there to be entertained, and we need their seat anyways. what we have been sold as “an enhancement to your worship experience” is most often the brainchild of some guy at a worship corporation designed to eek out a few more shekels from the faithful. if every hour spent strategizing on how to impress people with our churches was spent on our knees in prayer, revival would already be here. ouch. i better go pray now.
i agree up to a point. i think the people that are wanting to sing less are possibly taking a jab at the music in a roundabout way. and i think that style doesn’t matter to 20 somethings in the church who’ve grown up in the church. for an unchurched person, most church music is considered boring and dated. an electric guitar is probaly far more asthetically appealing than an organ to someone who’s never set foot inside a church before. either way though, you’re completely right about when you focus on God, you can’t help but worship
I’m not sure I can place much credence in your observations, in as much as they are based largely upon anecdotal evidence.
For every one comment of music irrelevance you encountered, I’ll bet I have found two that indicated the music was, in fact, central to their return/rededication to the church.
Worship should be a mutual connection with God and people. Seen this way a music time is VERY relationship focused as it encourages a community experience. A music time in church can be twenty times more powerful than the community experience you find at a concert. This translates to simplistic arrangements that are easy to sing with. This means it can’t be in too high of a key that intimidates, contains minimal harmonies, and a consistent beat so one can clap if they are uncomfortable singing. Done this way the focus is on community building not on music.
recently heard an interesting take on why many 20somethings disappear from church (and some return in their 30s). Churches are creating this rock n roll, high energy, small group, not many adults, setting in youth (middle school/high school). When the kids get out of high school, they can no longer relate to “Big Church”. So they feel like they have no where to go, and they leave.
FAMILIES need to be together in church, crying babies, squirming seventh graders…the whole group. There isn’t community in church when we continue to adhere to a model of segregating our children from “big church” (what a term, eh?)
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