How much do you think about worship styles?
I’m frequently amazed by my church’s worship.
I always thought church meant a narrow set of traditional elements. Every church I ever attended had hymnals and organ music, with an occasional quiet guitar tossed in. There were almost always choir robes, and ministers wore robes or conservative suits. A congregational dress code was implied and enforced through social pressure.
Church met in a “sanctuary,” a place of almost mysterious quiet. Entering the sanctuary meant preparing to worship, which meant minimal talking and certainly no socializing. The order of worship was familiar; songs came at the same place, everyone knew when to stand.
I never really thought about it. I figured that’s just how church was.
I’m reflecting on this because I experienced a service at my church this weekend that wasn’t anything like that. We called it “Cowboy Weekend.”
People showed up in Wrangler jeans, boots, and cowboy hats. The pastor bought a buffalo belt buckle for the occasion. The music was country—God-centered, praising Jesus, not an organ or choir in sight.
I watched people celebrating as they worshiped. I saw smiles and hugs and raised hands and more than a few folks moving with the rhythm of the music. Imagine that—having fun, experiencing joy while worshiping God.
Don’t get the wrong impression—this wasn’t simply a fun social gathering. It’s a group that takes “the joy of the Lord” quite seriously. It might have looked like a Nashville concert to an outsider, but it was much deeper than that.
The title of the message was “Cowboy Up.” We used Ephesians 6 to look at spiritual warfare and the tools required to combat our enemy, resist temptation, and overcome adversity. Here’s the message if you’re interested—sorry, but it can’t be embedded.
The service ended with the incredible song Anyway. I still can’t get the chorus out of my head:
God is great, but sometimes life ain’t good.
And when I pray it doesn’t always turn out like I think it should.
But I do it anyway.
I do it anyway.
I’ll admit that my church’s worship style still sometimes surprises me. But I like it.
More importantly, I think God likes it too.
What are your thoughts about this “culture shock” of worship styles?
You can leave a comment here.
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