I can identify with the “blended worship” model, but our fellowship has responded very well to everything that we throw at them, so we aim to be more progressive with our music style than other churches in our area might be.

Our guest speaker this weekend is a grandmother that sits every week with her husband, her daughter and her granddaughter, all of whom I would say qualify as fully engaged by a song like “Salvation is Here” by Hillsong United, as well as they would be Chris Tomlin’s “Holy is the Lord.” We haven’t brought any classics out of the vault yet, but the Passion version of Jesus Paid It All is on deck for June.

A few years back, I served as the music minister at a Southern Baptist church. I’ll never forget the day that my pastor advised me that the 50′s small group had met in secret and made a list of hymns that they recommended be played to help “retain their membership.” We made a healthy compromise and managed to somewhat reinvent some of the classics to accommodate being led on acoustic guitar instead of piano.

I suppose that is what made me value the Passion Hymn’s cd so much when it came out. It is an honor to be able to carry the torch, so to speak, by holding on to the traditional music of my grandparents. It will be a greater honor to have my grandchildren ask me if I’m tired of singing Shout to the Lord when I’m in my 70′s.

Problem is, these adults that demand their preferences, to the exclusion of younger generations, get their way but then do nothing with it. They could at least act like they enjoyed getting there way during the services they fight so hard to retain control over.

Good to see someone who is willing to prioritize generational outreach. I’m reminded of Willie George, senior pastor of Church on the Move, who “let go” of his midweek services to pour into the lives of his teens. Out of that heart for young people emerged onEighty, one of the nations largest church ministries to teens.

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I believe strides like this are going to help the Church to provide a place for both believers and seekers alike to find Christ in a way outside the mold. This is one more step to breaking down the non-theological tradition that may possibly be harming us. Just like breaking free of purely traditional songs in church, breaking free of traditional meeting times and places will present the church as not stuffy and boring, but loving and caring enough to create environments where people can be loved on and become fully devoted followers of Him.

To an early 20′s family like me and my wife, it is the best idea since padded pews.

Christians have become so consumer oriented… what will please me? Not, what will reach the lost. We have to refocus our priorities. By the way, I have been to Perry’s church… their whole staff gets it. They are there to reach people and evenin a small country community, they are reaching roughly around 7000 plus each weekend.