Aug

31

Define This: Multi-Generational Worship

Posted on August 31st, 2011 in Church Life, Faith, Worship Leadership, Worship Q&A by Fred McKinnon

Multi-Generational Worship.

This is a buzz word these days.  We keep discussing this at our church, and how we desire to create it.  I have news for you, it’s not that easy.

We’re in the midst of ongoing, challenging,  yet fulfilling discussions about our worship culture, and we always come back to these questions:

What is “multi-generational worship”?
How do we define a “culture of worship”?

So I’m reaching out to you, my online friends.  I’d love to hear from worship leaders, pastors, and non-church leaders.  Congregants.  Moms.  Dads.  Kids.  Youth.

At the bottom of this post is a “Add a Comment” box.  How would you define “multi-generational worship” or “blended worship”.  I’d suggest checking the box that enables you to get an email reply if someone else comments on your post so that the dialog can keep going for days.

Go for it.  (Facebook friends – I’d be honored and grateful if you’d leave your comments on the blog, and not on Facebook (or both) …. by leaving them on the blog, we keep all of the conversation in one place.)

For the Kingdom,
Fred


Newer Comments →
  • Philipmeadows

    In my church we define multi-generational worship as a blend of old and new worship music. As the worship leader I understand that everyone likes something different, so obviously I can’t make everybody happy at all times, but I play a lot of contemporary music and mix in and use hymns, and hymns that have been rewritten as more contemporary versions. I’ve also learned that just using older worship songs (not necessarily hymns) that people love it.
    We learn a lot of new music, but I try not to beat people over the head with new stuff.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Phillip,

      I think that’s one of the most used definitions, for sure. Some also call that “blended”. I think you’re so right when you say it’s doesn’t have to always be “hymns” … but older praise/worship songs or choruses as well.

  • http://www.jamielish.com Jamie Anderson

    True worship – the stuff John 4 talks about will never be generationally restricted. It simply can’t be. Worship is a lifestyle; something we live out in every aspect of our lives, in every sphere and at all times. I don’t believe you need to down grade the Biblical context of worship to something as blended or multi generational. If it’s done like the Bible explains then it will be blended, multi-generational and cultural.

    If we worship in Spirit and in Truth then we’ll do it at any age, in any culture and i any style. I don’t believe worship was ever intended to be just the bit before the message, a style on the radio dial or just some songs we sing. If that’s all we see it as, then we’ll probably miss the manifest presence of God like He intends.

    As an American who’s lived overseas for 23 years of my life and now returned back the USA – I find the US church expression of worship very commercialized and it’s understanding of true Biblical worship very watered down. We’ve created a “culture” of people who think worship is the bit that happens at the start of a church or conference meeting instead of being the reason we were created.

    Great question – can’t wait to learn from others as they respond.

    Blessings,
    Jamie

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Jamie,
      I must confess, I also struggle deeply with what western culture has done to “worship”. I don’t think it’s as easy as just saying “well, if it is worship in spirit and truth, it will be blended, multi-generational” …
      Simply because, I don’t’ think that 99% of people in church really have a clue what “worship in spirit and truth” is, what it looks like, etc. That’s part of the problem, wouldn’t you agree?
      As leaders, we have to help bring that passage into a practical reality .. but how?

      • http://www.jamielish.com Jamie Anderson

        Hey Fred, true –  99% don’t know what that is and that’s really dangerous. We have a lot of people leading what they think is worship but is in fact just some songs to fill some time. I’d even be so bold as to say – they’re not worshipping God but the moment of singing these songs and how that makes the feel. They’re not seeking God and his experiences but merely seeking an experience of God.

        If we’re not doing what the Bible clearly shows us as how to worship – are we really worshipping at all?

        This is totally the problem and that’s what we need to focus our attention on fixing. If we created a body of Christ who understood what worship is meant to be – we’d not have to worry about style, preference, song choice and whether it’s old, new, traditional or contemporary.

        Truth is God’s not impressed with the sound of our music as much as He is the sound of our heart.

        If we’re to change the way it’s done – as leaders we need to first learn and educate ourselves, spend time knowing God and then impart, demonstrate and release others to do the same.

        great comments coming from everyone so far…..

      • Jeff Davis

        This is a great post Fred (and Jamie). In the past we have had a worship 101 class that we held every two or three months and it was very well attended. We spent about 2 to 2 1/2 hours (with a break) sharing a curriculum we had written on “spirit and truth” worship. I was really surprised at the number of attendees who would say after the class that they had no idea worship was more than singing songs. You are dead on, Fred. A large majority don’t understand and we, as leaders, always need to grow ourselves. Each time I taught the class, I was shown something else as well! Also, as we are intentional about discipling our worship teams about authentic worship, we should encourage them, in their small groups, bible study groups, school, work, etc, to do the same. 

        • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

          Jeff,
          I would LOVE to get a copy of that Worship 101 syllabus.  Would you be willing to share it with me?

          • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jeff-Davis/549495223 Jeff Davis

            Of course, Fred! Be more than happy to. Would love to get your input on it as well. Is there a specific email I should use?

          • Jamie

            Hey Jeff – I’d like to see it to – if you’re happy to share with me send
            to: jamie@jamielish.com
            thanks!

  • http://mostlyquestions.wordpress.com Bernard Shuford

    Tough one, eh.  I commend you for trying to do it.  I think one of the saddest things in current American church culture is that we have made it about “young” vs. “old”. There are churches full of young people, and churches full of old people, but very few with a lot of both. 

    If we can really understand that worship is not music, we’ll be one step up. 

    Typically, the question is REALLY “Do we play music that old people like, or do we play music that young people like?”  And those two will NEVER be the same music.  Never. So, we either play some of both, or we pick one and let the other people slowly stop coming. 

    If we play some of both, EVERYBODY is a LITTLE bit unhappy. If we pick one, SOMEBODY is happy, and somebody is terribly unhappy.

    Most people want their church to love them enough to want them to be there. If they don’t feel loved, they’ll eventually stop coming.  

    As to “culture of worship”, if we can somehow separate “worshipping God” from “singing songs about worshipping God”, it will help.  Those songs are great, but they are not, in themselves, worship.  If sung by worshippers, they can be worship.  They allow the worshipper a particular outlet.  But the worship is the adoration, the love, the uplifting, the praising, the attitude that comes from the heart.  

    Worship can be rock based, country based, bluegrass, symphonic, piano, you name it, if done by a singer / musician with a truly worshipful heart.  Heck, worship can be done in total silence, in my opinion. 

    So, a part of the deal, imo, is getting a common definition of worship to the different age groups.  Typically, they worship very differently because of their cultural upbringing.  Grandma probably isn’t gonna jump and mosh like it’s a Korn concert, but that comes naturally to a certain type of teenager.  Probably not in church, agreed, but they’re going to “like church” a lot more if the music rocks. 

    I guess I don’t have any answers.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Bernard,
      Great responses, bro. I honestly don’t have many answers either, which is why (I’m so grateful for this!) our church has a team that helps process these tough questions, so the burden (and blame) doesn’t fall on me exclusively.
      I wonder if multi-generational worship isn’t so much defined by music style, but by the concept of all of us worshiping together – young and old, in unity and oneness.

      • Bill Horn

        Fred,
        I think your last line there says what I’m thinking, that the issue is getting all of the generations in our church to be unified in worship of our risen King. I think the true foundation for that is making the gospel the absolute center of our focus in corporate worship. When we (and our congregations) truly see the beauty of God’s ridiculous grace and love for us, shown through His brutal death on the cross, multi-generational worship WILL happen. All the other stuff fades into the background because it pales in comparison. The people who care more about the style of music than they care about the gospel are probably not really worshiping yet anyway, and we need to back up and take care of that issue before we try and meet their wants and desires for our worship gatherings. We need to teach our people the “why” of worship, I think. The priority must always be recalling who our Lord is and what He has done, above all in the work of redemption on our behalf. We are working through this now in our church, and I’m very thankful for a group of elders that are full of grace and truth as we seek to define this for our congregation.

        • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

          Bill,
          This sounds amazing.  I’d love for you to come back and offer a few specific examples of how you’re making the gospel more of a focus during your corporate worship …

    • Debbie Flack

      Bernard,

      Perhaps things are a bit different in our church, but I have a different opinion about multi-generational worship.

      I agree that many people (Americans) need more education on what worship is and is not and what it is to be a worshiper.

      If people are truly worshipers, then I think you’re suggesting that the style of music will not matter to a true worshiper. Perhaps our congregation is populated by more than the average number of true worshipers, because just last Sunday I looked out on the congregation and noticed that (during our rather contemporary music and to a rather new song) our eldest members (who are over 60 and at least one over 80 years old) were the most expressive in our congregation! They were lifting their arms and very close to dancing. They are the only ones besides myself who let their feet leave the ground, to be honest – including the teens and twenty-somethings, whom one would expect to be more energetic.

      Now, I understand that physical expression, including lifted hands and dancing, is not necessarily the sign of true worship. I dare say, though, that “forgetting” how one looks to others (barring God) is a pretty good start.

      Also, the song part of our church services is not the only (or even the primary) way to show congregants your love for them. I dare put forward the idea that it is nearly the least important way to show love. Love is greeting them at the door with a hug and a, “How have you been?” no matter how long it’s been since they darkened the door or what their lifestyle has been in the mean time. Love is making dinner for the new mom, helping a family move to a new home, weeping with those who mourn, spending time with them in their homes or yours (hospitality). And more than that, of course.

      I believe that every community is unique, and what “works” with one community may not with all. I think that taking that into account is crucial to a church’s success in growing the Kingdom of God.

       ~ Debbie

    • GregMoore

      The song “about worship” (Psalm 122)– what do we do with it?  We’ve taken the Imperative Psalms (Ps 100, 148, 150, etc.) and morphed “Let them” into “I will”, which I think is a good idea, moving from Let George Do It to words of personal commitment.  But where do we put the “about worship” and “here’s what God did/History/Testimony” and “here’s what’s bugging me” (Psalm 88, etc.)?  These call us to fall to our faces in adoration of God, and are very much worship songs (just a different aspect of worship than that which goes right to the faces-on-the-ground worship).  Where do they go?  Where do they fit?  

  • Julie Minter

    A must is tolerance for being outside our comfort zone in music and style.  But each must be tested as the scriptures instruct to see if it is of God, and not of influence by Satan.  All secular influences are not of Satan, however.  So we must evaluate if the style, or if a technological aide points to God.  All worship must draw the participant to focus on God, not the leader, not themselves, not what their pew neighbor is doing, not what the choir is doing, etc.  Julie

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Julie,
      Thanks for jumping in. Keeping the focus on God is quite the task, especially as our churches are built and ordered in such a performance-driven way now.

    • http://twitter.com/bondservant2k JonWesley

      “tolerance for being outside our comfort zone”- whew! That’s the hard part, isn’t it? As a leader/planner I know I must tolerate the wants and needs of those God has chosen me to lead. It’s tough to lead others to that same understanding.

      • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

        Jon,
        I agree – the tolerance goes both ways … not just asking congregants to be “tolerant” of our preference, but perhaps, preferring or “tolerating” some of their preferences as well.

  • LoriPeters

    This is not my definition, it came from Paul Baloche. A multi-generational worship service is like a buffet.  As worship leaders we provide something on the menu that everyone likes and provide a lineup that is appetizing to all.  In other words we still maintain the rules of flow, keys, theme etc. This means that we also need to create new arrangements of older music sometimes.  Take the best of the old, mix with the best of the new and create a service that all can experience authentic worship.  It’s not easy but it can be done.  Thank Paul Baloche for his insight on this subject.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Lori,
      I LOVE Paul Baloche, and had never heard his definition.

      • LoriPeters

        Well, to give credit where credit is due, he taught this at the Seminars4Worship conference in Boston, MA in October 2010.  It really helped us as a team as we have a multi-generaltional church that was plante 20 years ago as a contemporary church but somewhere along the line got stuck in 1997 music.

        • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

          Awesome – we were at the Seminars4Worship in Augusta, and I guess i missed it!

    • tpaulding

      The problem with Baloche’s buffet analogy is big for me. If you got to a buffet you only eat what you like and the things you don’t like, you ignore. In a worship service there is no opportunity to ignore the things you don’t like and pick something else.

      It is more like a dinner party where we have to hope that the chef picked courses that everyone likes because they don’t have a choice or a menu. You have to hope that the chef has picked enough safe things on the menu that everyone will like most of what they get even though picky people will never like everything they get.

      • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

        or … find another restaurant?

  • Brent

    To me, the obvious answer is creating a climate of worship that attracts and appeals to young and old alike. I agree,,, very hard to do.  I’ve witnessed a church split because of the inability to please everyone with a style of worship.  Our church is primarily a younger church with contemporary praise and worship but to sing hymns with electric guitar in the background is powerful! Hopefully worship leaders remain sensitive to this issue and it doesn’t become the stumbling block. How petty we can be. 

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Brent,
      You said: ” I’ve witnessed a church split because of the inability to please everyone with a style of worship”.
      Yeah, that’s so sad. And the reality is, ultimately, we will NEVER please everyone with a style of worship. No matter how hard we try, musical preference is so subjective.
      I believe a church leadership has to decide what their culture should reflect, help the worship leaders with some specific, practical examples, and hold fast to that. For the people who constantly complain, I think someone needs to lovingly tell them that perhaps that church isn’t where they belong. Just my $.02.

  • Pscheu64

    We still have a lot of older people in our church that loves the hymns and it has been a challenge to find the right balance but I think we are getting there. Only by God’s leading of course. We try to mix it up with a few hymns and a few praise and worship songs, more contemporary or modern. Our song set list for this week is : Selah’s version of the Medley, 1)Standing on the Promises/Leaning on the Everlasting Arms/ Are You Washed In the Blood
    2) Praise is Rising
    3) Our God is an Awesome God (chorus only)
    4) Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (Chorus Only)/Praise the Mighty Name of Jesus
    5) You are My All In All

    We are starting to get more participation from the congregation. At first, we made the mistake of trying to put too many new songs into the mix and they weren’t able to participate much since they did not know them. They are starting to really like some of the newer things as we mix them in.  We seem to choose songs that are within a theme and that has been working well.

    Other last set lists

    Lord I Lift Your Name on High
    What a Lovely Name (Hymn)
    O How I I Love Jesus ( Hymn)
    Your Name
    There’s Just Something About that Name

    AriseOpen the Eyes of my HeartCome Now is the Time to WorshipShout to the LordHere I am to WorshipGive Us Clean HandsHail to the KingMighty to SaveLove to Tell the StoryJesus Saves

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Pscheu64,

      These are some great ideas. I love the Selah medley idea — I will have to check that out for sure!
      Question – do you participate in “Sunday Setlists” over at TheWorshipCommunity.Com each week? Seeing these ideas would be a great benefit to the leaders.

  • http://www.facebook.com/oyer.christophera Chris Oyer

    Multi-generational worship is what I call “Worship Whack-A-Mole.” As a former worship team director, my mantra is “to engage, captivate, and inspire the entire room to turn their full attention to God in a display of approval, commendation, love, and adoration.” Some people describe multi-generational worship as a buffet, which begs the question, “How many items do they pass up before finding something they connect with and how many weeks may go by between feedings if they aren’t connecting?” Every time we change styles, i.e. rock to r&b to pop to gospel to alternative to country… its like playing that carnival game where you push the mole back down after its lifted up. The future of worship lies in identity, we can’t be everything to every one and we’re not going to try within the same service. Look at Tomlin, Casting Crowns, Lincoln Brewster, Hillsong… they didn’t become worship leaders because they got a recording contract, they were leaders who got a contract because of their approach to worship leading, and they’ve been blessed with a general assembly. Multi-generational is a scapegoat phrase for people who want to believe anything goes, when its not anything goes to the guy who’s coming off of six 10 hour work days on a construction site, a depressed single mother of three, a college kid who has to go back to school filled and knowing God is with him/her so they have the strength to say no to some things college life offers.
    Its not about generations, its about connections.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Chris,
      Very strong words. You say “it’s not about generations, it’s about connections”. How, then, do you propose to relationally (and musically) connect with multiple generations at the same time, when clearly, those generations (granted, this is a stereotype, but a valid one) have pretty different stylistic preferences?

      • http://www.facebook.com/oyer.christophera Chris Oyer

        connecting with multiple generations in the same service is not the same as connecting with multiple generations at the same time. You can have a congregation of 10,000 and only connect with a few at a time. If you lead a 60 minute service and some people are only connecting for 4 minutes during an old-school hymn, is it really a successful service for them? Sometimes multi-generational can also mean “we don’t want to expend the resources to fully captivate this body for an entire hour so we’re going to compromise and meet everyone at once.” Worship leading is not about tearing down barriers, its about leading people to God from what ever path they have been created to walk in “the way.” If I gave directions to California from Ohio, you’d get lost trying to follow them if you live in South Carolina. In the same way people come from different places and won’t always be led the right way for their path if we try to lead everyone left when some need to go straight or even do a 180 and turn around… in the end every leader has to be themselves and do what they do authentically, if I don’t lead you to God that doesn’t mean I’m not leading someone else, right? If you want to connect with everyone in the room you must examine yourself and who you can authentically reach… can you do heavy metal authentically? Hymns? Rap? New? Old? Top 40 hits? Being the you God made you to be and building a congregation of like-wise minded individuals regardless of age is the future of praise and worship ministry.

        • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

          Chris,
          Good answers … which brings me to even further thought. Is one person (one leader) really equipped to do that well? Is a plurality of worship leadership better?

          • http://www.facebook.com/oyer.christophera Chris Oyer

            No, one probably can’t authentically do it all, ideally we should be striving to do what’s best for each member of the flock, uncompromisingly. That’s a tall order to fill, but to me, a necessity. Its been said that every one is representative of a different body part, i.e. some are hands, some are heads, some are visible, others aren’t. Would we wear glasses on our kidneys? Or wear shoes on our buttocks? Sounds silly, but a great example of needing to make sure what we use fits where we’re trying to use it. Sometimes we get so caught up in one aspect that we make it “perfect” then step back and realize it makes the big picture look like a Picasso painting. IDEALLY, multiple leaders AND multiple services.

          • GregMoore

            I’ve worn shoes on my buttocks a few times:)  

          • GregMoore

            Who hasn’t?

  • Kim Bontrager

    We’ve wrestled with this, too, Fred. I suppose a simple definition is a worship experience that engages multiple generations. What it often feels like is a worship experience that irritates multiple generations.  :)

    I think to truly pursue ‘multi-generational worship’ is a noble but terribly difficult task, especially the larger the church is. If you’re talking to a kids ministry person, ‘multi-generational worship’ means including elements that specifically connect with families/kids. When talking to an older person, ‘multi-generational worship’ means including a few newer songs (and a nice, quiet band) into a service that has an overall traditional feel.My current observations of this journey…- settle on what the atmosphere of the service will be outside the conversation about song choice. The two are not the same. Establish a culture for the environment/atmosphere, then deal with the songs.- people must be challenged (led, taught) to respect musical expressions of worship outside their preferences. Musicians start this movement, or end it. 

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Kim,
      Thanks so much for the heartfelt response … and a seasoned one at that.
      I love this line from your comment:
      “What it often feels like is a worship experience that irritates multiple generations. :) ”
      Yesterday, one of my friends said this:
      “It’s usually not about giving them a song they like .. .it’s about NOT giving them a song they DON’T like”. Geez.

      • tpaulding

        Hey, I said that.

  • Larrykane

    great comments here for sure, we were just travailing over this at a church meeting this morning. It strikes me that if we were all at a flood site or fire and working together to help rescue someone, very few would notice much about old and new because we were united at a task. Certainly worship is not a “task” and the analogy breaks down, but just like the fire or flood is bigger than the both of us the Spirit of God and the sense of awe needs to be held as being bigger than all of our preferences. (so those who are more spiritually mature in the congregation need to jump in with both feet and lead by example)

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Larry,
      Thanks so much – I’m not surprised to hear you were travailing over this in a church meeting today .. it happens all over the world now!
      I somewhat agree with your analogy; however, I find myself thinking: #1 – I do consider myself to be spiritually mature
      #2 – that being said, I 100% DEFINITELY have a stylistic and musical/song preference, and I tend to be much more engaged, expressive, and connected when I’m able to participate in that preference.
      So, even being a “mature” Christian, I still find myself connecting much more soundly when it’s within the scope of what I prefer.
      That’s the dilemma.

  • Geneberrier

    I think that sometimes we try too hard. I have always used the formula, “Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” and it works for me 100% of the time. I have never seen it fail. My pastor and I are amazed Sunday after Sunday at how his message and my musical choices always work. It can only be because we are leaving the Holy Spirit in control.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Gene,
      That simplicity is amazing. And scriptural. You’re blessed to be in a church that goes along so easily. In most, even with that formula, someone is grumbling about the ARRANGEMENT or INSTRUMENTATION of the “psalm, hymn, or spiritual song”.

  • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

    I’ll be the “bad guy” in order to get things rolling…

    Many of the most “successful” “high impact” churches that I know of have become “multi-generational” by refusing to cater to personal tastes whatsoever – they let the worship pastor lead in his strong-spot – in the keys that works for him/her, in the style that he/she lead best in, & according to his/her tastes – which often, given the average age of worship leaders at contemporary churches, draws flocks of youth, & young marrieds, who are – of course – the future of the church, & being younger, often less spiritually mature.  Those who do this most effectively also vision-cast to their older believers, giving them multiple opportunities to mentor & encourage the younger generations.  That way, yes – the older folks don’t “like” the music on Sunday so much – but they see themselves as integral to the missional movement within their church, & are mature enough to understand that the Sunday morning “style” is not about them.

    I’m friends with 3 or 4 worship pastors who lead in these environments & though – on occasion – elderly couples who are essentially seeking a “product” (church that caters to their tastes) come & express dissatisfaction with the music, they are given the churches vision, & if they don’t like it, they are given a list of traditional churches in the area that believe the Gospel, & encouraged to visit those.  

    Overall, I’ve been very impressed with the fruit & depth of the churches I know of who have taken that approach.

    • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

      By the way, if I were to narrow this down to a “definition” it would be: “Multi-generational worship need not APPEAL to all generations stylistically as long as every generation finds themselves a place within it to serve God & man in a way that is fulfilling & participatory apart from musical taste & style & song-choice.” ;-)

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Shannon
      Wow. Bring it. My only thought w/ that direction is that it puts A LOT of responsibility on the Worship Pastor. (and authority). That’s not necessarily a bad thing … but a reality.

      • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

        In the churches I know of that do this the “responsibility” (the folks who make/made the call) are the pastor & the elders, & they are the ones who say “we support the worship pastor” – they are who actually address complaints/concerns when they arise regarding taste & style, so it protects the WP somewhat from being distracted by such things.

        • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

          Exactly. There is a vision that is agreed upon … without that, the Worship Leader is one huge target.

    • LoriPeters

      Shannon,
      While I essentially agree with your post, I would add one thought.  We do this in our church.  The pastor numerous times, from the pulpit, has reminded the church that we have been and always will be a contemporary church.  Many of the older folks “tolerate” the music but support the vision and mission of our particular church.  However, what is it to me to give them once in a while what really thrills them.  For example I will use Kathryn Scott’s version of There is a Redeemer for Communion.  As a result, these same folks will be thrilled and talk about it for several weeks and the rest of the congregation still loves it.  I haven’t compromised our vision or church personality but offered something that they connect to with joy.

      I do believe even within the vision, we can be servants to all, and provide once in a while something that helps others connect to God through music.  It’s not catering so much as it is being sensitive to all the needs of the congregation. Again let me emphasize this is done within overall contemporary vision of the church.

      • http://www.SaintLewisMusic.com/ Shannon Lewis

        Lori, that’s AWESOME!  All for it!  I truly believe that we can be “multi-generational” while still maintaining an identity/style/DNA all our own.  I have to admit, especially when you go “old-school” with authenticity, it can be VERY powerful!

  • LauriejacksonWGC

    The depth and wisdom of some of the answers humble and inspire me.  We have some very “cool” older people in our church who enjoy contemporary music, and also some younger people who may not be familiar with the depth of the older hymns.  So I do my best to choose songs based on their conformity to Biblical thought, solid musical principles, and “just cause I like ‘em.”  If a song sticks with me day in and day out, it comes up in my mind when I am facing a life crisis, and seems to be “singable” for the average worshipper, I will put it in the set.   Many hymns have already been arranged for praise teams, and I often arrange others to be “band friendly.” 

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Laurie,

      Thanks for adding your thoughts to the discussion. Oh, the value of social media – how we can reach across the globe and get so much input from so many leaders!

  • Andrew

    Multi-generational worship is about honoring the generations in your congregation. It means knowing the generations in your congregation as well. Its about serving them. Its about leading them…its about serving them as leaders…to honor God and one another.
    Our older generations cherish certain specific songs that they first heard in specific moments of their lives. Those songs are a sincere vehicle of connection between them and God and always will be, and what a blessing to have a song in your heart that reminds you of what God has done in your life and will continue to do. Our younger generations are finding their voice and their song, in their growth in their relationship with God, and these songs are becoming sincere vehicles of connection their relationship with God. When each of these generations lives according to Phil 2 (honoring one another), we have them falling all over each other to prefer one another. The older ones leading the way remembering what it was like when their faith was ‘new’ and the songs that became ‘markers’ of growth in their relationship with Christ, inspiring the younger generation to sing loud and sing strong the songs in their hearts, and being rejuvenated as they cheer them on. The younger generation honoring the older generation in what has spoken to them and learning the depth of the impact it had in their lives, and blessing them as they sing their songs while looking to them for wisdom and guidance in all things. I always like this analogy…music is much like clothes…unless we driven by every whim of fashion…at some point in our lives we find a ‘style’ that fits us and basically wear it for the rest or our lives…usually something that was popular when we were young…how else do you explain some peoples clothing choices (hahaha). Anyway, we wear what we wear b/c it reminds us of that time in our lives, it is what ‘fits’ us, it is our style, it is us, it is an outward expression of our inward person. So too with music…our songs are a reflection of our style, moments in our life, and what spoke to us. We have radio stations and concerts that rebuild those moments every day for people.

    All that said, we can get stuck in a rut and life does progress…if you are as old as me you have seen…Jesus Music, Maranatha Music, Integrity, Vineyard, Kingsway (UK), Hillsong, Passion, Jesus Culture as different shifts in worship music since the 70′s. But in moving through all these shifts the good and bad has occurred…good – people continuing to honor the previous stream or the bad people criticizing the previous stream, but we’ve always been good at criticizing the previous or next move of God…:))). The Bible addresses that sin in our lives as Envy/Coveting, that’s why honoring one another is so important…it is Christ like and other focused…not self centered.

    Its not easy…and the how is unique in each church cuz your not talking hymns and choruses…you talking Vineyard and Hillsong….or Chris Tomlin and Jesus Culture…:)

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Andrew,
      I think I’m probably in the same age bracket as you, as I relate to all of those movements you mention!

  • http://twitter.com/MelaSie Melanie Siewert

    Fred, I really struggle with this.  I love worship, I love music, and I love people, but it pains me when people do not worship together.  Division is SO common today; it’s painful for me to see.

    As I seek the Lord on this issue, I remember what Jesus said in Matthew 18, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  This is a very powerful statement, and challenges those of us who consider ourselves “adults.”  Children are not corrupted with unbelief, and they worship whole- heartedly because their faith is so HUGE!  I wonder if this is why David said in Psalm 8:2, “Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.”  If we have a community of childlike believers, there are no generational gaps, AND God uses these children as mighty warriors in His kingdom.  We’re all God’s children, so (ideally) we all should be on the same “generational” level.

    I often wonder if we do not enter into that sacred place (The Kingdom of God) because we do not come to him as little children.  It’s in that sacred place where we can worship in the purest form, and bring to God our brokenness, our concerns, and our requests.  This is why I struggle with the phrase, “maturity in Christ.”  In God’s reality, we really do not “mature.”  We simply do what he does, just like a child imitates a parent.  Even Jesus did not do anything on his own; only what he saw the Father doing (John 5:19).

    As to the various terms like “multi-generational worship” or “blended worship,” I just don’t think either term does worship of the Father justice because the focus is so much on the music.  Is this something we have created??  The western church is still in the middle of what’s called the “worship wars” and there does not seem to be any end to it.  There is pride on both sides of the battle; each side believes they know the truth about worship and consider the other side wrong.  My only suggestion to quench the worship wars is to come to God as little children.  At that point, we’re on the same level.  No pride, only humility.

    One thing I know for sure is this: when the manifestation of God is
    present, nothing else matters.  Theology is gone, doctrine is gone,
    unbelief is gone, etc.  All that remains is our love for the Father; a
    grateful heart living a redeemed life.  I speak from experience.  Being in God’s manifest presence brought me to ONLY praise and adoration of Him!!  Anything I believed about him was gone!  I worshiped him for who he IS.  It’s a very powerful and joyful place to be; I want that in my life EVERYDAY.

    At one point, our local congregation removed music for a while so others realize worship is not only in music.  It’s a tool of our worship, but it’s so easy in today’s culture to associate worship with music.  That’s also part of the back story to “The Heart of Worship.”  Let’s not try to make worship what it is not, but cultivate an atmosphere of what worship truly is.

    Sorry if I did not adequately answer the questions.  I probably spider-webbed a little.  God is challenging me with how I praise and worship Him without music.  In all honesty, it is very difficult.

    Thanks for opening the discussion, Fred.  I pray your team clearly hears from God on this topic, and can cultivate an environment to grow other worshipers.  Love you guys very much!!!

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Melanie,
      Thanks so much. I agree, the worship war seems never-ending. Yet, as much as I hate it … I can see from church history that it’s nothing new. As long as music is a part of our worship expression (and it should be), we have the huge issues of preference and subjectivity. It’s how we manage that which is the biggest problem to me. But I do think it should be managed. I’m just not quite sure how.

      • http://twitter.com/MelaSie Melanie Siewert

        Very true, Fred! A friend of mine showed me a quote from someone disgusted about the direction of the music in the church.  The quote was from the 1800s (I think) when hymns started being sung in church gatherings.  :-)

        One thing we should keep in mind is how we catch them is how we have to keep them.  If we are not careful, we’ll find ourselves in a never ending cycle.  I guess the key is finding that sweet spot that transcends ages, cultures, etc.

      • http://twitter.com/MelaSie Melanie Siewert

        Fred, I do have some follow up questions if you have a moment?  I agree music is (and should be) a part of our worship expression.  Where I may be unclear on is how much our music expression SHOULD be emphasized compared to other expressions?  Granted, other forms of expression can be implemented DURING music, but there are some forms of expression that we simply cannot do simultaneously.  God values every expression of pure worship.  Should we put music at the top of the list?  How can the church give equal value to other forms of worship expression?  What if another expression was given as much attention as music?  What would that change?

        Hope all that made sense.  I’m still piecing this, too.  Thanks for your time.

        • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

          Melanie,

          Great questions. I totally agree about the other expressions …. for some reason (and I can’t honestly say why), our churches have made the musical/singing component of praise and worship a regular part of most corporate worship services. That doesn’t really negate the others, but you bring up a good point about adding others.
          For the sake of conversation, name a few other acts or expressions of worship and let’s talk about how we see those playing out in corporate gatherings.

          • http://twitter.com/MelaSie Melanie Siewert

            I’m just thinking out loud here.  So, please bear with me.  I’ve seen worship in other cultures where dance is the primary expression of worship.  In cultures with no instruments, they use their hands (whether clapping or slapping a leg) and their voices as their main expression of worship.

            Some western churches have illimnated dance completely out of expressions of worship because society has made dance too sensual (and the church does not want to look secular).  Yet, with all the vulgar music that surrounds us, Christian musicians still write music for godly worship.  It’s a GREAT thing, but I would love to see as much focus on other expressions as we place on music.  God values ALL expressions of worship when they honor him.

            Other expressions include bowing and shouting, but I don’t think there will ever be a bowing or shouting ministry.  :-)

            I think the main thing in our corporate gatherings is giving people freedom of worship expression.  Some places have strayed from this because some expressions cause “distractions” to other believers; that’s an entirely separate discussion.  :-)   As one commenter put it, people will enjoy the variety when they see God is a part of it.

            When the Holy Spirit invades our corporate worship gatherings, nothing but loving Him will matter.  As long as our eyes remain on Christ and what the Holy Spirit is doing among us, everything else is just extra stuff.

            Again, just some initial thoughts.  Thanks for the convo.  I’m interested in hearing what your team decides to cultivate at SSCC.

  • Nathan

    In the broadest sense, multi-generational worship would be anything that brings honor to God that is done by multiple age groups.  Music is only one possible aspect of this.

    We have a medical ministry to the homeless where each week you’ll see teens working alongside doctors and nurses from the community, as well as retirees.  This is multi-generational worship.

    We do “Back to School With Hope” where you’ll see children painting faces, stylists giving haircuts, retirees handing out school supplies, dentists and doctors giving checkups, our family ministry giving parenting classes, all with the goal of showing God’s love by sending underprivileged children to school the first day ready to learn.  This is multi-generational worship.

    Worship should encompass everything we do.  So, as long as you have the generations coming together to honor Christ, you have multi-generational worship.

    And yes, we have teens in the band and do our best to pay homage to the musical and (sometimes) liturgical traditions of our older generations.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Nathan,

      Right on. Granted, overall this discussion is targeted to the musical aspects of our corporate worship gatherings, but I totally agree!

  • Mark Simmons

    I think one of the hardest things to do is take a traditional church and try to add a contemporary service. I just left a rather large chuch – we had

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Mark,
      Yes, that seems to be the easier path to take, for sure.  I’m in a church that was founded, from the roots, to try and be a more blended gathering … attracting everyone from the lost, Charismatics who were distraught with a lack of depth and order, to Traditionalist who were distraught over being in a “dead church”.  Bring all of those groups together, and it’s quite a diverse congregation.

  • Mark Snyder

    Speaking strictly about songs, I think we define how we approach ‘multigenerational worship’ along fault lines that perpetuate the divide.  In so doing we do little to help ourselves resolve it.

    We think the divide is between ‘great, old traditional hymns that honor God and the bible’ and ‘shallow, modern worship songs that the youth like’.  I call foul on this.  There are modern songs that honor God, with a lyrical integrity and poetic-ness that will resonate.  Who knows, maybe even some great new songs are out there that can become the hymns of tomorrow.  So the age of the song is an artificial divide.  I think too often we ignore the lyrical content of the songs themselves as a source of division.  An older generation is less self focused, for instance.  More seasoned in their long study of the Word. 

    If our modern songs don’t enable the entire church to worship with them, let’s challenge our songwriters and artists to do more to enable that.  If we were to develop a collection of songs that could be done in multiple styles and tempos, that had lyrics with wide appeal, and that were musically timeless, we could sing such songs with all ages.  These songs are out there, both old and new ones, but we don’t often make it our business to seek them out and we sometimes don’t commit to writing, identifying or using such songs.

  • aads

    I watched Pastor Myles Monroe preached about the “Kingdom Culture of Worship” on DVD.  As I could remember only a little about it, he describes about how tribes or nations can worship God according to the kind of culture each has.  There will never be a standard as to the expression or way how to worship God.

    But we can all agree as a Church even as how Jesus defines a worshipper in John 4 verses 23 to 24, that is …to worship the Father in spirit and in truth.  It struck me when Pastor Myles emphasised that the ‘spirit’ Jesus spoke of is not the Holy Spirit but the spirit of man.

    So regardless of how we express worship to God as a nation, the spirit of a man is what God is interested most and the truth upon which our worship is founded.  In other words, our worship should not be limited to or influenced by time, song selections, song leader or worshipper, venue, instruments. genre, etc but by what the Father seeks of us and how He made us uniquely.

    Multi-generational worship has been with us for a long, long time, I guess.  Only now that we seek to understand how to define it as you are doing right now.

    In multi-generational worship, I see a gathering of people more than the genre that ought to be sung during worship or how to do it.  I seek to define it as the gathering of people of all ages from different tribes and nations singing, talking to God or worshipping (lying prostrate) in deep adoration as one Body, one Spirit and one Father.

    Thank you for this topic.  It helps to open our eyes to see all denominations simply as a Church when it comes to worship as well as in the saving of souls. God bless you, Fred!

    • http://www.jamielish.com Jamie Anderson

      I can’t agree with the statement “there will never be a standard as to the expression or way how to worship God.” The Bible is full is instruction on how we are to do this. However – that’s assuming that you’re actually living a lifestyle of worship and not just debating songs used in church, which is what we should be doing versus labeling Church service music as worship. That should fit where ever your leadership feel God has directed and it can be any style.

      I’d also have to totally disagree with “spirit” referring to man in John 4:23, 24 – that’s so far off from being Biblically accurate. It’s totally referring the living word (Jesus or Holy Spirit) – many a scholar and recognized “worship” guru would say the same. I think Myles Monroe possible said it another way?

      I do however LOVE this statement: “the spirit of a man is what God is interested most and the truth upon which our worship is founded.  In other words, our worship should not be limited to or influenced by time, song selections, song leader or worshipper, venue, instruments. genre, etc but by what the Father seeks of us and how He made us uniquely.”
       
      VERY POWERFUL – It is what comes out of our hearts in worship that matters most.

      Dr Pete Sanchez, Dean of Integrity’s Worship Institute (which is something everyone should look into) says this about this issue: “honor the past, steward the present and dream for the future.”

      The Psalm are the in Bible for a reason and yet they represent a mere portion of all that we’re written (food for though – not all songs get “known” among a nation). If we do not sing songs (regardless of age or style) that allow the Holy Spirit to move and for God’s manifest presence to be revealed – then it’s just great entertainment.

      • aads

        Jamie:  Pastor Myles didn’t say it the other way.  He said so in discovering that the word ‘spirit’ isn’t written as ‘Spirit’, with first letter capitalised, as referring to the Holy Spirit. Jesus continued on saying, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”  That ‘spirit’ which is in man (having body, soul and spirit) must worship God with it. 

        Anyway, I am  speaking on my own and I still agree as to how you see it.  I, actually saw it that way, too, since I come to know the Lord.  But now, having heard it differently, I felt more excited knowing that God is after more of me than how I do it. And the Spirit is there to help each one. :)

        I agree with you that the Bible is full of instructions on how to express our worship. And there are lots.  What I meant with “there will never be a standard as to the expression or way how to worship God” was, when referring to tribes and nations, each express worship in the form music or dance differently.

        Cheers and Thanks! :)

        ps: Forgive my picture or image. I used it for a particular purpose long time ago. I intend to keep it blank but  I do not know how to change or remove it.

      • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

        Jamie,
        Amen!

    • Andrew

      i like this is because this is much bigger picture being painted…of historical worship of generation after generation….we’d have it for years…and i love the diversity added here about cultures and races…it really provides us with a greater sense of needing to be aware of the Holy Spirit guiding us in each of our own congregations…and if we have opportunity to lead in other people’s congregations…it is serving the heart of the Father in that setting we find ourselves in, helping facilitate the connect between us (the bride) and Christ (the bridegroom)…

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Hey,
      In your comment here:
      “In multi-generational worship, I see a gathering of people more than the genre that ought to be sung during worship or how to do it. I seek to define it as the gathering of people of all ages from different tribes and nations singing, talking to God or worshipping (lying prostrate) in deep adoration as one Body, one Spirit and one Father.”
      Oh how beautiful. I agree. The problem, though, is that in church after church, the grumblers constantly assist that they are “unable” to connect and do this unless the music is done a certain way, or move beyond just music, and talk about postures and expressions ….

      • aads

        Hi Fred!

        Quote: The problem, though, is that in church after church, the grumblers
        constantly assist that they are “unable” to connect and do this unless
        the music is done a certain way, or move beyond just music, and talk
        about postures and expressions ….

        Yeah, most churches see worship differently.  And one of the reasons why they are unable to connect could be that we try to “connect” by what other church or culture do thus becoming people-pleaser instead of pleasing God.  As many of the comments said here, there are many ways and forms to express worship toward God not only during a service.  Regardless of how we do it, the personal connection with God is what matters most.

        With Jesus’ words  and encounter with the Samaritan woman on John 4 in mind, I think this would help us converge our ideas of what true worship really is.

        Tough, yes as other comments state here.  For to come up with a single definition of multi-generational worship would be difficult as would having one mind and unity in the Church.  I guess a case to case situation will apply best depending on the vision or maturity of the church.

        • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

          So true, that’s why this is one of the most-ever commented on blog posts I’ve had!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000515626324 Stuart McClain

    If we are looking solely at worship music it would simply be music that would bring all age groups into the presence of God and prepare them for hearing the Word. But I think worship is a much bigger term than that, it encompasses every area of our lives, even when we leave the church behind to go home, to work, school or wherever. In that context I would say it is preparing the entire body through teaching, preaching, and the singing of praise and worship so that they take that experience with them and share it wherever they go until they meet again in the house of God. Literally filling them to such an overflowed state that they just ooze God all over everyone they come in contact with. And to do it in a manner that meets each particular age group where they live. To me it isn’t so much the “song” that is played as it is the entering in of the flock. Just my two cents!

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Stuart,
      Thanks so much – I so resonate with what you’re saying. Ideally, in most churches, we always say worship is more than the music, but at the end of the day, the “music” is primarily where the rub is …. and the dilemma of trying to bring that “music that would bring all age groups into the presence of God” and do it well … is so tough.

  • Karen_grant2

    In my church, we call “multigeneraltional worship” that time when kids, youth and adults worship together.  It happens only several times a year as we have children’s worship, youth worship and “big church” going on in different areas each Sunday.  This worship tries to include elements that all ages can grasp and participate in: music we all know, drama, video, etc. 

  • PaMela

    First we should distinguish between worship as a lifestyle and the cooperate worship (musically) that occurs in our churches. I am concerned about the cause to fill pewx and grow membership, thus the focus on generational likes and dislikes. A 72 yr old hispanic man will likely have a different taste in Worship than a 13 yr old teenager but with God as the.common denominator multi-generational worsip is achievable.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Pamela,
      Yes, for the sake of this discussion, we’re primarily referring to the musical portion of our corporate gatherings.

  • Julie Minter

    God does say “sing a new song” Is 42:10 – those things we do over and over become rote, even when it is a contemporary song .. we are no longer engaging in the words or the melody it becomes so familiar .. which is what our human nature wants of course..  there’s no effort there.  It takes something new to wake us up, to engage us, to cause us to re-focus, and there’s a lot of pew sitters out there going through the same motions they’ve done for 40 years.  That’s NOT worship, always.  That’s basking in familiarity and pleases Satan instead of God.  That can prevent the Holy Spirit from being active within that circumstance.  The lack of engagement will bore visiting unbelievers and they won’t be able to see the difference Christ makes in our lives.  I’m not talking about the worship leaders, but those they are leading.  A worship mindset starts in the Bible study, prayer, that happens beforehand and if the congregation doesn’t show up to be engaged, it doesn’t matter what music is used, what the pastor is teaching or preaching, worship doesn’t happen for that individual.  Who is responsible?  I believe God is, He’s in charge of the harvest.    Multi-generational worship is when multiple generations show up to truly worship regardless of the music, who’s leading, who’s teaching, who’s preaching.   That happens before they hit the door.  I’d focus there to achieve true multi-generational worship.    Julie

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Julie,
      Yes – of course, there’s little a worship leader can to in order to get them engaging at home like that … during the week, before the service … it’s up to them, up to their personal walk, their discipleship (or lack thereof).  Perhaps you are on to something there.

  • Melanie Hauner

    Multi-generational worship to me is corporate worship which encompasses many age groups.  People do get hung up on the style of music they like, which is sad.   Maybe they need to be educated that worship is for Him.  I know that if I go into a church where I sense the love of God and for God, that spirit catches me up and I can worship to either heartfelt hymns, choruses, or contemporary songs or whatever.  My focus is on Him and His presence.  I don’t think there should be a striving to please everyone, but a blended worship set is good.  Don’t ever make it law though.   Be flexible.  Hear God. 

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Thanks, Melanie!

  • Christys_lord

    i am a part of worship team 
    and i know that there are few rules about picking the songs, but you know i saw different worship leaders that leaded in my church and not only, and you know that different people sing the same songs differently, and not always its very comfortable for people in church to start singing it differently then they used to, but really what i saw that it doesn’t matter at all when person that lead is really worshiping God, it’s so sad to see that more and more people looking at how musicians play and how beautiful or not people are singing, instead praising our Almighty God, i do it often too, just watching myself how i sing or play, but as i said when you’re really thinking about God and people whom you want to bring into God’s present then it doesn’t matter do you sing old hymns or new version of it. but we as a worship team are trying to find the variation that we like the most and follow this ))   

  • http://worshipwhileiwait.blogspot.com Amy

    Multi-generational worship to me is when people in the congregation don’t necessarily ‘like’ a song, they sing/worship anyway and look around to see the generation(s) within the congregation who are enjoying themselves and are then encouraged by the worship of others.   This of course includes using a ‘blended’ style of music that consists of a mixture of old and new and also different styles.  But the main part is people putting themselves aside for the pleasure of others…realizing that their preference doesn’t need to dictate the whole worship selection for a service.  

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Amy – a big Amen to that one!

  • Mark Snyder

    I think you make a good point.  When I have seen things work well (where a worship divide was not an issue) is when the church develops a lot of styles and distinctiveness that really reflects that body.  This includes offering distinctive musical arrangements based on particular talents sometimes (banjo player, mandolin player, etc).  It also encompasses a church singing its own songs when they have their own writers. This is another great way to add the distinctiveness of the local body to its worship, when you have songwriters who share the joys and trials of their own local church body blessing that body with their songs.

  • Jieben64

    From traditional to contemporary and modern reaching the very heart of the people that heals the soul like David reaching for King Saul’s soul multi generational multi generational like David reaching out in his time in  every generation God Bless Pastor Fred!!!

  • Matt Olds

    Yeah…I would hope ‘multi-generational worship’ means that young and old are engaged in the worship of God.  However, sadly, I think it means that we play and sing songs that everyone likes…so everyone is happy.  In that case…we can’t do it and will exhaust ourselves trying…

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Matt,
      So true.

  • Debbie Flack

    I have a question: might it (should it) look something like the scene around the throne room in Revelation? We will ALL – all generations from Adam through our great-great-whatevers (how many generations until the Lord returns?), all cultures from every continent – ALL worship together, won’t we? The focus then will not be on the music, but on the One we worship.

    Ideally.

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  • Jeff Davis

       These are really insightful and well thought out comments. I would say in regards to “Multi-Generational Worship” as it pertains to a worship gathering (service) is a musical style term. As all worship leaders should know, worship in and of itself is by God’s design, “multi-generational”. This is evident in Psalm 45:17, ” I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.” If we are educating our congregations on the true meaning of worship as a lifestyle and not solely a musical one, then all generations are included. 

       But back to musical style. We are a contemporary, band led church – a lot of Hillsong, Steve Fee, North Point and the like and though our demographic is young families, we do have a representation of all generations. On occasion, I will include an old hymn, but slightly re-arranged. I never alter the melody line to keep it familiar and therefore singable, but I will through in an alternate chord that works with the melody as well as a separate intro and turnaround.    My overall thought, for what it’s worth, is this: be true to your character and personality if you are the worship pastor/leader while submitting to the leadership of your pastor. If you sincerely seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on song choice then it will always be the best one. A lot of times it’s the dreaded territorial attitudes of some churches that bring on SSA (song selection anxiety). “If they don’t like our music, then they might go to another church. The truth is, even “another” church, if it is a truly Christian church, is still “the” church. I realize our music style is not for everyone and we have had many people visit and not return to this particular church. But we have also doubled in attendance since February so God is bringing those who He knows will worship and mature with us here.  Sorry so long winded. I’ll stop now. Believe it or not, I’m actually NOT one of those worship leaders who preach from the platform. Haha. Be Blessed, Be Humble, Be Real

  • WSW

    Our church has had blended worship for almost 20 years.  It is still a point of contention with those who desire traditional and those who think it isn’t cutting edge.  Most of the people who wish a purely contemporary format have left as there are so many options.  Those who wish traditional keep their views in the public domain so that they remain heard.  It isn’t easy and while I won’t say it is impossible, it is difficult.

    • GregMoore

      We are told by the loudest voices that such-and-so sort of music is “cutting edge.”  I’m not sure; it takes one sort of knife to cut butter, another to cut trees, another to cut cloth.

    • GregMoore

      I must say, though, that it is a noble effort so many bands are making — to produce an authentic ‘contemporary’ music of high quality.  This effort takes a lot of time and study, listening to thousands of CD’s, discovering and purchasing sound-tweaking equipment and fabulous instruments, sorting wheat from chaff — comparable to the sort of study we did in college, except now it takes place on the Internet and in refurbished garages.  

      • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

        Greg,
        I can’t tell if that comment was authentic, or sarcastic!?

        • GregMoore

          My reply is authentic, representing reality in my small corner of the music world.  My own formal training is a dozen years of lessons and several years in college culminating in a master’s.  In lessons, the teacher served as a coach/counselor; I myself worked out the technique (how else?  they can’t place your fingers on the keys, even with a dozen doctorates — you yourself do the learning and discovery).  College courses such as music theory were primarily to enable you to hear music and either write it down or incorporate it into your thinking in some way.   When people listen to a CD and figure out what’s going on musically, they are essentially teaching themselves music theory.  I played a chord, and a young teenager said, “that’s a Jimi Hendrix chord”  Oh, isn’t it a seventh with a minor third (or augmented second) on top?  ”You could call it that, but it’s a Jimi.”  He’s defining a chord in terms of music History!  And musicians today study music intensively — listening, analyzing, trying to capture the sounds they are hearing, and mix and blend them into whatever their band is cooking up.  Some limit themselves to “copying” (imitating the CD to perfection).  They are exactly like the pianists who played every precious note in recitals without feeling, or at least expressing what they felt.  
          Now I went directly from my collegiate world to a country-sort-a church, where intellectual endeavor was frowned upon; where guitarists and pianists, once they learned the six majors, six sevenths and six minors their poppa taught them, played those and those only until they went deaf or died.  In their limited style-matrix they developed those chord strums and picks to prefection!  They studied also, listening to country albums till the grooves wore flat.  I once played a whole evening with them in the key of G, and found wonders within that key I had not known existed.  Study.  Just a different kind of study.  
          The thing I valued most from college was the opportunity to be exposed, at a leisurely pace, to music from all over the world, to develop a respect for music from every age. The teachers did not always show that respect (most hated pop music as a creature of money); but the atmosphere they provided was beneficial — we learned how to adapt — to not consider our own way of making music as “just a little bit better” than anyhone else’s.  So we studied outside of our box (though the term hadn’t been coined yet).

  • Davedduchene

    Separating the “generations” within the Church for “worship” is really just a doctrine of division. Look at the results in the past twenty years or so.. the youth don’t have the discipline and perseverance that comes from rubbing elbows with those who have weathered more years than they have and are falling away in oh so trendy droves. Of course.. there is more money to be made by the “christian” music industry if ”new” music is the only music allowed in the sanctuary.  ..and if it’s too obvious that “new” music isn’t the be all end all that impressionable young people think it is then divide them from their parents and the elders of the Church so that the wool can be pulled over their eyes. Oh, and that will suit many of the youth “pastors” because they will have more power within at least part of the Church ..does this sound too harsh? How is the western Church doing, generally speaking? How is western society doing? The Church is the witness of Christ within the society. The enemy’s policy is divide and conquer ..don’t fall for it.  

    • GregMoore

      Actually, the idea of something being good because it’s “new” is passe now.  That comes from the Modern era (1453 – 1995 or so, depending on who you read).  The Postmodern Era questions this idea of “progress” and with it the machine that cranks out new/improved stuff for us to buy and use.  The revolt against Modernism has spawned a whole new thing in western society, called “Retro” (PT Cruiser, Balzac font, Antique shops, etc.).  Of course, we market Retro, too
      But Music lies very deep in the human mind — perhaps sub-cortical, as one neurologist thinks.  People will always fail to recognize music outside their formative experience as Not Truly Music, unless they are raised multiculturally (or multgenerationally).  In that respect, I am for that which exposes the generations and cultures together, in spite of the risk of offense or boredom — in order to grow in true unity rather than the “unity” that is attained by sneding the odd ducks off the wade in another stream.

      • GregMoore

        Historical note:  The next generation dismissed Johann Sebastian Bach as an old fogy; the church board/town council barely mentioned his passing in 1750, and resolved to get a “teacher, not a musician” to succeed the man who had written 600 cantatas for his local church. The “New Music” (like Mozart) was in vogue; only real musicians recognized the value of Bach’s work.  It took a generation-skip (Mendelssohn, 1829) to reintroduce his music to the mainstream world.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Dave, I’m not really referring to dividing up the generations, on the contrary, I’m talking about keeping them together.

  • http://worshipliving.com Adam Ranck

    In my narrow experience of ministry, “multi-generational worship” is not really centered around a style of music, style of service, or denomination. “Modern” culture makes it hard to find one specific culture or style to center around, because everyone is individual and have different preferences and tastes and upbringings. So you can and will find all ages at every different style and denomination.

    What first makes a church culture are two things. One is the teaching of the Bible and focus on God and godliness, and the other is the community of Saints. If you have both, you have a church community (in a general sense).

    But quite honestly, I know this may sound simple, but I believe what makes “multi-generational worship” is an honest desire and action to intentionally serve all generations. You could say that doing a “blended” style of music is “multi-generational”, but with the great variety of preferences in our modern culture today, every age group likes so many different styles. It’s not enough to just do that. The next step is to really know your people (relationships) and to do what is common to them (but also doing new things that challenges them to think outside themselves :) ). That could mean they all like one thing, or that everyone likes a thousand different styles. Of course, you can’t do everything, but you decide to do what you think is best to serve them and do it. I don’t ever think you need to hold yourself back to doing one style (this includes music style as well as other worship elements). The important thing is you are thinking of the body as a whole and not just one people group.

    And I believe this is deeper, because it’s beyond just the worship gatherings with your people. The foundation of your church community (and worship community) starts with God and with the community of your people. How well do you know your people? Are you living life with them and worshiping with them daily and exampling that to them? How are you serving them outside of your worship gatherings? Are you pouring into them in relationships? Are you serving them and their families? I really believe relationships form the community of the local church and this is actually the root of “multi-generational worship”. Sure, a style may draw one age group or another, but if you are personally serving, getting to know, and loving someone, you’re also serving their family and friends. And as this continues, it’s possible no matter what style you may do, the people will come regardless because you care about them and they know they are a part of the church family. And as everyone cares about everyone, relationships form the community and not the style. Style is still important, but I believe this will change over time as people come and go.

    So what defines “multi-generational worship” is not so much the style, but choosing to intentionally love all the people, instead of just one people group(s), and forming your community based off knowing your community. Quite honestly too, if you don’t force it, your culture may just form itself over-time as you continue to serve your people.

    • Debflack64

      That’s exactly what I was trying to say yesterday! Thank you.

      Debbie Flack

      • http://worshipliving.com Adam Ranck

        Yep. You’re welcome.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Adam,
      Fantastic response.  It definitely goes so much further than our leading a few songs on Sunday.  Ironically, in the culture of mega-churches, we find ourselves more and more being disconnected with the ‘body’ throughout the week, and just performing on a stage for them on Sunday.  Ouch.

      • http://worshipliving.com Adam Ranck

        Yes, you are very right. Size makes it very difficult to be community focused, but not impossible. However, even in a small church, if there’s a stage, there is often still some kind of disconnect between those on and those off. It’s not the stage itself, but what the stage has come to resemble. Importance. Performance. Entertainment. Watching vs. Participating. While we know that the stage’s only purpose should be to put those who are speaking up higher so people can see. We just have to keep reminding ourselves that, and remember we are with the people and we need to think of them as one of them.

        Actually, a cool idea that I saw recently that debuffs the “stage” idea is called “Level Ground”, based off an idea Brian Doerksen did. The idea puts the band and leader on the ground with the people, and uses the stage to allow people to share about what God has done. He calls them “Grace Stories”. You can find the idea at his website: http://briandoerksen.com/ . Again, I’m not against stages, but just making sure we remember what is truly important and remind ourselves of that.

  • http://twitter.com/hforbis Harold Forbis

    Wow, a lot of great thoughts here.

    I think of multi-generational worship as being “deep and wide”.

    1. It should be “deep” in the sense that it’s vibrant and genuine in expression at the present, but also in its extension beyond the present. Worship that is truly multi-generational carries on from generation to generation – intentionally.

    We should always have a legacy element in our development of worship — worshipers (and therefore worship) that will continue on when we’re gone.  In working with our worship teams, for instance, we want to be raising worship leaders who will raise worship leaders who will raise worship leaders, … you get the idea.

    2. It should be “wide” in the inclusive sense that several commenters have touched on — every generation alive at the same time in our churches worshiping together. This certainly has something to do with musical style, as far as leading worship meetings goes, but I would not characterize that as the primary issue here.

    If we are living in God-filled relationships together as the family of God (fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters in the faith – rather than seniors, adults, youth, children) somehow the “why don’t they play MY music” button just never gets pushed. We all make way and learn to enjoy God through each other’s personal preferences rather than just our own.

    Thanks for the discussion Fred!

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Harold,
      Thanks so much for tuning in … love it!

  • Christina

    I do apologize before hand for this extremely long post but feel I need to share for someone out there:) Feel free to delete if its not ok.

    I have been involved in our worship team for over five years now.  I fill in as the leader when needed.  I never liked leading very much because of what I’ve seen in these past years of whats expected.  I’ve known God has had an anointing on my worship since I was about 15 years old but I still have no clue why & its been rough since they devil knows that as well.  After all these years I’ve finally given in & stop fighting it.  I’ll go & do whatever God wants me to & I do believe worship is a big part. 

    I know from what I’ve seen, man says the church’s worship is for God but I think thats not true.  From what I’ve seen its geared toward the people you want to keep in your church, plain & simple.  I believe God gets nothing out of most of our worship services & my best guess is He is insulted by most of us.  Everything is about who likes what songs, which ones people think are over played & my list could go on. 

    This is what I’d do when I was asked to sing at just about every service for years when the anointing I guess started.  I had a pink case, (my moms) that had a few tapes in them that she never ended up singing or one or two I stole from someone.  Everytime I knew I was going to sing I would play & sing each of those songs once through.  The one I would pick to sing was the one that I could feel God anointing on.. Plain & Simple.  The I would sing it like it wasn’t your business. Being the oldest of 5 girls, I could hear my 4 sisters, mom & dad always screaming at me to shut it up because they were so sick of the song.  Then the morning of me singing came and before the service I can remember crying my butt off & repenting for anything I’d ever done.. Begging God to meet me once again on that stage. Even though I had never been taught (that I can remember) that if this wasn’t completely for God & my heart wasn’t right that the anointing wouldn’t be in it.  Then I’d forget the entire song & most times(I hated this) I couldn’t remember not one word until the first word left my lips.  As I sang I can’t even explain what I felt like or what happened in that time on the outside.. But I’d have conversations with God it seemed.  But the moment I was done, it felt like my knees were going to fall out from under me.  I would keep it together until I got & then sat in my seat.  Then the tears would just flow out.  THIS HAPPENED EVERY SINGLE TIME.  Then after years of this I finally gave into the attacks of the enemy because I couldn’t handle them. I finally came back to the calling but not until this last year has God started to (or maybe its more that I’ve finally stop fighting God) do something supernatural & me just seeking Him & Him actually speaking to me, that my worship has went from, I don’t even know what to call it now that I’ve experienced God like I have now.  This story is far to long to even try(maybe later:) I’ll tell you.  But it seems, He has called me back to Himself the devil has come back even greater to detour me from whatever God’s plan & purpose for creating me.

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Amazing story – thanks so much for sharing it with us!

  • Christina

    Case & point for you, a few months ago I was called a few hours
    before service to lead.  I dreaded it but told God if this is your plan
    for tonight then so be it.. Got off work and went home to take a very
    unusual nap, because I never take naps but for some strange reason was
    soooo very tired. 

    So I lay down at 5ish & told my husband to wake me up at about 6:15
    so I could make it on time.  Well as soon as my head hit the pillow
    something, (Now I know the Holy Spirit) said to get up.  So I got up
    & just started searching for something on my phone but had no clue
    for what.  Then I came upon(again the Spirit) the story of the woman at
    the well & Jesus saying God is looking for worshipers who worship in
    Spirit & in Truth.  I can barley remember hearing about this as a
    child but never gave it much thought until that night.

    Now I can remember writing like a maniac.  I knew I was running out of
    time before service & to tell you the truth had no idea what I was
    writing or even why.

    For one I hate speaking in front of crowds.. Even with the anointing it
    takes every fiber of my being to not get sick when I would sing specials
    over the years I sang once we saw I had the gift.  Even now I don’t
    sing specials alone & only sing with the whole team. I sing solos or
    lead a song but being that the attention isn’t on just me I’m ok.  So
    you can see how that night had to be the Holy Spirit. 

    Got there picked out the music as best I could knowing, feeling what was
    about to happen & pleading with God not to make me do it..haha 
    Right before we started I told the team I might be saying something but
    would let them know when & if the time came.  Well sure enough it
    did after the first song.. That wasn’t too bad.. Shared with them what
    happened before the service & what I believe the Spirit gave me for
    them..  Maybe it was for me only & I thought sharing it was God,
    don’t know but I did it.  Then right before the last song, I DID IT
    AGAIN! Never in my life did I think it would happen twice much less on
    the same night.  I can’t even remember what I shared.. But what I can
    tell you is what came after later that week wasn’t good at all!

    The associate pastor whom took the mic after I was done was the same
    that preached the next Sunday.  I had to lead the Sunday as well so got
    there early to prepare & was told that I was completely out of line
    the Wednesday before.  Said our time of worship is just that a time of
    worship & not a time of personal testimony, boy he wasn’t finished
    & went on.  Needless to say I can’t even remember what else he
    said.. I was in tears the entire time & I needed up getting someone
    else to lead for me b/c there was no way on earth I could do it.  I did
    back up & cried the entire way through.  That started something in
    my life & even though it was so painful knowing what happened was
    God & how He has confirmed it so many times its crazy.

    But I said all this to say that I see worship as just what it is.. WORSHIP.  Who are we to tell God what is & isn’t acceptable or when something is anointed or isn’t?  Who is our worship really for? Do I sing for you or for Him?  God opened my eyes to what happens when I sing that I have searched for, for over 17 years now since this started for me.. A few months ago I read something like this: He said, “What people witness when a person who is worshiping in Spirit & in Truth is: someone who is in the throne room of God.  God is then pouring out his presence on that person & the people who are there to witness this persons worship are feeling the overflow of that encounter with God.”  WOW I thought how awesome.  This doesn’t mean I’m any better or more spiritual then anyone else in that room.  It is simply that I’ve decided not to let me dictate what my worship will be toward my God.  I say find out what  songs please God, what brings you to the throne room & then you will have your Multi-Generational Worship.  I say worship until you not only enter His throne room but worship until He gives you the ok to leave it.. Other wise, we are just wasting His time.  God deserves our all, our everything.  Not, what I heard someone once say, “We are tired, busy & don’t get paid for this.” Pretty much what he said was God gets what He gets & he understands.  My response to that is, I pity the fool who continues to believe this.  God is worth far more then I could ever give Him. If you think He is satisfied with whatever you PLAN giving Him instead of what He asks for, then you are mistaken.  The people who make of this multi-generation need alot more then the songs we try so hard to find to please them… They need a true encounter with God that will be undeniable.
    I haven’t seen that day yet.  Its seems where I’m planted I’m the only one that even cares.  But I know a day is coming…. I’m waiting for that day…

    Again sorry if this went off point.. But had to get it off my chest:) O yeah also I’ve been labeled ADHD so that might answer some of your questions..ha ha Love you guys:)

    • GregMoore

      When Fred McK says “it’s not that easy” he’s right.  Multigenerational worship certainly is multipersonal worship.  Individual expression is clearly a part of the New Testament church, the body of believers meeting together. We read in James, “does anyone have a song, illness to be prayed for, ___ fill in the blank?”  But we also have Paul’s note, “…decently and in order.”  Yet we make precious little time for the human concern.  Normal human reticence, most of the time, prefers to give way to the Program, the prepared Throne Room Tour.  
      John 4 came alive to you, and generated a burning desire to share its meaning.  It is difficult that this desire came into conflict with the pastor in charge of the service (who is the primary “worship leader”, the one who says what goes and doesn’t).  This is doubtless a difficulty with many music leaders who gain intense feelings about what they are singing and about worship attitude.  I myself am a halting public speaker, and have found too many times that a few sentences about a song are “too much commentary” when the other leader, the youth pastor, can freely comment on every song in the set, or the senior pastor stop the music in between songs for his own commentary, altar call or whatever.  Overall, the music person will find the need to learn submission to those who are overseers, also a NT leadership role, of a higher level than what we do.  This can be very frustrating, but if a church is to be multi-generational or multi-anything, this brings with it a responsibility to maintain order and cooperation, and I think also more areas to share personal feeling, understanding, prayer and love.

  • Christina

    Did my post really just get deleted?  Wow, I know I gave permission out of politeness but wow, think I’m shocked! Just glad, that the pour that just came from my heart at least is saved to my DISQUS profile in case the average Joe wanted to read it. Thats crazy.. I wish I could have made it really short to keep it on the site. Maybe I can try and come up with a condensed version. Think I’ll go copy and paste.. If you guys want to read it in its entirety you can check out my profile.. Well thats if this one doesn’t get deleted as well.. ;)

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Hey – not sure which post you’re referring to, but I haven’t deleted a single comment.

  • Mark Cole

    As someone who’s been leading worship for close to 30 years… I’ve learned that we slowly need to move our congregation outside their comfort zone so that that we can move ahead with what God is doing around the world… people generally don’t like change but old & young can handle it better when they sense God is in it. 
    I remember the first time I heard ‘Delirious’.. I wasn’t crazy about the sound but I sensed God’s presence in the music.. Having God show up changes everything… when people walk into the room, and God is there… then the style of music is not the important thing.. worshipping God is! 
    God breaks down the ‘multi-generational barriers’.. Mature Christians just want to be where God is… where their hearts are softened.. where lives are changed… where ‘life’ is.

    • http://twitter.com/MelaSie Melanie Siewert

      “old & young can handle it better when they sense God is in it.”  Mark, so true!!!!  I pray our worship gatherings include pointing the Spirit out to people.  Some people are unaware of His presence, and someone needs to tell them what the Spirit is doing among the group.  May we all desperately desire to be where God’s presence is.

      Amen and Amen!!!!

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Mark – good word.  I don’t think this is easily done unless you have a leadership team committed to teaching and coaching the congregation – intentional about casting vision for the “stretching”, and the “why” of how we worship.

  • Tim Smith

     I have led worship at several churches both ‘contemporary’ and ‘traditional’. I have seen the Spirit of God move in both of those churches during worship. It is amusing to me that the contemporary churches don’t like change any more than the traditional ones do,lol.

     I have been at this for quite awhile now and I feel I can definitively say that people are basically the same everywhere.We all want to be comfortable in ‘our’ worship. The obvious next step is that worship now becomes about us and not about Him.Instead of showing up on a Sunday morning and saying, God I’m here to worship you, I want to be a part of whatever your doing…..no matter what that is. Horns can lock when two people feel they know what that is without asking God first.

     Lets face it……you will always have complainers, no matter what. No matter what you do and no matter how well you do it. In any case of ‘complaintitis’ I have encountered it is a realitively SMALL percentage of your congregation. Here is my advice: Seek God in all you do. Seek to serve your fellow man in worship if you are in a WL position. Grow a thicker skin. Go to a church where you feel like you can serve under the leadership without any reservations.Fit into your calling. I had to laugh at one of the comments about a blended service. ” The ones who prefer traditional have been making that known for 20 years” LOL. They are still there!!! If it was so bad why are they still there???

      Personally I like it all and maybe thats why I’m not hard to please when it comes to worship music. I don’t buck hymns, I love rocky stuff. I can mix it up or worship with  none of it if necessary.But most importantly I want to do what God wants me to do. We should be worshipping all week before we ever get to the church.

     

    • GregMoore

      Jesus had quite a bit to say about getting along with people who differ from you, or even impose their will on you.  Perhaps if we all spent more time with our nose in His word we’d spend less time harping about our tastes and preferences.

  • Jon Bond

    Hi Fred. Interesting question. I’m in the midst of challenging the worship culture at my church, always with a focus on making it effective and God centred.

    The whole idea of worship being defined by which generation you belong to is a little short sighted in my opinion. We should be striving for multi-expressional worship. Now this is hugely dependant on your church setting and demographic. I don’t think worship through a heavy rock group would be effective to a comgregation made up largely of those who find liturgical style worship, with all the solemnity that brings, to be the most helpful expression of worship for them.

    I do, however, firmly believe that worship within church should e the culmination of the whole week of worshipping in every aspect of our lives. It is te icing on the cake! Now for some that will be vastly different in delivery/style etc than others. The key points are:
    1. Is it pleasing to God?
    2. Does it bring people into the presence of God without distraction?
    3. Does it allow people to express themselves in worship how they find helpful?
    4. Is it spirit led?

    Worship is not about us – it’s all about God! Something I think we can all be at risk of forgetting!

    • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

      Jon,
      I love your post – of course, as you could guess, when I ask these key points:
      The key points are:
      1. Is it pleasing to God?
      2. Does it bring people into the presence of God without distraction?
      3. Does it allow people to express themselves in worship how they find helpful?
      4. Is it spirit led?

      In most churches (mine included), you can ask 10 people those questions, and get 10 different answers.  (ESPECIALLY on #2)

  • Pingback: Multi-Generational Worship

  • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

    Melanie,
    You said:  “Some places have strayed from this because some expressions cause
    “distractions” to other believers; that’s an entirely separate
    discussion.  :-) ”.

    That single line has SO MUCH to do with how this discussion started.  It’s not just multi-generational worship at hand, but multi-theological, it seems …. which goes back to expressions.

    • http://twitter.com/MelaSie Melanie Siewert

      Yep!  I grew up in a Baptist church, and raising hands was frowned upon.  We had the occasional “AMEN” shouted during a sermon, but people looked at you funny if you raised your hands in worship.  Granted, this was in my childhood years.  So, I may be speaking from a child’s perspective.  It’s interesting how our theology dictates our worship emotions sometimes, huh?

      • GregMoore

        I just played and sang for a funeral today.  The lady-in-heaven had been a sprightly sort, and the family chose “I’ll Fly Away”.  Few in this liturgical church have ever even heard of the song, but I have a Pentecostal background, so I told them it’s all about the joy your grandma had and is having right now, so feel free to join in if you know this song, and even clap (!).  They actually joined in on the chorus and some of the close relatives smiled and clapped.  Sometimes I’ve thought that song was sort of empty — it’s all about my joy, and doesn’t even actually mention God, only heaven.  But for the occasion, it was perfect!

        • http://twitter.com/MelaSie Melanie Siewert

          That’s awesome, Greg!  I’ve noticed over the years, the “traditional” congregations (in my eyes) are clapping and shouting more.  I visited my family’s baptist church not too long ago, and there were a few people raising their hands while singing.  It was great to see.  However, I would LOVE to see more expressions simply because God does amazing things among us everyday.  To NOT celebrate him would be stoic worship.  So, I pray every believer is free to express their excitement about the freedom God gives them.

  • http://www.fredmckinnon.com fmckinnon

    Greg said:  just as throwing in a special from the Gospel Quartet to please the old folks is tokenism”

    Fred says:  OUCH.

  • http://twitter.com/matreames Mathew Reames

    I come from a multi-generational church, if you will. We have people of most every age range coming. children, teens, 20′s 30′s, 40′s, 50′s, 60′s, and 70′s. However we have built a culture of worship in our church which is simply this. “All Glory belongs to the High King of heaven who we love. To take any of his Glory is treason.” We have taught our people that worship is about honoring Jesus with our lives. It is putting that honor on him like a robe. The style of music is more modern, but that is not the prime issue for us. The issue is building this mindset in our people. Our older people love our newer songs because they know the heart of the songs, they know why I choose them, and they have the same heart.

    Current songs on our regular rotation:
    - Like a Lion by Daniel Bashta
    - This is our God by Harbour Live
    - Crash This Place by Matt Reed
    - Split My Chest by Benjamin Dunn
    - Song of Love by Jaye Thomas of IHOPkc
    - Fragrance by Nic billman
    - You Are Holy by Radiant Worship
    - Rain Down by Planetshakers

    These are the ones we have been doing the last month. Many of these are new, but the congregation loves them. My team members love them, and a few of those on my team are over 60. We have built a mindset in the church that puts an emphasis on giving honor to Jesus. Because of this it works well for our crew.

    Multi-generational worship is a word I am not a fan of, because it puts emphasis on the barriers in worship rather than the Good theme of Jesus. Those are my 2 cents

  • Jason Chollar

    What a ton of great comments.  One aspect that I don’t think anyone has mentioned yet: it’s not just about preference …. music is a language and you aren’t just asked to listen to it in a service, but everyone is asked to SPEAK it, to participate in it!  Country music has a whole different “accent” than a classical js bach song, or a british hymn or a bluesy chorus or a pop dance worship tune. And I’m not talking about the accent of the singers, I’m talking metaphorically: different instrumentation, timbres, sounds, … and most importantly for those trying to sing along: different emphasis on harmony versus rhythm, different levels of syncopation and harmonic and rhythmic predictability.  Imagine if you had people in your congregation that spoke English, French and Dutch.  You can understand there would be friction.  We want the name of Jesus praised in EVERY language, every tongue, every musical style.  Logistically, we can only have so many bands and so many services, so probably the majority of what we do should sound like the popular music of our day stylistically, so people who come in can understand, and all of us who already believe are better missionaries to them, and also so we keep growing in a fresh walk with the Lord and don’t get sidetracked coasting on the spirituality of our past.  At the same time, we live in a US culture that can be obsessed with the young and new as if newer is always better, so we need to find ways to tie in to our heritage and bring it into the now so people can worship the Great I AM (not the Great I WAS).
    Also, Kenny Lamm on his blog and republished on musicademy’s blog has a whole series on “worship wars” that some might find interesting…
    http://www.musicademy.com/2011/08/worship-wars-4-it-might-be-time-to-move-away-from-tradition/

    If we can help people understand that the language (style) we are using is not as important as the meaning, as the message … and if we have to pick a language, let’s do what Jesus did and reach out to the people and learn to speak their language, talk about fishing with the fisherman, seeds with the farmers, …  then you slowly move the language (style) you use in your church towards what the people who don’t know Jesus yet are listening to and can understand, and little by little, if everyone understands they are learning a new language, then maybe they are more tolerant of the changes?

    • GregMoore

      Quite a few of us have bought Marshall McLuhan’s old rap, “the medium IS the message”.  As much as I don’t like it, this aphorism (which drives most advertising and promotion of anything today).  We pack our songs with as much Scriptural content and real-life adaptation as we can, sing them with heart-felt fervor, hoping to be “the voice of truth” to our church, and the vast majority of responses are “I like this worship.  The rhythm is cool” or if they don’t like it, “we really need something up-tempo”.  I long to hear the rare comment, “that song said something to me today, and I went to my Bible… (or) …I went to my friend and got it right.”  Such things do happen.  Maybe there are more meaning-filled responses than we think, but the sort of people that have them don’t feel a need to talk about them (whereas the rhythm-seeker always has to talk about it).  I don’t know.  This bugs me, and has for decades, but I don’t know the answer.

  • LarryKane

    Amen Jason!
    I was talking about this excellent thread to a friend (pastor/ writer Jim Mclaren) this morning and he made an interesting comment. He said that in the upper room the Holy Spirit spoke in multiple languages because that was necessary for all who were there to hear the message. He went on to suggest that similarly we need to provide language that reaches each people group, irrespective of whether or not in a perfect church world we would all just submit to the Spirit and worship the King of Kings regardless of what style was being used. The evangelist in me wants to agree as we are trying to not just worship God. which we will, after all, have an eternity in which to do so, but we have a mission here and now to make disciples, which means speaking a language that connects with the target disciples. At the end of the day, I guess I believe there’s no more division in having separate contemporary and traditional services than there is separating a church baseball game from a church football game. Acknowledging our worship differences and TREASURING them may be the best approach.

  • Chris

    We need to understand were the music of the church came from, where we are now and where we are going.  Multi-generational worship is blending our past and present together.  Many in our churches blazed a trail for us to be able to worship.  Hymns, olders worship music along with modern worship music reaches each generation.
    In some churches the geographic location also plays a part.  I am in AL.  So the multi-mix of music is important to draw people into worship.  I have found that if I pray for God’s direction, He will give me what I need, and place each song in the right place to flow.  If we want our older generation to participte I feel this is critical.

  • Miriam miles

    Great to read everyone’s comments and hear what is happening across the world!  I’ve tried many of these examples that have been mentioned of how we create an environment that meets the needs of our people and the conclusion that I have come to is this:

    Holy Spirit is present in every service.  If a person, regardless of age, cultural background or personal musical preferences is not choosing to become engaged with His presence, then a perfect set list is not going to make a difference. 
     
    What I have encountered, is that what causes a person to feel connected in worship, is not the music at all, let alone the words or styles of songs, but their revealed identity – it’s what they are encountering about the Great I Am and what he shows them of who they are in Him:  this is what seems to create the most Christ-centred, Encounter-driven worship times. 

    A friend of mine who is an international itinerant worship minister, told me this:  you need to start (begin your worship time) where ‘they ‘ (the congregation) are at, but you need to finish by taking them into something new. It’s about being sensitive to the needs of others and be like our Father – patient and merciful.  Ultimately though, it’s up to each individual to make the choice as to whether or not they will participate and allow Holy Spirit to bring revelation and growth into their lives.  

    So I suppose that for me, multigenerational worship and even a culture of worship are not really a focus.  And I confess, that for a long time, I was completely driven and focussed on trying to choose the ‘right’ songs and such, but now, I just sit at the piano, wait for Holy Spirit to tell me a song and then I start to worship.  I don’t write a list until I’ve heard in my spirit, what the next song is. It’s like it floats up into my consciousness and I just start playing that one, and then wait for the next and so on, until I feel like it’s complete.  

    It’s all about Him anyway, so when it all comes down to it, our job is just to release what we feel He is saying, whether it be through ancient and deeply grounded hymns or the most spontaneous prophetic utterances, and encourage people to engage.  

    The rest is up to Him…

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