I guess I never really thought about it that hard. I have been to churches that didn’t allow music or musical instruments in their building, to churches with hundreds in the choir and an 80 piece orchestra. I’ve been to huge churches where I can hear a pin drop and others where it seems like they are having a battle of praise bands. To each their own, I know what I am comfortable with and if they want to worship by doing a few summersaults or listening to a chanter, to each their own.
If baby Christians are more comfortable with milk until God allows them to grow, then it’s good with me. If seasoned Christians only depend on meat to live without feelings or emotions, that’s up to them, it’s not for me to say. I can’t see into people’s heart.
What I personally like is a combo of worship music with golden oldies but I really don’t like to worship to “Contemporary Music”, I can listen to it as the special song on a Sunday morning, as long as it’s not to “spooky”. I grew up in a “traditional” (to me) church, an organist, a pianist, burgundy choir robes with collars that were reversible for special occasions. The first time I saw drums and a guitar I was young, and it surprised me… not to mention the first time I saw someone raise their hands in worship or prayer and even hear an “Amen” shouted out.
I was at a church that was a nice mix of worship music, and then we had to get a new pastor. The new pastor was young (right out of seminary) and had grown up in the church, his youth group friends quickly became the “leadership”. They liked all that contemporary music they played in the youth group. Their band became the church’s praise band and the worship became a stage presentation with smoke and flashing lights. They would “tune-up” as people were arriving for worship, like some secular concert. Needless to say, if 80% of the church liked it, I wasn’t going to fight it, I left (not the only reason… I have more than I can count on two hands).
