Misplaced worship wars? While the debate about worship forms and styles continues
in places some are saying the real need is for a focus on the nature of worship
itself
The so-called “worship wars” that has disrupted many
churches are being fought on the wrong front, researcher George Barna maintains.
Misplaced worship wars? While the debate about worship forms and styles continues
in places some are saying the real need is for a focus on the nature of worship
itself
The so-called “worship wars” that has disrupted many
churches are being fought on the wrong front, researcher George Barna maintains.
“Were only fighting about the style of music because
our people dont know what worship is,” Barna told a recent gathering
of Christian musicians.
A new study from the Barna Research Group suggests American
churches are less conflicted regarding worship music than many people think.
However, neither do church members understand the nature of
worship, said Barna, head of the Barna Research Group.
“The real issue is not music but the state of the heart.
“Everything in Worshipland is not okay,” Barna said
in summarizing the new study, commissioned for the first Hearn Symposium on
Church Music at Baylor University.
While much has changed on the surface of worship in recent
decades, worship remains “primarily something we do for ourselves,”
he said.
Americans tend to see themselves first of all as consumers,
Barna stressed. As a result, Americans often view worship as a transaction for
personal benefit.
Barna cited earlier research in which:
One third of regular worshipers said they never
have experienced the presence of God in worship.
Two thirds of respondents were unable to describe
worship in a meaningful way.
Less than half cited worship as a top priority
in their lives.
Only a fourth described worship as something done
for Gods benefit.
The latest study asked 727 adults – all regular attenders
of Protestant churches – a number of questions about worship. Also included
in the telephone survey were 601 Protestant pastors and 69 music ministers or
worship leaders.
The new study showed that most congregants have no clear expectation
about what happens in worship.
Asked to identify the most important personal outcome of worship,
the largest group of regular attenders said they do not know (21 percent). Nineteen
percent said a connection with God is the most important, while 11 percent said
experiencing peace. Among the 23 answers offered, smaller percentages cited
expressing feelings to God (5 percent), experiencing Gods presence (4
percent) and praising God (2 percent) – all considered God-directed activities
by Barna.
Grouping the 23 responses into two categories – those
that benefit God and those that benefit the worshipper – Barna said only
8 percent of regular attenders cited outcomes directed to God as most important.
Outcomes that benefit the worshiper were cited by 47 percent. Other outcomes
were not directed either at God or the worshiper.
Baby boomers were most likely to cite God-directed activities
as most important (14 percent), compared to younger (6 percent) and older (4
percent) worshipers.
The outcomes cited by regular attenders differed significantly
from those expressed by pastors and worship leaders, who were much more likely
to cite God-directed activities.
Pastors said a connection with God is most important (36 percent),
while worship leaders said experiencing Gods presence (38 percent). Overall,
23 percent of pastors and 26 percent of worship leaders said outcomes that benefit
God are most important in worship.
Barna said the survey reveals some misperceptions about the
so-called “worship wars” of recent years.
“The survey reveals that there is definitely such a battle
waged within Protestant churches, although the magnitude of the battle depends
upon who is analyzing the situation,” the recently-released report states.
Almost two thirds (63 percent) of pastors surveyed said the
tension over worship in their churches is “not too serious” or “not
at all serious.” About 29 percent said the tension is “somewhat serious,”
and 5 percent said it is severe.
However, worship leaders saw slightly more evidence of worship
tension. While 60 percent said the tension is “not too” or “not
at all serious,” about 30 percent said it is “somewhat serious,”
and 11 percent said it is severe.
Congregants were not asked to evaluate worship tension.
The style of music is the primary source of worship tension,
cited by nine out of 10 pastors and worship leaders.
However, 72 percent of congregants said they are completely
or mostly satisfied with the music in their worship. And 76 percent said they
would not change churches if the style of music changed.
“For all the complaining that is lodged against church
music, people may be more accepting or flexible than they let on,” the
Barna report noted.
That conclusion does not mean congregants do not care about
music style, however.
Thirty percent said music was the primary factor in choosing
their current church, and another 26 percent said it was one of the top two
or three factors. Only 17 percent said music style was little or no factor in
their church decision.
Music style was most often cited as a primary factor by blacks
(50 percent), people 56 or older (43 percent), women and people attending larger
churches (both 37 percent).
Again confounding the image of churches disrupted over worship,
the Barna study found regular attenders have mostly positive feelings about
their worship experiences.
Respondents said they usually leave worship feeling accepted
by God (83 percent), inspired (69 percent), connected to God (62 percent) and
challenged to change (50 percent). Ten percent said they feel guilty, and 8
percent said they feel frustrated because their needs were not met.
Those feelings generally coincided with the responses pastors
and worship leaders expected among worshippers.
Congregants and pastors largely agreed about what elements
are essential to worship, although the emphasis often differed. Barna said the
responses could be grouped into “must haves” elements, “helpful
but not necessary” and “disposable elements.”
Congregants said prayer, a sermon, communion and reflection
are “must haves,” cited by two thirds or more of respondents, Barna
said. Pastors thought the sermon was more important (84 percent) and reflection
less (32 percent).
Music, Scripture reading, offering, confession and greeting
one another were “helpful but not necessary,” each cited by slightly
more than half of the survey congregants. Pastors thought music and Scripture
were more important and confession less.
Reciting creeds and responsive readings were least essential,
but surprisingly, they were ranked as much more important by congregants (38
percent) than pastors (14 percent).
While styles of worship have multiplied in recent years, the
most popular remains traditional worship – typically with hymns, choirs
and organs – which is offered in 46 percent of Protestant churches,
based on pastors responses.
Three fourths of churches offer two or more worship services
during the week, but only 44 percent of those services are conducted in a different
musical style.
In churches with only one service, the most popular style is
blended worship (42 percent). While overall the most popular style is traditional
(35 percent of all services), blended music is featured in 30 percent of churches.
Rock and contemporary music account for 16 percent, followed by gospel (7 percent)
and praise (6 percent).
Barna said much more needs to be done “to facilitate meaningful
worship” in Americas churches. He encouraged churches to help the
“worship challenged.”
He mentioned four groups specifically:
Men. Because men tend to be self-reliant and emotionally
closed, it is harder for them to experience biblical worship, Barna said.
Baby busters. They tend to be self-focused and
are unskilled in worship, Barna noted.
Whites. They lag behind blacks and Hispanics in
understanding worship. “Were too comfortable,” Barna said of
the group. “Everybody came to church for two weeks after 9-11, then, (attendance)
went back to seasonal levels.”
“Notional Christians.” Half of all regular
worship attenders call themselves Christians, but they show no understanding
of a personal relationship with Christ. Revitalizing worship might begin by
evangelizing those in the pews, Barna maintained.
Meanwhile, while the “worship wars” may have been
overblown, church leaders should not get complacent, Barna cautioned. Satisfied
worshipers are not necessarily a sign of success for a church, he said.
“High satisfaction and low frustration does not mean everything is great
in worship, because most of these people dont know whats going on
in worship,” Barna explained. (ABP)