Worship Service VS Divine Service

The past few days I have been reading over the Lutheran Confessions and reflecting on my own spiritual journey and asking myself some questions. How and when did the divine service become transformed into a Worship Service led by a Praise Band? Does doctrine lead worship?

As I read the Confessions a portion of a text jumped out at me:

The impiety and tyranny of bishops cause schism and discord. Therefore, Paul commands that bishops who teach and defend a godless doctrines and godless services should be regarded as accursed. Gal. 1:7-9. (Concordia the Lutheran Confessions, pages 328-331)

Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, The Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops

It seems that historically the Lutheran church has clung to the liturgy as a form of worship focused on Christ and the clergy protected this form of church. The center of the service was Christ and his saving work on the Cross. Yet over the last decade or so it seems to me that the WELS theologians turned their focus from the historical Lutheran liturgy to the culture at hand. I imagine this shift occurred slowing and some say the WELS is walking in step with Missouri just a decade behind. Those of you more learned may know when this shift in the focus entered the WELS church service. And so I ask is the focus still “strongly” and ritely focused on Christ.

At a blended or contemporary WELS service I attended not long ago. The service began with the announcement to greet your neighbor. After the worship leader (not the pastor) quieted the people, the children were asked to come up front for their message. The children were ushered out of the service after this children’s message so that they could go have their puppet show elsewhere (children’s church). What I wondered is why even have the children’s message in with the adults. Then I remembered the old show “Kids say the darndest things.” So there usually is a comically moment like the time I saw a young 3 year old sprinting around the room as mommy chased him and the audience (congregation) laughed.

So then the adult praise band began to play as the powerpoint proclaimed “Here I am to Worship.” After a few more pop songs the reverend walked amongst the people and held an interactive Bible study. I recall that the Lord’s Prayer was observed but no creeds or confessions. The blessing at the end did happen but I felt sorry for the young children in the other room missing out on this part.

Is this an example of a godless service? Now I know some readers will scream you are focusing on style again. It is only a worship style that isn't listed in the 10 commandments. But I say don't forget about the 3rd commandment. It is interesting that in the statement above godless doctrine is listed and then godless worship. So is impure doctrine creeping into the WELS as Praise Band worship takes hold?

Scriptural vs. Unscriptural

A comment ~I will caution you again agaist confusing worship styles with doctrine. I still fail to see how our practice and methods are becoming unscriptural.

You have pointed to some sermons which may have been out of focus, but that is individual preachers who need to be refocussed (sic) and does not represent unscriptural practice nor methods in synod as a whole. Please give examples of what methods are unscriptural.

Ok…here is where you confuse me. You start out with saying that our practice and methods aren’t becoming unscriptural. Next you say, oh sure, some individual preachers need to be refocused in their preaching.

Here is my take. If the preaching is focused on Christ crucified the practice won’t be unscriptural. The Apostle Paul instructs Timothy “to devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching…Keep a close watch on yourself and the teaching.” Later he tells Timothy to preach according to sound doctrine. So I believe that the individual preacher losing focus is the BIG unscriptural problem. I have traveled a bit and visited WELS churches across the country (MN, WI, TX, CA). The problem is that it is not just a stray pastor here or there.

I was at one “contemporary” service sitting near a WELS theologian/professor. After the service? he leaned over and said “if they would have served communion I wouldn’t have taken it. This was not a Lutheran service.” If you need to know the name and location of the place, just let me know. I will say the preacher is an oft contributor to FIC. I would say that smells of unscriptural.

So then you keep coming back and saying you want examples of methods that are unscriptural. I will first start with a Bible study practice. A WELS pastor was holding a Bible study out reach at an independent, senior living apartment complex which is good and noble. As time went on the pastor became too busy to teach the class so he sent his “staff” minister. The staff minister became too busy so the pastor sent a lay woman to teach the Bible study. Now please note that this Bible study was attended by both men and women, and both members and non-members. I did approach the pastor and he stated that she is doing it under his authority. So here is an example…Now you tell me if this is unscriptural or not??? If you follow this line of thinking where does it take us???

No one has yet told me if a young teenage girl giving a children’s message during the divine service is unscriptural

Now concerning “style.”. Paul said to preach and teach. Solid Lutheran Hymns and the “historical” liturgy do teach sound doctrine. Sugar coated lite pop songs in the sanctuary don’t. Yes, WELS churches are using these “pop” songs. Now maybe I don’t attend the churches where “Salvation Unto us Has come” is set to the electric guitar. If the pastor is to preach Christ crucified shouldn’t our music also teach sound doctrine? So putting the Lutheran hymns up against the “pop” songs, I would say the Lutheran hymns are Scriptural. I think that our pastors are trained to put together the divine service. But now we have “worship” lay teams that are making the decisions. Most often the pastor is not involved.

Some have asked about the “goofy” poll I put up. I am no techie and I found the button to set-up a poll and I thought I’d put it up for fun. It was suggested that I should include the issues in the WELS group instead of LPS. But in honor of the original poster of this blog I put up LPS why not. Or should I change it to MLS? :)

Again this is just my view from the pew. So help me out.