We were talking worship yesterday in this worship-focused small group, and we were talking about different worship practices and what we do in our churches. the youth, as expected, made assumptions about what older people would like and would dislike in church. the ubiquitous comment about change bringing out the "fussy" in people emerged. Heads nodded. The conversation moved on.
Then one of the kids retraced their steps and said, "You know, this thing about changing worship...We worship in a certain way here at Montreat and if anyone came in and changed it, we would have a fit!"
We seem to like our ways of doing things...even when they are boring or stuck or no longer effective. It is hard for us to imagine change or to do change. And if we are led into change for whatever reason, there comes a point where we actually struggle to go back...even if we have liked the change. Human nature...
The other part of the conversation revolved around assumptions. (I won't insert the joke about assumptions here...) The youth are frustrated that adults assume that they all like contemporary worship. Many of them really like the traditional worship that their churches offer. They also like other things. variety is good...especially when it is good. They are frustrated that adults make the assumption that they don't want to be involved in the church or that they do not like the church as it is.
I shared with them that most adults...no matter how old...really have the "brain" of a 26-30 year old. True isn't it? If you are 50 don't you still feel about 30 in your head? That's the frustration of the achy joints and the memory that is full of junk-you-don't-need-so-you-can't-remember-what-you-do-need.
So we concluded that worship style and preference is not a function of age, it is a function of familiarity. Perhaps we should stop making assumptions about each other and start listening... "like" really listening to each other.
Then one of the kids retraced their steps and said, "You know, this thing about changing worship...We worship in a certain way here at Montreat and if anyone came in and changed it, we would have a fit!"
We seem to like our ways of doing things...even when they are boring or stuck or no longer effective. It is hard for us to imagine change or to do change. And if we are led into change for whatever reason, there comes a point where we actually struggle to go back...even if we have liked the change. Human nature...
The other part of the conversation revolved around assumptions. (I won't insert the joke about assumptions here...) The youth are frustrated that adults assume that they all like contemporary worship. Many of them really like the traditional worship that their churches offer. They also like other things. variety is good...especially when it is good. They are frustrated that adults make the assumption that they don't want to be involved in the church or that they do not like the church as it is.
I shared with them that most adults...no matter how old...really have the "brain" of a 26-30 year old. True isn't it? If you are 50 don't you still feel about 30 in your head? That's the frustration of the achy joints and the memory that is full of junk-you-don't-need-so-you-can't-remember-what-you-do-need.
So we concluded that worship style and preference is not a function of age, it is a function of familiarity. Perhaps we should stop making assumptions about each other and start listening... "like" really listening to each other.
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