PraiseCharts Live - http://www.praisecharts.com/live
Does Style Matter?
http://www.praisecharts.com/live/articles/20/1/Does-Style-Matter/Page1.html
Branon Dempsey
Branon Dempsey is the Editor-at-Large for PraiseCharts Live as well as the Director and Founder of Worship Team Training: a ministry for local church worship ministries. He has studied and been trained by members of Maranatha! Music and Integrity Music for worship ministry and composition. Branon lives in Cypress, Texas where he is also a Worship Leader/Songwriter and has been in ministry for over 17 years. Read more articles and blogs by Branon on PraiseCharts Live or visit him at www.worshipteamtraining.com. Check out the new sponsor Landing Page of Worship Team Training on PraiseCharts.
 
By Branon Dempsey
Published on March 6, 2008
 
"Contemporary" and "Traditional" are two of the largest popular styles in church worship specifically geared to edify and meet worshipers through relevant community identifications.

Worship Styles

"Contemporary" and "Traditional" are two of the largest popular styles in church worship specifically geared to edify and meet worshipers through relevant community identifications. They both are similar as they define an age group and identity of 40+. Emergent or Post Modern (while recognizing vintage-faith, ancient-future, and other polar-spectrums of worship venues) may identify younger generations of post 9-11's, twenty and thirty somethings (depending on the local community demographic). It is also interesting to note that not all 20-30's attend emergent an/or ancient-future faith services. The young at heart in older generations find it easy to connect with these services as they personify truth, grace, acceptance and relativity.

All worship styles: Contemporary, Traditional, Emergent/Vintage/Post Modern are preferential tools, styles and vehicles for worship; at the same time they are conducive for evangelistic contexts. It is essential that the Church creatively relates and connects with all generations for the purpose of sharing the Gospel (1Cor. 9.19-23). However, there is a critical balance in our efforts of constructing worship services. Historically, there have been attempts where members of the Church have drifted from the centrality of Christ for the fashion of modeling the world by worship trends, service ideologies and/or popular mega church brandings. As a result, the pure nature of the Gospel is altered and reduced to a social status-quo (Jas. 4.4) or reduced to a mere venue trend. Emergent or today's generation are seeking for authentic relationships and the truth and relativity of God. As Christ noted: The Father is seeking the true worshippers of God (Jn. 4:23).

There is no one stylistic way to worship – communicate to God; just as there are many human languages to communicate among people there are multiple expressions in worship to praise God. Communicating Biblically and effectively to both to our world and Almighty God becomes paramount. Paul, in 1Cor. 9:19-23, addressed the severity in communicating to all people through relevancy in order to win people to Christ. His address serves as a appropriate model for shaping our churches and worship ministries to connect people to the Life-giving Savior.

Today, God still calls people to: "seek me and live," (Am 5:4). To seek God is eternal where one finds life and life abundantly (Jn. 10:10b). He is calling us like the Israelites and Judeans to return to His covenant faithfulness. Seeking the Lord is central to our being and corporate worship. As Emerging generations rise, it is imperative that we meet them where they are and not where we were 5-10-20 years ago.