By Dr. Paul Grime
Have you ever joined in a conversation only to realize that the participants really aren't engaged in much of a dialogue? Both sides have valid concerns; both care passionately for their positions. But in the end, the conversation goes nowhere, because there's no agreement, no meeting of the minds.

It's no secret that such a scenario pretty much sums up the conversation in our synod regarding the subject of worship. Among the conversants one can find every imaginable position. There are many who value the Church's heritage very highly and others who believe that the Church must move in totally new directions. In between are a variety of opinions which would seek to blend the best of both worlds.

When listening to this conversation, it doesn't take long to realize two things. First, the discussion is not mere chit-chat over unimportant matters. No, the conversants sincerely and deeply hold to their beliefs; they have a passion about worship. Second, the conversation has broken down. Instead of dialogue, we have debate. And it's not even a good debate. Rather than examining these matters in a calm and reasonable manner, it's emotional arguments that often win the day, with everyone frustrated and angry once the dust settles.

So how can we break down the barriers that have developed? How can we join together as part of one conversation, debating these issues as sisters and brothers in Christ? What follows is not an attempt to settle this whole debate once and for all. Truth is, no one person has the answers to all of the questions we face. Instead, what I offer are some stepping stones which may assist in returning us to the heart of the matter.

We Believe, Teach, and Confess

When questions pertaining to worship are raised in a congregation, one often hears the phrase, "We don't want to change our theology." Thanks be to God! After all, what more glorious message do we have to proclaim than the saving news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? There is nothing to compare with the truth that He laid down His life for undeserving sinners and took up that life again for our justification. It is a good thing to hold firmly to that teaching, for it is our freedom and our life.

Nevertheless, our best intentions at remaining faithful to the truths of God's Word will not go unchallenged. Within Christendom there are countless teachings which are contrary to what God has revealed in His divinely inspired Word. While these differences are found in nearly every area of theology, almost invariably they can be reduced to a common denominator: an attack on the Gospel and its insistence that God has taken the burden for our salvation out of our hands and carried it for us.

Since it is in the corporate services of Word and Sacrament that the Church has its best opportunity to proclaim this good news, it goes without saying that all we do and say in our worship must point clearly to what the Lord has given us.

Feeding the Flock

When God's people gather for worship, undoubtedly they come for a great variety of reasons, with wants and needs waiting to be met. Certainly the Church desires to meet those needs. And what better way than by remembering that these people are sheep of the Good Shepherd, a flock waiting to be fed. As pastors, church musicians, and other servants of the Church prepare for services in God's house, wouldn't it be good if they were constantly asking, "Will the flock be fed?" Whether it's the public reading of God's Word, the preaching of a sermon, the accompanying of a hymn, or the singing of an anthem-everything we do in worship must aim toward one thing: the edification of God's people so that they may be strengthened in faith toward God and in love for their neighbor.

Style Does Matter

One of the big issues in the current worship debate concerns "style." There is no doubt that we live in a culturally diverse world. Because the Church incorporates people from every nation, it's only right that the proclamation of the Gospel will reflect the unique characteristics of the whole people of God.

Nevertheless, it would be wrong to assume that every aspect of every style is automatically suitable for proclaiming the Gospel. There are, in fact, some elements of style that can get in the way of the Gospel. For that reason, all we do in worship must be tested by the Word of God. If a certain style obscures the Gospel, then it cannot stand. If a particular method draws our attention away from God and toward us, then it must be avoided. Personal preference won't do in these matters, for our objective must always be the clear and faithful proclamation of God's Law and Gospel.

The Goal: Eternal Life

With all of the disagreement over matters of worship, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that all sides in this debate hold to the same goal: eternal life. How sad it is that the current debate has in many cases pitted the mission of the Church against the worship of the Church.

Certainly we need to hear again and again the urgent call to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Daily that must be our desire. Yet, that sense of urgency will always be tempered with the realization that it is God who "calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies His Church on earth." That is His work and service to us, a service which He graciously renders in very concrete ways through His holy Word and Sacraments.

A Concluding Thought

There are some who have suggested that our profound disagreements over worship may eventually lead to a split in the Church. Certainly it could happen. But there's another possibility as well, namely, that we view our present dispute as a challenge to engage earnestly in an ongoing debate. In many ways that is the more difficult road to travel; yet, for the sake of God's people, it is the path we must follow. What a joy it is to know that the triune God Himself will lead us on this journey, teaching us how to receive His gifts rightly and how to respond in true thanksgiving.

Originally published in Worship: A Lutheran Perspective, Issue 33, 1996.