Today’s Verse and Thought
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”(Psalm 29:2)
From last week: “…we have looked at some of the ways that the Church has succumbed to cultural pressure. But there are other things that may not be as overt as a Drag Show in church that’s chipping away at the truth of Christ, and can be found in more traditional settings as well as liberal ones. As we consider each of these things, the primary question we need to ask is: What does God want?”
Is this what God wants?
“…in their efforts to not offend new people, some churches have removed crosses from steeples or sanctuaries. Others have removed communion from Sunday services, instead celebrating it at another time when only members would generally participate. Still other churches have shifted toward an emphasis on videos, music, drama, or other arts that incorporate elements of secular programming for the purpose of evangelism.”(source).
In the early 1980s I sat on a church committee, and in one meeting we discussed incorporating more musical instruments into our Sunday service. The hippie culture had changed our society dramatically, and younger people didn’t really “relate” with the music in our church. It was boring and “old school.” As one of those younger people, I represented the sentiment of my peers.
Someone emphatically countered that the sound of the solemn organ reverberating through the halls, or the lone chords played on a piano were considered the only “holy” instruments allowed in church.
I was outnumbered as nods of agreement among the older people on the board approved this stance. One woman- a very wealthy congregant who had been at the church since the dinosaurs roamed - was even quite adamant about the evils of guitar music. She probably had visions of Jimmy Hendrix running through her head.
As an enthusiastic young adult, I pleaded with them to consider all the instruments mentioned in scripture: horns, harps, lyres, and loud cymbals. But they didn’t budge. It didn’t seem to matter what the Bible said.
“Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”(Psalm 150:4-6)
Later I quietly listened as the wise elders continued the church meeting with a lively discussion about the color of the new carpet they were installing. They argued whether red or blue was a more appropriate color.
We eventually resolved the music issue by creating two services: one sold as “traditional,” and the other as “contemporary.” And if I recall, I think red carpet was the holier chosen color.
I was confused by the fact that the Bible seemed to not only mention, but approve of all these various instruments (and It also approved of dancing…oh the horror! I didn’t even bother bringing that up). This event left a lasting impression on me as I grew older. I remember thinking I never wanted to be so narrow-minded.
Eventually the hippies of the 70s became the new elders of today. As our culture changes, so do its people. And as churches struggle today for relevancy, many are searching for new ways to attract people to church.
“Compared to three years ago, a higher percentage of churches say they are facing serious attendance declines. In 2020, 27% of religious congregations said they had lost more than 25% of their worship service attendance. In 2023, 30% of churches report a similarly steep drop.”(source).
What’s a pastor to do? If they want to stay afloat in today’s society, how should they respond to this decline? Some churches are trying to appeal to a broader audience by doing what the Catholic church did back in the 300s. They incorporate cultural things into services by giving them a Christian flavor. They want to make church a place where people feel welcomed and practices are familiar.
Yoga and Mindfulness
A Baptist scholar in his seminary thesis explained why these cutural things are being incorporated into our services today:
“A general dissatisfaction with modern life here in the West has resulted in a greatly increased interest in Eastern spirituality and culture. Many in today’s Western world want to transform their rational and analytic culture—a culture that appears to hold no hope of creating Utopia—into an emotional and synthetic one. For that reason popular Western culture has become diluted with many aspects of Eastern culture, including Eastern music, TV drama, film, and especially Eastern mysticism. Results include the “New Age movement,” religious pluralism, a rejection of traditional Christianity, and for a steadily increasing percentage of the population, a fascination with and a devotion to an ancient genus of Hinduism known as “Yoga.”(source)
Yoga is an example of a cultural norm that has been reinterpreted in a Christian context. It’s a traditional method of worship in Hinduism and other Eastern religions, but today is practiced by millions of Christians around the world. It’s presented as a form of physical exercise and spiritual mindfulness, with an emphasis on breath control, and stretching, all done while meditating on God.
Some Christian churches have yoga retreats where they combine traditional yoga with prayer, Bible study, and Christian meditation. The idea is to offer a more “holistic spiritual experience.”
Mindfulness methods from buddhism have also been incorporated into church worship. The practice of mindfulness is not only in Eastern worship, but can also be found in secular “wellness” programs. Today insurance companies like Blue Cross and Kaiser are prescribing mindfulness as a treatment for all kinds of health issues.
Some churches and Christian counselors have also adopted mindfulness techniques as a way to help people focus, reduce stress, and cultivate a spiritual awareness. Christian mindfulness often involves Scripture, prayer, or contemplation, and is intended to help individuals quiet their minds and be more attuned to God's voice and presence in daily life.
“Contemplative Prayer” is a mindfulness practice where the individual seeks to listen to God, often through a period of silent meditative focus, such as with the use of a "prayer word” (similar to a mantra) as way to connect to God's presence.
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”(Joshua 1:8)
The Enneagram
The Enneagram is another Christianized element that originated from a personality system in Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam. It attempts to place people into nine different personality types and theoretically provides a somewhat crystal ball type of insight into a persons deepest motives, fears, and path for personal growth.
“Enneagram, a technique for the interpretation of personality and consciousness that blends elements of Gurdjieff’s esoteric “Fourth Way” with modern Western psychology, by Sufis of the Naqshbandi order. This chapter starts with what is known of the actual origins and development of the Enneagram, emerging from Gurdjieff’s Fourth Way and developed in Chile by two South American esoteric teachers of the 1970s, Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo.”(source)
Over the last few decades, the Enneagram has been "Christianized" by some churches and Christian therapists. This involves reframing the system to focus on spiritual growth, emotional healing, and understanding one's “divine purpose” (much like the teaching in the Purpose Driven Life book by Rick Warren).
The Enneagram is often used in counseling settings to help people understand their own personality, human relationships, and their spiritual journey.
Walking a Labyrinth
“…you can find prayer labyrinths in most areas of the country, from abbeys and monasteries to the campuses of Catholic parishes and colleges.”(source)
The practice of walking a labyrinth (a winding, circular path that leads to a central point) became “Christianized” just as other pagan practices. It was used by early Catholics in medieval monasteries as a form of prayer or meditation. Its roots, however, are from ancient pagan cultures.
“Much of the growth of awareness and use of the labyrinth within the Christian church can be attributed to the publication in 1995 of the book, Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice. This book, by the Rev. Dr. Lauren Artress, a priest at Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco, sounded a receptive chord to many Christians seeking additional avenues for spiritual expression, spiritual growth, and worship. Use of the labyrinth in Christian churches has grown nearly exponentially since the book’s publication.”(source)
Crystals and Fortune Telling
Yet another adopted mystical practice is crystal healing, or the use of stones, similar to the occult or New Age practices. Some Christians have found ways to incorporate them into their spirituality. They may use crystals for purposes like creating a prayer space; for healing; or for worship or meditation, similar to the Muslim and Catholic practice of prayer beads.
Other Mystical Practices
“Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.”(Leviticus 19:31)
While not widespread, there is also a growing trend in some Christian circles to incorporate a variety of other mystical practices into their spiritual experiences.
For instance, some people have attempted to blend astrology with Christian theology, interpreting astrological symbols and signs as metaphors for spiritual growth or divine influence, rather than seeing them as tools for divination.
Another is Channeling and the use of Mediums. Some people claim to “channel messages” from angels, spirits, or deceased loved ones, and attempt to reconcile these practices with their faith by making them seem Christian, like pointing to angel encounters in Scripture.
The use of sacred sound, including chanting and mantras, Reiki sessions, and frequency or sound healing, numerology, and other mystical practices have found their way into some Christian contexts, especially in “contemplative” traditions. Some churches may incorporate these tools into prayer services, focusing, for instance, on how a repetitive sound can “help” deepen worship or spiritual connection.
So I ask Again, What Does God Want?
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”(Revelation 4:11)
Today I’m the old dinosaur.
And as I look at all the things taking place in some of our church services, I wrestle with the actual holiness of each. When I think back to that meeting in my church all those years ago, I conclude that, while the elders back then were really arguing for their traditions - not things that were Biblical or holy - they may have had a underlying reason to be concerned.
While I think that the “modern” Church has tried to be more welcoming to people, I’m compelled to ask, “have we gone too far? Is this what God really wants?”
To be continued…
Today’s Question
Verses to Explore
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to[a] his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”(2 Peter 1:2-4)
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”(Psalm 8:1)
“Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.”(Psalms 119:27)
“My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”(Psalm 63:5-7).
Today’s Prayer
Father today I pray the prayer of the Psalmist: “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.”
I pray that my thoughts and ways are in line with your will and desire for my life. There are many unsettling things being taught in church as ways to deepen our relationship with you, but I am cautious as I see subtle evil in each.
I know that I am not the judge of your people. But I also know that we are to call out the evil in our churches. Have we gone too far Father in our attempt to draw people to you? Is that even our job? To that I say no. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that draws all men to you.
This is where I think we took a wrong turn. As we consider what to do to glorify you and share your Word, I pray that you open our eyes to all the tricks that Satan does that pulls us away from your truth. We need refined wisdom and discernment today as we seek to please you Father. Help us to see what it is we are doing that is in opposition to your will. May our lives glorify and honor you every day. Amen.❤️