INVENTING NEW STYLES OF WORSHIP

Much discussion is taking place over what forms of worship are appropriate. Some

alternative styles being tested are a combination of incompatible elements from other

faiths. As long ago as December 17, 1990, a feature article in Newsweek magazine spoke of

the 1990's as “an age of mix'em, match'em salad-bar spirituality--Quakerpalians,

charismatic Catholics, New Age Jews--where brand loyalty is a doctrine of the past and the

customer is king.”

In contrast to the present trend toward cafeteria-style worship, the Bible recognizes only

two kinds of worship, true worship and false worship. An attempt to marry true and false

worship is known technically as syncretism, and biblically as "Babylon." Because

God's faithful followers have always resisted drifting towards syncretism, throughout history

there have been clashes between true and false worship. The Bible teaches that in the end-

time--our time--there would be a final conflict over worship.

Satan’s rebellion against God centered on worship–the desire to be like the Most High (Isa

14:12-14). The first death in human history, the death of Abel at the hands of his brother

Cain, was the result of a clash between true and false worship (Gen 4). The contest between

Elijah and the priests of Baal had to do with worship (1 Kings 18). Daniel and the three

Hebrew men in Babylon were tested on the issue of worship (Dan 3 and 6). In the days of

Esther and Mordecai, the issue was worship (Esther 3-8). One of the temptations of Christ

in the wilderness was over worship. Is it any wonder that the last conflict in human history

is also over worship (Rev 13; 14)?

This chapter focuses on worship styles, drawing some valuable lessons from

Jeroboam’sinnovative approach. We begin by explaining why this issue is so important. An

End- Samuel Pipim

INVENTING NEW STYLES OF WORSHIP

By

Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, Ph.D

Director, Public Campus Ministries, Michigan Conference

Author, Must We Be Silent? and Receiving the Word