Contemporary Or Traditional?

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "it was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns.

"Praise choruses?" said his wife. "What are those?" "Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.

Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife. The farmer said, "Well, it's like this - If I were to say to you: "Martha, the cows are in the corn"' - well, that would be a hymn. If on the other hand, I were to say to you:

'Martha, Martha, Martha, Oh Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN.' Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus.

- Copied

I Once Met A Man . . .

I once met a man on his way, on a bright and sunny day. He was arrayed in a suit and a tie, and shiny shoes that caught my eye.

I felt inclined to say, "Where are you going so finely arrayed, on such a hot and humid day?"

He replied, "I have not worked for many a day and really need a full day's pay. I have an appointment to meet a man, who will give me a job, if he can. I want to put my best foot forward, because I feel it is well in order, to let him know I will not loiter, but will do my best to give a full day's work for a full day's pay, and the way I dress  may carry the day!"

I once met a man in a shopping centre and the weather inside was far from winter. He had on a coat and a matching tie, that would catch the most discerning eye.

I felt inclined to say, "Where are you off to so smartly dressed, do you always wear your Sunday best?"

"Oh no," he replied, "But we have a house we wish to buy, and the price to pay is very high,so upon a banker we must rely. Today I will meet him eye to eye, and I want him to know that I will try, to repay him without a sigh. And if I dress my very best, then I should pass the reliability test."

I once met an older teen and he was dressed so very keen. His hair was so neatly trimmed that some might think, "What's wrong with him?"

I felt inclined to ask, as he hurried past, "Where are you going so very fast? You are dressed to the nines, and it's  just midday, Are you going to a party to dance and play?"

"Oh no," he said, "I'm sad to say, I'm going to a funeral on this awful day. My very best mate, has passed away. I want to show all those who attend, that he really was my very best friend. I dress like this to show I care, and to lose a friend is hard to bear."

I once met a man sloppily dressed. He was not wearing his Sunday best. He was on his way to God's own house. I wondered why, as he passed by, his dress did not honor the Lord most High? -  Pastor John White

"Where two or three are gathered in my name .... there am I in the midst of them....." (Matt. 18:20)

Gathering Together In His Presence

Do we really believe His promise that He will be in the midst of us when we come into His presence with thanksgiving; worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth. (Matthew 18:20)  Do we expect the Living Saviour to be powerfully present in all that we say and do? When we consider the lackadaisical approach all to often taken to worship in our contemporary world, we are made to wonder if those who come together really see themselves as being in the presence of the awesome and mighty God of this universe. 

Some who say they are Bible believers, tend to make a fetish out of informality. They seem to sincerely equate spirituality with a crass, conditioned and creative emotionality. It would seem, that in their understanding, being spirit filled (led or controlled) precludes orderly worship or behavior. They seem to advocate and often practice an uninhibited exhibitionism.

It would seem that some sometimes sincerely seek to stand and pridefully entertain God; rather than approach Him with humility and reverence. Or worse still, turn a holy worship service into a cheap entertainment concert. All of this could remind us of the foolish, frenzied and failed attempts of the prophets of Baal to awaken their god(s) in order to bring a powerful presence to bear upon the altar of sacrifice. An examination of the idolatrous and paganized worship activities in history, as well as in our contemporary world, confirms such a sensuous and sensational approach has always been the way of the heathen. In contrast, we see the hoary-haired old prophet, Elijah, speaking a few quiet simple words. Then the overwhelming presence of the almighty God is manifest to Israel.

We do not have to speculate on God’s plan of conduct in the Body of Christ. In Paul’s critique of the uninhibited excesses of the church at Corinth, he makes the matter crystal clear. “For God is not [the author] of confusion..” (I Cor. 14:33) “Let all things be done decently and in order.” (I Cor. 14:40) The context of these simple admonitions, when applied to gathering together with Christ, could lead us to but one conclusion. God desires a simple scriptural approach to praise and worship.

None of this should inhibit or prohibit the desire of God’s people to gather together in joyful expectation and anticipation of experiencing the presence of the Living Christ. We are to come together truly expecting to meet with God and His Son, Jesus Christ, through the ministry and power of the Holy Spirit of God. We should not come together merely expecting to see each other, but should have the attitude of the Greeks who came and said to Phillip, “Sir, we would see Jesus.”

It is a great privilege to have an audience with royalty. But how could this compare with the promised personal presence of Jesus Christ with His people as they gather together to celebrate His resurrection and worship and praise Him? We do not come together to merely experience the presence of an earthly prince or monarch, but with the very King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

It should go without saying, that we should behave and even dress appropriately for such a rendezvous with real royalty. Who would wish to go into the presence of a king or even an important official without being appropriately attired? Even those seeking meaningful employment, recognize that to do so would be insulting and could jeopardize their prospects. What is more important and who is more deserving of our utmost reverence and respect?   - Pastor John White

Is It Time For A Dress Code

-By Dr. O. H. Griffith

Most parochial, and several public schools, have established dress codes for the students. Some of the benefits claimed are: school uniforms are less expensive; there is no rivalry, jealousy, or feeling of inferiority because some students are dressed more glamorously; and uniforms create a better learning environment; plus there are fewer disciplinary problems. Is it time for churches to establish some dress codes? Many churches seem to encourage, not just informal dress but actually encourage "sloppy dress". The argument is, "The main thing is get them in church." The end does not necessarily justify the means. Must a church act like the world and provide worldly entertainment to get the unsaved into church? If so, has it really accomplished anything for the glory of Christ?

One church's mail out bulletin regularly proclaims the slogan, "Here to Glory God". I like that. But do sloppy dress, sensual music and worldly entertainment glorify God? The world will not be won to Christ by church members living and acting like the world. The Apostle John wrote, "Do not love the world or the things in the world....  The world is passing away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:1517). Paul advised the Corinthians, "Therefore come out from among them, And be ye separate, says the Lord" (2 Cor. 6:17).

How did disciples of Christ come to bear the designation, "Christian"? It most certainly was not by conforming to the ways of the world. (See Acts 11:19-26.) Followers of Christ are supposed to be different. If church members live, act and look like the unsaved masses, how do they expect to attract the unsaved to Christ? Paul wrote, "In like manner also, that the women [and by inference, also the men] adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation" (1 Tim. 2:8).

How should church members dress for worship? According to Paul, in one word, modestly. To dress modestly, does not require a $500 suit. A person can dress modestly in everyday work clothes.  How one dresses is largely determined by the occasion. Not for a moment would any self-respecting man expect to attend a Presidential Ball dressed in T-shirt, slouchy cutoff jeans, with hairy legs showing. (A greater than the President is present every time a true church meets.) No self-respecting woman would think of attending a formal occasion wearing tight fitting, revealing jeans and tank top. Why? Because such attire would show disrespect to the hostess and the guest of honor.  The host and guest of honor at all true worship services is the Lord Jesus Christ. Propriety and Christian decency demands that worshippers respect Him and dress accordingly.

THINK ABOUT IT: If a dress code creates a better learning environment in a school, 'isn't it reasonable that modest dress in church creates a better worship atmosphere?

Editor’s Note: O. H. Griffith was a highly respected writer and commentator published in the Sunday School and Baptist Training Course materials of the American Baptist Association. This article was first published many years ago.   One can only imagine his view of the immodesty prevalent in some worship services today.

The Church In The Wildwood

Some of my earliest memories center around the farm my family moved to after we moved from the place I was born in the Frankfort area of Franklin County in North Alabama. I do not know my exact age, but assume I must have been a toddler, perhaps three or four years old. The farm was located about half way between the small towns of Rogersville and Anderson. Anderson was located just South of the Tennessee border. The name of the farming community was Hurricane. I understood the name related to a severe storm that hit the area earlier. Although hurricanes out of the Gulf of Mexico did not normally have such severe effect, they often spawned high winds and days of rain accompanied by tornados. Our area of North Alabama was known as part of the infamous Tornado Alley.

There is an old gospel song entitled, "The Church In The Wildwood," that immediately comes to mind when I think of those bygone days. In my memory the lyrics of the song go something like this: "O come to the church in the wildwood, O come to the church in the dale, No place is so dear to my childhood, as the little brown church in the vale...." It was recorded and made popular by such artists as Andy Griffith, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Burl Ives and Dolly Parton.

My father was an Elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church located close by our place in Hurricane. In my mind’s, eye this church fits the description of the church described in the song. It sat at the end of a lane that ran a ways through the woods. It was a beautiful sight to see this little country church surrounded by the greenery of such a forest. I can especially remember the beauty of the dogwoods in bloom in the Springtime and the pleasure of sucking the sweet nectar from the blossoms of large poplar trees in the area.

The inside of the church also fit the image conjured up by the lyrics of the song. The old timber pews and pulpit must have been there for countless Sunday Sermons, Hymn Singing and Revival Meetings. The lighting was common for the period when many country folk were just beginning to get electricity’ through the Rural Electrification Program of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Oil lamp pedestals were located on the walls between the open windows. Oil lamps were lighted all around the walls in order to give just enough light to enable the hymns to be seen and sung.

My most vivid memory recalls the scene in the night services during the annual Revival Meeting. These meetings were the big event for the area and would last for at least a week and if there were unusual spiritual blessings, it could become what was called a "protracted meeting" and go on for weeks. The windows were open to provide some relief from the normal mid-Summer heat. Of course, this allowed flying insects free entry into the room. There was no insect repellent to deter the mosquitoes nor the moths.. Hand fans for cooling and fly swats for killing were the only defensive weapons. It was not unknown for a real energetic preacher to inhale or swallow a moth as he was making an important point.

The good country folks attending these meetings did not go in much for formalities or ceremony. Mothers with nursing children would openly dispense the necessary refreshments in order to quiet their hungry little ones. No fancy nursery was available . What was called quilt pallets would be spread on the floor for restless youngsters. I recall occupying such a pallet at times when the preacher elaborated at length on his message. There was a communal bucket of cold well water down in front of the pulpit with a dipper in it. Any thirsty person was free to saunter down the aisle and assuage their thirst any time they had the urge and many did.

It was in such a setting that I witnessed my first "shouting." The experience was a bit scary but I am sure the participants must have been quite sincere; even though looking back their actions do not seem to fit Paul’s admonition that everything should be done in decency and order and that God is not the author of confusion. It seems there has always been a tendency for some to confuse emotionality with spirituality. As if one who sits quietly contemplating the presence and blessings of God is somehow less spiritual than one who loudly demonstrates emotion.  - Pastor John White