Thinking of switching denominations

[Equipped_4_Love]

I presently attend a non-denomiational church, but I am seriously considering switching denominations. Truthfully, I find the praise and worship seriously lacking in a lot of the contemporary churches. It does not move me, and I just can't get into the spirit. The songs are just mediocre. They don't draw me in like a lot of the old hymns do. Contemporary Christain music os ok, but it seriously lacks the depth that those older hymns have.

I will pretty much worship anyway, because I am not there for me, but for God, but even so, I am craving to attend a worship service where there is that balance -- they still play the old hymns, yet there is freedom in the owrship, too, like you can lift your hands and really love on God.

Does anyone know of any demoninations where this takes place? Also, my old church had really good solid Biblical teaching -- inductive-type preaching. Does anyone know of any denominations that strike this balance?!

[amazzin]

I presently attend a non-denomiational church, but I am seriously considering switching denominations. Truthfully, I find the praise and worship seriously lacking in a lot of the contemporary churches. It does not move me, and I just can't get into the spirit. The songs are just mediocre. They don't draw me in like a lot of the old hymns do. Contemporary Christain music os ok, but it seriously lacks the depth that those older hymns have.

I will pretty much worship anyway, because I am not there for me, but for God, but even so, I am craving to attend a worship service where there is that balance -- they still play the old hymns, yet there is freedom in the owrship, too, like you can lift your hands and really love on God.

Does anyone know of any demoninations where this takes place? Also, my old church had really good solid Biblical teaching -- inductive-type preaching. Does anyone know of any denominations that strike this balance?!

WOOOOOO....what a loaded question. Forget denominations dudette. Go find yourself a church you like and fit in and where you can serve

[Equipped_4_Love]

Okay....how was that question "loaded?"

I will simplify it, then. Which denominations are more prone to worshipping with the old hymns?

[amazzin]

many denominations have both traditional and contemporary styles of worship and some churches do both if they have multiple services. This is why its loaded. Get to know the churches around your area, call and see what's available

[Cloudwalker]

I'm afraid that my brother Amazzin is very correct. There is no one, or two, denomonations that do that. It is all individual churches. I am fortunate in that the church I go to has both contemporary music as well as the old hymnaty and we do it both in the same service. However, we are a rarity. The vast majority of churches have one or the other, or if they have both it is in different services. If you are no longer comfortable in the church you are attending now, start visiting other churchs to see what is available and visit them more than once to get a feel of what they are like. And PRAY. God will lead you to where He wants you to be.

[notuptome]

Okay....how was that question "loaded?"

I will simplify it, then. Which denominations are more prone to worshipping with the old hymns?

Move out of CA. Churches with traditional hymns as part of their service are becoming scarce across the country and CA has a head start on the process. You could try a search for good bible schools in your part of the country who might have some of their grads in local churches in your area. Independent Baptists may hold some hope depending on what other baggage they bring to the table. But yeah your search is very common these days.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

[Equipped_4_Love]

Move out of CA. Churches with traditional hymns as part of their service are becoming scarce across the country and CA has a head start on the process. You could try a search for good bible schools in your part of the country who might have some of their grads in local churches in your area. Independent Baptists may hold some hope depending on what other baggage they bring to the table. But yeah your search is very common these days.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Thanks, Roger. Well, I cannot move out of California, as God just moved me from one part of California to another to do ministry, but I will take everyone's advice and just start looking......and ya, I think it stinks that churches don't incorporate the old hymns anymore.

[Amos_with_goats]

I was once seeking to leave an assembly.

I sought the Lord to know when, and where to go. His reply to me was very clear... I was to wait until He told me to go.

If He has shown you that it is, be encouraged because He will have another place you are to be. Just be certain you are leaving because HE has lead you to do so... the consequences of doing what seems good to us can be catastrophic.

[karenoka27]

Many of your older fundamental Baptist churches still use the older hymns. We have a lot of them on the east coast. I don't go to one anymore, but I do at times miss them. Youtube is good for those times!
I agree with the others that you should not leave a church for this reason, but wait on the Lord.
If you are missing something in worship, search your heart. The worship songs in Contemporary Christian churches or worship songs through hymns is still worship and one worships in their heart.

[notuptome]

Thanks, Roger. Well, I cannot move out of California, as God just moved me from one part of California to another to do ministry, but I will take everyone's advice and just start looking......and ya, I think it stinks that churches don't incorporate the old hymns anymore.

I was only half joking about moving. I know of some children of folks in our church who moved to California as a result of marriage. They have often expressed how difficult it is to find a church similar to the one you describe. I think the "California lifestyle" has a lot to do with how the churchs look. Great climate if you like warmth and earthquakes...I mean sunshine.

I have no doubt the Lord will lead you in this matter. You may need to learn some patience along the way but the Lord is ever faithful.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

[Br. Barnabas]

Many Methodist and some of the new evangelical Anglican church plants from the Global South are done in this sort of way. Many Methodist churches have both traditional and contemporary services, the first where hymns are sung and done in an old fashioned type of way (ie a lose liturgy) and the other with more modern songs and a little more freedom to the service.

The evangelical Anglican depending on the church usually has a little more mix of both types of song and a liturgy but also allow a lot of room for a more charismatic out pouring. I can say that the church I attend now sings pretty much only hymns because we do not have anyone to play music for us and thus we are left with only our voices, not that we would not like to have a worship team, we are a new plant and don't have anyone that knows how to play. But we also very often in the middle of the service have special needs prayed for or stop what we are doing and lay hands on people, etc. we allow the Holy Spirit to led us at all times and sometimes he stops us from what we were doing and has us move in a different direction.

[TomH]

How about talking to your choir director, pastor, elders, or deacons?

Do you have a musical background? Talk it up, shake it up.

After all, it's your church. You get out of it what you put in.

Got a suggestion box? If not, ask for one.

A youth pastor may be interested in a study of Gospel music for one of his classes, or ask to start one of your own.

If this is enough of a concern to you that you're seriously thinking of changing churches, try changing the church you're already in.

You attend an independent church, be independent.

[daughter]

I understand how you feel about much modern Christian music being mediocre. Musically they are designed to be "easy play", which means that they're all based around the same easy guitar chords. And the vocal range is limited as well, because it's assumed that people may not be able to sing anything more challenging. I personally find that musical dumbing down quite discouraging... add to that the fact that a lot of the lyrics are about the singer's feelings rather than God, and you end up with something really quite syrupy and unpleasant.

But it might be possible for you to suggest a wider range of music. And if the worst comes to the worst, and the mediocre songs continue, just ask yourself what's important. For what it's worth, I'd sooner go to a Biblically sound church with rubbish music than to a church with wonderful music and no sound teaching.

[ProjectPeter]

Thread was closed by accident it seems while doing some cleaning up. Guys... this isn't a debate in here... keep that in mind.

[Equipped_4_Love]

Thanks, ProjectPeter

I understand how you feel about much modern Christian music being mediocre. Musically they are designed to be "easy play", which means that they're all based around the same easy guitar chords. And the vocal range is limited as well, because it's assumed that people may not be able to sing anything more challenging. I personally find that musical dumbing down quite discouraging... add to that the fact that a lot of the lyrics are about the singer's feelings rather than God, and you end up with something really quite syrupy and unpleasant.

But it might be possible for you to suggest a wider range of music. And if the worst comes to the worst, and the mediocre songs continue, just ask yourself what's important. For what it's worth, I'd sooner go to a Biblically sound church with rubbish music than to a church with wonderful music and no sound teaching.

Ya...I wouldn't mind going to a service that blends contemporary and traditional modes of worship.....but if I were to pick one, definitely traditional.

I am really wondering if churches are incorporating more contemporary because they are tyring to attract a younger crowd? Why do people think that young people only like contemporary? I really wouldn't mind contemporary music if it had more depth. There are a few artists like that, for example, Misty Edwards. She is AMAZING:

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