Reconstructing Faith with Trevin Wax

Season 2, Episode 8: After the Worship Wars

Dec 7, 2023

This podcast explores the shift from traditional to contemporary worship styles in churches, highlighting the conflicts and controversies that arose. It emphasizes the importance of genuine worship and the connection between right belief and right worship. The speakers discuss the conflict between form and spiritual worship and the power of repetition and patterns in worship. They also touch on the significance of welcoming people into the church and the importance of formative influence in worship.

01:02:12

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Quick takeaways

Worship practices have a profound impact on our beliefs, affections, and understanding of God, making it crucial to be intentional about how and when we worship.

The Jesus movement in the 1960s and 70s brought about significant changes in evangelical worship, sparking controversies and church splits, highlighting the importance of intentional choices in worship forms and styles.

Deep dives

Worship Shapes Us

Our worship experiences and environments, whether in a church or elsewhere, play a significant role in shaping our beliefs, affections, and understanding of God. Just like other places and activities, such as malls, sports stadiums, or academic institutions, worship spaces shape our desires and influences our understanding of salvation. Therefore, it's crucial to be intentional about our worship practices, including who, how, and when we worship.

Introduction

3min

The Influence of the Jesus Movement on Worship Styles

15min

The Importance of Genuine Worship

4min

The Conflict Between Form and Spiritual Worship

4min

The Power of Welcoming and Reflection on a Past Event

4min

The Importance of Repetition and Patterns in Worship

27min

The Power of Repetition in Worship and the Importance of Formative Influence

5min

In the latter decades of the 20th century, many churches across the country shifted from a formal style of worship, with traditional and classical music, to a more informal style of worship, with praise choruses and rock-influenced instrumentation. These changes in worship didn’t happen without conflict. In the 1980’s and 1990’s, controversies became so heated in some churches that some observers began calling them “The Worship Wars.” Today, we may be well past the worst of the worship wars, but we’re never going to be in a season where discussions over what we do as gathered members of the body of Christ go away.

On this episode of Reconstructing Faith, join Trevin Wax as he considers the formative influence of how we worship and how that will affect what the future looks like.

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