Contemporary Conservative
Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio (where Alistair Begg is senior pastor) is an outstanding example of how sung worship can be contemporary and place no stumbling blocks in the way of modern unbelievers, and yet remain absolutely faithful to Biblical principles and truth.
This is the style we aspire to at Moordown; we're a way from the standard musically (not being a city with a lot of music students, I suspect) just as we're miles from the standard of preaching. But we aspire to both.
4 comments:
Hi Gary, when you say 'contemporary' are you basically referring to the the use of certain instruments and singers?
What would you see stumbling blocks for modern unbelievers?
No Martin, there's much more to it than that. It's about the building, the style, the people as well as the music. It's about sermons that have illustrations from today's world not the Puritan world. It's about Christians knowing what is part of Christianity and what's part of a passing culture - and not caring about one but being prepared to live and die for the other. It's about not looking and feeling like we belong to another age.
That way, the only stumbling block for the unbeliever who comes in is the gospel itself; and that's always going to be a stumbling block.
If I make a positive comment on this post, someone not like it. If I make a negative comment on this post, someone will not like it.
Ah well, as I recall, my Master was not well liked by everybody.
I appreciated this glimpse into Parkside Church. My personal preference (as I believe John Piper has it) is for musicians to be to the side, not at the front.
I can see the reason for that, Jonathan. Guess where our musicians are?
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