Changes
at Christmas
About ten years ago
our church worship morphed from blended traditional to out right contemporary
music and worship. We adapted as best we could most of the time. We sang the
choruses, listened to the praise team, focused on the repetitive words,
praising God. And an occasional hymn or hymn phrase fed our souls. "Amazing Grace..."
At Christmas
we were further challenged. Contemporary worship at Christmas left
even more to be desired. We experienced two Christmas seasons with no
traditional Christmas carols and no classical Christmas music. Instead we were
"entertained" by contemporary music.
Adapting
to seekers is a common strategy in today's churches. This seems misguided at Christmas. Many
seekers grew up in church. Most everyone holds these Christmas songs, music and
Scripture secreted in the inner recesses of their heart, mind and soul. These
songs, music and Scripture tell the amazing story of the birth of Christ. They tell the Reason for the Season. God came to earth as a babe in a manger.
He came down to us to show us who He is and to redeem us. God intersected
history in person. Why are churches deleting Christmas carols that tell about
this marvelous event?
"O
Come, All Ye Faithful . . ." O Little Town of Bethlehem
We were
unbelievers for years, but we enjoyed Christmas carols playing in stores as we
shopped or on the radio as we traveled. We also watched Christmas TV programs,
especially Charlie Brown's Christmas. In this well known story Charlie Brown is
depressed. He visits Lucy's psychiatric booth and she recommends he get
involved in a nativity play. Twists and turns in the plot include Snoopy's
elaborate decoration of his dog house (commercialization of Christmas by a dog)
and the other children attempting to modernize the play (messing with
tradition).
Charlie Brown
searches for a Christmas tree determined to focus on the traditional side of
the story. The children laugh at the scrawny tree he finds, throwing Charlie
Brown back into despair about discovering the real meaning of Christmas. Linus
then takes center stage and quotes the second chapter of the Gospel according
to Luke, verses 8 through 14 from the King James Version.
"'And
there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore
afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born
this day in the city of David
Pastors
and Churches: Take
a lesson from Charlie Brown. Keep the Christmas worship traditional. Sing the
carols. Read the Christmas scripture. As Linus said,
That's
what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
Christmas Blessings, Dottie
Dottie, Thank you for this special post. I prefer the traditional carols and, yet, I have some favorites among the modern Christmas songs. I love it when I hear Linus quotes the Christmas story. It sets the time right for the season.
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