Why Churches Should Ditch The Projector Screens And Bring Back Hymnals

[miamited]

Hi again jonaitis,

Now, if you'd like me to air my pet peeves concerning worship...

I don't mind drums and guitars, but I do mind it when the volume and the lighting makes it feel more like a rock concert than a worship service. All the flashing and flickering lights and the music volume up so loud that you can't actually hear yourself sing and so you don't.

I don't like that so many congregations these days feel that they have to provide'mood' or 'elevator' music during prayers. I like it when everyone shuts up and all the instruments are silenced for prayer. Music, for me, tends to sometimes cause my mind to wander to the music rather than the prayer. Everybody shut up and lets bow our heads in prayer and pray to our God. If it were up to me, when the pastor, or whatever leader is asking for prayer, the sound guy and the lighting guy, the choir and the musicians all bow their heads and participate in prayer. The sound and lighting will operate just fine for the couple of minutes of prayer.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[redleghunter]

Hi jonaitis,

I read this bit from your supporting article:
Informality in worship is way up (shouting “Amen,” wearing shorts to church) and formality is way down (calling the minister “Pastor So and So,” dressing up for services).

While I'm not much into wearing shorts here in South Carolina, I have worn shorts to fellowships in South Florida. I, and a couple of other congregants in attendance at my fellowship often throw out a hearty 'Amen' when we feel that the teacher's message is particularly on point concerning the greatness and glory of God and His Son. I've often wondered where and when the 'formality' in fellowship gatherings came about.

I've generally considered that when the first apostles were planting fellowships throughout Asia and the middle east and Europe, they didn't really carry a hard chest full of special clothes that they would don to attend such fellowships. Paul likely wore his same street clothes, as he stopped in the many cities and byways, that he wore every other day of the week. As did, I'm fairly confident, the other first disciples and apostles. I think a lot of the 'fancy dress' code of 'church' finds it's beginnings as the Catholic brand of 'religion' began to supersede the original means and dress of christian fellowship.

I'm always reminded, when people say that some don't 'dress up enough' for worship, that Jesus spoke of how the people going out to see John the Baptist might have been looking for someone in fine clothes and how those people are to be found in palaces. I spent a number of years ministering to the homeless in South Miami-Dade and one of the most oft heard complaints as to why they didn't attend worship services was that they didn't have decent clothes to wear. To me, that was just so sad, that somewhere back there we turned worship of God into it being necessary to have those fine clothes that Jesus said were to be found in palaces.

Look, if people feel that they need to dress up the outside to show what's on the inside, so be it! But me, I'd rather disregard what's on the outside for what's on the inside. I want the beggar to be as comfortable to come and worship his God as the well to do man. In the days of Paul, people didn't have entire wardrobes of clothes in which they could pick and choose their fine 3 piece suits and ladies silk dresses. The people who were called to worship the God and Creator of all things in Paul's day likely met with the same clothes they wore to do everything else throughout the week.

So, when I look to 'how we should worship', I want to do the things that were done in the days of Paul and Peter. I want to have the same kind of heart that they have and I really don't care what the clothes on the outside of a man look like so long as they're suitable covering. I would definitely draw the line at G-strings and bikinis and men with no shirts. Those things are not everyday dress for most people.

I sometimes think that the people who get all excited about the songs and the clothes are just a bit to involved in the pageantry and the pomp and circumstance, rather than the relationship of an individual with God through His Son, Jesus.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

Yes I do believe given temps etc that wearing a polyester three piece white suit with white patented leather shoes would be uncomfortable.

Even the Third Eagle busts out his prophecy tunes in a comfortable Walmart brand polo shirt.

 

[bekkilyn]

In some places it’s getting crazy. Even the Bible passages are put up on the screen. One place I visited had no Bibles in the pews because of this. Sure people should be bringing their own to church whether hard copy Bible or device with app.

I don't mind bible passages on the screen, but I also think there should still be bibles in the pews. One big reason why I like the option of screens is that they can be really helpful to people with some forms of disability, and print can be difficult to read if it's small and/or the sanctuary is dim. Also, making sure physical bibles are handy can help during various sorts of tech failures. Screens are nice to have, but to *depend* on them entirely would be folly.

 

[Halbhh]

I don't mind bible passages on the screen, but I also think there should still be bibles in the pews. One big reason why I like the option of screens is that they can be really helpful to people with some forms of disability, and print can be difficult to read if it's small and/or the sanctuary is dim. Also, making sure physical bibles are handy can help during various sorts of tech failures. Screens are nice to have, but to *depend* on them entirely would be folly.

In our lengthy, multiple scripture readings every Sunday (Lutheran ELCA), on screen, I can and have many times picked one of the red bibles from the pews to read along, or used my phone, but best of all is to just truly listen. I like having it on screen in case the reader stumbles (can happen when reading aloud 2, 3, 4 minutes of scripture). But what you want is to forget the medium, no matter what it is, and be in the words.

In some places it’s getting crazy. Even the Bible passages are put up on the screen. One place I visited had no Bibles in the pews because of this. Sure people should be bringing their own to church whether hard copy Bible or device with app.

 

[renniks]

Go into a kids Sunday School and ask them to perform their Sword Drills and they will be befuddled.

Interesting Calvinist rapper Shai Linne is answering the call.

That is on the parents to teach the kids how to use the Bible.

 

[miamited]

In our lengthy, multiple scripture readings every Sunday (Lutheran ELCA), on screen, I can and have many times picked one of the red bibles from the pews to read along, or used my phone, but best of all is to just truly listen. I like having it on screen in case the reader stumbles (can happen when reading aloud 2, 3, 4 minutes of scripture). But what you want is to forget the medium, no matter what it is, and be in the words.

Hi Halbhhh,

I agree with you that the focus should be the words and there application for us as believers, over whatever medium is used to deliver those words. Our fellowship has two large overhead screens and we have bibles in the pew racks. Our teacher generally encourages us to open our bibles and read along, many of us carry our own bibles to fellowship. He also takes the time when he is encouraging us to open our bibles and read along that anyone who doesn't have a bible is encouraged to take the pew bible home with them. We encourage new believers with a pew bible for them to take home.

What I like about the screens, at least as our teacher gives the message, is that there is often times some jumping around to different passages. It's so much easier for the words to just change on the screen than for many of us, especially those not particularly familiar with 'where' the various books are found in the Bibles, to just read the passage on the screen than to be fumbling with trying to find the passage and then by the time you do, well, the teacher is about 3 minutes into some other point and you've totally missed what was being said because you had your nose stuck in the index of your bible.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[GodLovesCats]

I agree in that technology isn't evil, and that it is a tool that benefits us. However, technology isn't always good either.

Projector screens in church sanctuaries are examples of technology being good for us. Here are reasons I can testify to:

1. If the Power Point user does his or her job right, I always know which stanza to sing because they're shown one or two at a time, poem style. Otherwise, I have no idea which slanza to sing.
2. The font size in a hymn book is small for some people to read. Projectors get rid of that problem if a congregation member has it.
3. Where there are projectors, the music is louder. I can clearly hear all of the words in a song where it is lively band music much better than just a chorus and organ with maybe one speaker or none.

Brick and mortar congregations are getting too big so projection is helpful however, forced. I would think if you really want to "join in" you would make every effort to pick up the book and sing. After all, God knows our heart. Good way to start a sermon, checking one's heart.

Some churches are growing larger than many people like but even small churches have projector screens and there is a place for megachurches. Don't judge a church by its size. Nobody forces you to worship the modern way - if you don't like it, find another church.

Joining in does not require any effort to learn hymns in a book. You can learn songs on a projector before contemporary services. Actually I would not be able to learn hymn book songs before traditional services.

In some places it’s getting crazy. Even the Bible passages are put up on the screen. One place I visited had no Bibles in the pews because of this. Sure people should be bringing their own to church whether hard copy Bible or device with app.

You can still bring your own Bible. Pastors give you a choice. But if you bring your own Bible, you need to make sure it is the same version the pastor reads. I hate the idea of bringing Bible apps to church.

 

[redleghunter]

That is on the parents to teach the kids how to use the Bible.

Right and where are these teaching pints reinforced?

 

[renniks]

Right and where are these teaching pints reinforced?

Hopefully in Sunday School and youth groups, etc. I've been to all types of churches... The ones that are dying are the ones that are holding on to tradition over outreach.

 

[JM]

Maybe ditch solos and instruments...jus sayin'

 

[GodLovesCats]

I don't mind drums and guitars, but I do mind it when the volume and the lighting makes it feel more like a rock concert than a worship service. All the flashing and flickering lights and the music volume up so loud that you can't actually hear yourself sing and so you don't.

I have never heard of a church having flashing and flickering lights during worship. What kind of churches have them? Although the best way to describe contempory worship music is a rock band I never felt like I was at a concert during the first 25 minutes. At concerts, you don't sing along to every song by reading a projector screen.

I don't like that so many congregations these days feel that they have to provide "mood" or "elevator" music during prayers. I like it when everyone shuts up and all the instruments are silenced for prayer. Music, for me, tends to sometimes cause my mind to wander to the music rather than the prayer. Everybody shut up and lets bow our heads in prayer and pray to our God. If it were up to me, when the pastor, or whatever leader is asking for prayer, the sound guy and the lighting guy, the choir and the musicians all bow their heads and participate in prayer. The sound and lighting will operate just fine for the couple of minutes of prayer.

What you are describing is the next part of a church service. After the music stops everyone prays, heads down and hands together. It is a totally separate activity, not worship. Services are supposed to have the worhsip first, then prayer, then sermon, no matter what their styles are.

 

[miamited]

Hi CforC,

Thanks for your response:

I have never heard of a church having flashing and flickering lights during worship. What kind of churches have them?

Notice the lights changing colors and you can't hear any audience participation. Standing among this crowd is pretty much like standing in some city auditorium listening to a christian band concert. Dark auditorium, lots of stage lights and the volume cranked up pretty loud. A pretty good show for a concert venue.

Now, some people like that sort of worship experience, but I do still prefer participatory music in a pretty standard lit worship center. I go to christian concerts. I have for years attended the Winter Jam concert tour that comes to Greenville SC in the late winter (February). I enjoy those concerts, but my purpose in being there is different. I'm there to listen to some of the great contemporary artists sing praise and glory to God. But there's no real participation.

What you are describing is the next part of a church service. After the music stops everyone prays, heads down and hands together. It is a totally separate activity, not worship. Services are supposed to have the worhsip first, then prayer, then sermon, no matter what their styles are.

Forgive me if I gave you the understanding that I was connecting somehow the two pet peeves. I understand how fellowship worship works and we generally have a half dozen moments of prayer mixed in with our services. Some are without background music, and some are with. In our fellowship we often, not always, have the pianist tickling the ivories during the closing prayer. However, I have made my concerns known and it honestly seems like they have been cutting the music out a lot lately. I'm just not a big fan of 'let's bow our heads and pray' and suddenly the guitarist starts doing some little riff or the keyboardist feels he has to play some chord progression as we pray. Some fellowships the entire band continues to play but they turn the volume way down so that it just becomes some background noise. These are actually the worst for me because they're often playing a worship song that I may like and so I find my mind wandering over the words of the music rather than the words of the prayer.

I guess I'm just the kind of guy that, when I pray, I like to discard as much superfluous 'noise' as possible. Background music is fine when one is stuck in an elevator with nothing to do, or working around the house or yard or office. However, I think one must consider 'why' we have background music in a lot of our daily time. It's to give the mind something to listen to as we do other things. I don't find that in my prayer time I need to give my mind something else to listen to as I pray.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[GodLovesCats]

You would never hear background music during prayer at the Vineyard. Different churches might do it but not all contemporary churches are the same.

It is good that Christians have choices on how they worship. I like choirs and organs, but being unable to sing along without the projector screens is a HUGE problem for me so I have to stick with band music.

 

[miamited]

You would never hear background music during prayer at the Vineyard. Different churches might do it but not all contemporary churches are the same.

It is good that Christians have choices on how they worship. I like choirs and organs, but being unable to sing along without the projector screens is a HUGE problem for me so I have to stick with band music.

Hi CforC,

Well, I approve of their prayer policy. You likely don't visit a lot of fellowships, but you'll find that music being played during prayer has become fairly common. That, of course, is not to say that all fellowships do it. As I said, it seems that our fellowship is dropping the 'music during prayer' and I totally support it.

Now, you'd probably like our fellowship because we have the choir and the organ and the screens. When the choir is singing the words are on the screens. Some can be heard singing along with the choir's music presentation. Surprisingly, in a lot of ways, our Baptist fellowship is pretty conservative in music choices, but we do embrace some of the technology which makes for, what some believe to be, a better presentation method. Our message is pretty regularly solid scriptural teaching. We absolutely don't do any government politics in our fellowship. If two want to talk about political issues, they can take it outside. Our fellowship meetings are strictly for the glorification of God and the proclamation of His gospel. I have never heard a message discussing any political campaign or participant.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

I'm in favor of screens for the following reasons:

1. People need an excuse to look up from their hands at something in the distance. With the smartphone addiction, we'll all be hunchbacked and near-sighted soon enough as it is.
2. Books are a highly inflexible playlist.

 

[GodLovesCats]

So you sing a lot more songs in contemporary churches than traditional churches?

At the Methodist church my mom used to attend, they sing the same hymn every week.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

So you sing a lot more songs in contemporary churches than traditional churches?

With projections the limit is anything available off of the internet, which is pretty much every song known, old or new. At my church we try to do a mix of old classics, while learning a new one, periodically.

 

[Jonaitis]

Books are a highly inflexible playlist.

...not if you believe that the Psalms are the only hymn book authorized by God for the Church

I'm not EP, but I wish we returned to Psalm-singing. I love hymns, don't get me wrong, but I have a personal and deep appreciation for Psamody that I could live without anything else.

 

[Anthony2019]

I love hymnals and I don't mind reading the projector screen. In my church we use both.
I also like services where we use neither and spend our time in silence. It seems to be the modern trend that we have to fill up every available space with noise. It's as if people think that God doesn't already know what's on our minds.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

...not if you believe that the Psalms are the only hymn book authorized by God for the Church

That doesn't make it any less flexible. It just means you agree with the inflexibility. I don't. Scripture never claimed such a thing.

Although...considering the Psalms provide only the lyrics, a hard-rock version would be no less valid than any other (Psalms are not actually hymns. That's a different genre). We might be able to reach a compromise.