Worship Preferences.

[CelticRose]

After reading some of the comments in the bible thread I am curious to know what sort of worhip music everyone enjoys.

I am partial to plain chant myself - just no-one does it in regular church any more.

I like harmony without instruments when I can get it too, which is not often.

How about the rest of you?

 

[Danfrey]

I like making a joyful noise, which is all it can be called when I am singing. One very influential church of my youth was a home church of Pentecostals. We sang out of an old hymnal, but all of the songs were sung faster than they were supposed to. We had a couple of people who would beat on the piano or strum a guitar and couple of grey haired ladies who like to beat the skins off of tamborines. It did sound pretty, but it was definately a joyful noise.
I prefer a casual unison style with or without instruments. Throw in some hand raising and clapping and it is just about heaven.

I guess you can tell I am an Anabapticostal

 

[ZiSunka]

I like indigenous South American native worship music best of all, but I like Asia worship music, too, especially the traditional Thai stuff. African child's music is good, too. African children have a style of music all their own, once they get old enough, they leave it behind, like we do our nursery rhymes, I guess.

But I guess my absolute favorite is the mountain music they play in Appalachia. There's something about dulcimers and zithers and banjos that really resonates with me.

But of course, God doesn't give a hoot what style music you sing in, or even if you use music at all. We tend to get hung up on the idea that worship is music, but it doesn't have to be.

 

[MrJim]

But I guess my absolute favorite is the mountain music they play in Appalachia. There's something about dulcimers and zithers and banjos that really resonates with me.

Pretty popular in the Ozarks too.

 

[MrJim]

I like liturgical services, yeah mea culpa, I've not been to many, but I do like what I've seen.

I didn't at all grow up with is, so it is new to me. Only been to RC services, so I would like to visit Lutheran & Episcopal & Orthodox to see how their services are. I like the idea of the open communion in the Episcopal.

But I'm not RC or EO or Episcopal or Lutheran so I don't see myself going to them enough to wear off the "novelty".

Now arunma and I have talked about creating a baptist-ish sort of liturgical service, but it's not gotten far...

I also like the plain mennonite service, ladies & children on one side, men on other, helps someone like me (very poor singer) to sing better. However the sermons & prayers at those services tend to be very long (Not sayin' that I just want the 3 point/20 minute sermon--God save us from the 3 point sermon) but the acappella singing is really good for learning to sing.

Not much into the charismatic jump around thing-I'm not a very expressive sort of person...

 

[madetoworship]

My Church usually just sings and plays contemporary christian music that has drums, piano, acoustic guitar, elec. guitar, bass....

 

[ZiSunka]

Just wondering what you all would say...

What is the purpose of going to church?

 

[MrJim]

Just wondering what you all would say...

What is the purpose of going to church?

Think I'll sit back and watch this awhile...

 

[CelticRose]

Menno, do you like the sung liturgy some RC & Anglican churches do?

AE&D - I go to church for all sorts of reasons, some better than others. I used to think just going out of habit was one of the worst ones but now I'm not so sure. Habit at least gets me there and then the Spirit can deal with me as He wishes.

 

[MrJim]

Menno, do you like the sung liturgy some RC & Anglican churches do?

Yes, though I've never been to a "Latin" mass, the ones I've been were mostly sung.

 

[CelticRose]

Yes, I like those too - but then lots of the old music has no sharps or flats and when you sing as badly as I do that is a huge help.

 

[Danfrey]

When it comes to the purpose of going to church, I would have to say that I am more concerned with being the church than going to church. When I meet together with other christians, it is for fellowship, admonishment, study, and encouragement.

 

[madetoworship]

Just wondering what you all would say...

What is the purpose of going to church?

To experience God's love and to learn how to express my love to others like Jesus loves me!

 

[ZiSunka]

When it comes to the purpose of going to church, I would have to say that I am more concerned with being the church than going to church. When I meet together with other christians, it is for fellowship, admonishment, study, and encouragement.

Good answer!

The way most churches do church though, it's half an hour of singing and half an hour of the pastor talking, and not much fellowship, admonishment, study or encouragement.

 

[MrJim]

Great answer Dan, though where I'm at is mostly what AED describes, and it's more me than them...

 

[Antje]

I'd have to say the purpose of going to church (if you mean attending a congregation's main weekly service) is to give God the glory! It is good for the members of Christ's body to gather and to worship God. This can happen in song, meditation, prayer, communion, reading scripture and so on.

It is also good to encourage one another, to have fellowship, to learn and to teach, but those are secondary in a weekly worship service. These secondary things can also happen very well throughout the week in various settings, whereas there is no real replacement for corporate worship such as one finds at a church's main weekly service.