Worship In The Great Recession

"All things new ≠ everything ok"

I heard that phrase in a conversation with a group of leaders back in October on the state of worship today. Too often, the discussion went, people feel they can't bring their real lives to worship because they don't think they're like everyone else. Too often the perception of Christian worship is smiling worship leaders, singing upbeat songs and slick pastors preaching upbeat, "follow Jesus and everything will be great" sermons. Those upbeat songs and slick sermons may be culturally relevant and even attractive to some but are they relevant to the messy, broken, turbulent lives that so many people are living today?

Sure most churches have done a series on living more simply since the recession has hit but how has the rest of the worship service changed? How have we acknowledged - in our singing, our praying, our media, our presentation, what elements get the most time - that God making all things new doesn't mean everything is going to be ok? How are we bringing that story to the people who feel they don't fit in because they don't live shiny lives wrapped in a nice, neat bow. How do we embrace and tell the story not of the "follow Jesus and everything will be great" gospel but the "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" Gospel?

I'd love to hear how your worship services have changed or where you think they could change to be more relevant to this period of history we are living in.

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