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Kierkegaard on the Megachurch

(SUMMITEERS: HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR WEEK OF HOPE YET?  WEEK OF HOPE IS OUR CHURCH'S OUTREACH TO ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.  WE ARE TRYING TO SERVE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IN JESUS' NAME!  http://hopeforrdu.org/week-of-hope/)

I recently encountered something on worship by Kierkegaard that I thought was quite poignant (K is one of my favorite thinkers, i.e. when I can understand him--being in the backyard of Duke Univ, I affectionately refer to him as "Sage K").  Sage K said that most of us think of "the worship service" at church wrongly...we tend to think of the pastor and worship leaders as the "performers" on stage in the church service and the congregation as the audience. If the pastor/worship leaders are "good," then the audience is blessed and edified.

This is completely wrong... if you did think of the church service in terms of a stage and performance, it is the congregation itself that would be on stage, and God Himself is the audience. The pastor/worship leaders are people who simply "prompt" the congregation so that they can "perform" their worship for God, who is "blessed" and "edified."

I have often been concerned about how big the "audience" is each Sunday. In reality, the audience for each church service is only One.

Hey RDU, describe OUR music

Guest Post, by Jonathan Welch, Summit Worship Team

Calling all music addicts!  If you listen to the radio, frequent various shows, enjoy open mic nights, buy music of any sort, or if your iPod is now a part of your physical body. listen up!  I need your help.



Here's my question:  How would you describe the music of Raleigh-Durham? Let me briefly explain why this question is significant.



Scripture teaches us that we should use music to worship God.  Yet, God's Word does not include specific instructions about what type and style of
music to use in the church.  So, churches around the world put their worship on display with different instruments and various styles.  Music is an integral part of culture, and I think that the musical style of Christian worship should be a reflection of one's particular cultural climate.  This is directly related to God's commands for humankind to subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28) and cultivate Eden (Genesis 2:15).



Out of this (and as a result of the creative music from Advance 09), I've been stuck on the question-What is our music?  I've had a few conversations about this recently, and no one has given me a clear description.  I've lived in Durham for seven years, and even I have trouble describing the music of RDU.  Now, let's get this straight, I'm not necessarily asking for your individual music preference.  I'm also not asking all of the theological geniuses out there to give me theories about what style of music is most biblical or godly.



Here's what I want. Think about the popular concerts that hit the Triangle every year.  When you talk about music with your friends, what bands dominate the conversation?  What local artists best exemplify the music culture of Raleigh-Durham?  After considering such questions, post some comments with your answers!



Alright. Here's your chance, RDU. let's hear it!  How would you describe OUR music?  The worship staff at the Summit will undoubtedly benefit from what YOU have to say.  I'm looking forward to reading your comments!