Years ago I was challenged by a churchgoer that I have no right to critique another church’s worship unless I have personally attended and witnessed for myself what is happening. I took this challenge and visited the local evangelical church in which thousands from the community were attending. The church adopted the Saddleback model of worship that still is, to this day, the common practice of many churches in the United States.
As I made my way to the worship center, I couldn’t help but to be impressed with what felt like a giant theater. I estimate that a few thousand seats were set up. There were a lot of grey haired baby-boomers. Families in general did not sit together. In fact, I really didn’t see very many families. There was a giant youth center next door where most of the young people gathered while the main service was happening.
I tried to discern a general liturgy or order of worship. This was a challenge. There was a worship team with three ladies, a band, and lead singer. The worship leader read a few verses from a Psalm that I assumed was to be some form of a call to worship. We then spent the first 25 minutes singing praise songs Read More»
Chris Gordon, “Killing Worship (Part 1)”
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
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That’s like saying you can critique socialism in Venezuela because you have never lived their.
When I was in seminary in Dallas in the 90’s, I attended a fairly prominent bible church with my wife on a Sunday the Cowboys were playing for the NFC title. The pastor came out dressed in a Troy Aikman jersey with a football, then proceeded to throw it into the congregation. An elder in a Michael Irvin jersey stood up and caught it. That was the beginning of church. I don’t know how it ended – my wife and I got up and walked out.
Glad you walked out. I often wonder if the total amount of people in all of the small, biblically-centered and sound (usually Reformed) churches outnumber the people in mega churches. I hope they do.