PUTTING AN END TO WORSHIP WARS - Elmer Towns

The third question I ask my students, "What kind of worship service will you lead when
you become pastor?" With this third question, I deal with their dreams and aspirations. I want
the pastors to articulate their inner desires.
You can't achieve, what you can't conceive.
If I can help my students understand the type of worship service that lies in their subconscious,
they will have a much better chance of building that type of worship service in the
future.
Now that I have taken my pilgrimage in life, and I have an understanding of the different
contributions of each worship expression; where do I find myself?
I presently worship in an Evangelistic Church, the Thomas Road Baptist Church,
Lynchburg, Virginia. Everything in the worship service focuses towards the gospel invitation
given at the end of each sermon. Many times we sing "Just As I Am" at the end of a sermon.
Unsaved people are invited to walk forward and meet a counselor where, "you will be taken to a
counseling room by a trained worker who will answer your questions and help you to pray to
receive Christ." I am very comfortable in this type of service, and I usually am one of the
counselors at the altar who meets unsaved people coming forward. Sometimes I kneel with them
at the altar where they pray to receive Christ. Sometimes I take them to the counseling room
where I try to answer their questions, or solve other types of problems. I enjoy working with a
pastor who has a strong spiritual gift of evangelism and I am fulfilled ministering in a church that
is winning people to Christ.
As I finished writing this chapter, I was able to lead a middle aged man to Christ this past
Sunday. Twice in the past weeks I've told this man he needs to walk forward during the
invitation and pray to receive Christ. This past Sunday I led him to Christ.
I am a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, and 2want to beI have a high regard for
the Bible Expositional preaching of the Word of God. I have a deep commitment of the Word of
God as the instrument of regeneration, and when people understand the Scriptures, they are born
again by the Word of God. I recognize that these churches are most effective among a clientele
of people who are reached by rational questions, pursuit of knowledge and are motivated by
rationality and understanding.
Because I was saved in an atmospheric revival, I still love the Renewal Church, and I love
revivalistic preaching. While I tend not to respond as emotionally as others, I still love it. I do
not want to pour other people into my test tube and make them fit my formula. I define revival
as, "God pouring His presence on His people." I want to be there when revival happens.
The Body Life Church is definitely a biblical expression of koinonia, i.e. the fellowship
of believers. Dale Galloway explained his New Life Community Church of Portland, Oregon,