PUTTING AN END TO WORSHIP WARS - Elmer Towns

CHAPTER TEN
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Although the worship service does not begin for another twenty minutes, there are already
a dozen cars crammed into the small church parking lot. It is unlikely more than one or two more
cars will arrive before the service itself begins. Inside the small church building, fifty-seven
people are already "in church" doing what they do every week about this time on a Sunday
morning.
They do not call it a sanctuary, but the church auditorium. Without stained-glass
windows or liturgical atmosphere, it is a simple room with pews, pulpit and a choir loft. The
people are not reverently praying, but "catching up" on what has been happening in the life of
their friends. Children are having fun with their friends, yet behaving themselves in church while
their parents exchange greetings with others. While much of the conversation takes place in the
church foyer, it carries over into the auditorium. Finding a seat is not difficult. Families sit in
the same pew week after week unless ill health or the annual family vacation prevents them from
doing so.
A few minutes before eleven, the pianist and organist begins playing. The auditorium
becomes quieter as people prepare for worship. A few look over the order of service printed in
their church bulletin and find the first hymn in their hymn book. Some are praying silently
awaiting the beginning of the service. The worship service begins as the pastor makes his way to
the pulpit and says, "Let's pray."
Following a brief prayer from the pastor, a prominent layman in the church makes his
way to the pulpit. "Turn in your hymn book to hymn number thirty-seven and let's stand to sing
as we worship the Lord together," he announces. The people find the designated hymn as the
organist begins playing the first verse. When the pianist joins on the last line, the lay songleader
raises his arm and the congregation stands together.
With minor variations, this same service is being conducted in over half the churches in
America on any given Sunday morning. Different hymns will be chosen, but there are usually
three or four in the course of the service. The last of these expresses some aspect of personal
commitment to God and will be sung following the morning message by the pastor. Special
music will take various forms. Sometimes the church choir will sing. On other occasions an
adult member or group of members will sing. Occasionally, a group of children or young people
will provide the special music.
Following the special music, the pastor returns to his pulpit. He thanks the person who
has just sung for their "ministry in song this morning" and then reads the Scripture passage
designated for that day. As he concludes the biblical passage, he invites the church to join him in
praying for the needs of the church. The five minute pastoral prayer which follows mentions