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PUTTING AN END TO WORSHIP WARS - Elmer Towns

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CHAPTER TEN<br />

THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH<br />

Although the worship service does not begin for another twenty minutes, there are already<br />

a dozen cars crammed into the small church parking lot. It is unlikely more than one or two more<br />

cars will arrive before the service itself begins. Inside the small church building, fifty-seven<br />

people are already "in church" doing what they do every week about this time on a Sunday<br />

morning.<br />

They do not call it a sanctuary, but the church auditorium. Without stained-glass<br />

windows or liturgical atmosphere, it is a simple room with pews, pulpit and a choir loft. The<br />

people are not reverently praying, but "catching up" on what has been happening in the life of<br />

their friends. Children are having fun with their friends, yet behaving themselves in church while<br />

their parents exchange greetings with others. While much of the conversation takes place in the<br />

church foyer, it carries over into the auditorium. Finding a seat is not difficult. Families sit in<br />

the same pew week after week unless ill health or the annual family vacation prevents them from<br />

doing so.<br />

A few minutes before eleven, the pianist and organist begins playing. The auditorium<br />

becomes quieter as people prepare for worship. A few look over the order of service printed in<br />

their church bulletin and find the first hymn in their hymn book. Some are praying silently<br />

awaiting the beginning of the service. The worship service begins as the pastor makes his way to<br />

the pulpit and says, "Let's pray."<br />

Following a brief prayer from the pastor, a prominent layman in the church makes his<br />

way to the pulpit. "Turn in your hymn book to hymn number thirty-seven and let's stand to sing<br />

as we worship the Lord together," he announces. The people find the designated hymn as the<br />

organist begins playing the first verse. When the pianist joins on the last line, the lay songleader<br />

raises his arm and the congregation stands together.<br />

With minor variations, this same service is being conducted in over half the churches in<br />

America on any given Sunday morning. Different hymns will be chosen, but there are usually<br />

three or four in the course of the service. The last of these expresses some aspect of personal<br />

commitment to God and will be sung following the morning message by the pastor. Special<br />

music will take various forms. Sometimes the church choir will sing. On other occasions an<br />

adult member or group of members will sing. Occasionally, a group of children or young people<br />

will provide the special music.<br />

Following the special music, the pastor returns to his pulpit. He thanks the person who<br />

has just sung for their "ministry in song this morning" and then reads the Scripture passage<br />

designated for that day. As he concludes the biblical passage, he invites the church to join him in<br />

praying for the needs of the church. The five minute pastoral prayer which follows mentions

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