John Booth

I have become aware of young adults now joining very traditional churches. When asked why, they often say, "I like the structure that this church offers. I have tried contemporary, and it is just not me."

The praise of the church is like a freight train: It will only carry so much. Some music is "disposable," and some is long-lived. Both are a part of who we are today. Though it may break some people's hearts that we do not sing "Pass It On" anymore, it is a reality that the '60s are over (contrary to how some of us look and think).

Gospel music was the praise and worship music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of it has remained, and there is a wealth of "sentimental drivel" that died with the turn of the century. The question is,"What is the music of the 21st century?" The children of the "praise and worship" generation will criticize their parents' music, and the parents will hold on to their music a little too long.

What troubles me is that the music industry will hasten the demise of what I believe is a good thing. Every group is now recording a praise and worship album. How far can it go?

I have two degrees in hymnology, and I still believe that the current trend is good. We need a breath of fresh air in worship. The important thing is that whether we are traditional, contemporary or "blended," we need to do it "first class." Boring is boring, whether it's with organ music or with your hands in the air. If people have shorter attention spans, why do we sing the same chorus over and over?

We know a lot about our culture and what will work. We are so set in our ways that we will not try new approaches to ministry, even if they seem to have a success in many places.

I believe that each church has to decide who it is and what works for it. Our danger is to imitate other churches because God has blessed them. It is not our methodology that God blesses, but our desire to do what is right before Him.

It comes back to the most powerful statement in the original message: It is all about Him, not about us. How will we minister coming out of the "decade of me (the '90s)?" I do not think it is a simple answer, but I think it will be different than what we have been doing.