May 27, 2002

Basden: 'Why do we fight over worship styles?'
___By Linda Lawson
___Associated Baptist Press
___FRANKLIN, Tenn. (ABP) --"If worship transforms us into kinder, more loving people, then why do we fight over worship?" Paul Basden asked during a worship conference sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Convention.
___Basden, author of a book called "The Worship Maze," spoke three times at the "In Spirit and Truth" conference, held May 10-11 at ClearView Baptist Church in Franklin, Tenn. Basden was pastor of Brookwood Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., until earlier this year. He now is laying the groundwork for a new church in Denton County to launch later this year.
___Many churches experience conflict over the appropriate style of worship, Basden said. But in some cases, conflict escalates to "all-out war."
___"I'm pretty sure there was never one Baptist style of worship," Basden said. New worship styles are still emerging, he said, predicting even greater diversity in the future.
___In his 1999 book, Basden identified five worship styles: liturgical, traditional, revivalist, praise and worship, and seeker. Today, that list is "absolutely outdated."
___He now is editing a book for release in 2003 titled "Worship: Six Views," in which he outlines these styles: formal/liturgical, traditional/hymn-based, contemporary music-driven, ancient-modern, charismatic, and emerging postmodern.
___The so-called "worship wars" boil down to confusion over three issues, he suggested, and in each instance, Christians have elevated their preferences into rules they believe should govern everyone.
___First, he said, many people "think worship and worship styles are the same."
___"They are not," he declared. "There is no single style of worship that God blesses in the New Testament. When you read the New Testament, you discover there already was diversity of worship."
___In Jerusalem, he said, worship centered on Scripture, prayer and communion.
___The Corinthian style of worship focused on prophecy and speaking in tongues.
___In Asia Minor, teaching, singing and giving thanks were emphasized.
___"Worship is not worship style," Basden said. "God is looking for those with a heart to worship."
___Tradition and traditionalism constitute the second area of confusion, he said.
___"Tradition is not necessarily bad, but traditionalism is always bad," Basden said. "When we begin to worship our traditions, we have moved to traditionalism."
___He acknowledged many worship traditions among Baptists--time and length of service, kind of songs to sing and hear sung, Bible version used, role of technology, dress, order of service.
___"All these are related to our habits, our comfort level," he noted. "But not one is an eternal command of God. The only command is to worship.
___"You and I should be thankful for any traditions that have served us well, but we should hold them very loosely or we could idolize them," he warned.
___Finally, Basden said, confusion reigns about culture and worship.
___"Culture is changing, and the church must change in response. This is simply the incarnational principle of Jesus Christ," he said. "If you and I really want to reach secular people, then you and I must figure out how to communicate the good news in relevant ways."
___Basden suggested churches can learn from international missionaries who reach people not by starting churches just like those they came from in the United States, but by starting churches "indigenous to that culture.
___"If we could just get clarity on these three matters, then I think the worship wars would cease," he said.

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