Worship Weblog

Denver Book Group – Third Meeting

Posted by cicw

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Book Groups

We invited 34 book groups across the U.S. and Canada to meet and discuss The Church of All Ages and its implications for their worship, and to share their notes here.
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Central Question: But really, can this work?

Mike wasted no time. He tossed his book on the table, leaned back in his chair voiced his frustrations. “But really,” he said, “How can this work? I’m thinking about preaching—I don’t see how we can possibly hope to reach such a broad cross-section of people. I figure I need to look at the biggest group in the congregation—those I really want to reach—and preach to them. I can’t think of anywhere else in our culture where we try to talk to so many different audiences and age groups at once. I just don’t see how this can work!”

Nancy acknowledged the difficulty of Mike posed. She then drew on her experience as a high school teacher to offer a possible solution. Nancy recalled in the classroom, it’s important to address different types of “intelligences” (visual, audio, kinesthetic). Perhaps, Nancy suggested, one way we can hope to address people of differing ages is to set age aside and focus more on different intelligences. If a worship service is constructed around a theme and that theme is addressed from a variety of perspectives (rather than simply the words that come from the pulpit), a broader cross-section can be reached.

Sam agreed with Nancy’s comment. He then added that the weekly celebration of communion was a natural way to address the different types of intelligences (and a biblical way to provide people of all ages an “object lesson” in grace.) Sam noted that this is one reason that, in his congregation, communion is often viewed as the focal point of worship.

Another member of the group picked up on Sam’s comments about children and observed that, often, what works for children works well for everybody. While worship should not be “childish”, having verbal illustrations and visual object lessons that are easily understood by children are often the best learning tools for the entire congregation.

Several others did their best to counter Mike’s arguments. However, he remained unconvinced. “I just don’t see it,” he said. “That’s just not the way it works in our culture!”

Finally, another member chimed in. “But isn’t that exactly the point?” he said. “Isn’t the point that the church is a community unlike any other in our culture? Isn’t the point that it is one where we belong, not because of age or class or gender, but because of baptism? We are a community unlike any other. Of course, that doesn’t mean that “being church” together is easy. But is that really the question?”

Tags: bgdenver, Book Groups 2009, intergenerational