I have a dream

Imagine a time when you can enter an LCMS sanctuary and whether or not it's the old JS Bach style organ music blaring or guitars and maybe even a screen of sorts that the Gospel content bound up in the historic liturgy is there. That's my dream. It's a dream that will take some time to work out. But I believe the ball is already rolling.

The Missouri Synod is dying. Synod, Inc. is not the church, it is "Church", a governing body of a section of a particular brand. I single out Missouri because she is my home. But this is obviously a trend in all mainline denominations. The situation developing is you have churches with less than 50 people in it who are all over the ages of 70. Not that there is anything wrong with 70 year olds, I happen to love my elders, a lot. But, in relation to making new disciples, whether hitting the streets, or the traditional Lutheran way (make babies) I think it's safe to say those tactics are rendered effectively useless for this age bracket. Hitting the streets is still possible, but the energy is less. Making babies, outside of an Abraham and Sarah miracle is not possible.

There also seems to be this idea in Missouri that unless we have our doctrine 110% accurate and lined up we cannot hit the streets. That idea to me, is in a word, silly. this does NOT mean doctrine is not important, because that's the favorite line for people who defend this position to use. "Why is doctrine such a dirty word?" It isn't at all. I'm talking about staunch legalism in a Church Body which prides itself on the proper distinction between Law and Gospel. The Gospel will march on with or without us, but if we desire for Mother Missouri to survive, which I do at least, then we need to be a little proactive.

Also, let me be very clear on something here. This is NOT an indictment against really traditional churches. Because there are traditional churches which are flourishing because they have their sound doctrine, they administer the Sacraments, they preach the Word, and they equip the Saints to engage the community with that message. That is wonderful, and more of that, not less, is needed.

Where I will differ from some who nobly use the old old liturgical setting is that I think it is very possible for churches to use screens, guitars, and other non organ, non gregorian chant music while preserving the historic liturgy and most importantly the Gospel. In defense of those who rail against more "contemporary" forms of worship, there are those in Missouri who run off wild into the wilderness and come back looking emergent and American Evangelical. I got news for those churches, American Evangelicalism as we know it is dying. That would be just like a Lutheran to latch onto a fad as it has left the boat.

For me and those like me in the Northeast, this whole notion of off the wall American Evangelicalism in the Lutheran Church is by and large a foreign concept. We don't chase trends here in Northeast Lutheranism. Mainly because the culture is so staunchly against American Evangelicalism, and the Roman Catholic Church and her historic liturgy have such a stronghold in the area. But I will not discredit my brothers and sisters who say American Evangelicalism is creeping around in the Lutheran Church. Decision looking theology liturgy needs to go by the wayside. There is no place for that in the Lutheran Church.

However, that does NOT (I'm all about capitalizing the "not" today) mean we throw the baby out with the bath water. I have seen historic Lutheran sound doctrine and liturgy work quite nicely with steel string guitars and bongos. I have seen it work in a "Gospel Service" like format. There is no reason why this cannot be employed. Because in certain cultural contexts it is called for. For those who think German Lutheran Liturgy is the marks of the historic church catholic you are kidding yourselves. It is a beautiful tradition, and one that I love and enjoy, but it is not the tradition of the African church, the South American church, the Southeast Asian church, etc., etc.

But, that also does not mean that you force a different cultural liturgical setting on a parish that is down with the traditional organ setting. There is no reason to disrupt harmony where it exists, so long as the theological content is sound. And that also goes for the ardent traditionalists who cringe at anything not Bach-like sounding (Again I LOVE JS Bach). If harmony exists in a parish with sound theological content, yet they use the cultural musical setting and arrangement that that particular group of people would be used to, do not be a stumbling bloc and demand they conform to the German heritage. There IS room for unity in the Spirit through sound doctrine without having to culturally look and sound the same. That was never the mark of the church spread throughout the world. The message is the same yes, but the beautiful thing about Christianity is how each culture has been able to express and live out that message in their own specific culture.

In this day and age, even in America, you have to think and act like a missionary. If you are a missionary in another country do you show up and demand they change and conform to their ways? Or do you do as St. Paul did and use their own cultural understanding to introduce them to the truth of the Gospel?

People are not going to church, Anglo's are becoming a minority. This is not a time to lament it, but a time to be energized in the Spirit and to go out and bring that message of Hope to a dying and lost world. And that message of Hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ can be brought to people in their own cultural context without compromising one iota of the content.

I have a dream. It won't be easy, but with God all things are possible.