Worship Wars in the 1600s

Benjamin Keach, born on February 29, 1640, began preaching at eighteen. He was a Baptist minister who was seized in 1662 and put in the open market pillory (public humiliation) after the Act of Uniformity was passed by the British Parliament. In the U.S., we do not any government intrusion into our worship practices. While churches in the U.S. must conform to laws and regulations regarding property, taxes, employment, etc., our government stays out of sprititual and doctrinal issues. In 1662, the British Parliament made the Common Book of Prayers the legal standard for church government, ministerial ordination and most church life. This caused a problem for a lot of ministers who did not believe that the Common Book of Prayers allowed them to preach and lead worship in a manner that God required of them. These ministers had to decide between following a law they couldn't support or preaching and leading in a manner that they believed God wanted them to.

Fortunately for Benjamin Keach and thousands of other ministers, the laws eventually changed and Keach was able to pastor a church in London where he introduced a new and controversial practice-the singing of hymns (as opposed to only the metrical Psalms). Baptists were opposed to hymns at this time, but Keach led his church to sing a hymn at Lord's Supper services and, later, on days of thanksgiving. Finally, about 1690, the church voted (with a few dissenters) to sing hymns every Sunday. It was Benjamin Keach's bravery that paved the way for Isaac Watts, the man who popularized British hymn singing a generation later. It also opened up the way for many hymn writers whose hymns are still sung today. An interesting side note during this same time span; organs used in churches were considered scandalous because they had been used in the circus. How could an instrument used in the circus ever be sanctified enough to be used in a church?

I still remember the early days of using drums in the church, and then guitars and keyboards. How could instruments used in bars and dance halls ever be used in a church? In many churches today the conflict between singing traditional hymns and gospel songs versus contemporary worship music is alive and well. Hymn lovers critized new music for its shallowness and lack of doctrine. New music lovers boycotted hymns and traditional gospel songs because of their outdated language and musical style.

I guess every generation is the same. "Give me what I like and keep me happy." Sometimes in the debate over style and preference, we forget Who is the object of our worship and why we are singing and playing in the first place. This coming Sunday, in our church, we'll sing a blend of older and brand new songs. I will do my best to lead our congregation in singing our worship, all of it, to God. Then, if someone complains that we didn't sing their favorite song in their favorite style, I'll hope they have their favorites on an iPod or they have their favorite CDs in their car so they can listen to them on their way home. :) Thanks, Benjamin Keach.