Is There A Way To Bridge the Gap?

Kathy, two friends of ours, and I had the opportunity to lead praise and worship for a senior's retreat last week. The NoLimit 55+ retreat was held at Lake Williamson, home of the Illinois District Council of the Assemblies of God, and our home as well.

We chose some hymns, classic songs and a couple of newer worship anthems. After each session, we all received compliments and positive comments about the type of music we had chosen and the style in which it was presented. It was apparent in each session that we had chosen well, because the worship was full, sustained and transcended the music and touched the heart of God. My worship leading style has been to lead from a piano or keyboard, and I received a lot of nice comments about that. Several people said things like, "it's been a long time since we've heard piano playing like this, that helped us worship God together." Overall, it was a good experience, listening to great three part harmony from Kathy and our friends, and getting the opportunity to play some great worship and praise music. As we celebrated Communion at the end of the last session, we blended the old classic song O, the Blood of Jesus, with the fairly new song from Gateway Worship, O the Blood. As we worshiped God together, His presence touched each of us in a personal, and special way.

This morning I sat behind a young family in the church we have been attending in our small town. Father, mother and three boys, all probably in elementary school. Four songs were sung by the worship team. I had heard one of them on the radio, but had never heard the other three. I watched this young family during this praise and worship time. The mother tried to sing along, struggling to read the words on the screen and put them together with the melody. I felt for her, because I was trying to do the same thing. The young father and his sons didn't even try. They stood, very respectfully through all four songs. Each of us had to find other opportunities in this service to worship God. From many of the comments from the seniors that we met last week, the same thing happens in their church services.

I have determined that I need to find a way to help solve the dilemma of the gap in praise and worship, particularly for people who have been shut out because of their age. In thinking about the church we're attending, there are opportunities outside of the Sunday services where music style can be more eclectic. I suspect that is true in most churches. While it is possible, and necessary for each of us to have personal times of worship and intimate encounters with God, it is also necessary and encouraging to participate in group worship. Everyone, regardless of age or style preference should have that opportunity. We just have to get creative and figure out how to do it. I'll do my part...