The Lutheran Way - It Makes A Difference? (Series 4 of 9)

(Excursus, Contemporary and Building)
 

We define “contemporary” as “con” (with) and “temporary” (time) or, “with time” belonging to today, here today and gone tomorrow. The usage of contemporary worship entails using whatever style or form reflects a particular place, time, culture and the like. To truly present contemporary in its broadest conception would mean having more types of services than one would have time for, such as 80s worship, rock worship, hip hop worship, jazz worship, country worship, easy listening worship, heavy metal worship, etc., etc., etc. More often than not, any attempt at such contemporary worship is an attempt to appease those who have such a preference for what is offered.
 

When we study the history of the Divine Service, we see it is a service which is not German as some would claim. Rather it is a service that transcends time, generations and cultures. The Divine Service which is in use today is very similar to the Divine Service which has been in usage around the world since the time of the Apostles, certainly not always in the exact form, but using all the parts of the service. As we look at the heart of the Divine Service, we can see how it reflects much of the Ceremonial Laws God gave the Children of Israel, except in its fulfilled form in Christ. In other words, the Divine Service does not seek to cater after what people think they want or need. Rather it gives the people exactly what God desires to give. When it come to the genre of the Divine Service, it does not fit any which we have mentioned above. For a short time on Sunday morning, we give up our favorite genre and attend a Divine Service with its own genre.
 

Another important aspect of the Divine Service is that as one grows older and perhaps forgetful, the liturgy is what comes to mind because it has been spoken time and time again. To constantly change the worship service with no continuity takes away the learning aspect of the service. We might imagine that, while we would never sit down and memorize the lyrics of any particular television commercial, we do know many by heart, for the simple fact that we have heard them over and over again which is the purpose for hearing them over and over again. Such is the learning of the parts of the Divine Service, the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer and so forth.
 

We have also posed the question concerning the church building itself, “Is there such a thing as a ‘Lutheran Church Building?’” And if so, what would it be? What does our doctrine say or does it say anything about how we should build a church building? Another way to ask that question is “What is the “rhetoric” of the building, including the inside?” In other words, when you see a building, first from the outside, can you tell what is the function and usage of that building? Can you distinguish between an office building, an education building, a retail store, a gas station and a church building? And what does it say about your building and the function and usage of your church building if you cannot tell that it is a church building?
 

And what does the inside of your building say about its function and usage? Does your building contain multiple rooms conducive to teaching, or cubbies conducive to an office space, or shelves full of merchandise for sale, or seats and a screen conducive to watching a movie, or even a stage with band instruments conducive to a concert? Or does your building have a cross, an altar, a pulpit, a Baptismal font, a communion rail, etc., conducive to a Divine Service?
 

Next time we will address why and how does “worship” and “practice” match and why does “worship” and “practice” have to match “Divine Service” and “doctrine” as well as the design and furnishings of the church building and the liturgy or order of the Divine Service?