Word for the day

Not my style

I worshipped at a different church last week. I will be honest. It was not my preferred worship style. The sermon was difficult to follow. The music was not familiar. They did not play any of my favorite hymns. I did not know most of the people in the church. The setting was very different from what I was familiar with. It was like this church was in an entirely different language in an entirely different country.

In fact, it was. I worshipped in Bratislava, Slovakia last week.

Here is the really funny thing. The Holy Spirit was still present. Even when I did not understand all the words. Even when I did not know all the songs (a few I sung in English, a few I tried to sing in Slovak, and I want to officially apologize for butchering the language). Even when it was a completely unfamiliar setting, one that did not suit me at all, the Holy Spirit was present in a remarkable, life-transforming way.

Sometimes our view of church is way too narrow. Please do not misunderstand me; I do not advocate some sense of relativism or universalism, where everything is acceptable. I am firmly committed to the orthodox Christian faith. However, my preferred way of doing things is only one way. In the breadth of Christian expression, there is so much more.

In the years I have served as pastor, I have found more people leaving a church because the church does not cater to their preferences. Let me be blunt: that is a complete misunderstanding of faith. Faith is not meant to play to our favorites. Worship does not celebrate us; it celebrates God. One of my absolute joys is when we worship together as churches. We may disagree on points of theology. The styles of other churches are not always my favorite. Yet it is not about me. It is about worshipping a God much bigger than me.

Revelation 21 describes a vision of Kingdom of God, where God dwells among us, and we worship God for eternity. It does not describe one Kingdom for those who like hymns, another for those who like contemporary music. It does not describe one Kingdom for those that speak English, and those that speak Albanian. It describes one Kingdom, worshipping together.

Friends, it is fine to have favorite hymns or songs, and preferences for worship. Do not let those preferences keep you from experiencing what the Holy Spirit may be trying to show you. And if you ever get the chance, worship in Slovak!

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Rev. Dr. Jonathan Hanover is pastor at Kenton First Methodist Church.