I Think God Is Going Deaf

I had a most unusual morning.  I sat up front with a deaf friend in the sign language interpretation seats in church, ironically with earplugs in my ears to dampen the obscenely deafening praise band with it's gyrating solo artists being videoed for their next album promo.  Now as I've said before, I have nothing against modern bands in churches, but it does give me pause when I look around and no one in the congregation is singing.  It is clearly an entertainment venue in this church, but if they stay for the message then it succeeds at something, I guess. Still, it reminds me of Jesus' occasional comments after healing someone.  He admonished them to tell no one what he had done, and I think it was because he felt it drew people to him for the wrong reason.  In the same way, He got very upset at those who only followed him because he fed them with loaves and fish for free.

OK, so back to being in the sign language section.  My whole family is sitting with earplugs.  We can't converse with each other effectively, and in a small sense are experiencing the hearing loss my friend experiences. We settle back to listening and trying to sing without being able to hear our own voices in the crashing din.  My amazing friend, who speaks perfectly, reads lips, and teaches sign language, is peacefully enjoying the Interpreter signing the song's words. I would not wish to suffer her progressive disability, but I somehow think she is experiencing the more worshipful experience with God than I am.

Once the music ends the pastor begins his preaching with an appeal for 6 million dollars to expand the facilities and then plows into a message that concentrates on church members not fighting among themselves over such issues as styles of worship and other things.  I feel duly chastised for my frustrations with the music, but I'm not convinced.  I think there is a middle ground that should be sought by all leadership in this area, and I'm not sure it's met by setting one service aside for the "old folks" who don't want contemporary music.  I also think there needs to be some hard thinking about whether "entertainment venue" style music really contributes to a genuine worshipful experience connection personally and as a body of believers. I guess that has to be answered on a personal level for each individual and I certainly welcome your comments on this.