Have you ever wondered what the differences are between a traditional church and a contemporary one? The pros and cons of both have been argued over and over again, but the truth is that it is all a matter of personal taste. Either style can be glorifying to God and enjoyable to those at the service. However, there are a few differences between the two styles which we will go over below.
The Focus of Worship Service
If you are at a traditional worship service, most of the songs are going to be focused on God. This includes hymns that talk about God’s activities and attributes. However, contemporary church worship focuses songs to God, as a way of addressing God directly through song. You may prefer one or the other depending on taste. Traditional hymns provide history while contemporary songs allow a connection to God on an emotional level. Both of these things are important, and one is no better than the others.
Flow of Service
When you visit a traditional worship service, there will often be stops and starts throughout. There may be music followed by prayers, more music, announcements, a welcome, and other things. In most cases, a contemporary service is designed to be more fluid. It largely involves singing, but there may be room for the worship leader to speak or for participants to pray and do other things. However, in most cases, the majority of the service involves music and is very different from a traditional service.
Methods of Participation
When you visit a traditional service, you can expect most of the service to be related to those at the platform. There may be songs performed by a soloist or choir with a few hymns that involve the entire congregation. On the other hand, contemporary church service revolves around the entire congregation singing. The congregation might spend as much as 20 or 30 minutes being involved, while they might spend less than 10 in a traditional service.
At Southpoint Community Church, we are here to provide you with a church family in Jacksonville. If you are interested in learning more about our services or wish to ask a question, you can visit our website at www.SouthpointCC.com.
