I stumbled upon a good collection of articles discussing the gruel-thin, emotional foolishness that characterizes so much of the music and singing that passes for “worship” 
in many evangelical churches today.
The articles are listed below, all making good points:
“3 Reasons Contemporary Worship IS Declining, and What We Can Do to Help the Church Move On“
“8 Reasons the Worship Industry Is Killing Worship“
“Masturbatory Worship and the Contemporary Church“
“’M’ Worship, Exhibit A: Bethel Church Worships Themselves” (complete with an accompanying video to illustrate the problem)
Allow me to add a few observations of my own.
- Much of the problem, I believe, is due to deliberate theological ignorance among church leaders, especially so-called “worship leaders” (typically, a person who couldn’t give you the Biblical definition of worship or praise if his/her life depended on it; sadly, their employment status never seems to
depend on it). When Biblical and theological foundations are abandoned, foolishness always ensures with predictably damaging consequences. You can count on it. - I have made my own humble attempts to address these problems by offering occasional studies in the Biblical theology of praise, worship (here, here, here, here and here) God’s holiness (here, here, here, here, and here), and few book reviews discussing the “juvenilization” of the American church (here and here).
- A widespread, disastrous confusion about both the goals and the distinctly different, intended audiences of (a) seeker-targeted services vs. (b) seeker-sensitive worship (an absolutely horrible idea, regardless of its apparent “effectiveness”) has been a main driver of these problems. See my post addressing the issue here.
I am not a Christian. But I have been to a couple of these kind of rock ‘n’ roll worship church services I guess you would call them.
And I have at least two friends and probably more acquaintances that are Christian in the sense that they do go to these kind of 4000 6000 people congregational Halls that have a rock band up in front and everyone’s swinging their hands back-and-forth with their eyes closed in a blissful smile on their face excepting Jesus.
I think The problem is that Christianity has become basically a catchall term for liberal spirituality that uses the words of God in Jesus and sometimes Holy Spirit.
The purpose of pastors and priests is supposed to be a learned nurse about God in Christ in the Bible and stuff like that to help people that really have no interest or no desire to know the inside and out of their religion, but nevertheless feel compelled to be religious
.
The purpose of a pastor is not just to say yes feel the Lord God and Jesus come into your heart and let’s all dance and sing a bunch of rhymes about how I’ve been saved today.
Thank you for these observations on the services you’ve attended. I fear that much of your analysis is true, although I know that there are many honest, sincere Christians in the world, too. I understand the Biblical meaning of the word Christian (see Acts 11:26) to be someone who (a) trusts in Jesus Christ as the crucified, resurrected Lord and Savior of the world, and (b) dedicates his/her life to obeying Jesus’ teaching and becoming increasingly conformed to his example. Such a life is both liberating and strenuous; simultaneously, for everyone in need, while not being for the faint of heart.
But, this is it to say that a liberal kind of spirituality is bad. But under the heading of Christianity, I think the leader ship is failing just just because they have numbers doesn’t mean that they’re spreading a quality message. At least so far is the teachings of Christianity might be able to have quality.
Yes, you are absolutely correct. Sadly, far too many would-be church leaders confuse large crowds with spiritual success, forgetting that Jesus himself lost many followers due to the difficulty of his teaching (see John 6:66). Jesus also warns his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount that on judgment day he will turn away many who insist that they were his followers, saying to them, “Away from me, you evildoers. I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23).
Yes. I know at least one Freind who is only Christian Becuase he attends the non denominational church. He says he’s Christian, but I’m not really sure what it means for him. I guess it’s not for me to judge though. Since I find my way without religious affiliation. But I appreciate your post, having been raisedLutheran.