The History That Made the Church and Worship What it is Today:

 (Compiled By Robert G. Rayburn Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary. Professor of practical Theology, Covenant Theology Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri.)

 As the frontier was pushed westward, most of the American denominations holding solid historical connections with Old World churches were strongly influenced by revivalism as it spread through the new land. Many of the America’s free churches have their roots in the American revival tradition. The revival meeting began with a song service of three or more songs chosen to raise the emotional pitch of the congregation. Prayers were offered, but they were intensely personal. An offering was received in conformity with the tempo of the service, and after a highly subjective musical number, usually a solo, the congregation was prepared for the climax of the service, the evangelistic sermon, which was always followed by some form of the “altar call.”

While not many churches follow this pattern today, it did have a strong impact on most evangelical churches of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and its effect remains to this day. Strong revivalistic and judgmental preaching tended to completely overshadow the experience of corporate worship. The balance between Word and sacraments was largely lost. The Lord’s Supper was limited to semiannual or quarterly or sometimes monthly observance. There was little experience of common prayer. The pastor’s sermon was the all-important part of the service.

Another movement which had a strong effect upon evangelical Christian worship in America was the Chautauqua, which rose in the nineteenth century for the distinct purpose of raising the culture level of the country by informing and entertaining the public. Chautauqua spread widely over the country, but when it began to dwindle the only organization able adequately to provide for community cultural growth was the church. The minister, who was often the best educated member of the community, was expected to carry on these educational and entertainment functions. Thus the personality and ability of the preacher became vitally important. Churches began to be built like theaters with banked seats, so that what was taking place in the pulpit area and choir loft could be more readily observed. People became more and more adjusted to being spectators in their worship service. (Chautauqua: a cultural and educational program of lectures, performances, etc., usu. Held out doors in the summer. [Chautauqua in New York State, where these originated in 1874])

The combination of the effect of the highly subjective emphasis of the revival movement with the entertainment aspect of the Chautauqua has been felt strongly in the evangelical churches of America in the twentieth century. The choir and often seem to be providing Christian entertainment for the congregations, while individual participation in the service is limited to the singing of hymns. While the central and all-important part of the service is the sermon, in line with an appropriate emphasis on the Word of God, the potential richness of common worship for the individual worshiper is often unrealized.

Among the growing number of independent, nondenominational churches as well as many evangelical churches in denominations with Old World roots there is not presently any evident widespread concern for developing richer corporate worship. The structure of their worship services is without any particular scripture or historical significance. However, in some of the evangelical denominations there is widespread interest in worship renewal. Even some of the denominations that have been traditionally anti-liturgical are now seeking ways to enrich their worship experiences, not by simply introducing one or more ancient elements into their liturgy, but by careful effort to develop services in harmony both with New Testament standards and with history, prophetic, evangelical Christianity.

Even a great Christian scholar like Francis Schaeffer spoke about these problems in the church. I can quote from other authors, one being A. J. Tozer on this very subject. Nobody is listening, especially our church leaders. The pastors and churches are not listening to these giants of our faith.

I do praise the Lord for writing and sharing my articles with folks on Discipleship, as one on one. My writings are more like study guides and are quite lengthy. I mail out two or three pages at a time. I’m getting a good response.

“Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!”

I have heard many sermons and sung in choirs, “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7: 14). I am acquainted with those in higher education whom are Masters and doctors. I get the feeling that this Bible verse is being directed to the laity of the church. It is always the people’s fault that they are not growing in their faith.

The Knowledge of the Holy

By A. W. Tozer, Preface

True religion confronts earth with heaven and brings eternity to bear upon time. The messenger of Christ, though he speaks from God, must also , as the Quakers used to say, “speak to the condition” of his hearers; otherwise he will speak a language known only to himself. His message must be not only timeless but timely. He must speak to his own generation.

The message of this book does not grow out of these times but it is appropriate to them. It is called forth by a condition, which has existed in the Church for some years and is steadily growing worse. I refer to the loss of the concept of majesty from the popular mind. The church has surrendered her once lofty concept of God and has substituted for it one so low, so ignoble, as to be utterly unworthy of thinking, worshipping men. This she has done not deliberately, but little by little and without her knowledge; and her very unawareness only makes her situation all the more tragic.

The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of the Christian life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking.

With our loss of the sense of majesty has come the further loss of religious awe and consciousness of the divine Presence. We have lost our spirit of worship and our ability to withdraw inwardly to meet God in adoring silence. Modern Christianity is simply not producing the kind of Christian who can appreciate or experience the life in the Spirit. The words, “Be still, and know that I am God,” mean next to nothing to the self-confident, bustling worshiper in the middle period of the twentieth century.

This loss of the concept of majesty has come just when forces of religion are making dramatic gains and the churches are more prosperous than at any time within the past several hundred years. But the alarming thing is that our gains are mostly external and our losses wholly internal; and since it is the quality of our religion that is affected by internal conditions, it may be that our supposed gains are but losses spread over a wider field.

The only way to recoup our spiritual losses is to go back to the cause of them and make such corrections as the truth warrants. The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is.

As my humble contribution to a better understanding of the majesty in the heavens I offer this reverent study of the Attributes of God. Were Christians today reading such works as those of Augustine or Anselm a book like this would have no reason for being. But such illuminated masters are known to modern Christians only by name. Publishers dutifully reprint their books and in due time these appear on selves of our studies. But the whole trouble lies right there: they remain on the selves. The current religious mood make the reading of them virtually impossible even for educated Christians.

Apparently not many Christians will wade through hundred of pages of heavy religious matter requiring sustained concentration. Such books remind too many persons of the secular classics they were forced to read while they were in school and they turn away from them with a feeling of discouragement.” – A. W. Tozer

My first Pastor, Fred R. Brock, of First Baptist Church, Petaluma, California in 1947. I was brought to Christ by the testimony of the lives of those my age. The pastor was deeply involved with the youth of the church. He was also, greatly involved with the adults.

I came under the conviction of sin, and desired to know Jesus Christ in a personal way. One Sunday morning in July 1947, I came forward after the service. The pastor led me to the Lord for salvation.

Pastor Fred received his education in the Moody Bible Institute, graduated with only a diploma. He met his wife to be in Moody Bible Institute. They worked for some years with the Navaho Indians.

The First Baptist Church of Petaluma had a membership of about three hundred. Pastor Fred had no associates or even a secretary. I was aware of His interest in me, but he was the same with others in the church. When I was in Bible college there was a deacon that showed interest in me. He got me a preaching job. The pastor had me preach in the church services, some times. He had such a loving nature about himself to others.—Forest