Sitting on the boardwalk last Saturday night in Ocean Grove, we were listening from a distance to the church that was providing worship in the Pavilion.
While we were sitting there, two senior “saints” walked by and the one looked at me and said, “You can’t possibly call THAT worship. That’s the kind of stuff you hear in a bar.”
My first thought was, “Were you ever in a bar?” and then I was trying to decide if I should respond to her comment.
She went on to say, “Well true worship would never include drums like that, and certainly not screeching!”
I asked her what she did with Psalm 150 where David says to “Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.” (150:5). Most translations now say, “Loud clashing cymbals.”
Worship has become so controversial. People get more fired up over styles of worship than they do if someone questions major doctrines. People get fired up over this issue. People leave churches over worship wars. What should be something that unites us often drives us apart.
We are not going to solve this issue in one Freedom Fighter, so I may write several of these just to get you to think. I am not asking you to agree with my position, but I am asking you to at least consider in your heart some of the fallacies that we are bantering about and calling it “biblical.”
Dr. Charles Zimmerman often teaches about the three concentric circles. I believe his description really helps.
The innermost circle is ABSOLUTES. These are the things in the Scriptures that are for sure, for certain: Inspiration of Scripture, the virgin birth, salvation, the finished work of Christ, (etc., etc., and so forth and so forth!).
The next circle is CONVICTIONS. Convictions are based on our personal interpretation of the Scriptures but not necessarily agreed on by every theologian. I can’t make the Bible necessarily back this position 100%, but it is what I believe the Bible is saying about a particular subject.
The outer circle is my preferences. I can’t make it an absolute, it isn’t strong enough to be a conviction, it is what I personally like and wish everyone else would like.
Often we try to take our preferences and make them our convictions and absolutes.
Two illustrations.
Pastor Bill Raws (grandson of the founder) and I only had one major disagreement during our years together. It was over communion. We were serving real loaves of bread at our concluding conference communion service and he flipped on me one day. For Pastor Bill that was huge. He told me that it was unbiblical to use bread and it should be matzah. We were passing loaves with a napkin.
My Pastor growing up was an adjunct faculty member of Philadelphia College of Bible and an editor of the Schofield Reference Bible. For fifty years our church used cubed bread for communion. How could this be unbiblical?
In the final analysis, Pastor Bill didn’t think it was sanitary and matzah was more sanitary.
I asked him to think about this. Whenever he served communion he made sure he took the first piece of matzah out of the tray. By the time the tray made it to the back of the room and was brought to the front to serve the deacons, everyone’s fingers had touched the matzah. How sanitary is that? We both laughed. What he wanted to make as an absolute was more of a preference than even a conviction.
This is what happens with our worship wars. We tend to make our preferences our convictions and our convictions our absolutes.
I didn’t get very far. Hang in there. We will continue this next week. Wait to send me your arrows until I am done.
Living in light of the gospel,
Bill Welte, President/CEO
America’s Keswick
Written by Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 12 amazing grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.
Think About This: “Don’t worry about having the right words; worry more about having the right heart. It’s not eloquence he seeks, just honesty.” ― Max Lucado
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of [a]God! Therefore the world does not know [b]us, because it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1
Christan true and very clean and good food and speaker blessed bmy soul love it my home and will always come back again again for ever in the lord. Room was so beautiful . They work so hard to make you happy. Will try to bring family member to be... blessed hear also. I support all that they do to help men and woman find god. When I come to Keswick I didn't want to go home . That how happy and blessed I'm. Always pray for all of them daily. So glad I found this blessed placeread more
Ross Fichter
1710505821
Stayed here while we were visiting my in-laws at The Pines Living Facility. Exactly what we needed for lodging -- inexpensive compared to most motels without any loss of accommodations, and very Christ-centered environment. Plus they serve a great... breakfast every morning. No TV in the room, but that was not an issue for us, since there is nothing worth watching anyway. Staff were extremely friendly and did their jobs well. This place is a gem and a blessing to all who walk on their beautiful property.read more
Manuel Chávez Martínez
1709498094
Es un lugar maravilloso para disfrutar la palabra de Dios
Pianista Benjamín Arias
1708802888
Bien
William Dundas
1708697460
This place holds a special place in my life journey. I was Baptised there as I RE-DEDICATED myself. It was Febuary at night, so my review may not give it the right justice. What I can say, there were a ton of relaxing, peaceful locations to... re-connect with JESUS. Obviously, there was a pool, several lake's with benches. Gathering locations to celebrate, and break bread. A very wholesome Resort.read more
Adrian Obrien
1707934719
Spontaneous invite to girl talk! Loved it! Speaker was on point, fellowship and food , how better to start Valentines?
Ivelisse Romero
1707021027
Beautiful place to separate yourself for the Lord. Soo peaceful no technology which I love. Just you nature and God. I was there for a women's retreat.
Jennifer Crabtree
1706843166
A wonderful Christ- and family-oriented place! Beautiful grounds and welcoming staff. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the conference we attended as well as the community hymn-sing. Highly recommend.
Jason Zimolong
1706837733
They've been a 5 star treatment and resort...doing God's work!
Patricia Simpson
1705193514
Peaceful little spot, so close to home 🩵
James Kolchin
1704151396
It's A Good Place To Have Retreats And They Have GREAT FOOD AND GREAT MUSIC
Kaia Leeds
1703475382
This was a very nice place!! I sang here with my school!!
Geoffrey Brewster
1702920475
You can see GOD work in and throughAll that go there.
Sharon Bielski
1702502928
Went today early for Girl talk, it was great 👍
Pat Jacoby
1701871657
This is a wonderful place for family vacations, retreats, and conferences. They share a solid biblical view.
Google Rating
4.8
Based on 420 reviews
America's Keswick Christian Retreat and Conference Center
Christan true and very clean and good food and speaker blessed bmy soul love it my home and will always come back again again for ever in the lord. Room was so beautiful . They work so hard to make you happy. Will try to bring family member to be... blessed hear also. I support all that they do to help men and woman find god. When I come to Keswick I didn't want to go home . That how happy and blessed I'm. Always pray for all of them daily. So glad I found this blessed placeread more
Ross Fichter
1710505821
Stayed here while we were visiting my in-laws at The Pines Living Facility. Exactly what we needed for lodging -- inexpensive compared to most motels without any loss of accommodations, and very Christ-centered environment. Plus they serve a great... breakfast every morning. No TV in the room, but that was not an issue for us, since there is nothing worth watching anyway. Staff were extremely friendly and did their jobs well. This place is a gem and a blessing to all who walk on their beautiful property.read more
Manuel Chávez Martínez
1709498094
Es un lugar maravilloso para disfrutar la palabra de Dios
Pianista Benjamín Arias
1708802888
Bien
William Dundas
1708697460
This place holds a special place in my life journey. I was Baptised there as I RE-DEDICATED myself. It was Febuary at night, so my review may not give it the right justice. What I can say, there were a ton of relaxing, peaceful locations to... re-connect with JESUS. Obviously, there was a pool, several lake's with benches. Gathering locations to celebrate, and break bread. A very wholesome Resort.read more
Adrian Obrien
1707934719
Spontaneous invite to girl talk! Loved it! Speaker was on point, fellowship and food , how better to start Valentines?
Ivelisse Romero
1707021027
Beautiful place to separate yourself for the Lord. Soo peaceful no technology which I love. Just you nature and God. I was there for a women's retreat.
Jennifer Crabtree
1706843166
A wonderful Christ- and family-oriented place! Beautiful grounds and welcoming staff. We thoroughly enjoyed our time at the conference we attended as well as the community hymn-sing. Highly recommend.
Jason Zimolong
1706837733
They've been a 5 star treatment and resort...doing God's work!
Patricia Simpson
1705193514
Peaceful little spot, so close to home 🩵
James Kolchin
1704151396
It's A Good Place To Have Retreats And They Have GREAT FOOD AND GREAT MUSIC
Kaia Leeds
1703475382
This was a very nice place!! I sang here with my school!!
Geoffrey Brewster
1702920475
You can see GOD work in and throughAll that go there.
Sharon Bielski
1702502928
Went today early for Girl talk, it was great 👍
Pat Jacoby
1701871657
This is a wonderful place for family vacations, retreats, and conferences. They share a solid biblical view.