Grace Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, Elgin, Texas

What's Going On in the Missouri Synod?

Additional citations from the Bible and the Lutheran Confessions not included in the study materials are linked to this document and will open in a separate window.

Contemporary Worship

The problem with what is called, "contemporary worship," is not that it is contemporaneous with the present times, as opposed to the liturgy, which is said to be, "traditional worship." The concern is not that we must use the exact words of a particular rite and forbid any and all changes. The problem with “contemporary worship” is that it is none other than the heterodox worship of “Evangelical” Protestant Revivalism, as is consistently employed by those who hold to the false tenets of the Church Growth movement.

Contemporary Worship...

is not centered in the doctrine of justification, but views worship primarily as something I do for God. It has good works (sanctification) as its goal, not the forgiveness of sins.
believes that the Word of God (substance) needs something else (style) in order to be effective. The correct application of Law and Gospel is replaced with an emphasis on approach (methods), and appeals to the felt needs and desires of people.
justifies its changes on the practical grounds of evangelism and increased church attendance. By appealing to observable results, it does what “works.” In order to reach people, it uses entertainment methods to move the emotions and it waters down the content of the Christian faith in order not to offend.

On account of its frequently changing form, "contemporary worship" cannot be easily cited. Therefore, a description of contemporary worship will simply need to describe some of the general characteristics which are usually present. Those are:

Sturdy doctrinal hymns are replaced with simplistic repetitive praise songs.
Doctrinal sermons are replaced with chancel dramas or how-to sermons for Christian living.
Creativity and variety are used to keep the experience relevant.
Worship is made meaningful by meeting the felt needs of the worshipper.
Sacramental emphasis is diminished, while sacrificial (prayer, praise, testimonial, etc.) is highlighted. Lay service leadership increased and brought to the front. Pastor to lead and equip laity.
Entertainment practices and music appeal to and manipulate the emotions.
Worship is seen as evangelism and therefore must be understandable and appealing to the non-Christian.

Style and Substance (a false division)

Lutherans put complete and utter trust in the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God (including the Word-instituted Sacraments) to accomplish God’s purpose of creating and strengthening faith. Contemporary Worship likes to say that they are simply using Evangelical style, but keeping Lutheran substance. Those who think that they can increase the effectiveness of God’s Word by jazzing up the service, etc. are directing attention away from the Word alone to other causes. At no point is there ever another cause or reason for a person coming to faith. Neither is there ever anything beside the Holy Spirit working through the Word that keeps us in the true faith or strengthens our faith in Christ.

Ap, XIII, 13 "It is good to extol the ministry of the Word with every possible kind of praise in opposition to the fanatics who dream that the Holy Spirit does not come through the Word but because of their own preparations.

AC, VIII; FC, SD, II, 48; St. John 6:63, 1 Corinthians 3:1-7

Pre-Evangelism (Word + something)
To think that our own words and actions could better prepare someone to hear the Word or make them more receptive to the Word is a denial of original sin.

FC, II, 5; SC, III, VIII, 10; 1 Cor 2:6-14, 2 Cor 10:3-6, Rom 8:5-8

FC, Ep, II, 13, 19, "Likewise we reject and condemn the error of the Enthusiasts... ¹⁹ Prior to man’s conversion there are only two efficient causes, namely, the Holy Spirit and the Word of God as the Holy Spirit’s instrument whereby he effects conversion..."

Doctrine of Justification (Central Article)

The Doctrine of Justification is the main doctrine of Christianity by which the church stands or falls. Note the logical progression from these excerpts from Articles IV. Justification, V. Pastoral Office, and VI. Good Works of the Augsburg Confession.

AC, IV, "We receive forgiveness of sin and become righteous before God by grace, for Christ’s sake, through faith...

"AC, V, "To obtain such faith God instituted the office of the ministry, that is, provided the Gospel and the sacraments. Through these, as through means, he gives the Holy Spirit, who works faith..."

AC, VI, "It is also taught among us that such faith should produce good fruits and good works and that we must do all such good works..."

1 Corinthians 3:8-11, Romans 1:16-17, 2 Thessalonians 2:13-15

Everything the church does either directs us to the forgiveness of sins or flows out of it. Therefore, our Divine Services are concerned with giving out the faith-creating and faith-strengthening message of justification. The Scriptural understanding of worship is one in which God serves us with His Word and Sacraments (Rom 10:17, 1 Cor 4:1) and we receive His gifts of forgiveness, life and salvation with thanksgiving and praise.

AC, XIII; Ap, IV, 49; Colossians 1:3-8, 2 Peter 1:5-11, Romans 10:14-18, 21

Practical Appeal to Results

Those who practice Contemporary Worship usually cite the results of supposedly-increased attendance, etc. in order to justify their actions. Even when the excitement and novelty of Contemporary Worship does result in a short-term increase in attendance, enthusiasm, outreach, caring-attitude, etc., there is not a corresponding real growth in faith and Christian knowledge.

Ap, IV, 130; Ap, VII and VIII, 12-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-5; Hebrews 11:6; Galatians 3:1-5; Matthew 6:1-4

Ap, VII and VIII, 5, "The church is not merely an association of outward ties and rites like other civic governments, however, but it is mainly an association of faith and of the Holy Spirit in men’s hearts. To make it recognizable, this association has outward marks, the pure teaching of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments in harmony with the Gospel of Christ."

Adiaphora
Ceremonies instituted by men cannot be required for there to be true “worship,” but are called adiaphora (things neither commanded, nor forbidden in the Holy Scriptures).

AC, VII, 2-3; FC, SD, X, 5; Ap, VII and VIII, 36; Ap, VII and VIII, 10; Romans 14:5-8, Romans 14:13-18.

However, there are good reasons for observing adiaphora. Ceremonies provide good order and teach what we need to know about Christ.

AC, XV. 1-2; AC, XXIV 1-3 (German), 40-42; AC Concl., 4-5; Ap, XXIV, 3; Ap, XV, 20-21; 1 Cor 14:26-40

Not all adiaphora are created equal. Simply to say something is adiaphora doesn’t mean that it should be brought into the Divine Service.

FC, SD X, 7; AC, XXIV, 40-42.

Finally, some ceremonies that externally appear to be adiaphora, may not be adiaphora at all as a result of their intended use or resulting effect!

FC, SD, X, 10; Matthew 15:1-9; Colossians 2:4-12, Galatians 4:9-11, FC, SD, X, 5 “We should not consider as matters of indifference, and we should avoid as forbidden by God, ceremonies which are basically contrary to the Word of God, even though they go under the name and guise of external adiaphora and are given a different color from their true one. Nor do we include among truly free adiaphora or things indifferent those ceremonies which give or (to avoid persecution) are designed to give the impression that our religion does not differ greatly from that of the papists, or that we are not seriously opposed to it. Nor are such rites matters of indifference when these ceremonies are intended to create the illusion (or are demanded or agreed to with that intention) that these two opposing religions have been brought into agreement and become one body, or that a return to the papacy and an apostasy from the pure doctrine of the Gospel and from true religion has taken place or will allegedly result little by little from these ceremonies.”

Lutheran Practice Described
AC, XV. 1-2; AC, XXIV, 1-3 (German); AC, XXIV, 9 (Latin); AC, XXIV, 40-42; AC, Conclusion, 4-5; Ap, XXIV, 1-5; Ap, XV, 20-21; Ap, XV, 38; Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:15-17; Acts 20:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 1 Timothy 4:11-14

Official Synodical Position
The First Synodical Constitution was concerned about Synod’s congregations adopting the camp revivals of common American religion saying, “Especially is Synod to investigate whether its pastors have permitted themselves to be misled into applying the so-called ‘New Measures’ which have become prevalent here, or whether they care for their souls according to the sound Scriptural manner of the orthodox Church” (VI,A,15), and “Furthermore Synod deems it necessary for the purification of the Lutheran Church in America, that the emptiness and the poverty in the externals of the service be opposed, which, having been introduced here by the false spirit of the Reformed, is now rampant. All pastors and congregations that wish to be recognized as orthodox by Synod are prohibited from adopting or retaining any ceremony which might weaken the confession of the truth or condone or strengthen a heresy, especially if heretics insist upon the continuation or the abolishment of such ceremonies” (VI, A,14b).

The present Constitution of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Article III, point 7 states one of the objectives of our Synod, “Encourage congregations to strive for uniformity in church practice, but also to develop an appreciation of a variety of responsible practices and customs which are in harmony with our common profession of faith;” and point 1 states another objective of our Synod, “Conserve and promote the unity of the true faith… and provide a united defense against schism, sectarianism (Rom 16:17), and heresy,” and Synodical Bylaw 4.71d2, directs the District President or his representative saying, “In his official visits he shall seek to bring about to the greatest possible degree the achievement of the Synod’s objectives as expressed in Article III of its Constitution.”

Article IV of the Constitution of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, lists as one of the conditions for acquiring and holding membership in the Synod, “Exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school;” and Synodical Bylaw 3.929a states, “All service books and hymnals that are to be accepted as official service books and hymnals of the Synod shall be given such status only by a convention of the Synod after a process of exposure and testing decided upon by the Synod in Convention.” Synodical Bylaw 3.928 lists as one of the functions and duties of the Commission on Worship, “recommend worship material to the church and advise and warn against the use of worship material that are unworthy of use in the corporate worship of the Lutheran Church,” thereby implying that not all worship materials are helpful.

Present Synodical Practice
Our Synodical President in his first report to the 2004 Convention states, "In the past few decades, numerous congregations of the LCMS have introduced ‘contemporary’ worship forms and music in addition to and, in some instances, even in place of traditional liturgies and hymnody." Over the past three years, it is no secret that our President has been heavily promoting the use of contemporary worship in our Synod from within his Ablaze! program. Though, he admits, that this practice “presents a dilemma,” because it does not agree with our LCMS Constitution’s requirement for the "Exclusive use of doctrinally pure agenda, hymnbooks, and catechisms in church and school" (Art. VI), he sees the solution as having the Synod approve and develop more of these new methods. 2004 Resolution 2-04 directs the Commission on Worship to "initiate a process toward the development of diverse worship resources for use in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod." Instead of striving for uniformity, but allowing "responsible practices and customs," our Synod now develops contemporary worship to increase the diversity.

Our President is correct when he concludes saying, "The proper utilization of any form must always provide a proper setting for receiving the divine gifts of God and giving praise and glory to our triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” Nevertheless, his assumption, that contemporary worship--founded upon American Protestant Revivalism—is only a “form,” “expression,” or “style,” that can be made to conform with our Scriptural understanding of worship, is false. Contemporary worship is not the same as “responsible practices and customs which are in harmony with our common profession of faith."

The foregoing material developed by and used with permission of Trinity Lutheran Church, Herrin, Illinois.

1. Closed or Open Communion

6 Points

3. Unionism and Syncretism