I go to a Southern Baptist Church. The members of the church are in a dispute regarding songs being sung during the church service - older people like hymns while younger/middle aged people like choruses with drums, guitars, etc. We also have a fairly new pastor who is trying to please everyone, so we have a "traditional" service at 8:00
See All... a.m. and a "contemporary" service at 10:45
See All... a.m. The problem is, the pastor is 37 years old and likes the contemporary service better because these people say, "Amen" and other sayings.

Some of us traditional people wonder if we aren't letting the "world" dictate the style of worship we have. We have had over 100 new members join since our new pastor came, but they're all "contemporary." They raise their hands, etc., which makes us feel uncomfortable. We were taught to "sit down and shut up," while this new generation likes to "get with the program." I can feel the Spirit while singing "Just As I Am," but these new people think hymns are "old timey." Does the Bible deal with this subject?

May I just say that I appreciate a Christian who wants to know what the scriptures have to say about a particular subject? That’s exactly what Paul asked on several occasions—“What saith the scriptures.” That should be the question that governs every Christian’s life.

I’ll give you 3 passages to consider. The first passage is found in the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah. It might be helpful to realize that Jeremiah did not have a lot to show for his efforts as far as numbers are concerned. In spite of it all, he preached the word of God just like his predecessors had done. He did not alter the message to accommodate the crowd nor did he use some contemporary method to reach the masses. Notice what he said in chapter 6 and verse 16. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” The LORD wasn’t interested in the contemporary paths. He was interested in His people walking in the old paths. If Jesus Christ is “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
See All...), I believe He still is interested in having His people walk in those old paths.

The second passage is also found in Jeremiah, and it addresses something you said about folks wondering “if we aren’t letting the ‘world’ dictate the style of worship we have.” I read an article recently about a large, influential Baptist church in Virginia who sent their “contemporary worship leader” to Las Vegas, Nevada to observe Wayne Newton in concert. He took his notebook along with him to learn from a master showman. That’s not the way Christians are supposed to act. Jeremiah warned God’s people about this sort of thing in Jeremiah 10:2Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
See All... “Thus saith the LORD, LEARN NOT THE WAY OF THE HEATHEN, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.”

The last passage is found in 2 Samuel 6:1-11 [1] Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. [2] And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between the cherubims. [3] And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drave the new cart. [4] And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark. [5] And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals. [6] And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. [7] And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. [8] And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day. [9] And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the ark of the LORD come to me? [10] So David would not remove the ark of the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside into the house of Obededom the Gittite. [11] And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his household.
See All.... In this passage David attempts to bring the ark of the covenant to the city of David. It was a total disaster. In fact, one man was killed because of this. What was the problem? David tried to haul the ark on a NEW cart instead of having the Levites carry the ark like God commanded. Not only was the method wrong, it was copied from the Philistines. In 1 Samuel 4, the Philistines defeated the children of Israel and took the ark to their cities. God began to plague the Philistines and they sent the ark back to Israel ON A CART! A contemporary service with contemporary bibles and contemporary music is a Philistine service.

May I also recommend that if you are looking for some material on the types of music that are appropriate to be played and/or sung in church, I would direct you to an article by Pastor Reagan. It is entitled, “Music in the New Testament Church” and can be found at the following web address: http://www.learnthebible.org/music_in_the_new_testament_church.htm.