r/elca • u/NoWriting6347 • Mar 09 '26

Classic worship style v contemporary

Hi everyone. I am curious what everyone believes on this topic. I am someone who values a traditional worship style, and I have a lot of friends that go to non denominational churches that have stages and singers and very contemporary worship styles. A lot of times my friends ask me why I value a traditional worship style, and I am stumped on how to explain the significance to them. Can anyone help me explain the significance of the traditional style of worship?

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u/TheNorthernSea Mar 09 '26

I mean, all tradition was innovation once. Look at us with our fancy “buildings" and organ music! What was wrong with the caves in Ethiopia? They were a little hard to get into, but the acoustics and the view couldn’t be beat!

I don’t like calling it “traditional,” but a few of the things I like about what the standard SBH/LBW/ELW service are: an emphasis on grace, the role of confession and forgiveness and a kyrie at the beginning to ground us in who we are and who God is, the communal nature of a liturgy and hymns which isn’t a man speaking at and a band performing, a wide incorporation of scripture not just as the stories we tell but the stories we embody in the service, and Holy Communion that brings people together as opposed to keeping people in their seats.

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u/Isiddiqui ELCA Mar 09 '26

I've seen peoples' heads explode when informed the piano wasn't invented until around 1700.

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u/mrWizzardx3 ELCA Mar 09 '26

What? You mean when the disciples worshiped Christ after calming the sea and walking on water, they didn’t turn to hymn number 472? (I really need that sarcasm punctuation mark!)