A searchable, downloadable PDF of the original article appears below. Calvin Brown is the pastor of First Church, Nelson, B.C. and Worship Editor of Channels.

I have often been asked how to introduce new worship styles into a very conservative or tradition-bound congregation that needs a breath of freshness.

The answer, of course, is “prayerfully and very carefully!”

There are definitely ways in which this can be done effectively, and the following may be useful considerations:

  1. As in all spiritual matters, check your own heart first! If your attitude is a judgmental one, that is, “let’s shake ‘them’ up a bit,” or “let’s chuck those dead old forms,” then it will probably be very difficult to successfully implement new worship styles that bring freshness rather than simply resentments and opposition. In this regard, it is important to recognize the value of the present worship forms even if they may have lost their dynamism in the regular routine, and become mere empty rote. Recognize also that the “present form” is considered safe, and “our” way of doing things. In worship, familiarity breeds comfort in some, as well as contempt in others.
  2. Any new form needs to be properly introduced. Presbyterians pride themselves on their “intelligence.” If they can understand the reason for the change and the purpose for which it is being tried, then the possibilities of them being willing to try it, or at least letting others try it, greatly increases. It is vital to any change to have the leadership and especially the minister (teaching elder) give his/her support. If you do not have the support of the leadership at least honestly open to the idea, then extra prayer for a miracle may be required.
  3. Don’t try everything at once! The very nature of a conservative worshipping congregation is “wait and see.” If you make a slight change and lightning doesn’t strike in 30 days, there are possibilities it has not unduly offended the deity, and further changes may be allowed.
  4. Repeat reasonably — that is, don’t merely do something once a year if it is useful and acceptable more often, but don’t wear out an idea by overuse, either.
  5. Use a third party, when possible, to introduce and demonstrate new worship style. For example, if you wanted to introduce new song styles, maybe even using “actions,” it may be best to do it with the children at children’s time, and invite the “young at heart” to join in with the actions if they like. Or ask the choir to lead in a song and do some liturgical movement or dance. When we first introduced liturgical dance into our services, some of the congregation actually closed their eyes or were looking away from the dancers. It took a few more occasions before they felt comfortable enough to look and enter into the worship of it, but they have grown in their ability to worship in fresh forms. As Professor David Hay often lamented, we too often are gnostic in our worship forms in that we do not use our bodies; our main liturgical position seems to be sitting or slumping.
  6. Use special occasions or celebrations to introduce new forms. For example, a few years ago lighting candles and saying a prayer in a Presbyterian Church would be considered a horribly “popish” thing to do, or at least an undesirable “novel” practice. Today, probably the majority of our churches use Advent wreaths and liturgies produced for the special Advent season, in which we light candles and say prayers. We first introduced liturgical movement during our annual pre-Christmas Festival of Music. Midweek, evening services or family services, are also useful as “worship workshops.” For example, it was at midweek communions we first introduced the “ancient” but “new” liturgical responses, which are part of the Genevan liturgy:
    Leader: The Lord be with you.
    People: and also with you.
    Leader: Lift up your hearts.
    People: We lift them up to the Lord.
    Then when I led the communion liturgy on Sunday, the response came spontaneously, and had the effect of a fresh and active participation at the Lord’s Table.
  7. Don’t be discouraged if there are those who just don’t like the new forms. This is “as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.” These are the same people who did not like the new Book of Praise, or any other change, and whose seven last words are “but we’ve never done it that way before.” They may be lovely and sincere people but if too great heed is given them, they will be the terminal generation of a church unable to draw those around them into worship in forms that speak to our day, and not merely to the society of fifty or a hundred years ago.
  8. Above all, enjoy yourself and encourage others to enter into the joy of discovery in worship. Not everything you try will seem to work, but remember that all our worship is simply the gifts of children to a loving Father whom we want to glorify and who wants us to enjoy the process.