Chris Alford - Specials

What is Convergent Worship?

You may have noticed that worship out there seems to be all over the map these days: There’s “traditional,” and “contemporary”, “seeker” and “blended.” What’s the future of worship? And what in the world is "convergent" worship? Is it just another worship fad?

These days, worship leaders across the nation are wrestling with how to bring some correctives to a problem that they created about 10-15 years ago when they divided their congregations along stylistic lines. What seemed like a practical compromise then has created some pastoral problems now: Congregations who have had felt needs reinforced in worship and, in the meantime, lost something of the selflessless worship requires.

The term “blended worship,” coined as I understand it by my mentor Dr. Robert Webber, was once a fashionable way to describe the mixing of traditional elements, like hymns, with more contemporary ones, like choruses. The idea was that most of us weren’t blending—that we were on one side of the musical fence or the other—and that doing so might help to end the raging worship wars. (By the way, I am convinced that most all worship is already blended; it is simply a matter of whether the service is on the “Grate” or “Grind” end of the blender spectrum, or down at the other end at “Frappé” or “Liquify.” Not many churches, at least those in my denomination, were ever doing Mozart every Sunday. Besides, when I am in the kitchen, blending things together usually ends up leaving a chunky mess).

For me, "blending" was a modern tool designed to fix a modern problem.

Worship leaders are recognizing that mixing “traditional” and “contemporary” in some sort of functional way in order satisfy two different groups of worshipers can leave both sides frustrated. And should we even be trying to satisfy worshipers anyway? I found out early in ministry that the term “traditional” to a Baptist can mean anything from “Eine Feste Burg” to revival songs. And the term “contemporary” doesn’t fare much better: just ask Boomers and Millennials for their definitions.

Worship leaders are discovering that the road to the future leads through the past along a path called Convergence. Convergent worship seems to be bringing several “competing” streams together while staying grounded in sound, biblical theology. Around here, we've taken a cue from theologian Leonard Sweet and say that convergent worship is EPIC: Experiential, Participatory, Image-Driven, and Connected. Simply put, convergent worship seeks to recover classic, orthodox content— the language, pattern, and texture of the ancient church— and communicate it in a truly contemporary manner and on several levels. Convergent worship is Ancient-Future. How?

Convergent worship says…

…that recovering a biblical theology of worship is most important.

…that the theology of revelation and response that orders God’s biblical encounters with humankind should also order our worship.

…that truly biblical worship is participative, and cannot possibly be passive.

…that style is no longer the “tail that wags the dog” and that we must look for ways to bring the worshiping Body of Christ together.

…that worship is more than music.

…that worship should be creatively and generously interwoven with Scripture and prayer.

…that we can appreciate the whole repertoire and vocabulary of the church and that we can look to, listen to, and learn from the past.

…that the early church has much more in common with the postmodern world that we now live in than the modern world we just left behind.

What Does it Mean to be Presbyterian?

Recently, I was asked to pen an article that could be arranged into booklet form for our congregation that would help folks better understand what it means to be Presbyterian. These days, our present denomination, the PC(USA) is going through some fairly significant struggles and debates. Our hope is that with resources like these, plus also plenty of opportunities for them to hear in person from the pastoral staff, our people will begin to see some of the issues of contention through the lens of orthodoxy.

Would you like to read the article? Just click on the little blue link below:

Worship: Purpose of the Church

Is worship the purpose of the church? What about the Great Commission? Isn't that supposed to be the purpose of the church? This article was written in an attempt to respond to these and other questions-- important questions that many churches and denominations are asking in these days of transition between the modern and postmodern worlds.
It was also written at a time that I was attempting to answer some questions about the emphasis my former denomination seemed to place on worship. Is worship one of several "functions" of a healthy church-- say, alongside discipleship and fellowship? A book at the time by Gene Mims (The Kingdom Focused Church), which suggested just that, was being used as a template for structure and growth by many Southern Baptist churches. Its approach and diagrams seemed logical and balanced. But it also seemed modern to me-- and I'm mostly suspicious of attempts to modernize the church, especially when they get to the topic of worship.

My thanks to several theologians and scholars, including mentors Robert Webber, Connie Cherry, Stanley Grenz, and Gerry Borchert, who shared their thoughts and helped me better express my own in the editing process.

Want to read the article? Please click on the little red swirl just below:

Why I embrace the cross...

Here's a short article I wrote about the cross-- and symbols-- for a church newsletter. Want to read it? Click on the little red swirl below:

A Response to Remarks by Outgoing TBC President

"...I read with dismay the remarks of outgoing Tennessee Baptist Convention President Kevin Shrum when he suggested that worship should not be the priority of a congregation...."

Want to read the entire response? Please click on the the little blue link below.

Check Out These Hymn Texts...

Here are four hymn texts written for a sermon series on spiritual gifts, plus a hymn written for a worship service focusing on the family. I would love to have you use them; just please attribute them to me.

Grace, Truth, and Saddam Hussein

Do you remember the volunteer "human sheilds" in Iraq during the lead-up to the war? What might any of this have to do with grace and truth? Click the link below to read the recent article.

What would worship look like if...

While serving in Knoxville, I was asked to write a little description of what a citywide, ecumenical, postmodern worship service might look like. It got me to thinking... And it also got me excited! I'm thirsty to worship in a setting much like this with folks who really want to worship. How about you? Click on the little red swirl below to read the article:

Idolatries in Worship

This article came about as a result of a phone conversation I had with my mentor Bob Webber. We got to talking about idols in worship and, more particularly, the profound difference between God being the object and the subject of our worship. Want to read it? Click on the little blue swirl below:

New Website Feature

Here's a new feature I'm working on for you... I've been looking for a way to write down all the recommendations for reading, listening, and choral music that I stumble across. Please visit regularly... I plan to update the lists with new discoveries that are challenging me. Enjoy!

A thought for Holy Week

Here's a little thought about Holy Week, tradition, and remembering... Click on the little blue swirl below to read this article.

Precious Moments Christianity?

Sound intriguing? Click on the yellow link below to read this article. But fair warning: Fans of "Precious Moments" figurines may be offended. I'll take the risk.

Program Notes for Knoxville Symphony

While serving as Artistic Administrator of the KSO, I had the pleasure of authoring the Symphony's program notes for the 54th-59th seasons. The George F. Devine Music Library at the University of Tennessee has archived and cataloged many of the KSO's programs and has provided a searchable database. Mr. Devine, a Knoxville musical luminary, a major figure in the Symphony's early history, and the professor for whom the library is named, wrote the notes for the Symphony for many years. Click on the link below to go to the library's KSO program note archive.

Dissertation Bibliography

My dissertation, "Worship, the Church, and Contemporary Culture: A Core Course for Master's Students at the Institute for Worship Studies" is now complete. If you think the bibliography might be helpful to you, please click on the link below to access it.

By the way, you'll need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to see the documents on my website. You can access the Adobe site by choosing "Links" at the left hand side of this page. From there, scroll down to "Favorite Web Helps".

Worship Wars, Blenders, and "Ancient-Future" Faith

To read a new article I wrote for "Liturgy" magazine last fall, just click the link below (You'll need an Adobe Acrobat Reader):