Have you noticed a disturbing trend slowly emerging in churches across America over the past twenty years? The sanctuaries have been transformed into what is increasingly referred to as “worship centers.” The platforms have become “stages,” the choirs have become “worship teams,” and gradually, the lighting has changed so that the congregation is sitting in dim lighting while the light is aimed at the platform.
What once looked like a church gathering now looks remarkably similar to a concert hall. In some churches, the atmosphere even resembles that of a nightclub or bar. In the past few years, this trend has begun to spread among Independent Fundamental Baptist churches that once firmly opposed it. I have kept quiet and prayed with concern, but there comes a time when silence is no longer the right response.
This week, a well-known church in Lancaster, California, publicly announced that its remodeled “worship center” is nearly complete. Their pictures show an atmosphere that seems more like a performance venue than a conventional church sanctuary. Since this church has a great deal of influence around the globe, I am compelled to raise an important question to Christians everywhere: Where do these churches get the idea that the church should look like this?
And that leads to other important questions: Why has this become so popular in the first place? Why does the modern church increasingly resemble the entertainment industry? Why are we borrowing the atmosphere of concerts, theaters, and even bars and bringing it into the church? Above all, why have we become convinced that this is necessary to worship God or reach people for Christ?
We need to draw an important distinction.
I am not saying that it is wrong to turn down the lights in a church service. Scripture does not command that every church building should be brightly lit at all times; there can be valid reasons for dimming the lights, such as showing something on a screen. Physical darkness itself is not inherently evil. God created the night, and Jesus often withdrew to pray at night.
That is not the issue.
The concern arises when darkness becomes the deliberate atmosphere of the service: the congregation is left in a relatively dark condition while the platform, the singers, and everything happening in front of them are illuminated and made visually prominent.
That is quite a different matter, and it brings up an important question: What message does that environment communicate?
To answer that question, we need to look at what the Bible says about light and darkness.
The very first words which God used about the creation were, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Throughout the Bible, light is repeatedly associated with God, truth, righteousness, holiness, understanding, and God’s presence; whereas darkness is always associated with sin, evil, ignorance, deception, and the workings of Satan.
The Apostle John wrote, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). If Christ is the light of the world and those who follow Him have the light of life, then why should darkness become the dominant atmosphere when His church comes together to worship Him?
Christ then said something that ought to make every Christian think carefully about how we live and what kind of testimony we present to the world: “Ye are the light of the world.” He continued, “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15). Finally, He added, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
There is a principle here that we should not miss. Light points people toward something. Light reveals. Light exposes. Light gives direction. Light allows us to see what is actually there. That is why Christians are supposed to direct people towards the light.
The Apostle Paul told the Ephesians, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). He then added a warning, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).
I must ask then: If Christ is the light of the world, why would the church intentionally create an environment where darkness is the dominant visual impression?
Again, I am not referring to a specific light switch; rather, I am referring to the message which the environment sends.
Every aspect of what we do in the church should point people toward Christ. Our preaching should point people to Christ. Our music should point people to Christ. Our testimony should point people to Christ. Our conduct should point people to Christ. Moreover, the way we make use of our buildings and conduct our gatherings should also point people to Christ the light.
We should not be asking simply, "Does this work?" We should instead be asking, "What message does this convey?"
What message does the environment send when the congregation is sitting in the dark while those on the platform are made visually to stand out?
It can easily give the impression that the people on the platform are the ones to watch while everyone else becomes an audience. But the church is not supposed to be built around a platform.
We gather around Christ.
We gather to listen to the Word of God, to sing together, to pray together, to encourage one another, and to worship our Saviour. The church is not a theater, and Christians are not meant to come simply as spectators. It should not be the aim to create an atmosphere which makes people feel as if they have gone to an entertainment venue.
This is where I believe the church has allowed culture to influence us more than we realize.
Concerts make use of darkness and spotlights in order to draw attention to the performers and create a certain atmosphere. Theaters do exactly the same thing; so do nightclubs. The audience is kept in the dark while attention is focused on what is taking place on stage.
Then the church adopts the same visual arrangement and calls it worship. Yet merely changing the name does not change the philosophy.
The issue is not whether technology, modern buildings, and new approaches are inherently wrong. They are not. The issue is whether the church is borrowing the world's methods and bringing them into the house of God without first considering whether those methods are in agreement with biblical principles.
The Bible warns us, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
We need to think biblically rather than culturally.
Jesus said, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light” (John 3:19–21).
Jesus was speaking of spiritual darkness, not church lighting, but the picture He gives us is worth considering when we think about what we communicate visually. What are we communicating when we deliberately create an atmosphere of darkness in the church? Church should not be setting up an atmosphere which visually emphasizes darkness; instead, it should be setting up an atmosphere that leads people towards the Light. This should cause us to examine ourselves and our churches carefully.
Are we focusing on worship of Christ or on the experience itself? Are we drawing people's attention to the Saviour or to the people on the platform? Do we let the Word of God reveal sin, or do we create an atmosphere mainly aimed at attracting people and making them feel at ease?
These are not unreasonable questions. They deserve biblical answers.
I realize that some people will call me old-fashioned. Others may say I am judging. And many will simply say, “Brother Lawrence, this is a matter of preference. We are living in a new generation. Things have changed.”
Certainly, things have changed. Our culture has changed. Technology has changed, and the way in which people communicate has changed. But the issue is not whether things have changed; the issue is whether these changes give us permission to alter the biblical principles which should govern the church.
The fact that something is new does not make it better, and the fact that something is old does not make it biblical. But neither should we assume that everything Christians have done for generations is outdated simply because our culture has discovered a new way of doing things.
Christians for hundreds of years have gathered together to worship without the concert-style darkness, theatrical lighting, spotlights, and stage atmosphere that are becoming common in churches today. That does not prove that bright lighting is commanded by Scripture. Rather, it ought to make us aware that such methods are relatively new and therefore need to be examined in light of God’s Holy Bible.
Has God changed? Has Christ ceased to be the light of the world? Has the church's responsibility to point people toward Christ changed?
No.
Although our culture may change, God's Word does not.
That is why our standard cannot be what is popular, modern, or culturally acceptable. Our standard must be the Word of God.
Jeremiah 6:16 says, “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.” Notice that God did not tell them to return to something simply because it was old. Rather, He told them to find “the good way.”
That is the question we should be asking. Not, “Is this old or new?” Not, “Is this traditional or contemporary?” But, “Is this the good way according to the Holy Bible?”
That is exactly what we need today.
The answer is not found in returning to the past simply because something is old. The answer is found in returning to the Bible. Pastors need to examine the direction of their churches in light of “Thus saith the LORD,” and Christians should go to their Bibles and check for themselves whether the things they see are in accordance with the Bible rather than supposing that something is right because a large church is doing it.
The world already has its concerts and theaters. It already has its nightclubs. The church has no need to copy them. What the church needs is to be the church.
We need the light of God's Word. We need preaching that exposes sin and points sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. We need congregations that worship together rather than becoming spectators. We need pastors who are more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing the culture. Above all, we need to remember who we have gathered to worship. We are not gathering around a stage. We are not gathering around performers. We are not gathering to experience an atmosphere created by lighting and music.
We are gathering before the holy LORD GOD of Heaven.
God is light; Christ is the light of the world. And He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
My prayer is that pastors across America and throughout the world will have the courage to remain faithful to Christ and His “good old ways,” even if that means going against the trend of our culture. My prayer is that Christians will recognize how easily the philosophy of the world can creep into the house of God so that they will not accept something just because it has become popular.
My prayer is that we will stop attempting to make the church look attractive to the darkness and instead let the light of Christ shine.
Isn’t that the church you want to be a part of? Isn’t that the kind of worship you want to offer to the Saviour?
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”
— Isaiah 60:1
RETURN TO ALL BLOGS
What once looked like a church gathering now looks remarkably similar to a concert hall. In some churches, the atmosphere even resembles that of a nightclub or bar. In the past few years, this trend has begun to spread among Independent Fundamental Baptist churches that once firmly opposed it. I have kept quiet and prayed with concern, but there comes a time when silence is no longer the right response.
This week, a well-known church in Lancaster, California, publicly announced that its remodeled “worship center” is nearly complete. Their pictures show an atmosphere that seems more like a performance venue than a conventional church sanctuary. Since this church has a great deal of influence around the globe, I am compelled to raise an important question to Christians everywhere: Where do these churches get the idea that the church should look like this?
And that leads to other important questions: Why has this become so popular in the first place? Why does the modern church increasingly resemble the entertainment industry? Why are we borrowing the atmosphere of concerts, theaters, and even bars and bringing it into the church? Above all, why have we become convinced that this is necessary to worship God or reach people for Christ?
We need to draw an important distinction.
I am not saying that it is wrong to turn down the lights in a church service. Scripture does not command that every church building should be brightly lit at all times; there can be valid reasons for dimming the lights, such as showing something on a screen. Physical darkness itself is not inherently evil. God created the night, and Jesus often withdrew to pray at night.
That is not the issue.
The concern arises when darkness becomes the deliberate atmosphere of the service: the congregation is left in a relatively dark condition while the platform, the singers, and everything happening in front of them are illuminated and made visually prominent.
That is quite a different matter, and it brings up an important question: What message does that environment communicate?
To answer that question, we need to look at what the Bible says about light and darkness.
The very first words which God used about the creation were, “Let there be light: and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Throughout the Bible, light is repeatedly associated with God, truth, righteousness, holiness, understanding, and God’s presence; whereas darkness is always associated with sin, evil, ignorance, deception, and the workings of Satan.
The Apostle John wrote, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). If Christ is the light of the world and those who follow Him have the light of life, then why should darkness become the dominant atmosphere when His church comes together to worship Him?
Christ then said something that ought to make every Christian think carefully about how we live and what kind of testimony we present to the world: “Ye are the light of the world.” He continued, “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15). Finally, He added, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
There is a principle here that we should not miss. Light points people toward something. Light reveals. Light exposes. Light gives direction. Light allows us to see what is actually there. That is why Christians are supposed to direct people towards the light.
The Apostle Paul told the Ephesians, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8). He then added a warning, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).
I must ask then: If Christ is the light of the world, why would the church intentionally create an environment where darkness is the dominant visual impression?
Again, I am not referring to a specific light switch; rather, I am referring to the message which the environment sends.
Every aspect of what we do in the church should point people toward Christ. Our preaching should point people to Christ. Our music should point people to Christ. Our testimony should point people to Christ. Our conduct should point people to Christ. Moreover, the way we make use of our buildings and conduct our gatherings should also point people to Christ the light.
We should not be asking simply, "Does this work?" We should instead be asking, "What message does this convey?"
What message does the environment send when the congregation is sitting in the dark while those on the platform are made visually to stand out?
It can easily give the impression that the people on the platform are the ones to watch while everyone else becomes an audience. But the church is not supposed to be built around a platform.
We gather around Christ.
We gather to listen to the Word of God, to sing together, to pray together, to encourage one another, and to worship our Saviour. The church is not a theater, and Christians are not meant to come simply as spectators. It should not be the aim to create an atmosphere which makes people feel as if they have gone to an entertainment venue.
This is where I believe the church has allowed culture to influence us more than we realize.
Concerts make use of darkness and spotlights in order to draw attention to the performers and create a certain atmosphere. Theaters do exactly the same thing; so do nightclubs. The audience is kept in the dark while attention is focused on what is taking place on stage.
Then the church adopts the same visual arrangement and calls it worship. Yet merely changing the name does not change the philosophy.
The issue is not whether technology, modern buildings, and new approaches are inherently wrong. They are not. The issue is whether the church is borrowing the world's methods and bringing them into the house of God without first considering whether those methods are in agreement with biblical principles.
The Bible warns us, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2).
We need to think biblically rather than culturally.
Jesus said, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light” (John 3:19–21).
Jesus was speaking of spiritual darkness, not church lighting, but the picture He gives us is worth considering when we think about what we communicate visually. What are we communicating when we deliberately create an atmosphere of darkness in the church? Church should not be setting up an atmosphere which visually emphasizes darkness; instead, it should be setting up an atmosphere that leads people towards the Light. This should cause us to examine ourselves and our churches carefully.
Are we focusing on worship of Christ or on the experience itself? Are we drawing people's attention to the Saviour or to the people on the platform? Do we let the Word of God reveal sin, or do we create an atmosphere mainly aimed at attracting people and making them feel at ease?
These are not unreasonable questions. They deserve biblical answers.
I realize that some people will call me old-fashioned. Others may say I am judging. And many will simply say, “Brother Lawrence, this is a matter of preference. We are living in a new generation. Things have changed.”
Certainly, things have changed. Our culture has changed. Technology has changed, and the way in which people communicate has changed. But the issue is not whether things have changed; the issue is whether these changes give us permission to alter the biblical principles which should govern the church.
The fact that something is new does not make it better, and the fact that something is old does not make it biblical. But neither should we assume that everything Christians have done for generations is outdated simply because our culture has discovered a new way of doing things.
Christians for hundreds of years have gathered together to worship without the concert-style darkness, theatrical lighting, spotlights, and stage atmosphere that are becoming common in churches today. That does not prove that bright lighting is commanded by Scripture. Rather, it ought to make us aware that such methods are relatively new and therefore need to be examined in light of God’s Holy Bible.
Has God changed? Has Christ ceased to be the light of the world? Has the church's responsibility to point people toward Christ changed?
No.
Although our culture may change, God's Word does not.
That is why our standard cannot be what is popular, modern, or culturally acceptable. Our standard must be the Word of God.
Jeremiah 6:16 says, “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.” Notice that God did not tell them to return to something simply because it was old. Rather, He told them to find “the good way.”
That is the question we should be asking. Not, “Is this old or new?” Not, “Is this traditional or contemporary?” But, “Is this the good way according to the Holy Bible?”
That is exactly what we need today.
The answer is not found in returning to the past simply because something is old. The answer is found in returning to the Bible. Pastors need to examine the direction of their churches in light of “Thus saith the LORD,” and Christians should go to their Bibles and check for themselves whether the things they see are in accordance with the Bible rather than supposing that something is right because a large church is doing it.
The world already has its concerts and theaters. It already has its nightclubs. The church has no need to copy them. What the church needs is to be the church.
We need the light of God's Word. We need preaching that exposes sin and points sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. We need congregations that worship together rather than becoming spectators. We need pastors who are more concerned with pleasing God than pleasing the culture. Above all, we need to remember who we have gathered to worship. We are not gathering around a stage. We are not gathering around performers. We are not gathering to experience an atmosphere created by lighting and music.
We are gathering before the holy LORD GOD of Heaven.
God is light; Christ is the light of the world. And He has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.
My prayer is that pastors across America and throughout the world will have the courage to remain faithful to Christ and His “good old ways,” even if that means going against the trend of our culture. My prayer is that Christians will recognize how easily the philosophy of the world can creep into the house of God so that they will not accept something just because it has become popular.
My prayer is that we will stop attempting to make the church look attractive to the darkness and instead let the light of Christ shine.
Isn’t that the church you want to be a part of? Isn’t that the kind of worship you want to offer to the Saviour?
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”
— Isaiah 60:1
RETURN TO ALL BLOGS
