Hi Par,
You wrote:
"Try visiting a "happy-clappy" church. They will all be holding their NIV Bibles while being entertained for an hour or so. They will be anti-abortion and will mostly vote Republican, but they won't tolerate traditional worship."
Just a few questions:
1) The NIV translation is bad/wrong? Please enlighten me as to the best translation.
2) What exactly is "traditional worship"? Hymns? Liturgy? My church is a Bible-believing church, yet we don't sing hymns. We even have a BAND! Please let me know what's wrong.
Kharis
No, and I didn't say that it was. The old version of the NIV, to which I referred is, however, the translation favored by many in evangelical churches. I even have a couple of copies around the house. The new version of the NIV, recently released, is pure garbage and should be burned if a copy comes into your possession.
Please enlighten me as to the best translation.
Depends on what you want to do with it. Some are better with the old testament, others with the new. The King James is excellent for reading aloud because of the way that it sounds, but is not the best study Bible because some of the language is archaic. The New King James is good, as it retains most of the good qualities of the KJV with the language being somewhat more accessible to most folks. Some folks like the ESV, but it is too politically correct for me. NIV is OK, as is the NAS. Even the RSV is OK.
2) What exactly is "traditional worship"? Hymns? Liturgy? We even have a BAND! Please let me know what's wrong.
You don't give enough information to know whether anything is wrong. I will be happy to give you some things you might want to look for to see if there is a problem, however.
The type instruments used (or the lack thereof) is a matter of preference, not theology. The tunes played may or may not be a problem.
1. What is the purpose of the music. Is it to entertain the audience, or is to lead them in their worship of God.
2. Why are the folks playing the music. Are they doing it for the glory of God, or are they performing for the folks in the room.
3. Look at the words. Do they focus on God, or on man.
4. What does the Bible say about worship and the use of music in worship? Is what is being done Biblical or not?
My church is a Bible-believing church, yet we don't sing hymns.
If you don't sing hymns, do you all exclusively sing Psalms? Nothing wrong with that, but I don't find it to be Biblically mandated.