I think churches that do well are the ones that offer 2 or more services on Sunday, with one being traditional and one being more contemporary to appeal to younger people.
I see nothing wrong with non-traditional music and more instruments. I'm 41 and enjoy a contemporary service more than the traditional Baptist hymns and sermon.
I also recognize when the word is "watered down" and made politically correct and simply will not attend a church that does that in an attempt not to offend any potential member$.
I don't have a problem with the way people worship.
If they prefer hymnals, that's fine. If they prefer the KJV, that's fine. If the women prefer putting their hair up in buns, that's fine.
I just get a little fed up with the people who believe that an 16th century hymnals on an organ are more righteous than a modern song with drums and guitars.
My church in Grants Pass is a former Baptist church that is now a Warren-type "praise and worship" church where thewy applaud after every few songs, and sing silly, simplistic songs like "God is a friend of mine, He calls me friend," and other songs that say nothing but "We love Him" without ev er mentioning who "Him" is...you could be singing about Zoraster or Allah!
In fact yesterday they played the first song in a Parliament, George Clinton HORRIBLE Funk rithym, completely bizarre and weird.
BUT, when Mark started preaching, WOW! He talked about divorce, and how it's wrong for Chritians to divorce, and how modern American Chrstians think it's more important to feel happy than to live according to Biblical principles, and how, if a Chrstian divorces his or her spouse, except for adultery, and marries another, is commiting adultery according to the Bible.
Then, at the prayer at the end of the sermon, Mark prayed that all who have divorced un-Biblically to marry another repent of their adultery.
You could hear people crying throughout the congregation...it was really moving.
So, even though I dislike the silly, simplistic songs, and the Hawaiian shorts and flip-flops, and the goofy applauding after every song like we are watching Friday Night Football with Jesus who just scored a touchdown, I'm staying here because the sermons are so powerful.
Ed