Whats the difference between contemporary and traditional worship/church?

Question

I would like to go to a church and they have 2 different times; one says contemporary and the other traditional. Whats the difference?

Answer 1

traditional...old fashioned, music etc

contemporary....music should be newer and more modern

Answer 2

The traditional is for the old fogies and the contemporary for the younger jet set. The preacher wears a suit and tie for traditional and a blazer for the contemporary; more show and more upbeat. Classical music in one room and jazz in the next, if you get the picture.

The real difference are some very well done, and expensive, psychological studies on how to keep and increase church membership. So the difference is having something that appeals to you.

If they can tie you to a form of worship and then hook you up with seven friends, family, people of similar social interest; in other words an inter-relation with six other people >>> stats say they gotcha!!!

Same as Yahoo or other net offerings where you are invited, even enticed, to hook up with other people. Studies show with a minimum seven person network; people will not leave a religion even if they fall out on doctrine, don't like preacher, etc., etc., etc.

So on the surface all this stuff seems different; but the only real difference is money. If you got the money honey, I've got the time!

Answer 3

A traditional worship service has more structure, uses more traditional hymns closer to their original arrangements, oratorio style music in the classical tradition, and can include a mix of contemporary times styles as well as coffee house ballads. It is where you first calm yourself to seek God and feel the presence of God with reverence. In a contemporary service, you seek yourself to find friendship and networking, not necessarily seeking God first, but people first. In a blended and balanced service, you have both aspects of contemporary and traditional rather than either-or. The service might run a little longer than 1 hour because it allows for participation in various forms: in the welcoming, in the liturgy, in the music delivered, in the message which does not always have to be from the pulpit, in the hymn singing, in the greeting of each other before, during, and after the worship service. That worship service could last for up to 2 hours, rather than 1 hr timed and people get up and leave. Get up and leave should be built into the service to continue being in service outside of the church doors, rather than that's it I'm out of here at the end of an hour. The sermon should be invigorating as a message and as a congregational Bible Study as well. People need to be invited to open their Bibles and follow along, do also a responsive reading. In the old days, that is how a lot of people built their reading skills, by participating in the responsive readings. The blended and balanced worship service gets my vote.

Answer 4

If you had the choice to (1) go to a dress-up opera or symphony, or to (2) go to some casually-dressed outdoor jam session or a rock concert--which would you choose?

In a traditional church service, the first issue is reverence and respect. In contemporary, the first issue is feeling and friendship.

The Bible says God is our Father. While there are times for both, are you the kind of person who thinks that a father is treated deferrently or quietly, or are you the kind who runs screaming "Daaaadddddyyy!" and jumps on him to give him a hug? That is the real difference.

The God of the Bible is a King, high and lifted up, and treated with the honors of a majestic king. But the God of the Bible is also a caring, feeling father that runs to meet a wayward son who comes home (the prodigal son story which Jesus told). He will deserve quiet respect. He will also want hugs and gaeity and joy.

Whichever one you pick, you aren't tied to it, it isn't a cell phone contract and you are stuck for the next two years. Try one, then try the other. You may have to give them each more than one shot, church services are not like cookie-cutter Las Vegas shows, if you saw the one at 6, the one at 8 won't be a whole lot different this week or next. Church services often have different emphasis from week to week, and these different themes will be handled in similar general ways: more respectfully reserved in traditional, and more passionately loose in contemporary.

In the end, there is no difference. It is the same God and the same hope of life after this life, and the same help to get through this one with the minimum of tears and regrets in the meanwhile.

Answer 5

Contemporary music versus traditional music. Contemporary music will be upbeat, modern, and usually the latest thing written with many different instruments used . Traditional music consists of the old hymns of the Church and will usually only have piano and organ (depending on the Church). It is a style preference but you can have true worship in both. Worship comes from the heart, not the style.

Answer 6

Contemporary worship means that the music they use for worship is more up to date- like praise chorus, and probably with a band- piano, guitar, bass and drums.
A tradition service most likely uses more hymns. Let me advise one thing though- do not judge the service by the style of music- make sure that both services are truly worshiping our great God and not just going to those services because of the music. Worship is not a style of music, I go to a church that has blended style- where both hymns and contemporary songs and choruses are used. Great question!!

Answer 7

The contemporary has more of the contemporary christian music. The traditional is the hymnals and the older praise and worship songs. I like them all.The church I attend do both and I glad I don't have to choose. I'd definitely would be in both services so I wouldn't miss any of it. God bless you.<>< <>< <><

Answer 8

Generally it will depend on the church's definition of "contemporary".

Traditional will have a choir sing, a liturgist, older hymns from a hymnal, extensive bible readings.

Contemporary may have a praise band, a screen with the words to songs & prayers, modern music, less rigid in structure.

Answer 9

contemporary is the modern one like if you know hillsong music,that's cont. traditional is the one like in most cases which you can also call black gospel.the commonest song is amazing grace..it's called old fashioned because it has been sung for ages

Answer 10

contemporary is more modern..traditional is more like hymns.

Answer 11

Contemporary is mostly music and no readings from the bible. Traditional would be readings from the bible