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| Planning Blended Worship |
One of the great controversies of our time is church music. Some stubbornly persist with centuries-old hymns and organ music. Younger Christians leave churches in droves and music is one of the biggest reasons. Modern music offends some older Christians. There is an answer, but it requires some maturity and education. In Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Jesus described those who were skilled in Old Testament studies and became students of the New Covenant as being like those who had treasures from both. So it is with churches mature enough to move towards a blended worship music style. Grandchildren are glad to honor grandparents’ music choices and grandparents love their grandchildren enough to shower them with musical blessings that reach their hearts. Churches that have moved towards blended worship formats bring out Christian music treasures which are both new and old.
In 
Do we get upset and angry with wrongdoing in the Church? Do we excommunicate sinners until few are left creating a climate of judgmentalism and fear of persecution? In 
Why does the Church have problems? In 
Jesus gave 7 keys to understanding the parable of the weeds in 
It’s embarrassing when priests abuse children and pastors stray. It’s shameful when televangelists are paid millions and what was considered to be sins for 2,000 years are welcomed as acceptable lifestyles. It’s uncomfortable when ordinary Christians are publicly exposed for crimes and Church history is put under the microscope only to find 2,000 years of misdeeds and crimes against humanity. It’s flabbergasting when the Church allows the world to enter to hear the Gospel but instead is weak and seems just like the world. It’s perturbing to know that divorce in the Church is just as bad as in society around us. We should be embarrassed and ashamed, but what can we do? In 
We’ve all met people who complain that the Church is too judgmental. It’s true — in part — but isn’t the statement itself also judgmental? The Church does not own irrational and snobbish criticism exclusively. It’s common to humanity. We try to make good judgments by discerning between right and wrong. We judge all day long between restaurant menu items, clothing, safe driving and hundreds of other things. So when is judgment right and when is it wrong? In 
The battle between liberals and conservatives in the Church is ongoing. What is a conservative? Is it someone protecting a doctrine that is less than a few hundred years old? Is it someone who preserves traditions? If so, which traditions, historically recent or ancient ones? Is a conservative someone who is not interested in tradition when it contradicts or crowds out the teachings of Jesus? What is a liberal? Is it someone who departs from biblical teachings? Is a liberal someone who refuses to interpret biblical teachings in legalistic directions beyond the original meaning, even if that opposes the traditions of men? The labels "liberal" and "conservative" are really not helpful, because Jesus may be described as liberal or conservative on a variety of issues. He used far more shocking labels in