Bells and Whistles

The church we currently attend has for many years had a handbell choir. Recently the bell choir was informed that their ministry no longer fits the vision of the church. Specifically, the vision calls for worship that “will be Biblically based, creative, and offer life changing teaching, music, drama and dance.” Obviously, bells don’t fit the vision. Ok, I admit, it’s not all that obvious to me. I’ve heard the bell choir. They’re good. Occasionally they’ve done pieces that might even be called transcendent. Cruden’s Compact Concordance lists two biblical references to bells, one of which concerns the high priest’s annual entrance into the Holy Place. The sound of the bells on the priest’s garments was a signal to God not to strike him dead upon entering or leaving the Holy Place. I wouldn’t want to make too much of this reference. For one thing, holy fear and awe in the presence of God (not to mention the possibility of being struck dead) certainly have no place in the contemporary, seeker-sensitive vision of many churches. I only mention the biblical references to note that, by this test at least, bells are more biblical than, say, “electric guitars” or “Powerpoint.”

Are handbells really passé? I’ve always appreciated them, but then I’m over 40 now, and not particularly contemporary. It would be interesting to see how many people enjoy the presence of bells in the worship service. And even if the majority of those who like bells ARE over 40, what does that say about our vision? That we don’t care about folks over 40? That anyone who prefers bells to contemporary praise and worship is simply not our target audience?

The letter informing the bell choir of its irrelevance noted that “Most churches are at least 10 years behind the culture in the way they communicate.” So here’s my question: Why on earth would the church want to try to keep up with culture? I thought we were called to be counter-cultural. Here’s another question: Has the church in question realized that contemporary praise and worship, performed in rock-concert fashion in auditoriums resembling industrial warehousing, is itself already passé? The newest trend among younger Christians and spiritual seekers is a desire for the ancient rituals and liturgy of the Church. Ever hear of the New Monastics? Taize? Celtic worship? There’s even a documented movement to build churches that look like (gasp!) churches. I wonder, will the leaders of the contemporary worship movement step aside as gracefully when their time is past? Or will they continue to cling to their own comfortable past while the rest of the church moves on?