[pastorsforum] RE: [PastorsForum] Children's Church

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From: "Derick R. Dickens" <Derick@...>
Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 18:45:16 -0700
One of the underpinning issues that this discussion is bringing up is the
issue of what is valid in a worship service.  I think this is important
and whether you like it or not, you fall within two camps and you tend to
operate that way.  Here are the camps

1. The Lutheran/Episcopal view of worship.  This states that unless the
Bible forbids something in Scripture concerning worship, it is allowed. 
People who hold this view is Rick Warren, Bill Hybels and many others. 
Essentially, they would see nothing wrong with having a skit in the
service or anything else as long as it does not violate scripture. 
Childrens church would fall in this category, I believe.

2.  The Puritan view of worship.  This states that unless God specifically
allows a practice, it should not be done in worship.  This is the view,
more or less, of Myself (I have changed on this view in the last few
years), Steve, Charles Spurgeon, John Calvin, and even many of my IFB
brethren (though, some more than others).  They would reject adding things
to a worship because it is not specifically stated.  BTW, most Baptists
have held this view.  Thus, in a corporate worship service skits are not
welcome.  Now, if you got together on a Saturday and wanted to do skits,
that is okay.  Yet, the corporate worship time is reserved for just what
God requires.

The latter view takes a lot of the warnings from God in the Bible about
adding things to the worship that God has prescribed.  They do not see
these as being just in the Old Testament (though some of the rules are in
the Old Testament, the principle is not in the Old Testament).

Anyway, I think we are getting to that type of issue.  Thus, when I hear
Doc say that it was not "prohibited" and I say that it is not "endorsed",
we are referring to the debate I have just listed.

Derick