Accessible Worship

One complaint some have against newer formats of worship, or older ones, is the fact of accessibility. On that level I agree. As I am in a small, rural setting, in a very old church (230 years old), there are certain things I prefer which do not fit the community at large. That said, I realize that and adapt to the community. That does not mean I compromise anything, however, it does mean that our services are accessible to the congregation and visitors.

Accessibility is more than that, though. I think in newer settings it means understanding the community around you and contextualizing toward that end. For instance, you need to use language that people who aren't on "the inside" can understand. In a church planting situation, it means I don't use denominational language because, chances are, the visitors have no clue what I'm talking about and it creates a barrier for them to "get in the club." Additionally, I may have to spend time defining common biblical words like justification, sanctification, redemption, etc, so they gain a grasp. It also means that much wisdom is needed in choosing Bible translations (*cough* ESV *cough), music styles, songs and sermons. In that, there is no compromise, but it does follow St. Paul's example of being "all things to all types of people."