A hand tapped my shoulder at the end of the service. "Someone wants to talk to you," the lighting guy said to me. A woman, in her sixties, is standing by the booth. Walking towards her, I tell myself, "Smile, be nice, tell her that's the volume we always run."
"Can I get a copy of those last two songs," she asked. "No ma'am, you cannot. You are only allowed to complain about the volume of the music, the changing colored lights, or the use of the projection screens." OK, so I might not have said those words, but I was thinking them.
People complain. Some people never stop. Working in technical production, we hear our share of complaints. A few times it's valid. Yes, I ran it louder than normal. Yes, we had technical difficulties. But, what about those who constantly complain?
Start with the elderly man who always complains about the music volume. Why doesn't he go to another church? Didn't he listen to loud music as a teenager?
Move to the woman who always complains about the busy-ness of the service. The one who says we don't need all those electric guitars and moving lights. Doesn't she see the gift of music as a way of worship?
Finally, there's the person who always complains about something. First it's the haze. Next, it's the volume of the music. Next, it's the use of environmental lighting. Don't they realize how bland the service would be without these production elements? It would be just like it was thirty years ago!
Time for personal conviction.
Let's be honest, we are equally as biased. I love most genres of music. Except screamo, or death metal, or screamo death metal. I like country music but not the country-pop of today. It's a good thing I don't have control over the church worship music selection. See my point?
Everyone has preferences for the type of music they like, the type of food they eat, and what they want on their pizza. What, you don't like pizza? That only proves my point; we know what we like and what we don't.
Time for church.
The constant complainer originally found a church that played the music they liked, preached the way they liked, taught the things they liked. Notice a trend? Nothing wrong but changes are coming.
The pastor changes their preaching style. A new worship leader brings a new style of worship. The new music sounds nothing like what the constant complainer enjoys. Let's not even talk lights and cameras. The fact is their church's worship landscape has changed.
Going to church, we park in the same spot, enter the same doorway, and sit in the same seats. God help us if someone else occupies our seats. Going to church is a routine. It's familiar. It feels comfortable.
Therein is the conflict. The desire for comfort and familiarity is at odds with accepting a new style of church service, new music, and a new way of worship. Shall we judge those who constantly complain about technical production when we know they are in conflict? They might not even realize their internal conflict.
Time for Christ's love.
Colossians 3:15-17 (NIV) reads, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Love them. This is your brother or sister in Christ. Their desire is not to cause derision. They want their familiarity and routine. And if they open up their hearts to God, He will open them to the new way of worship. Every Sunday, I look over and see a woman in her 70's with hands raised and singing with every rocking song. She stands and sings though in her heart she's worshipping on her knees.
Love them and confront them. There are those who will not stop complaining until they get their way. Love them as your fellow believer. But when they start sewing discord or are impacting the tech crew, take action. Work with a church leader on addressing the issue in a way that enables God's admonishment and love to lead the way.
People will always complain. They might have a valid concern. But maybe, just maybe, they are just struggling with worshipping in a new way.
