Bellevue Baptist Church Now Hosting Contemporary Service.
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, September 16, 2009
- Viewed 77
- (2) comments so far
From the Commercial Appeal:
Rocking the pews in the expansive sanctuary was never the goal.
But since Dr. Adrian Rogers' retirement and death in 2005, Bellevue has been in a period of significant change.
"I was in the staff meeting when Adrian Rogers announced he was retiring (after 32 years in the pulpit)," said Jim Barnwell, director of communications. "He said it was time for a younger man to lead Bellevue Church, and I think music is one of the things implied in that."
Minister of music Mark Blair called the last four years at Bellevue a "journey ...a time of assessing and evaluating, and a time of grieving a beloved pastor."
"It's also a time of changing and growing," Blair said. "Has that time been without challenges? Absolutely not. Has everybody embraced that? Absolutely not."
The church's peak attendance came in 2001-2002, when it consistently averaged more than 7,500, Barnwell said. From February through April this year, excluding Easter Sunday, the church's average attendance was 6,400.
The megachurch's "blended" services have long-included the use of guitars and drums, but an orchestra, the choir and the traditional pipe organ have continued to provide the musical foundation.
Even now, the "blended" 9:30 service and the more informal 11:11 service will each include hymns and worship songs.
"While the music will be different in the two services, we're also trying to provide a different atmosphere," Blair said. "People in blue jeans are welcome at either service. People in coats and ties are welcome at either service.
"I know believers, mature believers, that worship the Lord best in a more formal environment, that appreciate the depth of poetry in the great hymns. But I also know mature believers who enjoy using a more contemporary language."
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Peter Hamm on Wed, September 16, 2009
From the article [“While the music will be different in the two services, we’re also trying to provide a different atmosphere,” Blair said. “People in blue jeans are welcome at either service. People in coats and ties are welcome at either service.] This is why they might be better served by a single, perhaps a little edgier… but blended service. Perhaps that is the direction they will head next.
All in all, they seem to be doing an excellent job of trying to preach the Gospel to all men. I applaud them!
kc on Mon, September 21, 2009
It’s always about the music, isn’t it? Why don’t we announce one Sunday that there will be no music next Sunday and see how many people will show up!
Read: “Who Stole My Church” by Gordon MacDonald.
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