Present Evolution of the Protestant Church

Present Evolution of the Protestant Church

Unfortunately, I was not able find someone to interview on the changes of the Catholic church since the meeting of the Council of II Vatican, so I had to substitute for someone who is equally wise about changes within the Protestant church over the past fifty years. The person whom I asked is my aunt who is 54 years old recollects church membership since the age of 6, so I trust her as a viable source.

“Politics in the Protestant church have changed tremendously in the last fifty years” says my aunt. Most apparent to her was the increase in women’s leadership. You now see women pastors, assistant pastors, deacons and so forth. She says that the church was once an organization that was known for being called “The Good Old Boys’ Club”, but now it’s the “Good Old Boys’ and Girls’ club. She is a Minister of Music, so she gets to go a lot of different places (inside and outside of the country) to observe these things. She says that churches have become “growingly woman and gay friendly.” She once attended a church by the name of The Open Door whose services were particularly dedicated to ‘sharing God’ with those other than heterosexual without singling them out, but accepting who they are and making the church a community for them outside of their condemned community for by their sexual preferences.

More changes that she has noticed are in the services. She notices a more culturally blended congregation where in the past, if at all, that would be hard to find. Along with that she notices a growing variety of worship styles, including the style of music played, sung, or listened to, and how it is sung or played. She also says that churches are becoming increasingly accepting to open-denominational worship and fellowship. She believes that eventually the church will ultimately form one in seeking the Lord. To add to the details about the music, praise and worship services have become an essential part of the service. Particularly in African- American churches, praise and worship service may last from anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour, drawing out services anywhere from an hour and a half to two hours and a half. Music along with teachings, have begun to reflect trends of the changing times. She has witnessed music going from slow traditional hymns with the only instruments being your hands, feet, a tambourine, and possibly an organ, to more up-tempo songs, gospel music sounding like R&B, Pop, and Rap, with accompanying instruments of guitars, drums, pianos, keyboards, etc. The pastor’s sermon now reflects events of the changing times. At once it was forbidden to speak of things such as sexual orientation, sex matters such as STD’s, teen pregnancy, and homosexuality. Now it is accepted as a viable contribution for the church to expand topics to all matters in life. She also notices that there is no more “Fire and Brimstone”