planning corporate worship

this week i find myself having to do something i haven't had to do for quite sometime - be the sole planner of our corporate worship services for this weekend. we are in the midst of an interim period and our regular interim is out of town. the gentleman who is filling in is out of pocket until friday evening and the worship bulletin needs to be at the printer by friday morning. so, the pastor gets to step in and plan.

i understand again why so many churches have gone the seeker sensitive route - it is easier. asking what your target demographic wants to hear is much easier than balancing the biblical tension of immanence/transcendance (my own service would include springsteen, van halen, dwight yoakam, allison krauss and union station and of course, johnny cash). having to combine theological concerns with issues of flow, organic authenticity (i.e. it won't be cheesy, jerky or bransonesque) all the while keeping in mind that you cannot lose the congregation of worshippers (musically or otherwise) is not easy. to top it all off, our current interim does a great job of combining all these things and makes it look easy. leading God's people in an experience of joyful reverence is not an easy thing.