I have heard many Christians expressing the need to adapt our “traditional” ways of spirituality to align with the changes in society. While I understand and partly agree with this sentiment, I believe we must be cautious about embracing every trend simply because it seems possible to integrate God into it. Indeed, there are various ways to worship God, but we must recognize that beyond the sincerity of our hearts, our faith, and our standing before Him, the seriousness of our worship is deeply influenced by the medium or manner in which we engage in it.
This reflection was sparked after watching Kwadwo Sheldon’s reaction to a Catholic priest who sang King Paluta’s “Aseda” song during a liturgical service. Sheldon made a thought-provoking statement that has stayed with me: as we evolve and times change, the orthodox church should reconsider its old ways and embrace the new era. He suggested that if a charismatic pastor had sung the same song in church, there likely wouldn’t have been any need for an apology, and he is confident that some charismatic churches already incorporate secular-gospel songs into their services.
Personally, I have reservations about singing a secular musician’s song in church. While it is not our place to judge anyone, regardless of whether they are a gospel or secular artist, we must consider the context in which these songs are performed. Some may argue that as long as the lyrics are positive and inspiring, without any profanity, the song can be included in worship. That’s a valid perspective, but in the Catholic context, the liturgy is so sacred that it cannot be tampered with lightly. The liturgy is a form of spirituality handed down to the Church since the time of Jesus Christ. This is not to say that the liturgy has remained unchanged—indeed, it has evolved in many ways to meet contemporary needs—but all changes have been made with the intention of preserving its sacredness.
While it is true that we need to keep up with the times, when it comes to spirituality, there is no need to rush into trends. “Traditional spiritual” practices are still effective and meaningful. Consider Judaism, one of the oldest religions, which gave birth to both Christianity and Islam. Even today, Christians and Muslims practice certain rituals that originated in Judaism, highlighting the enduring value of ancient spiritual traditions. The fact is, God doesn’t change; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If past generations had effective ways of praying and connecting with God, what makes us think that we must follow new trends for God to hear us?
In reality, some of these modern spiritual practices are diluting our faith, leading many religious people—especially Christians—to lose sight of the sacredness of worship. As new practices proliferate, many churches have transformed into places of entertainment rather than venues for spiritual growth. Unfortunately, this shift has led to a decline in genuine spiritual growth. By spiritual growth, I don’t mean speaking in tongues, performing miracles, or prophesying; I mean the growth in virtues such as love, humility, and integrity. Sadly, envy, sexual immorality, gossip, and corruption are all too common in our churches today, even among those deeply involved in “religious activities.” What has gone wrong? We are losing, if not have already lost, the true and effective path to becoming children of God. The fundamentals of our faith are still there, but we are failing to practice them because we believe we are in a new era. However, the God of yesterday is still the same today and forever.
#EmbraceOldSpirituality
By Bro Sam
