Towzer On Doing Church

Sometimes I have problems with what I see in church. Apparently I'm not the only one. A.W. Towzer had this to say:

We of the nonliturgical churches tend to look with some disdain upon those churches that follow a carefully prescribed form of service, and certainly there must be a good deal in such services that has little or no meaning for the average participant—this not because it is carefully prescribed but because the average participant is what he is. But I have observed that our familiar impromptu service, planned by the leader twenty minutes before, often tends to follow a ragged and tired order almost as standardized as the mass. The liturgical service is at least beautiful; ours is often ugly. Theirs has been carefully worked out through the centuries to capture as much of beauty as possible and to preserve a spirit of reverence among the worshipers. Ours is often an off-the-cuff makeshift with nothing to recommend it. Its so-called liberty is often not liberty at all but sheer slovenliness.—God Tells the Man Who Cares.

From time to time I've mentioned to my church leadership that a more formal structured kind of Worship service might be more appropriate. Needless to say my suggestions have not been appreciated. Oh well, I'll keep trying. Who knows, perhaps someday others may agree.