Diversity in Worship: The Integration of Historic Works into the Contemporary Worship Service, as Illustrated by the Oboe

Since the times of the New Testament, the church has inevitably found itself entangled in “Worship Wars,”1 sparked by the introduction of new styles of music. Today, contemporary churches often only present one style of music while neglecting the rich history of sacred, instrumental music. When a single style of worship is exclusively offered in worship, the service can neglect to be multigenerational and multicultural, only relatable to some of the congregation, rather than the whole Body. If contemporary churches took a blended worship approach and integrated historic works into their worship services, the church would see growth in outreach, involvement of the congregation in worship, ministry opportunities and diversity