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Hi Jordan,
As a pastoral matter I think it will be a long and difficult struggle to communicate the historic RPW to a subjectivist generation. A lot of our people don't understand the RPW. Many, perhaps most, have never heard of the RPW. Most couldn't state it clearly or correctly or concisely. But they think they understand worship. They don't know our doctrine of the atonement but they know what they feel and experience during worship. Many of our people (those in ostensibly confessional congregations) don't come from Reformed backgrounds. That can breed a certain resistance to the RPW. OTOH, those who've been raised in the hymn-singing, instrument playing Reformed churches think "this is how Reformed churches worship." They're shocked to find out that, no, this isn't historic or confessional Reformed worship.
All this is to say that, if it took the Reformed churches 30+ years to face the Shepherd controversy and that was about heaven and hell (righteousness with God), how much longer will it take us all, when about 1% of NAPARC actually consistently,regularly, practices the RPW as historically understood, to reform worship? It will take a long, long time. Most people don't even know there's a problem.
This means that those who hold the historic RPW will have to be very patient, calm, and gracious with our brothers and sisters (and their pastors, sessions, and consistories) who've not yet faced this issue or who have decided in favor of the status quo.
For my part, I try to find a psalm in the same meter and I sing along quietly. If I can't, then I stand (if the congregation is standing), so as not to disturb the congregation and draw attention to myself. I wouldn't judge anyone for a different approach. Frankly we're in uncharted waters.
We spent the last 150 years fighting the liberals and when we came back home from the war we found that our churches were in tatters theologically and liturgically. They weren't in grand shape, in every regard, before the war. It will take time.
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R. Scott Clark, D.Phil
Professor of Church History and Historical Theology 
"For Christ, His Gospel, and His Church"
Associate Pastor Oceanside URC The Heidelblog |