An Arkansas church's attempt to connect with millennials has attracted attention beyond its congregation after its choir performed the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" during Sunday worship. The unexpected selection prompted criticism online, while the church's senior pastor defended its place in a series exploring different generations.
Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville included the 1999 pop hit in its October 11 service. According to The Christian Post, the performance accompanied a focus on millennials and was introduced as a nostalgic musical moment intended to help the congregation understand that generation.
The Rev. Virginia Brown introduced the arrangement as a "pretty awesome throwback jam," preparing worshippers for a familiar song in a different musical setting. The performance subsequently circulated through the Christian commentary account Protestia, where it drew objections to the use of secular pop music during worship.
Senior Pastor Jennie Williams told The Christian Post that the selection served a broader effort to encourage understanding across age groups. She described the church's aim as building empathy and cooperation within an intergenerational congregation, rather than allowing differences to deepen divisions.
Williams also connected the church's approach to Jesus making himself relatable to humanity. In her explanation, familiar cultural references can help people who find churches difficult to connect with become more open to encountering Jesus.
The service continued with the Rev. Chase Burns reading from Genesis 32 and preaching about Jacob wrestling with God. He connected the passage with millennials' struggles over faith, disappointment and disillusionment, placing the musical selection within the service's wider generational theme.
The resulting controversy raises a question churches continue to navigate: how should familiar popular culture feature in worship? Central's leaders presented the song as a bridge to understanding, while its critics questioned whether that bridge belonged in a Sunday service.
Watch The Choir's Performance Clip On X.
Watch The Church's Service On YouTube, Linked To The Musical Segment.
