Posted on 01/28/2007 8:57:58 PM PST by Mount Athos
John Lennon may have been misunderstood when he claimed that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus but there is no doubt as to his dreams in Imagine.
You know a Church is dead when it embraces the world. Especially in the form of rock and roll.
Praise and Worship songs have been around for some time. They use the instruments and musical style of rock while conveying a Christain message (many of the songs are wonderful and every bit as valid as "A Mighty Fortess is Our God"). Many churches like ours have different services based on the musical style (in our case a conventional Lutheran service with organ, choir, liturgy; a mixed service with modern and traditional music; and a complete Praise and Worship service with drums, electric guitar etc). The message is the same at all three services, but the delivery style is different (trending to less formal).
I think basing a church service on Bono's music is ridiculous. Some of U2's songs may be appropriate in a given circumstance, but we have a whole bunch of Christian music out their that can be used that should appeal to U2 fans.
The important thing is to have a strong sermon based upon Biblical teachings.
If you mean using the lyrics and message of rock songs then I agree. If you mean using the musical rock style (drums, electric guitar and bass, synthesizer etc) then I completely disagree. The form is not nearly as important as the message. Throughout history music forms existing in secular society have been adopted for use of the church (and vice versa). Rock contains a strong element of black spirtuals and is richer for the content. Praise and Worship songs uplift the singers while giving praise to the Lord.
What's next-a Madonna-thon
A point I would like to make is that there is nothing wrong with modern music for young people. Music that carries the right message. They get this music until it comes out of their ears. Every day and every hour.
Each thing in it's own place. There are few things more uplifting than the old fashioned traditional ways. In only too short a time, youth or the elderly have to return to the outside world.
I was sent to a country village to avoid the bombing 1940. I had to go to a Methodist Chapel. They were farming folk. Their favourite and sung with gusto started thus:
"We plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land. But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand". How they sung it!
I agree with your concern. I feel it will not work. Indeed, it has not worked.
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
The church in England has lost that. The church in America is in danger of doing the same.
If the message gets out with unsavory type people far be it from me to judge what's right and what's wrong !!!
Somehow I knew when I saw the title, I knew it would be an Episcopalian/C-of-E church.
Eh. It's an interesting idea, although some of U2's songs would definitely work better with that concept than others. ("Gloria", yes. "40", yes. That one's pretty much a direct lift from the 40th Psalm. "Mysterious Ways"...I don't know.)
Does this jerk have a real name?
If Bono or anyone else can be a positive influence to people for hearing the "Good News" for salvation through Jesus Christ then I don't have a problem with it.I'm not going to put myself in the judgement seat on who's good or bad.If you want to be my guest !!!
The Church of Boner...When his Mom woke him up to go to school in the morning she said, "Get up Boner...Get up!"
Uhhh...Good or Bad?...have you been to a U2 or Bob Geldorf concert lately? Horrible!
Didn't Bart do that in the Simpsons? Replaced the hymnals with "In The Garden of Eden" (Innagodadavida).
Actually I could care less about U-2,now let's all hold hands and sing Amazing Grace !!!
I waited patiently for the Lord
He inclined and heard my cry
He brought me up out of the pit
Out of the miry clay
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
How long to sing this song
How long to sing this song
How long...how long...how long...
How long...to sing this song
He set my feet upon a rock
And made my footsteps firm
Many will see
Many will see and fear
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
I will sing, sing a new song
How long to sing this song
How long to sing this song
How long...how long...how long...
How long...to sing this song
"40" by U2
Works PERFECTLY in our weekly half hour of worship. I'd challenge the decision to play "Bullet the Blue Sky" or many of the group's excellent secular tomes. But if you sing the Doxology to a pipe organ every week, you'd hem and haw about any contemporary Christian music from the stage.
We're a FourSquare church with *gasp* drums, electric guitars and everything. :-0
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it. We're connecting people with God.
When this idiot went into political propagandizing, I boycotted anything from the group (I used to love listening to them).
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