Posted on 12/28/2013 10:20:36 AM PST by Laissez-faire capitalist
As to "in church" I mean that not so much broadly as to the Church (body of Christ), but as to which styles are Biblically permitted in individual churches.
1.) At what point (scripturally) does a church worship team (for instance) go too far when plucking the bass guitar or electric guitar, or beat the drums too loudly? At what point is the "riff" (or beat) becoming too "wordly."
Define "wordly" music as opposed to non-wordly music if/when discussing this. I ask this of those who lean more towards the Michael W. Smith type worship services or to those who like the Southern Gospel type worship services.
2.) At what point does "Southern Gospel" music become a little too Southern and thus become too worldly/honkey-tonk/Country/Country Rock? I ask this of those say they like who like what they deem to be Godly "Southern Gospel."
3.) I still can't find any scripture that exegetically/hermeneutically says that a service must be marked by only Latin/Gregorian chanting. Surely these churches can imploy other "styles" of music, too, at least in the "main" service.
The second thing a successful worship ministry does is prepare the hearts of the congregation to receive God's word from the appointed speaker. To bring the congregation to the throne and prepare them for God's word. A lot of people come to church with all sorts of things on their minds. With heavy hearts. Beaten down through the week etc. A successful worship ministry reaches in and grabs their heart with relevant music, performed well. (yeah I said performed) Like it or not when musicians play music they are performing. There is no way around that. They can perform in church for God's purpose, or they can perform in a bar for other purposes. Either way, playing music in public is a performance. A successful music ministry reaches hearts. Because music done well creates emotion. If your music ministry isn't creating emotion and preparing hearts to hear the word of God, then it is failing.
So it is two fold in today's churches. Lead worship, and prepare hearts. If we want music to be solely about worship..... I mean I do that everyday at home with a guitar in my quiet time.
This isn't anything new. Your pianist and organist knew their purpose was to "set up" the congregation for the preacher. Its been that way all of our lives. Today because music is so diverse.... a piano and organ doesn't get it done for most people under the age of about 40. That's just the way it is.
The music is even selected to dovetail into the message the preacher has prepared.
I have found that in the churches where I have worshiped and served by music, the congregation, including ALL ages enjoy variety in the music, and we have the little ones singing every song along with the old folks, like myself, singing every song. No one complains, at least not so I hear it, that songs they don’t like the style of are mixed in with the songs of which they approve.
Instead of the Isaac Watts/Lowell Mason version of "Joy to the World," so beloved by old fogies and musical elitists, Christmas Eve services should from now on feature this version:
Joy to the World
I played for a long time in a mega-church. Actually was on staff in the music ministry scheduling musicians, training young musicians etc. We had rock the flock music... but we also played Silent Night and O Holy Night. We just used more instruments than a piano and organ to play them.
But when I read your post it reads as selfish. I'm sorry but it does. It's about the music you want to hear. Would you rather go to church and hear the songs you like, or would rather go to church and see the music ministry reach young couples with kids and help bring them into church where they can be discipled and raise Godly children? I'm not saying its either or... but I am saying we really make it difficult to reach young couples who need Christ in their lives when we insist on the music we grew up with in the 1960's performed like it was in the 1960's.
One can argue all day that music like that will still reach young people. And it will now and then. But what we're really saying, is I want it my way and I'm not worried about discipling others. That's my take on it.
Should one banning music that does not suit his taste be so blessed.
Finally we went to two different services. Piano and Organ in the first one, and contemporary in the second service. After a couple of years about half of the seniors started saying.. I sure do miss the orchestra and all of the musicians. You can't make people happy. You gotta just do your very best to play your very best for God in a way that brings emotion in the service, and prepares hearts for God's message. I really believe that.
That is my point.
I like most kinds of music done in church, even singing the old hymns with or without accompaniment in four part harmony. Bass line for me. And I like a lot of the modern stuff form the last 50 years very much also.
It’s hard to beat singing and hearing “Majesty” sung in the auditorium of Church on the Way in Van Nuys!
Then follow that up with something like “Just a Closer Walk With Thee”.
Maybe I’m just too easy to please...
I like all kinds of music too. Its incredible how many people don’t. We had so many seniors who would complain about “Shout To The Lord” when it first came out. Didn’t matter how we did it.... it was just a new song and they didn’t like new songs. You know..... a guy can youtube “shout to the lord” and see it done all over the world. In all sorts of languages. By talented people and by not talented people. Its iconic... but you know... it was written after 1962 so you know... its one of “THOSE” songs....
Yes and it's annoying as hell.
Haven’t heard the complaining myself. Perhaps all the grouchy old windbags have gone someplace else to complain. Going to church and fellowship with the people at the churches where I have been are the highlight of my week.
And always the highlight of my week as well. I played in a group with incredibly talent musicians. One of the guys grew up in that church and eventually became an original member of “Mercy Me”. Incredible singers, and musicians who were dedicated to worshiping the lord. But yeah... it got old reading emails from people convinced that we couldn’t do a song that wasn’t in the first or second edition of the Broadman Hymnal. :) Sorry if I’m a little edgy about the subject :)
Sad about the negative feedback. Maybe it has something to do with the larger congregation where you were. I’ve been in small churches of less than 100 at worship Sunday AM. Got to experience the Church on the Way thing when I was youth leader and we went there for a pep rally leading up to a Louis Palau crusade coming to Burmingham HS shortly after, getting the kids pumped to bring their friends. It was one of the most memorable experiences in my life.
That’s really cool. I grew up in a small church that got really big. 5000 members. 2500 seat auditorium with 2000 in it twice each Sunday morning. Sunday night service with 1000 to 1200. In an environment like that... you have all kinds of people :) You gotta love “em” all. :)
You're not making sense, but I think it's what you mean. It's a big problem.
Thanks to you I’ve been listening to the EO programs of “Nederland zingt.” Good stuff. There is real substance to the lyrics of the older hymns.
I think it was the Simpsons. She said she'd change the word "baby" in the songs to "Jesus." Quite a lot of truth to that.
My original cut-off date was 1934, when "Jesus Is Always There" by Haldor Lillenas, which to me was the last great hymn ever written, was published. But a friend noted that I was leaving out "God of Love and God of Power" (1939) by Gerald Kennedy/Joachim Neander.
I'm sorry to disappoint you, but those of us who like more traditional music are not dying off. Our new pastor, who is rather young, phased in some classics. He opened one service with "The Church in the Wildwood," and it got such a positive response that he repeated it the next time.
Perhaps it was taken out to make room for more politically correct tunes such as "O God of Every Nation" ("From search for wealth and power and scorn of truth and right/From trust in bombs that shower destruction in the night") or "O Young and Fearless Prophet" ("Forbid false love of country that blinds us to his call...").
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