Greetings to all you members of the blog sphere.....well my network of bloggers at least. I submit this for discussion and thought this afternoon.
Today as sat in Sunday morning worship we sang two familiar songs one was "I Will Call Upon The Lord" and the other was "Shine Jesus Shine." We took and sang these two songs at a incredibly slow tempo if you ask me; slower than I'm used to. I'm a musician....well I like to think of myself as one; as a person who has led worship on many different occasions and I can tell you from first-hand experience that the style of the music has an effect on people. The music you pick and play will either energize them or bore and depress them.
I find that the majority of worship in our churches is bored and played out. There are a slight few that have a mixture and worship in those churches is exciting and great. I know and will admit that the majority of churches have to consider the makeup of their congregations. Consider any fast paced song that you think of and slowing it down and even removing two maybe even three of the instruments(guitars, drums, and bass) used to originally record it and replacing them with a piano and organ. This is done so that the older and more influential members will be happy and want to sing that Sunday. Still I have to sit and think: Why do we worship through singing?......is it for our enjoyment and pleasure, or do really grasp the concept that it is God the Father to whom we are singing.
Don't get me wrong I'm not for the removal of hymns there are some outstanding pieces of music that I would cry if we never sang them again: "Come Thou Fount", "O For Thousand Tongues","How Great Thou Art." These are only a few that have awesome truths contained within in them.
I think that it was do us some good to consider the culture and time that we're in when we put our minds to doing worship.
A song like "Trading My Sorrows" at a slow tempo doesn't come off sounding too joyful.
3 comments:
I think that the problem lies in the misdefinition of worship. Even the word can be traced back to the Saxon 'weorth' and 'scipe' - literally 'Vessel of Worth', meaning to attribute worth. If singing and playing gets folks all riled up about style, etc., try not doing so. Remember, God looks at the heart, which is why Amos says "Away with the noise of your songs..." and Paul mentions "resounding gong[s] and a clanging cymbal" in a bad light, while they are both found in a good light in the Psalms.
Attribute worth, whatever you do. "Work as unto the Lord..."
I do see your point...very interesting concept considering the etymology of the word.
The worship and style of music in my church over here in Raleigh could use a couple shots of espresso now and then.
speaking of music....I saw Goo Goo Dolls in concert last night...they so happened to play Iris and Black Balloon....it was sweet
agreed with whipple. worship is much, much more than singing. in fact, go to a quaker worship service and you'll never sing a lick.
it sounds like your beef is with the performance end of the music. if that's the case, you would do better to talk with the person leading the music ministry rather than ranting about it on the blogosphere. :)
ciao!
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