Milk...It's What's For Worship
I'm now more convinced than ever that there's an aspect to the very nature of our worship that's yet to be fully discussed. It has to deal w/the whole style issue as it pertains to the musical points of our services. After pondering this for some time, I think that I may have found the crux of the issue.
I'd like to address the use of contemporary praise choruses & would propose that it's abhorrence by some folks goes deeper than just not being their 'style'. My dad calls them 7/11 songs (7 words x 11 times) & at 1st I thought that he was against them for reasons rooted in generational differences, but I would propose that this may have very little to do with it. The repetitive nature of these songs is the key ingredient, I believe, in the why or why not these songs are embraced or disregarded by some.
If we could but look beyond the issue of style I think that we'll find songs that, for the most part, are unimaginative & worst of all, boring. This is only edified by the constant repetition & lack of punch in the accompanying verses. Worship should engage & mystify not put to sleep.
"That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence--
I don't know about you, but some of these choruses allow for my mind to remain disengaged & wondering if this is the best that we can do. Far too often I'm afraid that we do a poor job of engaging our intellect in worship as well as our other senses. This should concern us greatly, but I'm afraid that most don't even believe there to be any thing wrong with the status quo.
Lately, I've found that I'm lead into a deeper, more personal time of worship through the works of U2 or Live than I am Michael W. & David Crowder. They challenge me to think critically & engage me on levels that I don't reach on Sundays & this concerns me deeply. Right now, I'm at a lose.
I don't proclaim spiritual giantism status by any means, but I've just got this gut feeling that a lot of what we use today is just too dumbed down to really be effective for some. In fact, the more I ponder, I can't help but equate most of our 'praise' ditties to milk, while there is meat yet to be served up. This opinion could be totally off, but I'm not so sure. I just think that we've focused so much dialogue on style that we've missed the true basis for rejection by some. Not too many adults would consider a glass of milk to be a meal, so why should they be filled by remedial repetition?
They're not.
Are you?
I'd like to address the use of contemporary praise choruses & would propose that it's abhorrence by some folks goes deeper than just not being their 'style'. My dad calls them 7/11 songs (7 words x 11 times) & at 1st I thought that he was against them for reasons rooted in generational differences, but I would propose that this may have very little to do with it. The repetitive nature of these songs is the key ingredient, I believe, in the why or why not these songs are embraced or disregarded by some.
If we could but look beyond the issue of style I think that we'll find songs that, for the most part, are unimaginative & worst of all, boring. This is only edified by the constant repetition & lack of punch in the accompanying verses. Worship should engage & mystify not put to sleep.
"That you love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence--
I don't know about you, but some of these choruses allow for my mind to remain disengaged & wondering if this is the best that we can do. Far too often I'm afraid that we do a poor job of engaging our intellect in worship as well as our other senses. This should concern us greatly, but I'm afraid that most don't even believe there to be any thing wrong with the status quo.
Lately, I've found that I'm lead into a deeper, more personal time of worship through the works of U2 or Live than I am Michael W. & David Crowder. They challenge me to think critically & engage me on levels that I don't reach on Sundays & this concerns me deeply. Right now, I'm at a lose.
I don't proclaim spiritual giantism status by any means, but I've just got this gut feeling that a lot of what we use today is just too dumbed down to really be effective for some. In fact, the more I ponder, I can't help but equate most of our 'praise' ditties to milk, while there is meat yet to be served up. This opinion could be totally off, but I'm not so sure. I just think that we've focused so much dialogue on style that we've missed the true basis for rejection by some. Not too many adults would consider a glass of milk to be a meal, so why should they be filled by remedial repetition?
They're not.
Are you?
posted by lee at 10:23 PM
4 Comments:
funny, but Sunday, we were at a new place for worship. and one of my favorite choruses was done at the end. and in my mind I remember thinking, should we stop after 10 or 15 repeats? how long should we repeat this?
being engaged with mind and soul as to what we are actually singing is vital to me. over the years I have watched teens get their "worship groove" on when their favorite chorus comes on.
we all do it.
agreed on worshiping in unlikly situations as of late. music always plays a role in that, but the type of music is different now.
I am still convinced that Stevie Ray can open that portal more that most.
Lee, you hit it exactly! I have ALWAYS felt the same way about praise choruses.
I liken them to pop music. Shallow. But perfect for the mainstream listener who is not very discerning and will like anything that's popular or played often enough.
I too have often been launched into deep and spontaneous worship while listening to the lyrics & music of U2 and Creed, for another example.
Psa 33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
Psa 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, [even] praise unto our God: many shall see [it], and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Psa 96:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.
Psa 98:1 [[A Psalm.]] O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
Psa 144:9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery [and] an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.
Psa 149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, [and] his praise in the congregation of saints.
Isa 42:10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, [and] his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.
Lee, I've been dealing with this issue since I started leading worship over 12 years ago and I think that you've hit on what I would call a "Pendulam-Issue" within modern churches - where if we swing too far one way we will only accomplish what we have always accomplished; we'll hold onto the blue-hairs and single mothers - and if we swing too far to the other side we'll completely lose the focus of why we do WHAT we do.
The thing is that we (churches) just aren't reaching seekers and searchers these days because we just can't HOLD THEIR ATTENTION!
For the last 6 years I've been on a constant search for new ideas and expressions of worship in song...being a songwriter myself; I've been able to personally effect the worship that I lead but my own talents only go so far...
It's interesting that you brought up the bands Live and U2 because I've actually gone out of my way to teach my congregation how to worship God through songs they may already know and may have heard on "secular radio stations" - to be honest, I never listen to Christian Radio and I do not buy music from Christian artists...why support the seperation and the labeling?
Anywho, I'd recommend a few artists for you to check out and possibly encourage your church to look into as well...here's a few for starters that I've taught and worshiped with at my church...
Seal, Sara McLachlin, Bad Religion, U2, Finger 11 and Lifehouse.
Keep it up bro, true worship is out there, you just may have to find it on your own though.
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