An interesting essay on Church Music

[Ed Pettibone]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/faithwalke ... ur-church/

I empathize greatly with this guy.

I think the comments section tell us much about today's American church.

[William Thornton]

Well written rehash of what you, I et al have been saying here for years.

The real reason worshipers aren't singing in church these days is because the church doesn't really want congregational singing, rather, 'just sit there and watch us perform' is the concept.

[Mrs Haruo]

I have to admit I agree. We have an enthusiastic praise band of fine musicians, and I like the pictures that are projected on the screen along with the words to the songs they do, but I often have a hard time picking out the tune. I want to be able to sing along. I like LOTS of music I can participate in- that's the worship that means the most to me. I have often go to mass with my Catholic sister-in-law, and I liked that there was a hymn sung at the end of mass to send folks out the door with music. A good sermon that stretches my mind and gets me thinking about scripture from a different angle is a wonderful thing, but its singing several hymns and not skipping verses is what gets my heart beating.

[Haruo]

LIKE what the Mrs just said.

[Haruo]

Though admittedly there are good arguments for skipping the occasional verse. E.g. "O for a thousand tongues"is a fine hymn ★★but originally it had 18 stanzas...

[William Thornton]

[Sandy]

I sure don't mind a good praise band, especially if they are good musicians and the volume is set at an appropriate level, and the musicians understand that they are leading worship, not performing a gig.

The arguments about the simplistic nature of contemporary worship music and the repeat, repeat, repeat.... don't really hold water. A lot of older hymns are pretty simplistic, theologically bad, and pretty repetitious ("Bringing in the Sheaves" comes to mind, "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder" is another, "Jesus Saves," and I could think of dozens of others). And I guess the influence of seminary classes I had regarding worship has probably affected my perspective on hymns, since I was taught that, from a Biblical perspective, worship is something that is directed toward God, hymns that are about God or Jesus, not directed to them, sometimes seem less worshipful. Much of today's Christian worship music is theologically sound, not nearly as simplistic as implied in the article, and not necessarily repetitious. On the other hand, there are some great worship hymns, loaded with praise and inspiring in their sound. A good worship leader, in my opinion, works with a pastor to plan a worship experience that will lead a congregation into the presence of the Holy Spirit, inviting God in, and bringing him into contact with worshippers who want to meet him. Sometimes, great music performances can drive him away.

[linda]

There are still a lot of us left around that are not looking for some sort of "contact with God" worship experience. We do that privately. For public services we look for preaching that tells about God, and songs that do the same. No Jesus is my boyfriend music.

Which probably explains why so many of us are out of church at "worship" time. Just SS has to do us.

[Dave Roberts]

Some of us who can read a little music also like to see notes on a staff. After all, we are not the audience for worship--God is.

[Lou]

[Haruo]

Ah but Lou, the trick is to sing "Toiling on" in a joyful, upbeat way. Personally, I like Doddridge's "", which suggests that not only do we each get a mansion and a crown, but our own personal office with a waiting room.

[Haruo]

Link from the UMC Music FB group: . What are your five?

[Sandy]

1. A Mighty Fortress is Our God
2. It is Well With my Soul
3. How Great Thou Art
4. The Days of Elijah
5. My God is Mighty to Save

[Haruo]

[Ed Pettibone]

Ed: My Five are

1. How great thou are

2. Amazing Grace

3. Oh Why not tonight

4. I'd Rather Have Jesus

5. O Happy Day

[Lou]

My top five, in no particular order:

1. Be Thou My Vision

2. In Christ Alone (Although--in the interest of full disclosure--when I am singing the 2nd stanza I tend to substitute the phrase "the love of God was magnified" for "the wrath of God was satisfied," because I find those words more theologically satisfying. Probably just a knee-jerk reaction against the Calvinist flavor of the original lyric, but it is what it is.)

3. Worthy of Worship

4. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

5. It Is Well With My Soul