Posted on 01/30/2008 8:56:00 AM PST by Gamecock
Well then that’s a real sad state of affairs, if churches are dying because of bad music. How superficial is that? When I was young, I liked some of the contemporary songs that my church sang on Sunday. Now that I am older (50), I much prefer the old hymns and their meaning than any repeditive chant someone thought up on the spur of the moment. Cults do that repeditive chanting, and that’s what I liken it to. Be honest, the reason why so many churches sing those contemporary songs is a way to get new young blood in a church. I attended one of those churches that sang newer songs only. One day they were taking requests and I requested “What a friend we have in Jesus”. We sang one verse and then the music director said “now let’s sing something less depressing”. Hello? What he said spoke volumes about that church. A church should have much more substance than what kind of music they sing.
Well, why is it sad? John Wesley realized that music was a critical ingredient. Certainly, the “old” music turns off young people, and the “youts” are the future of any church. Every generation thinks that only “its” music is acceptable-—they were horrified when Bach brought the organ into church, and I remember when I saw my first guitar-—that was just blasphemous. How silly.
Here is a quote from John Wesley
“I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen”
Except the SONGS John Wesley used were radical. Every generation introduces new, and different music. Funny, where are those here defending ONLY Gregorian chants?
‘the “youts” are the future of any church.’
Oh boy. This is the same essential statement an (interim) pastor made to me excusing why their little church wouldn’t do anything about the out-of-control obnoxious undisciplined brat (from a new joining of small congregations) they let run around church at all times, sometimes screaming and stomping around the whole church, never mind running up to people while getting communion. Father simply followed him all around the church rather than actually stop him from disrupting everything.
I told the pastor this “young person” was going elsewhere so she wouldn’t be disrupted constantly and could pay attention to worship... and this young person would probably be producing youngER people soon, herself - who might be more respectful of church and its members.
Bad reason to change things.
I like Gregorian chants.
I have a CD by Chanticleer, “Mysteria”.
2) I don't like Gregorian chants, and virtually none of the people here attacking contemporary Christian music would for one second tolerate having Gregorian chants substituted for "It is well with my soul," or "Old Rugged Cross." Which is my point. You are free to worship God with your music, I with mine. I believe His ears can detect praise in any language or syncopation.
If music was my only motivation for going to church, that would be sad. Which is what you’re saying when you declare the churches are dying due to bad music. Which leads me to say more. “The Church” is not a building people go into, it is a body of believers. These buildings are dying due to going the way of the world, being led by those who should not be leading. This is prophecy that’s being fulfilled. I don’t go to church because organized religion has given me a bitter taste in my mouth. I do study the Bible and “where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am also”. I don’t fault others for going to church, I did it for half of my life. But I have no distractions, as far as doctrines go, to conflict with my belief, which is based on God’s Word. I have never grown so much spiritually, when going to church, as I have not going. This is just the way it’s worked out for me. And I don’t forsake the assemblying of believers. I see other believers on a daily basis, and we keep each other in check. But church is not a building, and we are a body of believers.
But to neglect new forms of music as either irrelevant, necessarily bad because they "aren't how we used to do it," or because the words, to quote someone above, aren't as "theologically rich" as one thinks they might be, is silly. I personally love songs that aren't overly wordy. It allows me to focus my worship on the PERSON getting that worship, not on man's cleverness in writing a good tune.
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