Worship Songs and Singing in The Church

This is another post in regards to another post I have seen flying around the christian worship blog world called "Worship Songs Are A Bit Rubbish At Serving The Local Church". Since I see many having discussion on this exact post or many with similar ideas here are my thoughts on it.

The concerns this article points to reminds me of conversations that I have with worship team and church members and its divided almost right down a generational line (and/or church background history). Some of my worship team members over 50,that grew up in the church, have made similar comments while most of members under 40 (church and worship team) and the older ones over 40 who DID NOT GROW UP IN THE CHUCH WORLD would think this article is full of “rubbish” itself.

Music is a language of culture and the church at one time might have had a more understood universal culture, however that is just not true anymore. One great lesson learned from the Jesus Movement that brought about a revival in the church world in regards to worship music and the songs that came out of it was that the songs had significance because they belonged to new separate culture of the church and their songs spoke their language allowed them to worship, where as the "traditional" church culture was so far off from their language and culture it was foreign to them. As I read this article I feel it is written from a rulebook that has changed but the author either doesn't like the change or thinks the change is wrong. He speaks to some good practical realities for some churches but he sates them as if they are rules. However, they simply are not rules, even for small churches.

My 55 year old senior pastor with Baptist roots recently challenged me with a rule change. He asked me to introduce a new song every week. I am a younger worship guy but that went against the rules I grew up with in the church from the 90s. My pastor said, “Listen, if they are listening to Christian radio and Pandora etc then they are already hearing these new songs and they won't really be new to the church.” Well, he was right. We are now 6 months into doing a new song almost every week and most of the time you would never guess it’s a new song and the church can sing them (Bethel Church, Hillsong and all). Why because its not foreign to them. Its the music they listen to and also sing to, even with weird melodies or weird key. It is not hard for them because they sing along with them all the time in the car, even in those keys the author of this article thinks will make people stop singing.

The article speaks to a culture that still exists in some places but Is NOT the normal church world anymore, or at least it is shrinking more each year. I am in an Evangelical Free Church in the middle of Midwestern culture (Small Town WI) who is always seems10 years behind however I don’t hear the comments the article talked about except from the long term church goers who have been told “that  is the rule” apparently it only hinders them, not the regular believer coming without a man made rule book who is just ready to worship!

Its time to put away our rule books and always be open to what is changing and happening in our churches. If its not a rule in the Bible its time to chill out and end the attacks on others that do it differently.

The Need For Art In Worship/Church

A fellow worship leader/pastor wrote a discussion blog about the role of art in the church. You can see what he wrote here. Below are my thoughts on the subject and response to his blog post.

Art is so powerful and I believe it is a much needed tool and element for churches and times of worship. As I look back through the Old Testament, even before music was a major part of worship in the tabernacle art pieces dominated the worship scene. With the power of symbolism being passed down from God, pieces of art like the ark of the covenant, alters,

tapestry, wood carvings etc where things created to be used in worship under specific desires and directions from God. Looking forward to the building of the temple we see how powerful art and forms of beauty built and created for worship was significant to God as he gave great detail to these things in his instructions in the building of His house of worship.

Physical art has been a significant part of worship since God first encountered his people and I believe even has more potential and power to lead in worship then music alone. As the saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words". I believe symbolism and art has a power to connect with the soul and lead in worship in powerful ways, and based on what I see in scripture, I think God sees this as well. 

Due to the Protestant Reformation many moved away from anything that even felt like Catholicism and the Evangelical world lost the powerful use of art. However it's a loss we do not have to accept. We can return to values the early church had for art without making it an idol like seen in some historical aspects of Catholicism. 

I think the important thing for any artist in the church world to remember is that art in the church will always have a different standard and purpose then art outside of the church. Art in the church must, just like in the Old Testament, point people to God and be something people can understand and connect with. Art outside of the church is for the artist to say whatever they want and if their audiences misses it's meaning or purpose that's ok. But in the church art always has a purpose and

value to communicate in a way that points people to God and brings revelation of truth. I think this point is often missed by many artist in the church and is why many struggle with the role of art and artist in the church.

What we need is leaders who see the biblical value and significance for art in worship and the church but can shepherd and lead the artist to fulfill their calling as artists that point people to the creator of it all, the Creator God!