Post with 2 notes
What is wrong with modern church music?
I read this from Brenton Browns blog this week.
From an American newspaper in an article objecting to new trends in church music.
There are several reasons for opposing it.
1. It’s too new.
2. It’s often worldly, even blasphemous.
3. The new Christian music is not as pleasant as the more established style.
4. Because there are so many new songs you can’t learn them all.
5. It put’s too much emphasis on instrumental music rather than Godly lyrics.
6. The new music creates disturbances making people act indecently and disorderly.
7. The preceding generation got along perfectly without it.
8. It’s a money making scam.
9. And some of these new music upstarts are lewd and loose.
You might think this was written recently. But it was written by an American preacher, a church leader attacking Isaac Watts, the hymn writer who wrote the hymn ‘When I Survey The Wondrous Cross’ published in 1707.
This really effected me when i read it. when i see all of the issues in the church today it hurts to see that usually i can dig into scripture and find a situation with the same problem, and then usually the same example in the early church before my time.
I pray everyday that i dont become this, right not my worship style is whats currently popular, and that the younger generation is truly worshiping too. but that day when it changes, that i can understand, and help the next generation.
just as long as i pursuit excellence in my skill or worship, and that its always for the glory of God.
Come together.
The other night i purchased a CD on iTunes called “Here is love” by a church called “Bethel Temple” out of Redding, Texas. Great album by the way. Brian and Jenn Johnson are the Leaders, and they truly have an anointing on their ministry, every time i hear them sing i get this calm feeling over me. On the CD was a song called “King of Wonders” which right now is my favorite worship song. there will be a video of it later in the post.
so since my passion is Worship ministry and i love to lead worship through song, i of course “googled” its origin.
what i read amazed me, it was a song written for the album Compassion: Art. and it was written by about 12 of the best worship song writers currently ever (Sorry dead hymn writers.) and it was performed by Tim hughes.
The song writers include Paul Baloche, Steven Curtis Chapman, Stuart Garrard, Israel Houghton, Tim Hughes, Graham Kendrick,
Andy Park, Matt Redman, Martin Smith, Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin, Darlene Zschech, and Joel Houston.
Now most people in the music ministry understand where im going with this, but if your clueless ill explain more.
all of these writers/performers come from every type of music genre there is, from nice folk stuff, to hard “youthy” rock, to even Gospel!
this is a article that Matt Redman wrote about writing the song.
‘King of Wonders’ is the most ‘team-written’ song I’ve ever been part of. The original idea came when Steven Curtis Chapman and I wrote together. At the next stage, we invited Paul Baloche in to join us. Then Tim Hughes joined the party. Even with all this activity, the song didn’t get finished until we re-assembled at Martin Smith’s house a few weeks later. Then the team dynamic really kicked in–with Israel Houghton, Graham Kendrick and Martin all bringing their melodic ideas and lyrical input. In the space of about 45 minutes, the song suddenly took shape. It was actually a really beautiful team moment. We stood around the piano, worshipping together and each person offering their thoughts and edits to help complete the song.
I was really struck by the friendship as we gathered around that piano. No one was afraid to offer ideas or throw a question into the songwriting process. There was an honesty and transparency that can only be cultivated out of true friendship. To complete that team dynamic, Joel Houston (Hillsong United) joined Tim and I to record the vocals to the song.The song is based around the idea of ‘revelation’ and ‘response.’ It’s the thought that our God reveals Himself to us in so many amazing and inspiring ways–and the more we see of Him, the more we love Him. His glory shines before our eyes, and we simply stand amazed.” –Matt Redman
This article blows my mind, most Baptist churches wont even have an event with the methodist church across the street (for the record across the street from every baptist church is a methodist church, im not singleing out any church) and these guys got out of their shell, and came together to make the name of Jesus Christ famous? AWESOME!
The day that all Christians, from every type of church that believes that Jesus is lord, come together to reach the world and Give all the glory to Jesus Christ is going to be a really great day!
And for the record………
I do believe that will happen, Because Nothing is Impossible with Christ Jesus!
-James
p.s
Praise you in this storm.
this past week has been interesting to say the least, it snowed at least 6 inches in my town (which happens about every 7 years) and ive had a few days to relax, and waste time.
actually ive been wasteing alot of time since oct 31st. ive been through so many things this past year. alot of ups, twice as many downs. and through it all jesus is still lord, and what he wants me to do is ever so clear.
For the first in ever in my life i can say that i “know what i want to be when i grow up”. and that answer is to be full time in the music ministry. now at this point in my live i just love serveing to make the name of jesus famous. if your a servant of a “smaller” church im sure you know that you cant just do one thing in your church.
ten years ago i started a youth who really had no clue about alot of things, but i knew that i loved to serve, so it started out with getting to church early and help “setting up” aka moving chairs, cleaning, and other “behind the scenes” stuff. which moved into helping coordinate other “chair movers, and i even got to operate a fog machine once. one day i was pretty much forced into youth choir because they needed “boys”. so on one random day while working on the standard youth christmas musical, all the boys were forced to try out for a solo (all four of us) so on that day the youth chior leaders told me that i could sing. at the time i didnt know that i could because i was always told to stop singing loud as a child. so on that random wednesday night i was told i could also serve jesus with my voice.
so to now, i can do almost everything (and usually do) in that church, sound, play instruments, sing, work in youth, media, do the occasional youth sermon. but i know that Gods calling for me is Music ministry, and i plan on attending college to make best the best i possibly can be in that ministry.
even though alot of us are involved in alot of things in our church, if your not sure what your true calling is, Pray and study untill you can see what God wants you to do. If you know what your True calling is, however you do so many other things that you cant focus on your main calling, pray on what other ministry you can drop. its a tough call, however it has to be done.
that really had nothing to do with what i wanted to talk about, however its important, SO YOUR WELCOME!
so finally after 24 years i have a clear image of what God wants me to do, now the fun part, applying to school, for loans, and getting a new job to help pay the way, i got several months, but i have a past of waiting till the last minute. which everyone that i know reminds me, and they should, cause its true. so tomorrow my goal is to get the college app done, my loan in, and a few possible scolarships in.
please continue to pray for me, my family, and my church over the next several months, and no matter what happens, i pray that we continue to praise Jesus in this storm.
Audience of One…
This picture above is my worship band, Solace. that was taken last January at Arena racing at Hampton Coliseum. Now don’t let the picture fool ya, there was about 800 people watching, easily our biggest audience by 750. but because of the track being where it was we were facing forward and only looking at one car. everyone was to our left side.
For over a year this photo has been on my facebook, and something always felt different about it, and last night i was really thinking about it.
As Followers of Jesus we always worship an audience of one.
Over the past years i have seen and been apart of several worship bands. and everyone of them have had issues with just setting up worship for that audience of One. instead we get involved with what others think our worship should be, not for Jesus, but for themselves. Always our primary example is “the older generation” not being excepting of current worship music. I have even heard someone imply that a drum kit was not meant for Jesus worship, rather satan. however i also see a younger generation that decides to sleep in when they get word that next Sunday is more of a traditional service. we are all guilty in some way big or small.
The point is that lately ive been trying to get out of that habit. as a worship leader these are the few things that i look at when i am planning a worship service.
- how many young adults, youth, and old adults are going to be listening.
-based on statement 1. how Loud can i get before i offend someone.
-how many songs can i play that i like before i have to put in another song that pleases the others.
In case you haven’t figured it out yet, THIS IS WRONG. THE WORSHIP SERVICES I PLANNED WITH THESE QUESTIONS FAILED TO WORSHIP OUR AUDIENCE OF ONE!
most of the time what i did was make any grievance on worship styles very worse. I wanted to help a issue useing my own way, not Christ’s way. and in this sense i failed him.
So over time i have been trying my best to ask a new set of questions.
-how can i best lead my church in Worship
-how can i help unite the People that God has given to me to help lead them in United worship to our King.
-how can i keep the focus on my Saviour.
now in several months i hope to be attending a school to help teach me to become a better worship leader, and those questions might change. but as of this chapter of my life, this is my primary focus. to truly worship an audience of one…..
Lets try this again.
Im pretty sure that this is the 6th blog i have ever made, and i have never posted them for more than 3 months, and i feel like i owe it to God and the people that ive learned from over the past ten years to have a record of my journeys, my mistakes, and my lessons so that others may be able to learn.
So in order to fully try this blogging thing again, i need to think about what went wrong with the other 6 blogs, and why i stopped posting things on them.
-my first 3 or 4 blogs were when i was a teenager, the internet was a “newer” thing and the term “Blog” or “blogger” was not a house hold name.
- I used blogs to vent my fustrations (which still might happen) and would talk of very personal things, and also speak ill of people in my life.
- my last blog was dedicated to my last job and Calling as a youth director in a church that was very different than where i came from. there were alot of issues that involved students, parents of students, church staff, and church members. that if i posted anything even remotely relating to a current church issue or personal issue relating to someone i was working with, it would of been considered gossip or “bashing” and would of led to alot of extra issues.
so this is what i need to work on, as a follower of Jesus Christ, i need to always be open and honest about the positive and the negative things in my life. I need to celebrate Both in that God is shaping me to be who he needs me to be, for his purpose.
so i promise to you, God, and myself that i need to be more open and honest about the events in my life. I need to be ready and open to what God has in store for me in the next several years. I also need to be sensitive to others and will never speak of anyone in a negative way, and never reveal names of people and their personal, private issues in their life.
I know that in following Jesus, i will be attacked, be portrayed in a negative way, and that the last thing i need to do is attack back. its a mistake i have learned in the past, and i have hurt others. attacking other Christians and people who disagree with me is not what my Saviour would have me do, for i am to love my neighbor as myself. and its something that all Christians need to take seriously.
so thats the first step, i admitted i have a problem, and i admitted what caused me to fall in the past. so now to move forward….
