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I'm African American and I've attended churches with varying mixes of christian music. I do love a more urban/contemporary vibe to my worship experience. However, I love hymns as they soothe and minister the soul more than what an acoustic guitar type song sung with a rock-n-roll feel can do.
My question: what's going on in the church now? Are we catering music to still draw/attract a certain audience? Do Minister's of Music prepare worship services based on their cultural/neighborhood make up now?
I believe music in the church is strongly influenced by cultural and generational influences? Also, some churches appear to be "all in" but not "either or" Your thoughts...
I think it really depends on the church. I belong to a very traditional church and we like our hymns that way as well, with a choir and a organ. A couple of years ago, the Worship Committee decided to update things a bit. OMG. I thought a riot would break out.
In my personal music preferences, I'm all over the place. Not only was I a rock and jazz drummer for years, even doing the occasional session work, but I will listen to just about anything. But in church, I'm a little wary of modern worship music, especially the crap known as praise music. Why? Because so much of it is, excuse the pun, Godawful. As in brainless, vapid dreck. Rah Rah Rah, Sis Boom Bah, Jesus Jesus, Rah Rah Rah. Bleagh. Mind you, I'm not speaking about the majestic power of traditional spirituals. Rather I speak to the appalling development known as Christian Rock and Praise Music.
Let me put it to you this way. A great deal of traditional Christian music has survived for centuries because it's pretty good stuff. Timeless, even. It's been written by guys such as Bach and Wesley and Buxtehude, composers whom most people would recognize even today. What's more, church music was known as poor man's theology, where the music actually was teaching the congregation. Meanwhile, the stuff that passes for praise music today not only is insipid, saying little beyond God is great, Yeah!, but it already feels dated the first time it's played. In that sense, it's about as progressive and cutting edge as the Cowsills or the Partridge Family.
So by succumbing to the Entertainment Disease, churches are really just chasing the Next Thing. And, compared to traditional hymnody, it's little better than the braying of donkeys. Just one man's opinion.
I'm African American and I've attended churches with varying mixes of christian music. I do love a more urban/contemporary vibe to my worship experience. However, I love hymns as they soothe and minister the soul more than what an acoustic guitar type song sung with a rock-n-roll feel can do.
My question: what's going on in the church now? Are we catering music to still draw/attract a certain audience? Do Minister's of Music prepare worship services based on their cultural/neighborhood make up now?
I believe music in the church is strongly influenced by cultural and generational influences? Also, some churches appear to be "all in" but not "either or" Your thoughts...
What are you asking? Should we use music to draw people in?
I pastor a small country church. We don't have a band. I lead worship, and we have an 80 year old playing the piano. We sing hymns because thats what the people know. There is a reason we don't have music like what might be heard in another culture....say Africa, or Latin America.....or even a big city in the Midwest.
What are you asking? Should we use music to draw people in?
I pastor a small country church. We don't have a band. I lead worship, and we have an 80 year old playing the piano. We sing hymns because thats what the people know. There is a reason we don't have music like what might be heard in another culture....say Africa, or Latin America.....or even a big city in the Midwest.
I guess what I'm really asking is this? Is music relevant to the success and survival of a church? I came from a church, ten years ago had 120 members. Today, that church (don't attend anymore) has only 25 members.
When our music department failed to render effective worship (due to many of them leaving for other churches) our attendence dropped. When the choir the sang relevant songs ( contemporary or urban) a buzz stirred and a spike occurred.
In your example, I can see 80 year old members relating to hymns and making them relevant in your worship setting.
It seems to me that people are going to gravitate to what they like regardless of generation or genre. That makes planning worship difficult to me. It shouldn't be that way in my opinion, but that's the way it is.
Music has long been recognized as a legitimate form of worship that helps people focus their minds and hearts on the Lord. 'Because 'people tend to gravitate to what they like,' most multi-service churches offer both contemporary and traditional services which vary primarily in the type of music ("praise" vs "traditional") and rigid/loose structure of the liturgy.
As long as the focus remains on the Lord, the style of the music and service should not be an issue. It becomes an 'issue' when the focus shifts from the Lord to the Worship Leader. This 'shift' can be very subtle and may not even be recognized by the congregation or leaders, but, during the 14th chorus of the last words of a song ... or perhaps, the 4th laughter-provoking story --the mood perceptibly 'shifts' from worship to entertainment ... and from the Lord to the leader.
I'm not entirely sure how we prevent this shift, except through the heart-level realization and motivation of the leaders that worship is about 'Christ', not 'church;' and that their 'job' is to help people see Christ ... yet, not to 'block their view.' I believe that this happens when people/ leaders operate within their Spiritual Gifts ... and not simply within their talents and abilities. . This requires an ongoing self-examination and emphasis by leaders on 'Spiritual fruit' and not just popular approval. That’s easier said than done.
I guess what I'm really asking is this? Is music relevant to the success and survival of a church? I came from a church, ten years ago had 120 members. Today, that church (don't attend anymore) has only 25 members.
When our music department failed to render effective worship (due to many of them leaving for other churches) our attendence dropped. When the choir the sang relevant songs ( contemporary or urban) a buzz stirred and a spike occurred.
In your example, I can see 80 year old members relating to hymns and making them relevant in your worship setting.
It seems to me that people are going to gravitate to what they like regardless of generation or genre. That makes planning worship difficult to me. It shouldn't be that way in my opinion, but that's the way it is.
You have to ask yourself what you are there for? Is it the music? Or are you there to worship God with his people? I have tried to update and play some more contemporary music, and I have young people asking for the hymns....along with the older believers. What you draw them with is what you keep them with. If they come for music, they will leave when it changes. What happens when music styles change in 10 years? will you ignore the ones that came to your church for today's music, and then when they are hitting middle age the music of the day just sounds awful to them? Sure, you will always have a crowd of youngsters...but you will alienate everyone else.
If they come for God, they will stay as long as you are God honoring.Is it possible that the church in your example has exactly as many believers in it now as they did when 4x as many people attended?
If the true believers want hymns, then we will play hymns. If the true believers want choruses...We will play choruses. Both are acceptable music to worship God with.
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