Some thoughts on Worship
In the past five or six years, I'd say a good deal of what I've devoted my life to is worship music. I've been able to serve with a lot of different ministries offering my abilities in that area. At one time or another, I've served at Nappanee Missionary Church, Harris Prairie Church of Christ, St. Mark Missionary Church, HUNGER, Bayshore Camp, Ludlow Falls Camp, Prairie Camp, 3DYC, CYDC, and then my personal favorites, The Bethel College Chapel Band, and Granger Community Church. And there's always the occasional retreat, or 'away game' with Jason, Trace, and the boys.
In all of that time, I've probably listened to about 200+ hours of conversation about worship. What's it about, where's the focus, how should it sound, how do we lead well, can I wear a hat, etc. And then last spring, I took Bethel's music and worship course, which was taught by a man who's probably done it all musically speaking. He's served in liturgical churches, evangelical churches, pentacostal churches, house churches, mega churches, classical, contemporary, and even a little time in India with the gameleon worship. And that stretched my perspective even further, yet still, no answer. This topic has been refreshed in my mind lately by a conversation started by Tony Morgan about what should be done with worship music. Well I've been stewing over my opinion for years, and I think I'm finally ready to throw it out there. Enjoy...
Our lives are worship. I think most people who've spent much time discussing this issue can agree with me on that point. It's not about singing or what we do in church, it's the way we live our lives. Every action in our lives shows our allegiance or disallegiance to God, and hopefully we are all living lives that will bring God glory. And for a lot of us, the moments that we are really going to verbalize our love for God is the quiet times, in the moments where the reality of God really sets in and we can do nothing but express our love for God. On the musical end of things, there's a lot of verses I could throw out about singing praise, most notably to me is when Paul says to "sing psalms, hymn's, and spiritual songs amoung yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts." He says this in Ephesians 5:19 and again in Colossians 3:16. So the question on our end is what kind of music, how much, what's the lyrics, who leads, how often, and most importantly, what purpose does it serve for God, and for us?
God recieves glory through everything in creation, so I think God knows what's up. He wants us to love Him, and worship Him, and we do that with our lives right? I don't think the God that created you is going to be tricked by you coming to church on sunday and singing "I love you, Lord" and then living like you don't. I would like to think the God of the Cosmo's is a little more with it than somebody who's fooled by that kind of deceit.
About music, I believe music has the power to affect us emotionally. Science is all over that fact, so I don't need to prove that to you. Music can lift us up, bring us down, sober us, make us think. And for me, that happens without the words. There's something in the notes, the harmony, that lifts our souls. I believe it makes our senses acutely aware of the presence of good, of joy, of peace, and of just maybe, the holy spirit's presence. I think music brings us to that place emotionally, we can honestly and more openly sing about the things God has done, will do, and how we respond to that. I think the music is for us. It guides our emotions and spirits to a place where we are maybe a little more in tune with the Holy Spirit and we can communicate with Him in that place. Take this how you will, but I feel like the only evidence I have to back this up is that a lot of time while I'm playing worship music, I don't know how I play certain things, or where I come up with certain ideas. A lot of things flow out of me musically that could only be explained as God's control. And if that's true, apparently God wants to reveal something to His people with that music. I don't think He just wants to take over so he can have a better musical offering for himself.
So I believe that puts a heavy responsibility on us as musicians. We have to decide what kind of music to perform, yes I said perform, that will bring people to that place. And hopefully when the right music is picked, the right words are put with it to express what we are made aware of in that moment. I think if I had my choice, worship music would be a 200 piece symphony orchestra. I've heard some orchestral works that have brought me to the verge of tears, like Christopher Rouse's "Flute Concerto: Elegia," or Gustav Holst' "Jupiter" from the Planets suite, or J. S. Bach's 3rd Suite for Orchestra in D major. But that's the music I surround myself with, and that I'm in tune with. I'm also in tune with rock, pop, and a myraid of other genre's. I think what brings my parents to that place of worship is a lot different than what might bring say, Corey Mann, or Jason Miller, or Trace Rorie to the same place. I think the conversation get's real when a church has to decide what a majority of their young believers connect with so that they might see God's power in those musical moments. I believe that a lot of the mature older believers in our church put up with our music because they've already seen the power of music in worship, and they've realize that power in it before, and now it's time for a new generation to see it. The thing that I really love about our church is watching older people, say in their 60's and 70's, standing and participating in worship at church. I can tell just looking at them that they can't stand the music, but they see the value it has for the young people who are just beginning to understand God, so they step aside and asail their ears every sunday for those people.
So should our music sound like top 40? In my humble opinion, heck no. I've listened to a lot of the top forty music and all it makes me want to do is be deviant, break things, think bad thoughts, or depending on whether Counting Crows has an album out, contemplate suicide. I think as the church, we have to find the musical style that is current, but create music that has the power to uplift, to enlighten, to encourage, and to strengthen peoples awareness of God. I think GCC was very aware of that in our iTunes series.
In closing, what brings people into a place of worship musically speaking is going to be a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I don't think it always involves standing, singing, clapping, or any of the things we normally associate it with. There's a lot of different churches with a lot different people, and I'll bet the music is different at all of them, and it probably should be. But I think the question we should be asking ourselves when it comes to music selection is how it affects our peoples hearts, not what is going to bring the best musical or lyrical glory to God. God knows He's the greatest thing in all creation, and He's got better music than us. In my humble opinion, I think God wants his glory to be revealed through music, and our response will flow from that. Maybe......let the criticism's roll!
In all of that time, I've probably listened to about 200+ hours of conversation about worship. What's it about, where's the focus, how should it sound, how do we lead well, can I wear a hat, etc. And then last spring, I took Bethel's music and worship course, which was taught by a man who's probably done it all musically speaking. He's served in liturgical churches, evangelical churches, pentacostal churches, house churches, mega churches, classical, contemporary, and even a little time in India with the gameleon worship. And that stretched my perspective even further, yet still, no answer. This topic has been refreshed in my mind lately by a conversation started by Tony Morgan about what should be done with worship music. Well I've been stewing over my opinion for years, and I think I'm finally ready to throw it out there. Enjoy...
Our lives are worship. I think most people who've spent much time discussing this issue can agree with me on that point. It's not about singing or what we do in church, it's the way we live our lives. Every action in our lives shows our allegiance or disallegiance to God, and hopefully we are all living lives that will bring God glory. And for a lot of us, the moments that we are really going to verbalize our love for God is the quiet times, in the moments where the reality of God really sets in and we can do nothing but express our love for God. On the musical end of things, there's a lot of verses I could throw out about singing praise, most notably to me is when Paul says to "sing psalms, hymn's, and spiritual songs amoung yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts." He says this in Ephesians 5:19 and again in Colossians 3:16. So the question on our end is what kind of music, how much, what's the lyrics, who leads, how often, and most importantly, what purpose does it serve for God, and for us?
God recieves glory through everything in creation, so I think God knows what's up. He wants us to love Him, and worship Him, and we do that with our lives right? I don't think the God that created you is going to be tricked by you coming to church on sunday and singing "I love you, Lord" and then living like you don't. I would like to think the God of the Cosmo's is a little more with it than somebody who's fooled by that kind of deceit.
About music, I believe music has the power to affect us emotionally. Science is all over that fact, so I don't need to prove that to you. Music can lift us up, bring us down, sober us, make us think. And for me, that happens without the words. There's something in the notes, the harmony, that lifts our souls. I believe it makes our senses acutely aware of the presence of good, of joy, of peace, and of just maybe, the holy spirit's presence. I think music brings us to that place emotionally, we can honestly and more openly sing about the things God has done, will do, and how we respond to that. I think the music is for us. It guides our emotions and spirits to a place where we are maybe a little more in tune with the Holy Spirit and we can communicate with Him in that place. Take this how you will, but I feel like the only evidence I have to back this up is that a lot of time while I'm playing worship music, I don't know how I play certain things, or where I come up with certain ideas. A lot of things flow out of me musically that could only be explained as God's control. And if that's true, apparently God wants to reveal something to His people with that music. I don't think He just wants to take over so he can have a better musical offering for himself.
So I believe that puts a heavy responsibility on us as musicians. We have to decide what kind of music to perform, yes I said perform, that will bring people to that place. And hopefully when the right music is picked, the right words are put with it to express what we are made aware of in that moment. I think if I had my choice, worship music would be a 200 piece symphony orchestra. I've heard some orchestral works that have brought me to the verge of tears, like Christopher Rouse's "Flute Concerto: Elegia," or Gustav Holst' "Jupiter" from the Planets suite, or J. S. Bach's 3rd Suite for Orchestra in D major. But that's the music I surround myself with, and that I'm in tune with. I'm also in tune with rock, pop, and a myraid of other genre's. I think what brings my parents to that place of worship is a lot different than what might bring say, Corey Mann, or Jason Miller, or Trace Rorie to the same place. I think the conversation get's real when a church has to decide what a majority of their young believers connect with so that they might see God's power in those musical moments. I believe that a lot of the mature older believers in our church put up with our music because they've already seen the power of music in worship, and they've realize that power in it before, and now it's time for a new generation to see it. The thing that I really love about our church is watching older people, say in their 60's and 70's, standing and participating in worship at church. I can tell just looking at them that they can't stand the music, but they see the value it has for the young people who are just beginning to understand God, so they step aside and asail their ears every sunday for those people.
So should our music sound like top 40? In my humble opinion, heck no. I've listened to a lot of the top forty music and all it makes me want to do is be deviant, break things, think bad thoughts, or depending on whether Counting Crows has an album out, contemplate suicide. I think as the church, we have to find the musical style that is current, but create music that has the power to uplift, to enlighten, to encourage, and to strengthen peoples awareness of God. I think GCC was very aware of that in our iTunes series.
In closing, what brings people into a place of worship musically speaking is going to be a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I don't think it always involves standing, singing, clapping, or any of the things we normally associate it with. There's a lot of different churches with a lot different people, and I'll bet the music is different at all of them, and it probably should be. But I think the question we should be asking ourselves when it comes to music selection is how it affects our peoples hearts, not what is going to bring the best musical or lyrical glory to God. God knows He's the greatest thing in all creation, and He's got better music than us. In my humble opinion, I think God wants his glory to be revealed through music, and our response will flow from that. Maybe......let the criticism's roll!
posted by Jeff Myers at 6:12 AM
7 Comments:
I'm glad you are open to lots of music in worship. You certainly were raised with it, being the son of an organist and a choir director. People forget that even the old music of the church was once popular music of it's day. Some of us in that "older crowd" love to see what the music is bringing to the next gerneration, but are probably intiminated by all the electronics to "perform" it well. As Henry Higgins said in "My Fair Lady," "...you'll get further with the Lord if you don't offend his ears."
Love you and your work!
Dad
Thanks for the post (or should I say POOSSSTTTTT)! It was a great read and made me want to crack open another worship book from my collection.
Oh there are so many things I could say but I'll try and keep it short.
1. Excellent thoughts! I think you did a great job explaining what the role of worship is in music.
2. Great list of works that will make you tear up in the middle. I enjoy each one of those.
3. I love your dad. He cracks me up. Only he would quote My Fair Lady in a conversation on worship!
4. You forgot Michiana Christian Service Camp on there. It may have been some of the worst playing/singing we've done but we rocked it out at 5th & 6th grade camp!
5. I miss playing with you. I love worshipping with quality musicians. I miss those days.
But most importantly keep serving Jesus. He is using you in great ways. I'm praying for you!
Hi, I am a friend of Sarah Koutz and found your blog from her blog. I also am a worship minister and agreed with much of your thoughts expressed in this post. Worship defined in Romans 12:1 makes the very nature of our lives and act of worship when we sacrifice ourselves to God's will. Worship can be found in the act of driving kids to a youth function if done with the right heart. To take it to an off the wall thought, I think we worship even when we eat since God designed our bodies to enjoy food but when we over eat, we have moved from living as God intended to gluttony. just a random thought.
i couldn't access this site when i was overseas...but, here I am in the land of the FREE and I can go to whatever website I want to...including this one! cool.
i'll be watching you...
preach it brother. you speak the truth.
I read this post a couple days ago, and re-read it again tonite - and I have to tell you that your words stuck with me these last few days.
I've talked with you a lot lately about a lot of different things and I think I really forgot what it was like to really worship...
You challenge me as a person and musician, and most importantly, as a Christian and I am so thankful for that.
The last couple of days I have caught myself over and over in situations where a few weeks ago, I would have probably made a decision to do or say something that was far from glorifying God - it's been really amazing to catch those little moments I've found to worship :) Thanks for being the awesome guy that you are!
Post a Comment
<< Home