Put ten Christians in a room and ask them their opinion on worship music, and you will get ten very different answers. Having worked in a church office for the better part of the last ten years, by far the thing a church is most likely to get a complaint about is the music during the service. At the same time, the music is one of the primary things that will draw a person to a church.
My first introduction to serving in ministry as
an adult (and long before I started preaching/teaching) came in the
form of worship leading. My very first weekly ministry was running sound
for our worship team's weekly Wednesday night practices. My first internship at
a church involved leading worship. Most of my friends are involved in leading
worship in some capacity. All this to say, worship music is a big part of
my life, and is something I've thought about a lot.
Over the years, I've found many of my family
get-togethers with my sister particularly
interesting because of her perspective on worship music in church services.
She helped plant her church six years ago, has served in children's
ministry, and as a small group leader from the beginning. At the same
time, she has had consistent critiques about the worship at her church.
Her issues were never with the quality of the music; they were just the
classic issues congregants have. As someone who has often run sound, picked
the songs, arranged songs, and (as a staff member) received complaints before,
hearing her perspective offered a reasonable side to the complaints we've so
often received.
This gave me the idea to have a series of blogs
from several perspectives on worship music in the church. Over this week,
there will be a series of blogs where four different people (Me as a pastor,
the worship director of my church, my sister, and my wife) give their
perspective on worship music in church services.
Our four perspectives:
To be fair, as we take on this divisive issue, I
must admit that we're only giving the perspectives of contemporary evangelical
churches with a full band. Likewise, all four of us have virtually identical
backgrounds in regards to church experience (I think my sister even babysat my
worship director a long, long, long time ago). So, I am fully aware that
we are only addressing a portion of a much bigger topic.
Each day, each person will tackle these five
questions:
1. What is the Role of
Worship in Church Gatherings?
2. What is the Proper Style
for Worship Services?
3. How Should a Worship
Director Select & Arrange their Set Lists?
4. What is the Proper
Volume for a Church Service?
5. Why is Music in Church
Such a Divisive Subject?
Each of us will certainly pick different topics
to emphasize, and some may skip a question or two if they don't have a
particular opinion. But, at the end of the week, you will have four
perspectives on worship!
A PASTOR'S PERSPECTIVE ON WORSHIP
As a pastor, former worship leader, sound man, and blogger,
I have spent lots of time thinking about worship music. I first led
worship back in 2001 for my mother's church's youth ministry. As I think
back on the quality of music and songs we picked, I can only be embarrassed.
At the time, it seemed innovative. In retrospect, it's just embarrassing.
Now, my primary ministry is student ministry pastor. I still help
with our student ministry band, but only because I have to. I love
playing in a band but, given my other roles at church, I prefer to defer the
role or worship leader to someone else.
Worship music is something I get very excited about when
done properly. I love creativity and out-of-the-box ideas. Several years
back, my youth band had someone who actually played a lead synth during all of
the songs. I can't say that was a great idea, but I loved it. When
it comes to worship, I love ideas which are outside of the box and unusual.
Why is Music in Church Such a Divisive Subject?
The answer is simple: music & tradition have a
powerful place in our hearts.
Whether someone has a strong opinion about makes for musical excellence or perhaps they struggle to enjoy the music because it's so loud, people care about music. It can be very frustrating on either side of the issue. If you struggle to engage with the worship because it's excruciatingly loud to you, obviously this will be very frustrating. At the same time, as a musician and sound man, it's very frustrating to have to sacrifice quality because a handful of people think it's too loud.That just addresses the issue of volume. You can go down the line and identify countless divisive issues in regard to music.
Likewise the traditions we were raised with shape our expectations. If you have a homogenous background you will tend to think everyone should do things the way you do them, and you will struggle to understand the way others do things.
It gets very complicated when you start to consider that we're called to go and make new disciples. So there is a balancing act between tradition, progression, and pragmatism.
ADDITIONAL ENTRIES IN THIS SERIES
Why Can't We Get Along? - Why is Worship So Divisive by Sean Chandler
Where's the Piper Organ, and Why is There an Electric Guitar?!? - What is the Proper Style for Worship by Sean Chandler
Why is It So Loud and Why Do We Keep Repeating Ourselves?!? - What is the Proper Volume for Worship by Sean Chandler
Worship Service - Take Me on a Journey - How Should a Worship Director Select & Arrange Their Set by Jennifer Chandler
What is the Proper Style for a Worship Service? by Jennifer Chandler
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