PTM WEEKLY UPDATE -- APRIL 14, 2008

Worship wars PTM receives many comments and questions about the role of music in formal and informal worship. Worship wars are battles fought between the supporters of the classic and traditional hymns of our faith and, on the other hand, the more contemporary, more recently composed music that reflects a more up-to-date musical interest of our day and age. Worship wars still exist -- and in many churches both sides are lined up on either side of a demilitarized zone. One longstanding joke summarizes the tension that exists in many churches: QUESTION: What's the difference between a terrorist and a worship leader or music minister? ANSWER: You can reason with a terrorist. What do you think about music and worship? Here are some edited comments recently posted in a worship discussion forum online. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I'm so tired of Hallmark Greeting Card music at church. The worship folks at our church put in a lot of time and effort trying to produce a meaningful musical portion -- but it’s all pop music. It all sounds alike -- it's a kind of bland watered-down version of rock'n'roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on feelings akin to romantic love. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You're not alone believe me. More and more, folks are telling me they deliberately go late to church so they don't have to endure the "worship." It seems to me that many churches have adopted a market-driven approach to every part of the worship service, in an attempt to attract the highest number of people. When it comes to music this means accepting music based on the lowest common denominator. It seems to me that many churches are producing songs that are, to great congregational music, what Thomas Kinkade paintings are to fine art and what McDonalds is to fine dining. Much of what we are hearing is comfort food music. We comfort ourselves with thin sentimentalism. Rather than producing great congregational worship born out of deep and patient theological reflection, we've simply defaulted to romantic sentimentalism (Jesus-is-my-boyfriend songs) that reflect an adolescent stage of relational capacity. And it actually works. As long as we can muster up the sentiment, we don't have to face the desert. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On the one hand I really like much contemporary Christian worship music -- it is the kind of feel I enjoyed growing up as a teenager 40-45 years ago. But when I think about it, some of the endless repetition of often mushy, meaningless lyrics is like some the blasts from the past I still listen to -- vapid infatuation present in songs like Teen Angel. When I compare the biblical theology of How Great Thou Art and It is Well With My Soul with Shine Jesus Shine -- well -- there's no comparison. When I worship God I want more than bubble gum music. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am not a hands-raising person -- when everyone around me in church is doing some kind of outward gesture with their arms and hands, my hands are by my sides and in my pocket. I don't mind them favoring such an expression -- but what I do mind is the not-so-subtle lyrics, in so many songs, about lifting hands. It is so phony to me. If someone wants to lift their hands, let them -- but these song writers should stop pushing their hands-raising agenda. I surveyed an old hymnal we have at home -- I think it was my grandmothers. Amazing! I couldn't find any lyrics that encouraged me to lift my hands. I wonder why? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PTM would like to hear from you! Let us know what you think about music and worship! We will print some of the comments we get back. CONTACT US RETURN TO PTM WEEKLY UPDATE CONTENTS PAGE Copyright © 2008 Plain Truth Ministries -- Worldwide.