Let's start off in the home arena: the church building. I'll start off this topic by explaining that I realize that a church that would play the kind of music I would want it to play would not survive. You couldn't get enough people in the same area that would attend a church that plays Five Iron Frenzy and Demon Hunter. This is despite the fact that the lyrics of those two bands are about 4000× better than your average "Jesus, Jesus/Life is lollipops and unicorns/I love Jesus/Hallelujah" song (this song would, of course, have that chorus repeated about 87 times as its conclusion (and upon the fifth time I'd start jamming the corner of the bulletin in my eye so I can keep my mind off the pain of singing it again)). All I ask for is some variety. I actually genuinely enjoy when my church plays a good, old hymn such as "It Is Well with My Soul" (soooooooo good) or "Holy, Holy, Holy", and also when they play some of the classics from my youth, like "Awesome God", "He Is Exalted", or "Shine Jesus Shine". Instead, I'm stuck with Hillsong's "new" song "Generic CCM Song Title That Probably Contains the Word 'Hope' or 'Righteous'" (now I put quotes around new because we all know it sounds just like their classic "Generic CCM Song 2" (and who could forget "Generic CCM Song 3"?))
The music played in churches today is much like candy corn: it's nice to experience two or three, but as soon as you get any more the emesis starts rising in your throat (I used the medical term so it would be less offensive, you're welcome). Speaking of throats, is anyone else as bad at singing as I am? You, too, probably hate not only the fact that your voice is on display(?) in public, but also that you can't hit the notes you'd really like to (and also it's really annoying when the singer adds a little melisma (I do believe that is the term) to a note for the final chorus and then you're thrown off and then your voice tries to correct itself by matching and it never quite sounds right). This is assuming (incorrectly) that you can hear yourself which, at least in my case, is a necessary part of being on key at any point in the song.
As far as the real world music industry goes, Christian music still sucks (maybe even more than at church). Now, I truly believe musical taste/quality is something against which I cannot complain. It is almost entirely subjective, so I'll try to stick to the objective. The big problem is the fact that there is no "real world music industry" for Christian music. Most Christian music is holed into a secluded corner of the music industry as a whole. The few bands that do break out are usually scolded for selling out or, most offensively, being too secular (I'm sorry, I didn't realize we weren't supposed to be reaching the secular community. When Jesus said "Go into all the world" he was just kidding.) Because of this, the secular community assumes that all Christian music is Chris Tomlin and Hillsong (which makes me sick to my stomach).
To try to combat this, I'm going to include a few links of great songs that I find worshipful (what's sad is that I think I feel more worshipful listening to these songs than I do when I am forced to sing those that are played in a church building). Now, I realize none of you are going to listen to these, but at least I tried...
- Five Iron Frenzy's "Every New Day"
- Demon Hunter's "Fading Away" (Don't worry pansies, it's the acoustic version, although his voice sounds a lot better when it's in its natural habitat (example))
- Disciple's "After the World" (Again, acoustic version)
- dc Talk's "In the Light"
- Burlap to Cashmere's "Anybody Out There"
- P.O.D.'s "Alive"
- Brave Saint Saturn's "Under Bridges"
- Family Force 5's "Love Addict"
- Showbread's "A Man with a Hammer" (OK, we could never do the verses in a church, but the chorus is the entire essence of the gospel. Also, this one's legitimately free kiddos)
You've got a couple issues here that need addressing.
ReplyDelete1) Music cannot "be" Christian. People can be Christians, but stuff is just...stuff. Do we eat Christian food? Write with Christian pencils? Drive Christian cars?
2) Are we talking music made FOR Christians? Music made BY Christians? Music about Jesus/God? Some or all of the above?
3) What is its purpose? To entertain? To foster worship? To act as a "substitute" for other music? (eg. "If you like Megadeth, you'll really like...they're almost the same as...") I believe this is truly what stimulates the regurgitation muscles.
As Christians (people, that is...), we should do all things as if we were doing them before God, or with God, or for God. Thankful hearts and humble egos. Praising His holiness, basking in his mercy. Can we do this WITH music? Surely. But does it have to be a particular "brand" of music? I would say no...kinda.
Obviously, people are driven to worship by what God has done in their individual lives. Walking with Jesus daily is most likely to drive hearts and minds in a direction that is not likely to be expressed by rhythmically singing along with some thug about "B*****s" and "H*s" (or is it spelled like the garden tool?).
But the notion that only one genre fits that bill is clearly borne of man's imagination - most like a record exec at some Dove Award-winning label in Nash-Vegas.
There's so much more to this subject, obviously. It's something I've wrestled with over my 50 years...both with myself and many, many friends, relatives and other human types.
I may add more later, but I'll let others chime in...
1. & 2. Good point. I misspoke; in this case I am referring to music made for Christians, or, at the very least, made to be applicable to the Christian faith (probably (has anyone realized how many great "secular" songs mean so much more when applied to Jesus/God (or even the human race) as the object of love?)). It is, of course, the social convention to refer to it as "Christian music" and this is probably the problem. There shouldn't be Christian music and secular music, but rather just music (much like food, pencils, and cars).
ReplyDelete3. I think the purpose depends on the situation. In the church building, the atmosphere is supposed to be one of worship (which becomes increasingly difficult when the meaning of a song has been completely lost due to overplay or blandness (and I realize a lot of the fault lies within myself and I should focus on the purpose of the song, but it's so difficult when every songs sounds the same)). All I ask for is a little variety. Throw in some bluegrass, some jazz, some rock, some hip-hop in with that "Praise and Worship" homogeny. Outside of the church building, I use music for a lot of purposes. Worship is included in there. Entertainment is too. To me, personally, this is much easier done with a gamut of musical styles and genres (including some Praise & Worship (I hate that name as a genre, it's like "Singer/Songwriter", which could apply to almost any song and yet it is associated with Light Rock/Folk/Alternative-ish (also know as puss rock)))
Tangential note: You do realize that masking certain words with asterisks is useless, right? To those who don't understand what the word is supposed to be (not many people), the sentence is completely lost. To the majority who understand what the word is, already know the word to which you're referring and therefore the word has the same impact and meaning (thus, making the censoring moot). Maybe I'm missing something here.
Just as an update to people and show that I don't complain about everything, my church, coincidentally, added a tuba this week and did a little different style of worship today, a few really upbeat songs, and it was spectacular. It felt incredibly fresh and worshipful rather than the trite act of "going through the motions" that I fear it is about to become every week.
ReplyDelete1. Jesus Walks by Kanye West would make a great worship song.
ReplyDelete2. This is when I can say my experience is kinda the same, kinda different. Don't take this the wrong way, but you are used to "white people" church music. I'm used to the good old-fashion "black music" with a choir, not rock music. I think Christian rock is horrible, and kinda disrespectful during church (you aren't supposed to use instruments to sing about God or Jesus). The music is sooo much better in black churches because they are mostly rooted in suffering and it helps you feel closer to God. Whe I say "black music" i mean hymns like "swing low sweet chariot" and stuff like that. Just my preference.
BTW I love Chazz's....not exactly racism but blatant generalization of rap music ("thugs singing about Bitches and Hoes") I hope my Kanye West example proves him otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI do have a familiar expreience in that there is little variety, depending on the church. some black churches ONLY sings hymns. others do play like jazz, blues, etc. so it depends
1. Not sure that you want your congregation shouting "niggas", but the song is a good start (a little prideful and off-topic at times for a worship song). If we want to go rap, off the top of my head, Verbs and GRITS aren't bad. I'd have to find their worship songs...
ReplyDelete2. Admittedly, I did make wide generalizations about churches which mainly apply to "white churches". I'd love to visit a "black church" sometime (especially for the worship change, but I assume the same problem of repetition and a narrow amount of genres would affect me over time (maybe I'm wrong, I'd have to investigate))
"You aren't supposed to use instruments to sing about God or Jesus" - I'd like to know why. It doesn't seem to be supported by scripture (for example: "Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre." Psalm 33:2)
3. I love how completely incorrect you are: Chazz never mentioned rap music, you were the one that assumed he was talking about it. Now who's generalizing?
1. umm, what else would Chazz be talking about? Like, that's usually the genre referenced when people make an anti-hip hop/rap argument (i have heard it like a gazillion times).
ReplyDelete2. Be careful though because you go to a black church, you will be there for hours lol. Especially baptist churches, their services are notorious for being 2 1/2, 3 hours.
3. hmm. well i know there was a passage about it, especially because its the basis of very traditional, old churches not having any instruments in their churches.
0. The numbering is getting switched around...
ReplyDelete1. Thank you for completely fulfilling the definition of stereotyping.
2. As long as it's done well, I'm all for it.
3. Unfortunately, not the first time the church doesn't reflect the scriptures.
Ahhh, but I wasn't generalizing about rap. My point was that worshiping would be nearly impossible to accomplish while listening to the specific rap sub-genre where the aforementioned subject matter takes place.
ReplyDeleteWill knows me well enough to know that race would NEVER enter into it (not that I was accused...). I would like to think, if anything, that I was influential in his desire to seek a variety of music in his diet. But only he can answer to that.
Ouch. Well northway doesn't reflect scripture either.
ReplyDeleteBesides u feel like worship would also be impossible to do with some gospel music and other rock Christian music too. Rap isn't the only genre with these problems is my point.
ReplyDelete1. I agree that Northway isn't perfect (No church is because they're all made up of humans), but why this time?
ReplyDeleteIf your comment was meant defensively, I truly and sincerely meant that it is unfortunate that a lot of churches don't reflect the scriptures. I didn't mean to attack your view of church if it came off as such.
2. There are plenty of areas of music that can't/shouldn't be used for worship. The church really can't do an instrumental for worship (although, this may depend on how you define "worship"). I think the bitches and hoes music was simply being used as an example.
Fine I'm willing to admit I was being defensive. All I'm saying is that there are several churches (episcopalian, black, church of Christ, Catholicism, maybe more?) that do not use instrumental music as worship music (maybe an organ at most). II understand people who see no harm in it, but bottom line is I do. Not the most aggregious error a church can make. As for Christian music outside church, I don't listen to it so idk.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind if a church doesn't use instruments, but I do have a problem thinking it is an error if they do (whether it's egregious or not). Worship is worship. It shouldn't depend (to a large extent) how you do it. Which is the point of my post: why do we restrict it into one wimpy genre of music?
ReplyDelete"As for Christian music outside church, I don't listen to it so idk." - You're not missing much....haha
thanks for reminding me of dc talk, burlap, and five iron
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure :)
ReplyDeleteIn my most humble of opinions, those three give more heart to the music than I've ever felt in a Hillsong track </notsohumbleopinion>