Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man.(Acts 17:29 – ESV)
I was listening to what many might call a “powerful” worship song the other day. I listened and watched the video, yes it is powerful, lots of feeling, biblical language, and easy to "get into". It didn’t teach heresy, and everyone was really excited about it, and seemingly praising the Lord with abandon. The “presence of God” seemed to be tangible.
Yet there was a lot of repetition, and my fear is that people simply fall in love with being "swept away". I know it is a problem I have had before, and it makes me cringe to see others caught up whom I know have no desire to truly worship the Lord. I am not trying to judge them on the spot; I am talking about things observed over time. They have a love for song but not a growing love for the One whom the songs are supposed to be about. The songs may seem like they are working right then, but they don’t seem to be working out in their lives.
For many, these type of songs are only hindering their growth, because they think the feeling of being swept away is the height of spirituality, and the goal to be in a continuous act of being swept out from shore, into the depths of God. That is what they think is happening, but they are only being swept away to the shores of their own self and falling in love with feelings and with their own ideas about God, even while we are presumably singing truth about Him. They might be learning how to get “in tune” more and more, but they don’t ever seem to be excited about the Bible, or doctrine, or things like that. Those other things don’t “bring the anointing” they say.
Some “worship leaders” seem to realize that certain amounts of happy clappy songs can be all too much like a pep rally, and so they switch gears, to a slower, more somber, “deep” feel. Or they speed things up, add instruments, and then during the same song strip back, and go with voices only, and it seems as if God arrives on the scene, it is so holy, they think.
No I don’t think so, I think it is just our emotions being taken on a ride, like with good classical music. It is okay to have variation in music, but to think this helps people “break through” is superstitious nonsense, and I don’t care what story you might tell me, what happened is that their emotions got touched, and emotions are not the keyhole to unlock spiritual doors. Truth is the key, and that is the truth. Instead of breaking though we are binding them to a pattern of emotional release that they think is spiritual growth.
Try this experiment sometime; instead of your favorite tune set to perfect music, etc., sing one of the great hymns of the faith with no accompaniment at all, just voices. If you just can’t seem to get into it, you just can’t worship as well, or whatever, then guess what, it is the feeling for the music you worship, not God.
It is not our job to get people swept away in emotions, and most often repetition of simple choruses breeds music appreciation not some extra power. It grieves me to hear of people saying a certain song “brings the anointing”. Worshipping God isn’t supposed to resemble an incantation or summoning. People are using certain music, flags, dance, and other peripherals as supposed power tools; in a sense they are trying to “summon the Spirit”. Maybe they are successful, but I’m not so sure about what spirit is coming in. Don’t get swept away by them.
15 comments:
Right On!
10,000 AMEN's!
Thanks Garry...good to hear from you...
"Happy clappy" - sir, you have a gift for ryhme and turning a phrase that reminds me of Ravenhill.
Spurgeon never had any instruments at the Metroplolitan Tabernacle. I wonder if he was on to something.
When my folks ask me to recommend books for study, I always ask if they have a Hymnal -- they are often surprised and NEVER have one, so I tell them to go to the store, and read (not sing) the words.
They are often shocked at how much doctrine is contained in these fabulous songs -- and have often been either told, or conditioned to 'dump the hymns' and therefore never even examined them.
Here is an example:
And Can It Be That I Should Gain
Charles Wesley, 1738
And can it be that I should gain an int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died he for me, who caused his pain? For me, who him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis myst’ry all! Th’Immortal dies: who can explore his strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries to sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore, let angel minds inquire no more.
Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
He left his Father’s throne above (so free, so infinite His grace!),
emptied himself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race.
’Tis mercy all, immense and free; for, O my God, it found out me!
Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in him, is mine!
Alive in him, my living Head, and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach th’eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ, my own.
Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Yep, we were preaching at the nursing home last week, and instead of the message, I just went off about each of the songs we did...those old songs will preach...
Now we do have musical accompaniment at our church, and we do sing some new songs, some old songs, some hymns, some (fewer and fewer) choruses, and we have many songs written by church members, but yesterday we sang out of the hymnal, no musical help, voices only...we are trying to do that once in a while, and sometimes just a guitar or piano, and sometimes piano, keyboard, drums, other percussion, singers, guitar, bass, saxophone, and flute...what we are focusing on most is the content of the lyrics, however, and by varying the lineups, our aim is to keep people focused on what they are singing, not on what they are hearing, or what everyone else is doing...
Good post JD, my dad once pointed out that we are an electric church today. Turn off the power and the lights go out.
Man, I have been waiting for us to have a song service like that and then we have one and I am out-of-town!...I would have loved to hear the different vocal parts. Will we have another one sometime soon?
Thanks for the balanced approach to this topic. Although, I know a lot of "folk" who would totally disagree with you.
BTW....may I say.....Happy Anniversary to you and Margie??
Yes you may Chris, and thank you, and yes, we will be doing that sometime again, not sure when, but surely...
Happy Anniversary!
I am with you 100%. It was really scary to me when I realized how caught up in certain songs I really was.....and like I said in my blog....if they are our 'magic worship' songs, maybe we should never...ever...ever...sing them again...because what are we worshipping?
Okay, I know that is drastic, but if God has given us the discernment (through the teaching of others or otherwise) that certain songs are our 'emotion' songs, then fasting those songs for a period of time is a good idea, of just diligently keeping ourselves in check while singing them.
I really desire to change up the way music is done in our church, and I think we are on the right track so far. The hardest part is getting others to see the good in the changes, and not hurting feelings or damaging relationships in the process.
I really desire to change up the way music is done in our church, and I think we are on the right track so far. The hardest part is getting others to see the good in the changes, and not hurting feelings or damaging relationships in the process.
I agree Chris(topher), and if we continue to be learning and loving, humble and hungry, willing and intentional, we will with God's grace do all of that...may it be so for His Glory...
Amen
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