"pruh-VAH-ka-tiv"
I ran across a couple of really provocative worship blogs lately and thought you'd enjoy reading them too. Don Chapman wrote both and they appear on the Worship Ideas web site.
The first entry is called "Does Great Music = Growth?" It's a great article, and if you like the sample that follows, check out the rest at http://www.worshipideas.com/Does-Music-Equal-Growth.shtml
Don writes: "So just what does music accomplish? It simply sets the tone and flavor of your church. Your music style will attract a certain style of crowd. It's no different from a radio station. Think of the different crowds associated with these music styles: Country. Heavy Metal. Classical. Can you picture what someone looks like who would listen to each style? How about: Cowboy hats. Long hair and tattoos. Suit & tie."
"Different styles attract different looking people, but there's another element to put into the mix - personality types. One personality type revels in the mediocre, the other loves quality. Ministries with a low standard of quality, no matter what the style, will attract people who have a low standard of quality. If the church allows off-pitch people to sing on the praise team, they'll attract people who like to hear off-pitch singing. Believe it or not, there are actually people in this world who thrill to hear off pitch singing on mic. These same people also enjoy karaoke."
"This mindset would prefer to see a bunch of people who wanted to sing in a constant rotation so they can use their "gifts," no matter how bad things sound, rather than see the talented few leading week after week. Call me spiritual or something, but I really don't care who's up there as I go into my own personal world of worship. What gets me out of that world is the jarring effect of hearing someone yelping the wrong notes."
And another entry called "Contemporary is the New Traditional"... here are a few lines. Check out the rest at http://www.worshipideas.com/Does-Music-Equal-Growth.shtml
"....the band of the contemporary church was very good but sounded like they were stuck in 1987. One of the quickest ways to date your sound is to have a guitarist who uses chorusy, reverby effects from 20 years ago. Because of the instrumentation, even the cutting edge songs they were doing sounded dated. Another factor is the worship leader - a rather hip guy in his early 50's. I also got a feeling of that old Willow Creek performance vibe so popular in the 90's. All together, this added up to a service that attracts... people in their forties and fifties.So here's the predicament: take the music up a notch and risk losing people, or stay the same and not attract younger people and families."
I ran across a couple of really provocative worship blogs lately and thought you'd enjoy reading them too. Don Chapman wrote both and they appear on the Worship Ideas web site.
The first entry is called "Does Great Music = Growth?" It's a great article, and if you like the sample that follows, check out the rest at http://www.worshipideas.com/Does-Music-Equal-Growth.shtml
Don writes: "So just what does music accomplish? It simply sets the tone and flavor of your church. Your music style will attract a certain style of crowd. It's no different from a radio station. Think of the different crowds associated with these music styles: Country. Heavy Metal. Classical. Can you picture what someone looks like who would listen to each style? How about: Cowboy hats. Long hair and tattoos. Suit & tie."
"Different styles attract different looking people, but there's another element to put into the mix - personality types. One personality type revels in the mediocre, the other loves quality. Ministries with a low standard of quality, no matter what the style, will attract people who have a low standard of quality. If the church allows off-pitch people to sing on the praise team, they'll attract people who like to hear off-pitch singing. Believe it or not, there are actually people in this world who thrill to hear off pitch singing on mic. These same people also enjoy karaoke."
"This mindset would prefer to see a bunch of people who wanted to sing in a constant rotation so they can use their "gifts," no matter how bad things sound, rather than see the talented few leading week after week. Call me spiritual or something, but I really don't care who's up there as I go into my own personal world of worship. What gets me out of that world is the jarring effect of hearing someone yelping the wrong notes."
And another entry called "Contemporary is the New Traditional"... here are a few lines. Check out the rest at http://www.worshipideas.com/Does-Music-Equal-Growth.shtml
"....the band of the contemporary church was very good but sounded like they were stuck in 1987. One of the quickest ways to date your sound is to have a guitarist who uses chorusy, reverby effects from 20 years ago. Because of the instrumentation, even the cutting edge songs they were doing sounded dated. Another factor is the worship leader - a rather hip guy in his early 50's. I also got a feeling of that old Willow Creek performance vibe so popular in the 90's. All together, this added up to a service that attracts... people in their forties and fifties.So here's the predicament: take the music up a notch and risk losing people, or stay the same and not attract younger people and families."
there you go... enjoy!
Labels: philosophy
posted by crosswinds worship arts at 12:42 PM
2 Comments:
Ok...
so where does that leave crosswinds? Its a question i cant figure out. What is our purpose? I think it is ok for each team to have a different one... i guess. but. what if there.. just isn't one? Does any one know or do we all have our own? And if we all have our own... who are we... helping? Who's connecting with us? What are we wanting to do for people. Who are the ones that.. care. Not mine to really ask... not mine to really... define. No... answers... just... questions. Where do we fit into all that. And.. well... what purpose... what definition ...are we choosing.
I think its... important.
Provocative is right! ;-) I'm not sure I agree with Don's stereotyping of Christian music (or other music) listeners. Although I agree that the music is part of the attraction for churchgoers. But lyrics, like God's Word, are timeless. Put into understandable language, the message transcends time. Present the lyrics in a way that people can understand and the message is delivered. The lyrics is the message, the music is the vehicle for delivery.
What is music? Why do most people have musical preferences? How does the music enhance or detract from the message? Does some music always detract? Does some always enhance?
Regarding the people who present the lyrics with music: What is the standard of quality? How do you measure to know whether a presenter is mediocre or not? How do you know who are the 'talented few'? How will God use those who are not in that group but still want to serve Him in music?
I'm sorry, but I don't know the answers. I do know that I appreciate music played well, according to my own taste and judgment. I also have seen people immersed in worship, from another culture and another language, in extreme poverty and with little more than their off-pitch voices, that in their sincerity and passion moved me to tears. I guess there's more to worship than witnessing a good performance?
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