It’s hard to imagine that one day the acoustic-guitar-wielding worship leader could go out of “style.”
But I’ve been wondering lately, what will twenty-year-olds be saying about us when we’re 40, 50, even 60 years old; when we’re stubbornly clinging to what we know, what we like, what helps us to really sing and pray?
What will they like? Will I feel able to pour my heart out to God through their sounds and words?
And when it comes to the subject of worship style preferences, what pleases God most? I don’t mean what style pleases God most - that’s silly. But when I come to worship, when I lead in worship, what pleases God most?
Love God. If there is anything inside of you getting in the way of that, tell it to shut up.
5 responses so far ↓
Matt // May 13, 2008 at 5:19 pm
its interesting… “contemporary” worship actually is more popular among 40-50 year old women than 20-30 somethings. There seems to be a new drive among young adults in the church to go more ancient in style.
Micah // May 13, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Two words . . . e-bow.
James // May 13, 2008 at 10:03 pm
For me it’s not what I like, but what evokes an aesthetic sense. The more I notice leaders trying to get us to get there by changing the way we think, the more disconnect there seems to be. It’s because it isn’t cerebral for us all. The arts are a way of thinking. The thoughts simply aren’t coded into a verbal language.
When I say I don’t like this music or that music, it’s because it’s making me think _____ blank. No questions. No wonders. No twists or turns. No involuntary participation.
Lyrically, it’s usually only explores one or two emotions that don’t click with the reality of the human experience or give us any structure to draw from when our faith encounters something that just isn’t as happy as a three song set telling God all we want to do is be salt and light for him.
James // May 13, 2008 at 10:14 pm
But if I had to customize things for myself….if there were room for this in church like there is in the Psalms, I’d be there early every sunday.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=29XQs8N6xg4
trish // May 13, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Do the songs we sing on Sunday really allow us to pour our hearts out to God? They are always so positive and joyful. . .I can’t speak for everyone else in the congregation, but my faith isn’t always a joyous, upbeat kind of faith.
I’ve sat and surveyed the church a few times during music and have often wondered what people are thinking and feeling as they sing. Are they connecting with the music, is it feeding them? How do we know for sure, have we asked?
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