| Poster | Thread | Wildhorse
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Joined: 2005/8/28
Posts: 48
Australia
| | Re: CONTROVERSY! - HISTORY of CHRISTIAN MUSIC | | Wow.
Our Church uses songs for worship, which is great in a lot of ways however, we also do know that music isn't the only way to worship. We had a guest speaker come in the other week who was telling us that any way that we honor God, is a method of worship.
We sometimes use coloured lights to add flavor while we have people up the front leading us in song but the stage is not flooded with lights.
I do agree with some of our songs, some can be lacking a message, there are some songs that are non-biblical.
I have personally found a message that I feel is Christian oriented in a U2 song.
All Because of You:
I was born a child of grace
- By the grace of God i was born (I nearly died when I was born)
Nothing else about the place
Everything was ugly but your beautiful face
- Now that I know of Human sin, everything is ugly compared to God.
And it left me no illusions
I saw you in the curve of the moon
In the shadow cast across my room
- Creation of God, he made the moon, he made light.
You heard me in my tune
When I just heard confusion
- God understands me even if others don't... Until I knew God, Christianity and life in general would seem confusing.
All because of you
All because of you
All because of you
I am, I am
- God is also known as "I AM. For in the Bible he said "I am, who I say I am".
I like the sound of my own voice
I didn't give anyone else a choice
- Before I became a Christian, I didn't let God into my life. I never gave him a chance.
An intellectual tortoise
Racing with your bullet train
- Trying to keep up with the pace of life
Some people get squashed crossing the tracks
Some people got high rises on their backs
- Set of cool lyrics... Some people are too proud to seek God, 'have high rises on their backs'.
Im not broke but you can see the cracks
You can make me perfect again
- We aren't perfect but when you are a reborn Christian you are made clean by Jesus Christ.
All because of you
All because of you
All because of you
I am, I am
I'm alive
I'm being born
I just arrived
I'm at the door
Of the place I started out from
And I want back inside
- I've been reborn but I also see that as Christians maybe doubting their Christianity.
All because of you
All because of you
All because of you
I am
However this isn't a song we sing at church nor would I substitute it for worship. My point being sometimes i see a song like that have more meaning than some worship ones in churchs.
There is an artist i like called Matt Redman, he said his church did a way with music for a good month or two and found other ways of expresing worship. That is something that I reckon would be great for some churchs to try.
Michael
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Michael Hancock
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|  2005/12/21 0:28 | Profile | roadsign
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Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777
| | Re: | | I find it interesting that whenever church music is discussed, a lot of personal feelings are expressed.
Now, I don't want to be a nag here, but in view of the constant strife over church music not only historically (as indicated in the original post) but presently, I think it would be good to consider some solutions.
Why does this strife happen? And how would you deal with it if it came up in your church? Would it be right for you to sacrifice the kind of music YOU like, and let the others have what they want? Should you leave, or should you insist on half-and-half - if, that is, there are two opinions?
How do music issues relate to spiritual issues of the heart? How important is church music to God, or to our ability to access God?
Use the Bible, (rather than subjective opinions) to support your thoughts.
Diane
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Diane
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| | 2005/12/26 14:02 | Profile | roadsign
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| | Re: study the lyrics separately | | Quote:
not enough that probe deep into the character of God, and bring the singer to an acute realisation of the character of God through the lyrics.
There are plenty of songs that can do this, but I don't think that many people use songs to teach them about God as much as to experience something positive - spiritual/emotional/ nostalgic.
As a minister of music, I'm often examining text in order to influence my selections. By doing that, I find myself discovering messages that I never realized where there, even after singing them for years.
I suspect that it would be very beneficial for us to privately read the words, and meditate on them in order to notice the message. Then singing the song would be more meaningful.
And if the words don't say much, then just enjoy singing them - it's good for our circulation and the lungs, and countenance, and over-all wellbeing. It's fun! And, we sure need that too, don't we?
Diane
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Diane
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| | 2005/12/26 19:40 | Profile | suzy
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Joined: 2005/12/11
Posts: 69
Devon, England
| | Re: | | Interesting reading. I think God is big enough to cope with all types of music (especially the ones we don't like!) I can usually go along with most types of music. My only contention with the modern music band is that so often they are SO LOUD I can't even hear my own voice, let alone my neighbour's, or even to feel that I am singing to God with others.
Quote:
and if the words don't say much, then just enjoy singing them - it's good for our circulation and lungs and countenance and over-all wellbeing.
I am afraid I disagree! There are many modern songs that I have been subjected to over the years which are disasters - I hate singing songs which are badly written, wrongly spelt and poorly constructed grammatically, as well as not being Biblical; it is an insult to God! I refuse to sing them. I feel that I don't have time to waste singing rubbish and untruths, and I would prefer to meditate or pray.
We should be singing praises to God thanking him for who He is and what He's done, His attributes and verses from the Bible amongst many things. Too many are introspective - we should not be singing about 'me', 'my feelings' and 'my' whatever it is I plan to do for God one day .
I also think it is a shame that many children's songs are so superficial. It is a wonderful opportunity to get God's truth into children's hearts.
Sue
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Sue
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| | 2005/12/27 12:29 | Profile | roadsign
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| | Re: what to do about bad-quality music. | | Sue, I actually agree with everything that you have said, and I too have had my fill of poorly written songs, poorly performed songs, trite lyrics (yes, for children too) I have also experienced the reality of proud musicians - those who are "above reproof". They cannot admit that their music needs improving, and they need to learn to be sensitive to those whom they minister to. They believe that they are (just) doing it for God, and there is no such thing as good or bad quality in music (just in house trim, car tires etc)
I suspect that music troubles in church closely parallel spiritual troubles.
The solution has been for me to simply set a good example, always be a learner, listen to the people, and love them. And I have learned that you can't change some people, if they aren't open to learning.
To some extent you simply have to accept it and make the best of it. I once did some arobics during the "praise and worship" time. Who says some movements "receive the Spirit" better than others? I also once walked out of a service in order to protect my ears from damage. Once I saw a bag of cotton balls get passed around (ear plugs).
However, I'm also convinced that there is a time to leave a church - if God leads that way. (that happened to me) I do not believe that he desires that his people subject themselves forever to poor quality, manipulative music, preaching, etc just for the sake of "loyalty".
Diane
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Diane
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| | 2005/12/27 16:45 | Profile |
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