Thank you for that talk. It was personally relevant and helpful. God bless you and your church richly for all that you do there and share online. Your music blesses me here in the UK.
This podcast reminds me of the comments on every single worship themed Babylon Bee article ever written. I think what David said at 9:30 is really important. A lot of the time, complaints about song lyrics have not so much been about wrong theology, but maybe just simpler ideas or personal devotion which are not wrong (often they are surprisingly biblical). They just wouldn't make a great foundation for a church's diet. It's certainly discouraging if that's all you get in a service, but one simple devotional song here and there can actually be quite helpful for a congregation to just sing something simple to the Lord.
Sunday morning is for going hard after God and edifying the gathered saints. We can listen to our favourite songs in our favourite style all week long. Just as we do not expect the pastor to preach from the devotionals we find helpful at home, neither do we need to expect to sing our very favourite songs during these few minutes out of each week.
I always appreciate that the starting point or catalyst of these conversations is music related but they always quickly move into deeper conversations about serving God, growing in our Christian walk, growing in grace, serving others…things that don’t only pertain to music and therefore apply to EVERYONE, not just musicians. Your podcasts are always very insightful and encouraging and cause me to think deeply (which is good). Thanks for the time and effort you spend preparing these podcasts.
Thank you for this video addressing this topic. This is something I have struggled with at the church I attend. The song leader and a lot of the individual and group singers are well in years. So most of the songs that are sung, are old hymns. Which there’s nothing wrong with some of them but others hardly mention anything about The Lord. For me, worship music are songs that are direct praise and adoration for who God is and what He’s done. There should never be more “us” in a worship song than there is God.
I'm on both sides of this issue, leading some weeks and in the congregation others. I know their are some songs (or parts of songs) that the other worship leaders do that I don't "like", but are not theologically incorrect. When they come, sometimes I will just not sing. Example: The "new" version of When I Survey The Wonderful Cross with the added "upbeat" chorus. I will sing the verses, but just be silent during the chorus. No pat rule that you must be singing all the time during the corporate worship time, for a variety of reasons.
A lot of Christian songs now are vacuous and almost unsinkable by the congregation. I love your music because it has content and is very singable. A lot of them I now play on my clarinet.
The Oreo cookie way to correct: begin with something positive, correct or critique, then end with something again positive, even if it's a repeat of the starting point. I do it all the time as a wrestling coach.
I did leave a church over the music. They continued using bethel quasi-Christian songs and I left for a liturgical church.
I just cannot repeatedly sing "hell has lost another"...why not proclaim on repeat, that Christ has redeemed me!!
Thank yall, for this one, truly!!
“Hell’s lost another one:
I’m redeemed!
I’m redeemed!
I’m redeemed!”
“Hell’s lost another one:
Christ’s in me!
Christ’s in me!
Christ’s in me!”
😅👍
Thank you for that talk. It was personally relevant and helpful. God bless you and your church richly for all that you do there and share online. Your music blesses me here in the UK.
This podcast reminds me of the comments on every single worship themed Babylon Bee article ever written.
I think what David said at 9:30 is really important. A lot of the time, complaints about song lyrics have not so much been about wrong theology, but maybe just simpler ideas or personal devotion which are not wrong (often they are surprisingly biblical). They just wouldn't make a great foundation for a church's diet. It's certainly discouraging if that's all you get in a service, but one simple devotional song here and there can actually be quite helpful for a congregation to just sing something simple to the Lord.
Sunday morning is for going hard after God and edifying the gathered saints. We can listen to our favourite songs in our favourite style all week long. Just as we do not expect the pastor to preach from the devotionals we find helpful at home, neither do we need to expect to sing our very favourite songs during these few minutes out of each week.
very very helpful perspective. Thanks
I always appreciate that the starting point or catalyst of these conversations is music related but they always quickly move into deeper conversations about serving God, growing in our Christian walk, growing in grace, serving others…things that don’t only pertain to music and therefore apply to EVERYONE, not just musicians. Your podcasts are always very insightful and encouraging and cause me to think deeply (which is good). Thanks for the time and effort you spend preparing these podcasts.
Thank you for this video addressing this topic. This is something I have struggled with at the church I attend. The song leader and a lot of the individual and group singers are well in years. So most of the songs that are sung, are old hymns. Which there’s nothing wrong with some of them but others hardly mention anything about The Lord. For me, worship music are songs that are direct praise and adoration for who God is and what He’s done. There should never be more “us” in a worship song than there is God.
This is an excellent material. Thanks for sharing this! 🙏
I'm on both sides of this issue, leading some weeks and in the congregation others.
I know their are some songs (or parts of songs) that the other worship leaders do that I don't "like", but are not theologically incorrect. When they come, sometimes I will just not sing.
Example: The "new" version of When I Survey The Wonderful Cross with the added "upbeat" chorus. I will sing the verses, but just be silent during the chorus.
No pat rule that you must be singing all the time during the corporate worship time, for a variety of reasons.
A lot of Christian songs now are vacuous and almost unsinkable by the congregation. I love your music because it has content and is very singable. A lot of them I now play on my clarinet.
The Oreo cookie way to correct: begin with something positive, correct or critique, then end with something again positive, even if it's a repeat of the starting point. I do it all the time as a wrestling coach.
I do find the songs that are "Me, me, me!, I, I am, because of me:.....I can't sing them....they aren't worshipping God......at all.......ever......