Psalms, Hymns, and Contemporary Music!

In Ephesians 5:19-21, there is a great doctrine for worship music in churches. Many times I am approached by someone reminding me about a particular style of music they like to sing in church. I have blogged about this topic before, but it is a never-ending battle I deal with so I'll mention it again. We come to worship to worship God, not fulfill our fleshly desires. What! wanting to sing only gospel or hymns is a fleshly desire? Absolutely. It is commanded in Scripture to sing to the Lord all types of song which glorify Him. I am one of the few worship leaders who actually incorporate a true blended style of worship in the services. I feel there is great doctrine and theology in the hymns we sing, I also feel there are great contemporary songs which are based on Scripture too. I have been studying the book of Psalms recently and have read it in an entirely new way then ever before. Since Psalms was the "hymnal" back in the day, I have been reading the texts while trying to come up with a tune to go with it. Some are harder than others. It is easy just to sing familiar tunes that have already been put to them like Third Day's version of Psalm 36. if you've never tried this before I encourage you to, it has really made me enjoy the Psalms even more.
Anyways...the verses in Ephesians give the importance of using all types of songs for worship. It could be translated today as being "singing old gospel songs, hymns, and praise music! While studying hymnology in school, I learned that some of the hymns we sing today are from old tavern tunes in which the church set the words to to help people learn them. That's always been funny to me. Do you agree that wanting to sing only one type of music because it is what YOU prefer is a fleshly desire?

I Just Didn't Feel It

Yesterday (Sunday) was very odd for me in church. I just didn't feel anything! As a worship leader I should be the first person to be in the spirit of worship but I just wasn't. Why? I have no idea and believe me, the possible reasons kept running through my mind all through the singing, prayers, and sermon. I addressed this with Jessica on the way home from church and she thought the service was great! Was the problem with me? Was the problem with the congregation? I decided to post this personal problem because others I know have done this before. Who cares if I felt something! Worship isn't about what I feel (at least true worship) Any comments?

God Says..."Clean My House!"

O.k. so He (God) may not have actually spoken those words to anyone directly but He has given me that burden to tidy up His house (the church building) and make it more practical for ministry.
The three biggest projects I have started in the past six months to do that are coming close to being done. Our Youth Room is now only needing new carpet and it will be done. I reclaimed a storage room and moved the contents to another part of the building where it was better suited, organized the room into a youth and music ministry storage closet. Everything prior to my coming was left out in the youth room and offices. I hate it when things aren't organized and get in my way. The next big project was completed last Wednesday which was reorganizing the choir room and redo the music library number system. I added room for about 6-8 new chairs in the choir room as we are growing towards an attendance of 30 in choir! As I am writing this, I just completed cleaning out the choir music library of all its antiquated files, music, equipment, etc. that hasn't been used in 30-40 years! (no joke...some of the stuff was dated in the 60's and 70's)

Why should a church be cleaned out? Because if a church is filthy, it shows how well the spiritual life of the church body might be. Is someone going to feel that church is important if they see so much junk lying around the facility? No! For those of you Bayshore readers...join me and the others who have helped in making the church more practical for ministry!

A Movement In The Church # 2

It happened again! The Holy Spirit moved in church today. This morning's service was the Adult Choir Christmas Cantata. The choir was doing amazing and the narration was just said about the salvation message and the "tear jerker" song of the Cantata titled Bethlehem Morning was being sung while 3\4 of the way through...the power shut off completely in the church! Our sound systems, C.D. player, lights, everything went dead! We kept singing and didn't miss a beat! It was the most amazing sound my choir has ever made! We got through the song and The church was applauding loudly...it was the time in the musical for the invitation so I turned around and laughed a bit with the congregation but then gave a salvation message and prayer. Our power came back on and we were able to sing our Finale with all the lights and beautiful banners carried by some of my youth. After the end of the song I turned around to a standing ovation and tears from many in the crowd (even grown men!) The choir was on the verge of crying as well during that final piece.

This was truly the best experience I have ever had as a Music Minister!

My Favorite Hymn and Praise Song

So going along with yesterday, I thought it appropriate to talk about my favorite hymn and praise song. Of course I love almost all the hymns and a good majority of the praise songs two stand out to me.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

This hymn is probably my favorite. The words go as follows:
A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing.
were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God's own choosing:
dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus it is He,
Lord Sabaoth His name from age to age the same
and He must win the battle

And tho' this world with devils filled, should threaten to undo us.
we will not fear for God hath willed His truth to triumph thro' us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him
his rage we can endure, for lo his doom is sure
One little world shall fell him

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them abideth.
The spirit and the gifts are ours, thro' Him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also
the body they may kill, God's truth abideth still.
His kingdom is forever!

It is true we are in a daily spiritual battle. Martin Luther wrote that hymn by the way. No matter what struggles, foes, wars, or principalities of darkness may come our way, God's truth abides in us that we will overcome them because Christ has overcome them.

Let My Words Be Few (I Stand In Awe)
This song is very moving to me. When I was learning the guitar I wanted to write amazing songs. The love song was always the hardest to write. Here are the words:

You are God in Heaven, and here am I on earth.
So I let my words be few
Jesus I am so in Love with You.

And I stand in awe of You, Jesus
Yes I stand in awe of You.
And I let my words be few,
Jesus I am so in love with You.

The simplest of all love songs I want to bring to You
so I let my words be few
Jesus I am so in love with You.

Wow...It's great to know that we don't have to come up with some amazing, smart, heart-melting words of affirmation to make God feel loved. All we have to say to Him is "I love You" I especially love the lyric...the simplest of all love songs...that says it all.

So there you have it. Two completely different styles of music, but one act of worship. Tell me your favorite hymn(s) and praise song(s)

A Movement In The Church

A rather remarkable thing happened in the services at my church yesterday...for the first time, I felt like the Spirit was moving among the congregation during worship! I added a few "contemporary" songs in the sets and they (congregation) took to them rather well. I was surprised to see hands being raised and worshipful expressions on people's faces. It got me thinking last night as I was sleeping about the whole "traditional" vs. "contemporary" music battle in the church.

I love the old hymns, I love praise music just as much; but most of all I love God-honoring, and worship-worthy (I'll get into that later). I heard a good quote from a speaker on this subject once. He was a pastor and was confronted by some old-time, hymnal loving deacons that they don't like the new stuff the "song leader" (I hate that title) was singing in church. The pastor asked the deacons..."When did worship become all about what you like???" I liked that because it is so true. Many people have worshipped the song style and not worshipped God through the songs.

I make it a point to explain that the hymns we sing today were once the new "contemporary" songs of the day when they were written. In fact, many tunes that hymn words are sung to are not even Christian but secular tunes! In my studies in hymnology I even learned that some of the tunes in our hymnals were actually bar\tavern dance tunes!

Here's a question for you...When you turn on the radio, do you hear the same music over and over again for years and years (excluding oldies stations) No, people come out with new music for people to listen to...Does God want to listen to oldies all day long in Heaven? Although oldies can be goodies, I think that God wants to hear some of the new stuff because He wrote the music anyways when you think about it! I'm going to spend some time in my postings on this subject of worship and the many aspect of it. Hope this is helpful to you all.

Forgiven Again

I had the great pleaseure of meeting with Jack Price the owner of Prism Music Publishing this past tuesday morning. I with about 15 other worship leaders and choir members got to sit in and sing some of the new music being published for churches. Besides that awesome fact that the actual owner of the company cares enough to teach us the music shows how great this music is. One song we looked at is titled "Forgiven Again" here are the words (chorus in bold)

I'd left my family, the love I had known,

I couldn't believe how calloused I'd grown.

The I woke up one morning in cold freezing rain

and said I'll go back where I caused so much pain.

Just in sight of the place where the lane meets the road,

the Father was waiting to carry my load.

His big arms were open to draw me to Him;

Forgiven, Forgiven, Forgiven again!

If you've broken the trust and betrayed your best friend;

If you're lost and confused, wondering where it will end;

There's a way you can know that wherever you've been

you can make your way home and be forgiven again!

It's an awesome truth that no matter how far away we may run from God, his big arms are there open to accept us back into fellowship with him! Jesus knew while on the cross that we would sometimes doubt him, run away and deny him. Not only did he experience the physical anguish from the nails and the beatings but the emotional burden of his children rejecting him. He died so we can be forgiven, and stay forgiven!

Gotta Get Out by 12:00 p.m.

Warning...this is a vent! I recieved a note (anonymous) in my mailbox at church Sunday and it's been bugging me with what it said. here it is:

"I think you as the music director should consider shortening the amount of time for the singing, which in turn will give the pastor more time for his sermon so that he will not feel rushed and run the service past noon. In fairness to the pastor, he should be starting his message at or about 11:15 a.m.

Thank You.

AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!! sorry...well, no I'm not really. First off, I am not a "Music Director" I am a "Worship Pastor" you don't call the pastor a "sermon speaker" do you? Secondly, we don't (we shouldn't) just "sing" in church, it's worship! Read the Bible and understand what worship is and how long "services" were in Jesus' day! Maybe we should bring our lunches to church like many did back then and sleep at the church until all was said and done and not because it's getting close to noon. Personally, I don't wear a watch in church for this purpose. I don't care what time it is when worshipping. It's a spiritual immaturity to tell God we only have an hour and fifteen minutes for you this morning. It's also immature to say that a sermon is more important than the worship...it's all worship! This note was probably from some guy who doesn't like to sing and only comes to hear a message. I guess there isn't too many messages from Psalms he\she would enjoy if they don't care about worship through song.
anyways...that's my venting for the day!