UPDATE: MARK HAMILTON JOINS THE CONVERSATION IN COMMENTS BELOW.
I’ve been in too many Facebook, YouTube and email dialogues about this vid to not blog it.
So what I’m going to do is post a few of my comments related to it, and you guys can tease it apart.
In all that is processed (real process) below, cheers and great respect to Mark Hamilton, who made the vid. I understand his reasons for creating it. It went viral (over 12, 500 views at this writing), and he wondered if it was still good to leave it out there. The short answer is “Yes,” the long answer is “It needs context, and one edit in the first 44 seconds would have kept it from confusing the point – the satire became about the artist’s heart – not the industry.” He made it for the youth. Cool. It doesn’t work the same way for me or many others. Cool, too.
But, listen to my process, before I knew the context. Context, my friends, is everything. Always put things in a context as you create, as you speak, as you act in the world. We’re limited beings; context is everything.
An Artist + Worship Songwriter In Process
I’m an artist and worship leader. I’ve received royalties through the years. Enough to help, but never enough to support a family. Today, at 44, I bust a gut continuing to serve and make a living, and some of my dearest friends are well-off worship songwriters. Name some of the worship influencers of the past 20 years, and many of them are peers and pals.
I also try to pastor and nurture this crazy tribe of artists, creatives and worship leaders of all ilks. I dig Mark Hamilton’s reason for creating the vid – I think it went beyond his target group and was possibly misinterpreted for a number of “right” reasons. But, even behind the misinterpretations, is something else that should be addressed today. The stir is a gift, and thus the vid’s viral spillover is a gift.
(Note: Again, I hope it helps some kids working through it – I’ve worked with hundreds in this age group today, and the industry has got them by the tail, for sure.)
Why Something Behind The Vid Doesn’t Hit The Mark
I love satire and even some caustic humor; it’s not my point. I’m a songwriter, artist, writer and recording guy. I did my projects with Vineyard Music, and now I work with hundreds (okay, maybe thousands) of artists, musicians and worship leaders. I write for my local church, for my community, for my soul’s health. I write artist songs, poetry and more, and I write worship songs to serve communities (All You Are and Apostles’ Creed are two of them).
My point, as you’ll see below, is that in the first 44 seconds the innocent (and even well-motivated) guy (Mark Hamilton) who made the vid unintentionally (or intentionally?) satired the heart of the artist to be faithful and responsible to calling, vocation and family in a confusing world. The industry wasn’t mocked – the heart of an artist was unintentionally cast in a dim light. Social commentary can bring change, but not usually to pastoral issues like these, I’ve found.
I’m glad Mark teased it out in a UK way (satire). Truth is, he did it for some misguided kids – so they probably are helped by it. Problem is, it’s going around to everyone who cares about worship, the arts and feeding their families.
Thanks bud – really. But, the “family thing” – you should have picked something else. See my process below – it’s meant to be pastoral to those caught in your “cool vid to make a point” accidental crossfire, and those involved in the industry for all the right reasons.
First the Video, Worship Star by Shekelback, Then Dan Wilt’s Process + Response
MY PROCESS + RESPONSES
My First (pre-context) Response (or “Dan is unsure why he doesn’t like it, though he ‘gets it.’”)
Thanks for this (to the friends who sent it). Actually, I saw it awhile ago and had the opposite reaction to many. Many seem to think it’s funny.I found it irritating for all the opposite reasons the vid’s creator intended (from what I read).
Not for what would seem like an obvious reason – the satire has foundation, I’m sure, for some people – possibly many.
Good satire should speak to those folks.
Given that it was not satire that made any sense to me, and had themes that I’ve heard so often from folks in a certain “state of mind” in their own leadership and journey, it reminded me of that “bad taste in my mouth.”
Everyone is finding this funny, I know. I’m wanting to move on.
Just thought I’d be honest, because so many are sending it around. It’s just not my tribe, and feels immature to me – like a poor attempt to suggest a problem in a society into which they are losing their credibility to speak by the nature of their approach.
When I figure out how to say why I’m tired by it, I’ll do a blog post or something. For now, it’s just the opposite of funny for me.
For the record.
I wonder why,
d.
18 Comments
Dan Writes:
“it played harshly with men and women who actually love God, and are confused about how He provides for their families and lives. At 44, it’s still hard.”
Damn, and I was looking for words of hope. I’m 30, so that means I’ve got at least 15 more years of suffering ahead…. lol.
As a church employee for over 10 years with a university education and still employed “part-time” with no benefits (mostly because we choose to do ministry in a poor state where we can do the most good, rather than make the most money) the experience has taught me that ministry is way much about the heart and way less about the job… until it comes time to pay the bills, consider having kids (which my wife and I have delayed numerous times for that exact reason), etc.
My wife and I consider frequently how best to steward our limited resources, and how often to “push back” when I am asked to do a 50-60 hour/wk job and only be paid for 27. I think it comes with the territory of being pastoral to struggle with how God will provide. I would agree with you that poking a stick in the eye of those who (attempt with varying success to faithfully) engage that struggle everyday is lacking in charity (even if the poking is unintended).
Mark isn’t the first to lack this understanding… I have at least one meeting a month where I have to explain to a congregation member/lay leader/friend how ministry work is a “real job” and how it is more than just singing some songs on Sunday morning.
On a related note (and I’m trying to be careful here)…
I have encountered worship leaders over the years (personally, not a “straw man”) who publicly pick at other worship leaders/artists for the same stuff this video playfully points out. I have a uneasy feeling that 80s-90s contemporary worship culture has taught some leaders to hold questionable the “authenticity” of other worship leaders’ faith/genuineness in a misguided attempt to hold them “accountable” (away from being “rock stars” …whatever that is supposed to mean).
Anyone know of any good books that really unpack this type of thing? If not, maybe someone should write one.
Blessings to those who are faithful AND successful… and the rest of us.
Dan,
Some great honest thoughts. I found it funny when I first saw it (maybe its the British sense of humor). But I also count amongst my friends a few hard working, very talented, successful worship artists, and I know their hearts are sweet. Also as someone who can just about play guitar and holler in a way that some people find pleasing, but can do very little else of any use to society, I wholeheartedly agree with the longing to be able to support my family with my art. I get lots of compliments on my musical ability both in and out of the church, but I have to spend most nights searching cargo tugs, trucks and tired pilots in an airport in order to only just get by every month. When I’m driving around the airfield checking fences at 3am with nothing but the radio and my flashing orange top light for company, I dream of earning a living through music. I’d even be a roadie!
I think though that the video also addresses something that disturbs me in the wider worship world, that is the sub culture that it sometimes creates. I used to get irked when I’d look at the “gig lists” of many Christian artists on their web sites. The problem I had was that they only played in churches or Christian festivals. I’ve chilled out a bit on this since, but I grew up hearing guys like Kevin Prosch, Danny Daniels etc going out and playing in bars and clubs, taking worship out as well as being in church. Maybe that’s just because its my passion, but I get disheartened when I spot someone who just wants to get on the God channel, or be the next …… (insert favorite worship leader here), and I’ve met plenty of those in recent years and it grieves my spirit.
The video isn’t perfect, no and it should also be said that it is more than ok to earn a good living from your craft. But maybe its down to the rest of us to model authenticity and influence positively where influence is needed.
Sorry for the rambling, just my thoughts.
Wow. I missed the viral vid. I’m glad I caught it interspersed with your thoughts. Thanks for allowing us to read how you processed through it. Great stuff.
Dann really respect your honest push back on this, we must remember that it’s real human beings on both sides of the lines in and outside the industry or system that we may have beef with.
From a UK perspective i think the bigger story rather than the vid or the story behind it or message it carrying is that fact that it’s gone viral so easily, (funny thing is this guy is from just down the road from me) I think on our side of the pond it has tapped into a great well of discontent (possibly holy) to do with worship/church/culture/faith the whole she bang really. For many there seems to be questions as to the validity of the whole system and structure of modern worship and it becomes hard to talk about this without it looking like a attack on people or the validity of the gifts they have offered (which is not).
Great thoughts, guys. I appreciate the heart behind each.
Matybigfro, great perspective. “Honest push back” is indeed all its meant to be.
Having worked a fair amount in the UK, with worship leaders and great pals in the worship industry, I can understand a bit more of the cultural end as well.
Again, I’m grateful that Mark was doing this for all the right reasons. There’s a back end though – and I couldn’t just let it go given all the TrueHearts out there on which it sheds a negative light.
Really – I could absorb the play of all of it – it was the 44 second in “royalty check big enough to feed a family” that trumpeted that same old, dysfunctional “worship writers shouldn’t need any money from their craft”attitude that’s been around for too long.
So, given the clips popularity, I revealed my “process” with it.
The gathered (and even recorded) expression of worship through the arts, is in my estimation, a vital tool for re-orienting a disoriented world – and the industry for better or for worse puts in the hands of the masses.
Some songwriters (again, the industry may have good and bad in its decisions about who is put on stages or records) actually get to feed their family through their life work. Good on ‘em.
I loved reading your thought process through this Dan, and I was probably one of the first to send it to you, more as an “FYI this is going to go viral” than “you need to react to this”.
I think you nailed it on the head when you said it is the industry that is the problem – industrializing anything that is an art form is profane. It’s like taking beautiful, aged, cheddar cheese and ending up with “cheeze whiz”, or that stuff that squirts out of the can is unholy (not saying any worship is like this – just the over processing of something beautiful as an example – and yes, I am a Dairy Fairy from Wisconsin, so cheese is definitely an art form in my book!)
Taking a swing at the artisans instead of at the industry is really a low blow. I remember (not name dropping, but it was integral in my forming of these thoughts) talking with David Crowder during a Youth Specialties event right at the beginning of his career and hear him talk about how people stealing music really hurts his family. I hadn’t ever thought of it in such personal terms before and it changed everything for me. Making a living from your art is a necessity – if you can’t we all loose. Dan pushing a broom or even teaching a middle school music class to support your family means the kingdom looses on a larger scale. Not that the music class couldn’t be kingdom, but the call on your life is so much larger than that. If you can’t make a living we all loose.
Don’t give up Dan – keep pushing back. You are helping lay a foundation so that those who maybe only be performing instead of worshiping will be shown for the shallowness of their craft instead of the beauty and depth that you engender.
I guess some part of me at some level does agree with this song. Not just for the clichés it speaks to, but the entire makeup and operation of the current Christian worship/music system. I have so many questions…Why do Christians collect royalties, when the body of Christ is expected to take care of its own?..is legislation the only way? Can worshipping God ever be put in the place where we depend on it for our living? Can worship every be a form of tent making? Are we creating another clergy, laity divide by encouraging and expecting such high levels of musical proficiency from those who facilitate worship? If there was no money involved (i.e. it was banned) in worship and worship music, what would our worship look like? Would there still be huge concerts? Would there be expensive CDs? Would there be marketing? I guess what I’m getting at is this: some parts of the Christian system run strikingly parallel to the world’s system and to me this is disconcerting considering that the motivation of the two are supposed to be diametrically opposed. Any thoughts on any of these questions?
Wow, interesting discussion. I’m the guy who made the video in the first place. Dan contacted me and asked me to join the discussion. Thanks for all your thoughts, I agree with what has been said.
It’s worth noting from the outset that I’m genuinely surprised by the way this video spread virally. It started as an in-joke between me and some of my Christian muso friends in the UK. I guess once it’s ‘out there’ on the good old World Wide Web, you lose control over who sees it and how people interpret your motives and your heart. Once it ‘went viral’ I panicked slightly and thought about removing it from YouTube. However, I received several emails from high profile Worship Artists (including Noel Richards, Martyn Layzell and Delirious) saying that they found it funny (the main purpose) and that it actually made a good point (the secondary purpose). I asked Noel if it was doing more harm than good and whether I should remove it and he wrote:
“I think you should keep it on youtube and not be afraid of misunderstandings about your own motives etc. Jesus never went around trying to get people to understand him. He confused even his disciples! Anyway, it is now too late to control this. The genie is out of the bottle. Others are sharing the video around. I think the video is timely and prophetic and hopefully will provoke those who watch it, to make sure they are keeping their motivation pure.”
As Dan wrote in his blog – context is everything. He’s absolutely right. The main problem I’ve been encountering is that a few people have completely missed the point of the video if they’ve seen it via a Facebook link and have not read the ‘story behind the song’ which is posted on the info bar on the YouTube page ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbtkhB3cFGs ). The video was never intended to be an all-encompassing theological statement or a discussion into whether you can separate the artists from the motivations of the ‘industry’.
It’s actually not about worship leaders at all (successful or otherwise), it’s about those bands who DON’T do worship, but are tempted to go into worship after seeing how successful some worship artists have become. It’s all tongue-in-cheek and the lyrics shouldn’t be read as serious heart-felt opinions – there’s an awful lot of irony and hyperbole and downright cheekiness in there.
At the outset, let’s make it clear that I love worship, I have played the big stages at Christian conferences but I also love leading on just an acoustic guitar at a small group meeting or at the youth group which I help to lead. Have I always loved worship? No! When I was young and stupid I often had mixed reasons for wanting to play at church. Thankfully we learn from our mistakes and God’s grace allows us forgiveness and second chances.
OK, so here’s the real story behind the video:
If you know the original secular song that I ‘borrowed’ for the idea for the song, it is a cartoon parody of the ‘rock star’ lifestyle through the eyes of a wannabe – my song takes that idea and applies it to the worship industry – it doesn’t tell it like it IS, it is a cartoon parody of how many wannabes perceive their life will be if they become a famous worship leader. It’s about the wannabes NOT about worship leaders or famous Christian bands. Just want to make that clear before I get a barrage of complaints from worship leaders!!
I wrote the lyrics after meeting some kids after a show by my UK rock band at the Colston Hall in Bristol, UK. They said they were in a band. I asked them – So are you a rock band like us, or do you do praise and worship? Their reply took me by surprise. They said – Oh definitely worship; our youth leader told us that if we want to be famous and make a lot of money, we need to be a worship band.
Its also challenge to myself and every other Christian musician to worship God with integrity and leave any egos and rock star tendencies behind when we stand before a congregation.
For the rest of the story – see the info bit on youtube.
On the question of the ‘royalty check big enough to raise a family’ – that’s actually a whole wider issue that goes well beyond the scope of this comedy video. I believe that it is absolutely legitimate for an artist to earn money from their craft, and this obviously includes salaried worship pastors, performers and songwriters who receive royalties. It is always disappointing when you earn your living (or part of your living) from music and you are asked to play for expenses only, or for free because ‘it’s your ministry and you enjoy it’ or ‘we cant afford to pay you’ when you know full well that the sound crew and the preacher are paid well for their contribution to the same event. A worker deserves his wages. It’s a really tough time for everyone in the music industry right now thanks to illegal downloading, global recession etc and I guess it’s the cry of every artist to want to support themselves and their families. The reality for most of us is to have a few ‘tent-making’ projects on the side.
The line was only in the video because it raises the issue that regular Christian rock bands who do mission-based work or play in secular clubs and sing about cultural issues (e.g. my heroes All Star United), or simply encourage Christian young people with lyrics about the Christian life (as opposed to bands who lead corporate worship) are really struggling right now – there has been a cultural shift (at least in the UK) for youth events and festivals to book worship artists rather than the other type of bands. Many of us in that place are often asked to do worship albums, as that’s ‘where the money is’ and it’s up to each of us to decide whether or not to go down that route. For many of us, worship is another facet to how we serve the church with our music and it is natural to change direction make a worship album with complete integrity. However, for others of us it would seem really distasteful and maybe even a ‘blemished sacrifice’ to write and record worship songs without a genuine heart for worship and treat it as simply a cold corporate exercise instead of a genuine expression of love and adoration to our saviour.
Finally, I’ve had the privilege of playing guitar for certain worship leaders on the big stages and have met many of the big names including Martin Smith, Tim Hughes, Matt Redman, Martyn Layzell and Vicky Beeching. Without exception, these guys are authentic worshipers with integrity and genuine humility. Maybe that’s why God has raised them up to where they are now? So to reiterate: this song is NOT about them; this song is about the wannabe rock stars (you probably know at least one from your local church!) who join the worship band as a means to live out their rock star fantasies!
Great post/comment, Mark. Thanks for joining in here.
Let’s see how some others respond.
Hey Dan – you might want to post UPDATE: Mark Hamilton joins the conversation at the beginning of the post and repost it so that people using a reader are notified of the comments – or just a brand new post echoing to this one?? Just a thought so that the conversation can continue… or ask Mark if you can clip his comments into a stand alone post so that readers can interact with it directly??
Great post. Yes; it would be a shame if people misread this video as a peek inside the dark corners a worship leader’s heart. It should be clear and obvious that worship leaders are sincere people—doing their best love God and others. I think, though, that this video has become so popular, as mentioned above by Graeme, because it taps into the tension created as Christians imitate the world around them and then coalesce into a subculture—”being of the world but not in it.”
I think, also, that it is unfair to view this video as a critique of the ‘system’, or that big ‘Other’ known as the ‘industry’—because no such industry exists! The industry is merely a fog we create with our cash and appetites. In this manner this video reminds me of classical comedic catharsis, poking fun at the monsters within—our hidden idols and social perversions—the utter shock when our best intentions show up as a new golden calf. And all good satire does just that, puts a mirror up in front of us to a perspective we unconsciously strive to avoid—one that, without humor, could not be perceived.
Dan, I really appreciate your candid thoughts in this post, and yet it sparks in me a deep worry that we often underestimate some of the more overarching issues between music and church. It seems we rarely reflect on the epistemic value of music, how quickly our culture has come to obsess over it and performance, and the overall ephemeral nature of today’s art (not to mention the overwhelming amount of kitsch pouring from Christian quarters). Stating first that I emphatically agree that Christians should reflect God’s love and beauty through artistic acts of collective and personal worship, I thereafter wish to argue that the sincerity and intentions of the artist do not justify his or her works—neither do popularity or conventional norms offer a good guiderail as to what makes good and lasting art. Stated simply, I just wish we spent more time in sober judgment reflecting on some of the more negative effects of this particular medium and its message—a more incisive look into what exactly we are signifying through it…
I like music—maybe too much! I love art, and cannot imagine a world where Truth, Beauty, and the Good do not dance together—however, I worry much about this narcissistic age—these subjective and sentimental times. I get deeply depressed watching people squint their eyes trying to have a spiritual experience—watching the band craft their drug—and then call it a pastoral issue when people OD. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the guy who yells don’t touch, don’t taste…my point is that, in my estimation, we have yet to treat this art and craft with the respect and caution it so desperately requires—not to mention a little dearth and paucity, which our generation knows nothing of.
The history of church and music is wild ride (one worth studying)—and I’m starting to find a great affinity with the tension and turmoil Augustine felt over this very issue…
In Ecclesiastes Solomon says that “the words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails.” I have not seen firmly embedded nails among contemporary Christian music, where people chose a church based on the music, where people gather for festivals. In fact, more often than not, I have seen confusion and destruction at the tail end of the church’s tango with this art. And because of its power to condition our cognition to the subjective end of the spectrum I place the blame firmly on our corporate thirst for music. And I say this as one who has spent much blood, sweat and tears in the meth lab of Sunday morning services…While music is great at knocking us out of our mental ruts to see that God is there and that He loves us—it also teaches us that it is in music, in feelings, that we find God…
Dan, I love your blog, I love your optimism. I wish I could share in it…
Mark, funny video, thanks for pulling on one of threads in the frayed fabric of today’s Christian [sub]culture…
Scott Krippayne, the CCM artist who co-wrote the winning song for the 2007 American Idol Songwriting contest, “This Is My Now,” wrote at the end of his short bio on the voting page:
“Scott desires to earn enough money from songwriting to put food on the table for his wife and two kids.”
(chuckle)
Intresting post Dan (and Mark).
I play in a christian band and we are “testing the waters” to see if we are good enough to maybe make some money at this. With this context, it is obvious to see that I lean to what Dan is saying. People say that as Christians, worship artists should offer their art for free as their contribution to the community of Christians. But then do these people offer up their food and money to feed the artists and their families? If not then what should the artist do? If they get another type of job, they will have limited output in their artistic expressions and the church will not be as blessed.
Unfortently in my experience some churches ingore copyright law in these matters which just hurts the artists.
Now I’m sure that there are some people in the world who try and do “worship” just for the money and recognition and I don’t agree with that either. But I don’t think that if they are false like this they will get anywhere near where they want to be so it kind of a moot point.
-Clifton
Again, I don’t see why ‘money’ is the main focus here. I can’t see why it is ‘money’ that makes this video funny. Everyone hopes that what they work at will reward them with enough to provide for their family. In fact, anyone with an ounce of reflection should be reasonably aware that a career path towards being an “artist” is not a surefire way to put food on the table. Therefore it likely that there is something more motivating individuals to want to be worship leaders. My guess is that, 99.9% of the time, it is out of longing to share, even in part, that which the person has experienced from God. NO—even while acknowledging Mark’s expressed intent—I find this video funny for many reasons but not in regards to money.
For those that did find this video funny because of the money thing I’d suggest they are playing out the well-worn role of the jaded consumer, finding epicaricacy [is that a word?] at the burden we’ve place on our “producers”. Their money didn’t grow on trees of course. So, if it’s the money thing that tickles your tummy then I’d recommend going back to the check-out tabloids for some more witty laughs.
Can’t we think of other reasons why this video sparks such a reaction???
Nice one Ryan – the ‘money’ was such a tiny part of the video and never intended as a significant focus!
If you want another discussion point, let’s talk about why, when there is such a rich scriptural and experiential canvas to paint from, many worship writers seem to default to dumbed-down cliches e.g. do we really need another song called ‘Holy Holy, Holy’ or “You are worthy (repeat X4)” etc. Surely, God deserves our very best and he’s given us gifts of art, literature and creative expression to praise him with. The rich language of the Psalms, Song of Solomon, Lamentations etc etc etc are great examples, as is the song “Indescribable” for a more contemporary reference.
Alternatively, the simplest words such as “I love you” can convey the pure power of our emotions and God accepts us with a childlike faith without any ‘babbling like the pagans’ or elaborate words to somehow try to earn God’s approval. Often the words of older hymns can be unintelligible to half the congregation “Lo he abhors not the virgin’s womb” (O Come All ye Faithful).
What’s the perfect balance?
Over to you. What do you think?
Mark: excellent questions—they incite me to kibitz.
In regards to clichés, I get the sense that Christians wear phrases raw because they fail to consider the delicate metaphysics of words and the semiotics of music (that smell of transcendence that accompanies each utterance, that whisper of rapport that lurks behind every sound). Words are like coins and can be effaced through too much use—so too do some of our songs seem to lose their value and become cut adrift from the reality they wish to represent.
Often it seems that there is an odd discontinuity between the lyrics and the music of our songs—so that some of the best poetry sits atop the music with utilitarian charm, or that some of the most awe-inspiring music is married haphazardly with trite lyrics…
Sometimes it appears as though music is used merely as a vehicle for religious sentimentality or theological ideas (like a spoon full of jam with/or without the pill), or that the words are just added carelessly, by otherwise good musicians, so as to find a context (an excuse) for playing. I don’t think any of this is conscious—but rarely do I find words and music that fit as though they were meant to be together—as though they were speaking in concert [concord]—tapping us in to truth and history that echoes on even after the song.
The worst thing, in my opinion, is when our songs are so filled with adjectives that there is nothing really left to say—the lyrics no longer point onward towards God, but instead offer descriptions that we worshippers slavishly agree with, requiring little effort and dulling our imaginations. We get enamored by the effects and lose sight of the cause! Sometimes our songs undo themselves—for instance when we sing about the “now” which is a reflecting on the “now”—the very thing that steals the “now” away. Skipping past other criticisms of misguided theology and egocentric grammar, I still wish our music would stop taking us by the hand and spoon-feeding us religious experiences—or merely descriptions of such—painting grey on grey. I worry that the next generation will not understand how we got here or what we are doing…
Many artists do get things right—they see words as signposts, and so seek to turn a new phrase (or resurrect an old one) that wrenches us from our everyday perspective to consider the same old things in a new light—or new things in an old light. Well placed words—a mixed metaphor or a pregnant metonym—can shake things up or hold things fast. So we should take our music and words seriously—not ignoring the dangers of overuse, nor being ignorant of the source of meaning and how language operates.
Again, my big worry is that “inspirational” music, though it might kick us out of our tangled web of lies—to see the truth that God is there and that He is not silent—that it also suggests that it is through music that we “feel” and get connected to God…It seems we place far too much importance on music on the one hand and nowhere near enough on the other…balance comes when we respect what music is and what it is not.
Guys,
Good play and work here.
“Holy, holy, holy” is apparently a phrase deemed worthy of repetition across thousands of years by God Himself – hence it’s embedding in both Hebrew scriptures and New Testament scriptures.
Cliche – what an interesting term for pivotal, anchor worship phrases used throughout the covenantal story we apparently believe is the human story.
In fact, Wright will suggest the twin phrases – “Holy, holy, holy” and “worthy, worthy, worthy” are what is being sung “as we speak.” I.e. They form the content of heaven’s song in this moment.
I would add to this suggestion that my 13 year old son hasn’t heard (or maybe cared for) the previous 20 years of songs carrying these expansive phrases into each generation.
He needs a fresh rendering to find his own voice lifted to God by the words – and God’s own heart delivered to him.
Cliche. It’s a funny thing. Maybe the issue lies in the hearts of those who:
sing the songs,
write the songs,
earn money from the songs,
join the songs,
rather than primarily in the words, or the industry, itself.
And, sorry guys. A big dollar sign hung around the guys neck the entire song – it’s a significant part of the point, and the inference is deafening. Thanks for suggesting it’s not the point, but symbols speak louder than words.
Again, we apparently have a sore point with Dan. Who knew?
I think Dan makes a good point when he brings up his son. It can become a high-handed academic exercise to analyze why songs, lyrics, and “simple” ideas get written and re-written for each generation… often seeming pointless to the ones who came before because the message has already been heard for them.
Understanding cultural needs and “relevance” beyond its own buzz-word meaning is understanding the basics of culture. Each new group, generation, and sub-culture requires a different means of communication and relation. If there is one benefit of the contemporary movement, it is that the church is slowly catching on to this after centuries of misunderstanding. Just because “it” has been done before does not mean that it can’t be re-done to better aid the fresh faces of the church.
That is not to say, however, that there should not be material being written by and for the spiritually mature. Much the same need currently exists for those who need music to lament to rather than all music being “inspirational” and super-happy. I’m sure other areas of need could be identified.
In respect to Ryans last post…
Things like emotions, preferences, and personal taste may not be the best focus points for a spiritually mature person, but can be the most important entry points for God to start infiltrating in the life of a person on a new journey of exploration. If you ever study emotional systems, they are the most basic senses of our being (not to mention the way God made us)… and so therefore are not totally irrelevant to ministry or worship.
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