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.

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?

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.

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?

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???

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

“Scott desires to earn enough money from songwriting to put food on the table for his wife and two kids.”

(chuckle)

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…

Let’s see how some others respond.