Yesterday, our class had a rich and thoughtful video chat with Kathryn Scott, all the way from her home in Port Stewart, Northern Ireland.
For our InResponse post this week, our students were to have read a chapter I’ve written for a book to be released with Broadman Holman Publishers, entitled (the chapter) Contemporary Worship: A Perspective.
Blending narrative with forays into views on the interface of Church and culture, this chapter seeks to explore the place of contemporary worship expression in the culture, and in the whole body of worship work that has flowed from the Church over its life span.
Here is the question:
“What quote or insight most intrigues you as you read this chapter, and what particular value undergirding the contemporary worship movement, from among the list noted in the second section, has most impacted you in your own worship journey?”
Looking forward to the fray.
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The most interesting topic for me was ‘A Worship Counterpoint”. The idea of contemporay worship as the same song sung a different way helps connect it to both the chruch and culture. It is not a new (as in unheard of) song, just a different but complimentary melody.
I like that.
The guiding value of Immanence is the one that has most impacted me in my worship expression. In spite of my “state of mind”, God still shows up. His presence in worship is why I became a Christian. Meeting him intimatly in song in the midst of the storms of life is an increadilbe experiance and can change our attitudes, getting us ready to help others enter into the same experiance.
Well i the second section of the chapteer i was challenged by the concept of ‘culture handing us our contemporary worship ingredients’ but i can see that musically, yes it has had a large influence but lyrically we are saying different things.
I can see how modern culture is influencing us lyrical, i think that we as a church, want to talk about issues indirectly to do with our times of despiration which mainly come from the world we live in.
But as a growing songs writer i was touched by the idea of God always having new songs for me, whether they’re just for me or just for that moment, it was touching.
What really got me excited was the part about standing against the tides of distorted human culture and to rejoice in the goodness that is surrounded by the brokeness of the world. I have been to many many conferences and worship gatherings and i can probably count on my one hand the amount of times i have found someone who listens to secular music. So many people I’ve talked to only stay in one section of music and do not explore anything else because its not worship or it doesn’t praise god. This makes me pretty bummed because there is soo much good music out there that they are missing and i have found a lot of secular music that either knowningly or not is praising god. Also i think that as Christians we need to start interacting with culture that surrounds us, ignoring it will do nothing. Just because you explore outside of the church doesn’t mean you’ll become one with the world. Jesus didn’t hang out with the healthy, it’s the sick who are in need.
The aspect that has most helped me in my worship journey is how we can be fully human in the face of god and never have to hide our shame and brokeness. For along time worship would be tough for me because I felt that is was showing God all of the things i needed forgiveness for but was maybe not ready to release. I’ve realized that i have nothing to hide and now worship is a time of thankfulness and praise in all of my worldy imperfection.
The one quote that has intrigued me most is this: “…we as a contemporary Western people have in many ways privatized faith, elevated feelings and persued self-actualization- no moreso in the world than in the Church.” I agree, and it goes an to say that we- the West- have ALL reduced culture to a concern with tangible reality and things that are heartfelt, than with the erternal things that are true and substantive. What does that say about Faith? Is it faith? And our culture reflects this attitude to the extreme case where we are isolated from one another(even from the immigrants who seek belonging!!) But, we can learn from them, more so than we can learn from ourselves… e.g. ther is something Godly about the hospitality of the Mid-Eastern cultures
The one value, supporting the Contemporary Worship movement, that has impacted me the most is found in Part G, “What Is The Church In Culture?” With the deconstruction of the sacred and secular at hand, I had more earnestly wondered about this: “We are comissioned with Him to transform every person we touch by the power of Christ living within us-through all the creative means He has given to us.” Where else can we find the greatest and richest demonstration of creative means than in the cultures surrounding us! I refer to our traditions (some ancient) and others’. (the West needs to revisit its past and retrieve its culture, or bring life back into its shrinking “traditions” that are more out of memorial(remembering the past) than preservation (keeping alive the past!) Culture is one thing that we, as one world, can share as sacred, and it is something that honors the cultures, when we have understanding and appreciation for their beliefs. This honors God the most, when we touch a culture on its own turf. We need to go cross-cultural in many instances and this requires God’s creative power: the power of Christ to accomplish a cultural contact, and it is here already. I think that the Church (which was born out of the inbreaking manifestation of the Eternal) needs to revisit the reality of this Truth: that the Eternal Kingdom means eternal, untouchable power, here and now, and with us to accomplish His will, right now.
The passage that most caught my attention is where it says that
“our songs, art, work,must point through human kind to God….but primarily in their capacity to focus us on God in this grand story… which we have been invited to participate.”
This remindes me that every gift that is given to us comes from the Master of Artistry. Everything is weaved together to bring about a perfect picture-with a perfect blend of passion, color and love.
I was really surprised reading that in former times the hymn-writers had a hard time being accepted in church, as well. They were perceived kind of non-orthodox at their times, just like our contemporary worship writers are nowadays in some denominations. The Anglican Church did not approve the singing of hymns until 1820. Isn’t that astonishing? I wonder if this was the case in Germany, too, since there were famous songwriters like Martin Luther, already in the fifteen-hundreds, or Paul Gerhardt in the sixteen-hundreds.
From our current perspective, many hymns are not exactly perceived riveting, I’d say, but rather appear a bit outmoded. We think of them representing the church a few hundred years ago and the music often just not hooks the contemporary ear. I remember being a child and singing an a few hundred years old, myriad-verses long song, and after the fifth verse I still couldn’t sing the melody. It just wouldn’t stay in my mind. Whereas today, it often suffices to hear a new worship song once or twice and I can sing it.
This leads me to the second section. I think, the simplicity of contemporary worship songs has had a strong impact on my own worship journey so far. It’s just like Dan states it in his chapter: Accessible songs, that are easily learned and recalled, are an incredible strength to the worshiping life and a useful liturgical tool in creating space for God’s people. I love it, when I can focus on God without needing a lyric sheet or overhead. I can just dive into worship and listen to my inner conversation with God. Of course, I do like more complicated songs, as well. And there are some especially rich and beautiful old hymns, which I enjoy. But simple songs for simple minds like mine
definitely have a firm place in my heart.
i love the part on page 2, which says “what exists as the present worship expression, experience and exchange with God amon the Church today– in all of its streams and forms–is by definition contemporary worship.”
it isn’t just the worship with the band setting, like guitars and bass and keyboard and drums, but also hymns, and organs, and quiet monastic meditation….all that is practiced today, IS contemporary worship, and God loves all of them as they are from a true heart.
Yes there is always one form of worship which is especially strong in a certain time, a worship style uniquely powerful and raw for that generation, but all forms are just differet facets of expressions to glorify Jesus.
No favourites, just the heart
i suddenly found out that i wasn’t answering the question correctly. lemme try again : ) sorry
i think at different times, different aspects/ values impacted me…so i’ll just mention the one that is currently surrounding and changing my worship to our Heavenly King-Father. The value of Simplicity…. to be gentle, like a lamb, thirsting for the simplest things, yet the most precious things–the most quenching thing–God’s presence among us….and musically simple as well…
we humans are complicated things, with a physical body made up of a thousand little things, and a soul and an emotional body, made-up of who knows what…..yet like a child, should we be reduced to nothing when we worship our God.
It’s 3 AM!! Here we go!
“The Guiding Light Of Simplicity” is a portion of section two that is so great!
It’s about a mentally challenged man that can’t really grasp the melody of a song that he loved during worship. A member of the congregation who was trying to keep a low key noticed this and decided to join in on the song so that the man could follow his singing. They were soon singing together and following each other’s voices.
This man wanted so badly to sing this simple song, yet the other guy who had the capability, initially, chose not too. I love the compassion I see here. Even though what he did was so simple, it wasn’t so much for the man that was out of tune. Worship can be so simple yet so amazing.
Humm.. I having a heck of a time trying to find this list.. but that’s my fault for doing this so late.. so I’ll ask you in class.. and anwser in person.. I am better in person anyways…
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