[rodgersorgan] Re: Organs & Praise Bands -
- From: William E Ehrke <diapason@xxxxxxx>
- To: rodgersorgan@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2003 10:51:14 -0500
Now we've opened a topic that I wrestle with in my own heart. Just delete this
message if you don't have time to read someone's introspection!
There are unending points of view on this subject, and even those who try to
keep
an open mind are influenced by their own backgrounds and comfort zones.
An interesting way for each of us to examine our "openness" to various worship
styles is to test our secular tastes in music. Scan across the radio dial.
Assuming you live in a populous area where there are multiple choices in
broadcasting, you'll hear a hundred various forms of pop/rock, a lot of
country-western, possibly some jazz, maybe some oldies, and perhaps one
classical
station. Which of those styles of music do you hurry to escape from? Which
ones
do you accept or embrace? Now take each of those styles and invest them with
sacred lyrics. Can you accept something in church that you don't care for on
the
radio? These same tastes are likely to influence our attitude about worship.
But -- much as we wish it were true -- when we talk about music we're dealing
with taste and opinion, not the absolutes of salvation and theology.
Personally, the Lord has denied me an appreciation of the whole gamut of music
that I lump together as rock 'n' roll. I'm a year or two older than the first
Baby Boomers, so mabe it's a generational thing. Or maybe something in my brain
cannot deal with those rhythms and sounds. Perhaps it has something to do with
the lifestyles of the performers. At any rate, music based on guitars, drums
and
unrelenting rhythms stirs a primitive flight instinct in me and therefore
there's
no use expecting it to draw me into worship.
But the opposite is true for large numbers of people. Choirs and hymns are
"boring" to many, and their response to organs may be "How can you worship to
that noise?"
So churches -- and we as church musicians and presumably worship leaders -- have
a daunting challenge. When I walk past the sanctuary and hear the beating
drums,
blazing guitars and wailing voices of the contemporary service, that old flight
instinct kicks in. But the building is crowded with people who wouldn't be there
if it were a carbon copy of our hymns/organ/choir service. These younger
adults
are accepting vital roles in the congregation. Their children are growing up in
church. Their teenagers fill our youth program and (to the beat of music I
can't
appreciate) encourage each other to rely on divine support when faced with tough
choices. They enrich us and they are real.
Am I sorry these contemporary folks are not being "educated" to appreciate hymns
and exciting organ accompaniments? Yes. But on the other hand they're probably
sorry that I'm not getting similarly educated in their worship style.
Interesting statistics: About 80% of my church's financial support comes from
those who attend the more traditional service. Meanwhile, about 80% of the
professions of faith, baptisms and new members come from the contemporary
service. We need each other.
B.E. (constantly dealing with it all)
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