Sing A New Song

Today, my Pastor posted a column from Billy Graham. I am not sure when this was originally published, but I have seen it before. Just the title brought back memories of my mother and me arguing about DC Talk, Petra and even Carman. All three of those would be considered somewhat lame by my sons, but when I was there age it was bordering on revolutionary.

Blessed Assurance

If I am honest, when I started looking for a church here in West Virginia, music was an obstacle. I do not want to feel like I am being entertained by the worship team. I don’t want to sing the same 6 hymns in a bi-weekly rotation. I don’t want to feel like I am a rock concert. The music is such a big part of going to church for me. It is the one thing I continually missed, even when I was away from God and the church.

There are several contemporary songs that incorporate parts of my favorite hymns. Big Daddy Weave, used the chorus of Blessed Assurance in “My Story”. Chris Tomlin’s “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)” expands the message of the hymn. Both of these are examples of the best of the traditional with the best of the new. Sometimes I just want to sing “I Exalt Thee” during worship. Sometimes I want “I Surrender All” when I am at the altar. A little “I’ll Fly Away” would do me some good here and there. My ideal service would mash up a little old and new. I am NOT attacking our praise and worship. Our worship team does a phenomenal job of setting the atmosphere for worship. Music choices are well thought out and prayed over.

Even at my church, which I love, I struggled in the first few weeks with the music. I had been out of church a long while so many of the songs were unfamiliar. I spent more time reading lyrics off the screen than really worshipping. Now, I very much look forward to praise and worship. It took time to “settle” myself with what church music looked like after my years of absence. I knew it was the place when the very first service had “Blessed Assurance” in the set list.

I Can Only Imagine

This is not a debate about which songs are effective. Those old hymns are comfortable. Perhaps a little too comfortable at times. Notice how when something is comfortable we can do it without thinking. Have you ever caught yourself singing in church while making a to-do list in your head? Remember the old “new” songs like “Shout to the Lord”? When is the last time you heard it in church? Some of these songs got worn out. We were not using the music and lyrics to enhance the service and reinforce the message…we just sang some pretty or emotional songs.

I get excited when some of the guest speakers come and we get some down home southern gospel and those old hymns that resonated through every revival I attended as a child. Those songs are foreign to so many coming into the church new these days. Growth requires that something new be present, it also pushes us outside of comfort zones. Can you imagine the music in store for all of us in heaven?

What a Friend We Have In Jesus

Jesus knows that every one of us has certain hang ups. Fortunately, he is far more patient with us than we are with each other. If the song is glorifying our Lord and Savior…isn’t that enough for you? My musical choices do not push the boundaries they did in my youth. I am not looking for the latest Christian Rap artist or Christian Metal band…but they do exist. Much like my mother so many years ago, I don’t care for it for some of it.

How can you reach out if you are stuck in the same place, doing the same thing - all the time? For my church this meant going into the community. If you cannot get over the music choices in your church, how are you going to deal with the hard stuff you encounter when engaging the lost? You think singing a new style of song is uncomfortable? Try talking to someone who has been brutalized by life as they know it. Outreach is not just about victims, it is about those who victimized too. It’s about loving people and letting God change them.

If we keep letting small stuff irritate us, we can’t address the big picture. Don’t like the music? Someone else would really dislike your set list too. The real question should be is it effective. Are people drawing closer to God? Don’t know the words? Close your eyes, lift your hands and talk to God. Worship is a state of heart, not a style of music.