Orginally published on Friday, June 27, 2008 at 7:52 AM
by Todd Rhoades
If I had a dollar for every one of these I used to sit through, I'd be a rich man...
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There are 19 Comments:
It looks to me like the camera guy passed out at the end of the clip…
I’m sorry, was that actually music?
“We just want to sang this song fur ye tonight, and we din’t have much time to practice, so we ask that ye don’t listen to us, just listen to the words, and we give all the glow-ree to God...”
This video was every Sunday night at the church I grew up in.
Now we know who put the “special” in “special Music” don’t we. I too grew up with this and kept wondering...Why?
Oh man! This also was my life! This scenario would usually end up with a few of the “musicians” (I use that word REALLY loosely) forgetting their part and then awkwardly looking around at the others as if to blame them for the mistake, followed by one of them asking the poor congregation to sing along.
When I was a little fella my dad would make me sing when friends came over. He just liked to hear me sing. I think God is the same way, He just likes to hear His children sing.
wow. I almost thought that was my mother-in-law
This reminds me of the time during my first pastorate when the “special music” was so bad I was actually embarrassed to come to the podium.
Well, it sure won’t get them play time on the radio or invited to one of the conferences...but you know, folks, they’re praising God in their own way. I’m not going to knock them for that. After all...their hearts could be more into their worship than ours are.
I understand the sentiment of “they’re just praising God and God enjoys it.” And I agree to a point. However, there are two things I think of when I hear that, or music like this.
1. Are they actually doing the best they can, or are they “winging” it? We who work in the church sometimes think that our volunteer musicians/singers want to “wing it”. I can assure you this is not the case. They want to make excellent music, they just might need a little helpful leadership to accomplish it.
2. (I’ve seen this and I do NOT like it one bit) A bigger concern is this one. Are there people who are very skilled musicians who aren’t welcome to come forward and offer their gifts? Then one of two things needs to happen, they need to be encouraged to get involved or they need to feel like the teams that play are striving enough after excellence that they will WANT to be a part of what’s going on.
I’m not saying that this church has either of these issues. I just don’t know. But I’ve seen both of those issues result in crummy music.
I was raised in a small town growing up and I heard some of this type of music in smaller churches that simply did not have talented musicians available. Some of these churches were small rural churches that just made the best with what they had. While attending some of these “singings,” I can tell you that I watched some godly, older saints praise the Lord they’ve been knowing long before a lot of us were in diapers.
There’s no doubt that God deserves our very best in everything...including music. As for the church in this video, let’s just hope they’re giving their best.
My concerns about music in churches are about: [1] The “performance” mindset on the part of some worship leaders. [2] The use of music that lyrically has nothing to do with God. These issues are of far greater significance than the fact that Grandpa’s church has a group who sings a little off key.
I’m with David Richardson, and had the same reactions re the “Godly, older saints.” One of my treasures is a tape my grandfather made of his 100 year old uncle singing, “God’s Railway to Heaven” in the nursing home. It was off key. He got most of the lyrics wrong. But it still gives me chills because of that “cloud of witnesses” feeling it gives me.
I’m a mom of three grown children. I can’t tell you how many off key band concerts, choir performances, recitals, and school plays I’ve attended. But it was my children that I loved, so I’d rather hear them doing it off key with heart than all the professionals in the world. I like to think that God feels similarly about His children’s praise.
It looked like it was a pre-service rehearsal, so I’m sure they were just warming up their voices and that the real thing was like angels singing.
dude!
I am a third generation pentecostal minister...25 years of ministry of my own ministry...I have played music professionally for 25 plus years touring and recording and this stuff still makes me cringe.
I am in my church office and after watching this I have got to put on some Van Halen so I can get it our of my head!
Mom?
Coming from someone who has been a musician for over 20 years and has performed nationally and internationally...It may not be the most graceful thing to come across our eardrums but they are doing what many won’t...praising God with what little talent they have. I would rather listen to that and know it comes from the heart than to listen to someone of a “professional” nature and know that it’s not from the heart. God bless them!
Adam writes that he [ would rather listen to that and know it comes from the heart than to listen to someone of a “professional” nature and know that it’s not from the heart.]
I agree, but I’d rather have both great giftedness and a heart for God in that person.
Make it stop!
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