wOrShIp mUsIk

Sorry, JT, I can’t make the choice. For me, it really matters what kind of “mood” I am in . I can get lost in both types of music…whether it is singing along or just listening. If you are talking about a “set” on Sunday morning, alot has to do with the vibe I get from the band…are they being authentic….are they worshipping or are they just playing music or are they performing for themselves. This is huge for me…and God’s given me a good sense for that whether it is at the Journey or not.

And at other times, all I need is utter and complete silence and solitude to worship.

for me. the choice is clear.

gangsta rap

i’m offended that wasn’t one of your two choices

i must now bust a cap in your !@#*$!

Karen Carpenter? Still the best voice in the world… but rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

Jeff,
Umm what? Is that old people’s code for something? jk.

DougEFresh: Rockin’ band would be the way to go, if I had to choose one or the other. Of course there is a time and place for both, but rockin out would win out in a pinch.

I’m with Arlet, just depends. Some days acoustic, some days rockin, some days gansta rap. just depends on my mood.

when i was in college, i went to a church with a bunch of talented musicians that played all different types of music. it was sort of like the “faith sounds like…” series only it was worship songs arranged to be techno or bluegrass, etc. it was so awesome. i figure since the journey has an inordinate amount of talented musicians, so we could totally pull it off!

For me too, it depends on the mood I am in or the mood that is set. Either way, the band needs to be in a genuine ‘worshiping God’ mode, and not a ‘performing for the crowd’ mode. A good band leader’s words and prayers between each song are important. Hopefully the worship music is also in ‘tune’ with mood of the message, whether it is rocking or acoustic. I like Frances’ idea….would be nice to get a wider selection of ‘flavor’ to the music…..blues, bluegrass, country (sorry Jeff). It may just take a different arrangement / beat to familiar songs.

Seriously honey! Don’t make me open a can of bluegrass on you!

(Disclaimer: Jenherbert is the wife of cpt.kirk)

I agree with my good friend Doug - rock rocks! To me it is great for it’s power and celebration…and acoustic is great for it’s beauty and contemplative mood. However, what I have pondered over the years is that the style of music people enjoy is very much a personal perference. That’s why there are so many different kinds of radio stations or XM radio channels. Yet, in Christian churches there is a predominant kind of middle of the road “worship” music that we assume everyone is going to enjoy (seeker and Christian alike even). If people usually have different tastes in music why do we assume that when they come to church they are going to like the typical Christian worship music style? That’s one reason why I have always held that we should never start a Sunday experience with too lengthy of music time assuming that all seekers are going to enjoy it. Keeping it brief at the outset is best in my opinion.

A couple of other thoughts:

• I love it when musicians cut loose, show some passion, let the lead guitar scale the heights, etc…but too many times in a Christian church environment that is discouraged as “grandstanding” or doing it for themselves, etc., when really they could be doing it to glory of the Lord and showing passion like David dancing “like a fool” cutting loose for the Lord in the Old Testament. I say have fun, cut it loose and give God the glory!

• I don’t know when “worship” became synonymous with music so that people assume that is what worship is or is confined to. To me that is a modern day Christian paradigm that is misleading…or at minimum has an inordinate amount of emphasis placed on it as the only way to worship. I do not see that emphasis in scripture or in the record of the early Christian church in Acts. Jesus said we are to “worship God in spirit and in truth” and I am not sure how we changed that to meaning we worship when music is happening. It is an appropriate way to worship, as scripture records that even Jesus himself sang a hymn with his disciples (Mark 14:26)…but just one of many ways…and we need to place equal or even greater emphasis on the other ways to worship.

Yes, yes yes!!!! Using the word “worship” as synonymous with music is very frustrating for me also. It limits us and let’s us fall into the trap that “worship” is something we do on Sunday Mornings or maybe (maybe!) during a personal devotional time; when our daily life should be an act of worship…as doing all things as unto the Lord. Maybe if we remembered that more we would make our work, our chores, our driving, our very lives an act of Worship. And singing just a small part of that worship.

And PS, I love it when the musicians cut loose and I really love it when they (and those participating) show some passion. Being passionate about how we play, how we sing, and how we “worship” will never scare seakers away…what they are searching for is something real, something worth being passionate about.

Now we’re getting somewhere! This is the kind of feed back I was looking for. Thanks to all who looked deeper into the question.