Saturday, 26 September 2009
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Offended by a rhythm or a beat... or should you?
A girl from my church came back from a conference she attended in the weeks prior. She's an intelligent girl and has a very keen sense of awareness in many things. She has a heart of gold but not too much sense when something that should be discerned better even if what was heard sounded convincingly intelligent...
Here is what ensued....
She approached me after church one sunday, ecstatic to see me and began to unload all that she was up to. She reveals to me that she was at a conference where she learned alot. Then proceeded to ask me a couple theological questions. I gave both arguments from both theological camps (Arminian and Reformed) upon the topic of her question. And then in a roundabout way asked me about music which from the speaker she heard, claimed that it was unBiblical and completely wrong for the church to have a drumset in it. And then asserted that he had a point. His argument, music with a beat as seen in clubs and what not stir up sensuality when one moves the hips. She agreed with this.
Yes yes yes, I'm aware of what is going through your head reader... relax before you go off and bash this person... put away your judgmental finger for a minute and sit still and listen before you suffer from foot-in-mouth syndrome... listen before you pour forth speech that is unwarranted and ignorant and unintelligent...
She then proceeds to ask me of my opinions. I tell her that this speaker is flat out wrong in many accounts, Scripturally, missionally, culturally, musically, and theologically.
I began to unload the notion that a beat and a rhythm is by all means first off sound arranged in a progressive sequential pattern. The example I used was the difference between my friend David's song O Praise Him which uses the straight 4 on the floor club beat that can also be used in any radio popular song as well. The difference is that with O Praise Him, it's for lack of a better phrase, a redeemed club beat while something from Lil' wayne, maybe not so much especially when he's talking about smack that and cappin that (i'm aware that may not be what he raps about, but I don't listen to Lil' Wayne so...) She looked at me somewhat puzzled and asked, "But what does one do when they dance?" I look at her and cautiously reply, "Shake their hips?" "Yes, and that can be seen in secular clubs where there's alot of senuality." "Yea, and that same beat is found in many of David Crowder's songs just the same and the response is different." what's the difference?
Church music is music for the church... there is no form in which music should follow per se. 3 chords and the truth they used to call it... now its tracks and loops and programming and the truth... The thing I told her she needed to realize is that music is music... Music is a gift given to us by God and it is good... when it is unredeemed... it is our job as Christians to redeem it. the straight 4 club beat can be used in church... just as much as it is used in the clubs as well. Heck... especially with Crowder... he took that same beat and played it at the House of Blues or the Roxy or the Fillmore... and it was grand as far as I can tell...
the conversation ended with me warning her not to adopt traditionalism as a means of gauging what is good and what is not... I told her the error of believing such ridiculous concepts and then told her that as a Christian, your job is to redeem wherever you are with whatever you got with whomever you're with... The guy was a traditional moralist and in turn only views things from a traditionalistic basis forgetting that he's living in the now.
to be offended by a beat or a rhythm is short-sighted... and hinders the mission of Redemption Christians are called to...
she got my drift...
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Comments (4)
I wish everyone at my church could read this. :P We've had so many fiascos over the years over worship style and type. I really, really respect and like what you said about being careful not to adopt traditionalism as a measure of what is right or not. That is such a good point.
@DistantStarlight@xanga - it's something I think the church has to fight... partly because the phrase, "It's what we've done before and it worked." tends to be the mantra of many churches and ministries... the idea is if it ain't broke don't fix it notion. Problem is, years and people differ which means, methods need to change while the message stays the same. Music does need to evolve in order to reach people which is why I appreciate Chris Tomlin or Charlie Hall or David Crowder* Band so much, because they communicate the message of worship in fresh, authentic, and new ways while sticking to the foundational message of the Christian faith.
hmmm, I hear you. It works both ways though. I like to sit still in church, bow my head quietly, and keep to myself. At some churches if you aren't dancing around and getting excited, you don't love Christ. Well, I'm just not the sort to do all that!
@ButterflyBless@xanga - there definitely is a balance between the volume and the contemplation... it would be wrong to suggest wildly expressed passion to be the way to go for worship just as much as it would be suggest that drums and guitars in church are not Biblical... but the idea is that we must not allow traditionalism for the sake of it being tried and true be the reason we don't progress forward...