Old vs New - Worship Music

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

So...you can think of yourself to be a "scrubbing bubble"?

Well... I don't know about scubbing but I am largely in the shape of a bubble.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Sweet Pea

I agree with the thought that alot of the older songs don't really "lift Him up" in praise and worship - some of the do. I agree with whoever said sometimes they like to sing the old songs for personal enjoyment and personal time with God. (Brings back some good memories sometimes.)

There are MANY of the newer worship / praise songs that I love; however, I have to say that many of them are hard to sing as congregational songs. We don't all have the range that some of the singers have. And.... if we don't listen to KLOVE or some other "Christian" radio station on a daily basis, we don't know the melody. Some of them are too wordy and the melody doesn't flow.

I did find it interesting, when talking with a lady and inviting her to church, one of the questions she asked was about our "worship". She stated quite emphatically that she didn't want to go to a church that had a "band" and singers on the platform singing "all this new stuff". She wanted a traditional song service. The "new stuff" was for her enjoyment and listening pleasure, but not for church. ??? Go figure!

Yeah... People want worship to fit their tastes. That is okay... but sometimes too important to people.

If I were in a church that sang all old songs I could swing with it. I'd worship. I guess if the church sang all bluegrass gospel I'd have a hard time with it.

But I just can't relate to someone looking for a church with the style of music being an up front & important criteria. It seems a bit short sighted and borderline selfish IMO... but I can't judge why people make those decisions... so I won't.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

This is exactly where the greater Contemporary Christian Music scene has gone the past 10-15 years. It's all gone Hillsong! If there is any way to take a song which has promise musically, someone in the CCM scene has found a way to raise the boredom factor by 2 or more notches with some of the most uninspired melodies and beats I have ever heard in my life. It is like they never progressed beyond the chord progressions found in a 1st year guitar students lesson books.

As I get depressed about the current state of CCM, I may have to put my Queens Greatest Hits CD (actually three of them) in for a quick listen in order to get over my funk.

Yeah... we just come from two different worlds I suppose. Being around what I refer to as "worldly music" (ie Queen) would put me in a funk all by itself. I'm not a prude that starts to wilt when he walks through a store and "worldly" music is playing. I just can't see it's value in my life and I don't go around playing it on purpose. I've never listened to anything but Gospel most all of my life.

To consider Queen a lift up from the depressing state of CCM is a mindset that I can't even begin to get my mind around.

[Sweet Pea]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Yeah... People want worship to fit their tastes. That is okay... but sometimes too important to people.

If I were in a church that sang all old songs I could swing with it. I'd worship. I guess if the church sang all bluegrass gospel I'd have a hard time with it.

But I just can't relate to someone looking for a church with the style of music being an up front & important criteria. It seems a bit short sighted and borderline selfish IMO... but I can't judge why people make those decisions... so I won't.

And why do we think that the visitors we have won't like what we are singing? GOD knows who is going to be there, and if a guest is offended because we sing only old songs or we don't sing any old songs, maybe they weren't open to God moving in their lives anyway. Is that too harsh? Am I wrong? I don't sing to impress the people or to entertain, I am singing to worship the King of Kings and the Saviour of my soul!

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

Ahh....someone else who likes the Imperials.

My all time favorite is "Praise the Lord". It is an encouraging song when I feel down in the dumps.

I love that song, but it is only the Imperials version that I like.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Sweet Pea

And why do we think that the visitors we have won't like what we are singing? GOD knows who is going to be there, and if a guest is offended because we sing only old songs or we don't sing any old songs, maybe they weren't open to God moving in their lives anyway. Is that too harsh? Am I wrong? I don't sing to impress the people or to entertain, I am singing to worship the King of Kings and the Saviour of my soul!

My take is about the same but I put it like this...

We can't please everyone. So you pray... ask God to lead you... pull a list of songs together and leave the rest to God.

No matter what you do it's not going to be right for somebody. That comes from a day and age where come to church to be pleased. That's sad that some people are like that and I've never seen anyone finally please a complainer. They are just complainers and when you fix one thing (if that's possible) they'll complain about something else.

So I don't work myself up over it all. All I can do is follow God and leave the rest to Him as well.

There's no winning the "please people" battle. Pleasing God is easier by far.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Yeah... we just come from two different worlds I suppose. Being around what I refer to as "worldly music" (ie Queen) would put me in a funk all by itself. I'm not a prude that starts to wilt when he walks through a store and "worldly" music is playing. I just can't see it's value in my life and I don't go around playing it on purpose. I've never listened to anything but Gospel most all of my life.

To consider Queen a lift up from the depressing state of CCM is a mindset that I can't even begin to get my mind around.

I guess you just have to be as exposed to music as I have been to see how UNinspired nearly all Christian music is to understand. It just comes down to the fact that I cannot stand mediocrity (and get the feeling that God doesn't either based on what He has to say about those deemed "lukewarm".) Having spent all my teen years in the UPC I saw time and time again how gifted musicians were forced to reign in their skill lest it sound too "worldy".

And speaking of Queen, I was listening to this on the way to work this morning.

I want it all I want it all I want it all and I want it now
Adventure seeker on an empty street
Just an alley creeper light on his feet
young fighters screaming with no time for doubt
With the pain and anger can't see a way out
It ain't much I'm asking I heard him say
Gotta find me a future move out of my way
I want it all I want it all I want it all and I want it now
I want it all I want it all I want it all and I want it now

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I guess you just have to be as exposed to music as I have been to see how UNinspired nearly all Christian music is to understand. It just comes down to the fact that I cannot stand mediocrity (and get the feeling that God doesn't either based on what He has to say about those deemed "lukewarm".) Having spent all my teen years in the UPC I saw time and time again how gifted musicians were forced to reign in their skill lest it sound too "worldy".

And speaking of Queen, I was listening to this on the way to work this morning.

I want it all I want it all I want it all and I want it now
Adventure seeker on an empty street
Just an alley creeper light on his feet
young fighters screaming with no time for doubt
With the pain and anger can't see a way out
It ain't much I'm asking I heard him say
Gotta find me a future move out of my way
I want it all I want it all I want it all and I want it now
I want it all I want it all I want it all and I want it now

Yeah... we'd definitely not sing that song. It's too me, me, me...

I hear you... you'd enjoy our quarterly youth service we put on. We pull out all the stops and give it all we've got. We have had musicians come from other states and help us.

Our lead song in the next service is going to be Say What You Believe by Echoing Angels.

But I do recognize the difference the culmination of our lifes experiences makes in our tastes etc.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Yeah... we'd definitely not sing that song. It's too me, me, me...

I hear you... you'd enjoy our quarterly youth service we put on. We pull out all the stops and give it all we've got. We have had musicians come from other states and help us.

Our lead song in the next service is going to be Say What You Believe by Echoing Angels.

But I do recognize the difference the culmination of our lifes experiences makes in our tastes etc.

This is true but it also makes me wonder why I enjoy older songs by the Imperials as much as I do. I can cringe when I hear anyone else sing their stuff but when they do, I get teary eyed.

[Michael The Disciple]

I came to Jesus in 1974. It was hard going from Ten Years After, The Who, The Beatles, the Byrds to the old hymns and country gospel. I soon discovered the "Jesus Movement" and what a difference it made in getting me through the day! There was folk, rock, and this new thing called "praise and worship".

When I came in contact with the Charismatic Movement they were utilizing the praise and worship style to its maximum! All through the 70's and 80's there was great Christian music altho most of it was not stuff played on the radio. Charismatic music was perfect for small groups with an acoustic guitar or two and maybe a keyboard.

A few years ago when searching to recover the Jesus Movement feel I discovered Misty Edwards. I was so amazed! In all my years of Christian music I was never so impressed! Her music has it all. The deep love of God, worshipping with passion as a bride adores the bridegroom. Songs accenting obedience and holiness. Songs that spell out the judgments of the nations and the coming of the kingdom of God!

Finding her music led me to her Church The International House Of Prayer in Kansas City. They have many worship bands there and one of them is worshipping the Lord there 24/7 365 days a year. At times I feel I have been transported before the Throne in Heaven!

It would be easy to dismiss such joy if one watched the live webstream for a short time and moved on. However after watching on a regular basis now for several years I have seen the most glorious praise and worship seemingly this side of Heaven. Over time it seems to grow more on me.

I still listen to other music some but Im kind of "hooked" on the IHOP sound right now.