I heard a great sermon today about committment. My Dad preached it.
It seemed an appropriate topic seeing since my idea of what a Christian's committment looks like has recently gotten me labeled as judgemental.
I don't really think of myself as judgemental, but really I guess I am about some things.
I tend to doubt people who give the church a bad name.
I tend to doubt people who pray as the Pharisee prayed, "Lord I am grateful that I am not like this sinner," when they still smell like last night's party. Are they really committed to holiness?
I tend to doubt people who can't get past publicly praying,"Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner" because they get a different kind of attention. These people come in two types: 1) people who get a lot of mileage out of their constant state of crisis and 2) people who feel pious because others get to watch the breast-beating.
I tend to doubt people who remain silent when someone else is denigrating their faith. To me, to be silent is to assent.
I tend to doubt people who think their church is the ONLY one who has it right. Nobody has it completely right. Different churches have different emphases. They speak to different needs in different seasons of one's life.
I tend to doubt people who think their church has it COMPLETELY right. (See above)
I tend to doubt Christians who are meaner than the average unchurched person.
I tend to doubt people who are too proud to admit that someone else might have some worship traditions of value that are different from mine. "Liturgical churches can't be led by the Spirit because everyone is just reading" vs. "Evangelicals have no sense of history and tradition and therefore have no value".
And I just don't trust people who type e-mails in all caps, all lower case or no punctuation, or who can't spell.
And before anyone starts saying that I'm not supposed to judge others, I get judged as well.
My mom thinks your Christianity is shaky if you take any alcohol, including real wine in the communion cup.
My parents friends think my Christianity is shaky because I joined AN EPISCOPAL CHURCH, FOR PETE'S SAKE.
People from the charismatic, nondenominational church we used to attend think, well, I don't know what they think, because they don't call. But when we attended, people who didn't even know me offered to pray over me and lay hands on me when I asked hard theological questions that didn't lend themselves to bumper sticker length answers.
My coworkers think I'm snobby and unfriendly and exclude me because I choose not to join in the gossip, back-stabbing, and whatever else.
And those are just a few of the ones I know about.
Now, the crucial element, I believe, is that everyone makes assumptions about other people all the time. It's how we act on those assumptions that makes it judgement. I think instead of judgement, we should use the idea of condemnation. Am I condemning someone because of these things, or am I genuinely trying to show the Love of Christ to them anyway? That's how Christ works in people. As I act out the love of Christ to them, God will change my heart.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
Taking offense
Sometimes someone asks for your opinion, but when you give it, you end up in trouble. It would work out better if you kept your trap shut.
I'm not always very good at that. In fact, sometimes I'm really bad at that.
So, apparently, I offended some people by a comment I posted on another blog, and for that I'm sorry.
But I was also surprised that anyone would be offended at what I said, and their responses to mine hurt my feelings - mostly because they didn't listen to what I said. Perhaps I could have said it better, but I don't think that what I said was wrong.
So much for the via media.
I'm not always very good at that. In fact, sometimes I'm really bad at that.
So, apparently, I offended some people by a comment I posted on another blog, and for that I'm sorry.
But I was also surprised that anyone would be offended at what I said, and their responses to mine hurt my feelings - mostly because they didn't listen to what I said. Perhaps I could have said it better, but I don't think that what I said was wrong.
So much for the via media.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
My son in whom I am very pleased.
I can hardly believe it's been three weeks since I wrote anything. Time has once again gotten away from me.
Tomorrow is a great example of how time gets away. It's my son's 15th birthday.
I'm not quite sure now it happened, but he's taller than me even when I wear heels. And his voice is deeper. And he's got fuzz on his lip.
And now, when girls call his name and wave, the hair on the back of my neck stands up.
Of course, this is the same boy who used to play with my hair while I read to him.
This is the same boy who locked himself IN the bathroom when he was four and couldn't get himself out.
This is the same boy who wanted to know if we could find somebody to trade with if we didn't like the new baby (Rachel).
This is the same boy who told the doctor that the purpose of a ceiling was to hold the fan up.
When the rest of the Cub Scout pack was asking the visiting banker how much money was in his bank and how much a car cost, this is the 9 year-old boy who asked him to explain, "What is economics?"
This is the same boy who has endured terrible pain and anguish over the last five years while we have sought a way to control his horrible migraines.
This is the same boy who has been absent from school more than he has attended in the last four years, and manages to get As and Bs in honors and AP classes.
This is the same boy who was too shy to order his own kids meal at the burger joint, but who now teaches skills to younger scouts.
This is the same boy who writes fiction so well that a literary agent, upon reading Chapter 1 of a novel he started, told him to finish it, send it in, and not to tell anyone his age.
This is the same boy who questioned God's love for him when he wasn't healed, and came up with the right answer anyway.
This is the same boy who reduces his sister to tears telling her she has rabies and scurvy and leprosy (or scurvaceous rabid leprosy complicated with dandruff), but is genuinely concerned when she says she feels bad.
How did that little baby who sucked his thumb the day he was born turn into this strong, compassionate, resilient, and interesting person?
And for all his amazing accomplishments, he's not perfect. (No, Nana, he's not!)
But he is my son, and I am very pleased with him. And I am grateful to be his Mom and watch him grow up.
Well, God is watching us, His children, too. Do you think He's amazed at how much we've grown? Is He surprised at how mature we are? Or are we late bloomers - a spiritual failure to launch living in the basement?
Is He very pleased?
anything but typical
Tomorrow is a great example of how time gets away. It's my son's 15th birthday.
I'm not quite sure now it happened, but he's taller than me even when I wear heels. And his voice is deeper. And he's got fuzz on his lip.
And now, when girls call his name and wave, the hair on the back of my neck stands up.
Of course, this is the same boy who used to play with my hair while I read to him.
This is the same boy who locked himself IN the bathroom when he was four and couldn't get himself out.
This is the same boy who wanted to know if we could find somebody to trade with if we didn't like the new baby (Rachel).
This is the same boy who told the doctor that the purpose of a ceiling was to hold the fan up.
When the rest of the Cub Scout pack was asking the visiting banker how much money was in his bank and how much a car cost, this is the 9 year-old boy who asked him to explain, "What is economics?"
This is the same boy who has endured terrible pain and anguish over the last five years while we have sought a way to control his horrible migraines.
This is the same boy who has been absent from school more than he has attended in the last four years, and manages to get As and Bs in honors and AP classes.
This is the same boy who was too shy to order his own kids meal at the burger joint, but who now teaches skills to younger scouts.
This is the same boy who writes fiction so well that a literary agent, upon reading Chapter 1 of a novel he started, told him to finish it, send it in, and not to tell anyone his age.
This is the same boy who questioned God's love for him when he wasn't healed, and came up with the right answer anyway.
This is the same boy who reduces his sister to tears telling her she has rabies and scurvy and leprosy (or scurvaceous rabid leprosy complicated with dandruff), but is genuinely concerned when she says she feels bad.
How did that little baby who sucked his thumb the day he was born turn into this strong, compassionate, resilient, and interesting person?
And for all his amazing accomplishments, he's not perfect. (No, Nana, he's not!)
But he is my son, and I am very pleased with him. And I am grateful to be his Mom and watch him grow up.
Well, God is watching us, His children, too. Do you think He's amazed at how much we've grown? Is He surprised at how mature we are? Or are we late bloomers - a spiritual failure to launch living in the basement?
Is He very pleased?
anything but typical
Sunday, April 1, 2007
One Foundation
One thing I love about my church is that there are very few cradle Episcopalians.
Let me explain. Lots of people have come together to my church who were raised in other churches. They bring with them other points of view and traditions.... and music. My friend, Carol, who was raised Lutheran, teaches me all the old German hymns. We find that we're singing the same hymn texts with different tunes. I teach her the Baptist versions. D-Ray keeps reminding me of how things are written in the Methodist hymnal. His wife, Gina, and I sang a song out of the Pentecostal Holiness hymnal from my husband's family's church that I had no idea she knew, and our friend, Mary Kay, another former Lutheran, said it sounded like Baptists had landed. Jim brought me music from Handel's Messiah that he wants to sing. Linda and the Esparagozas come over from the Catholic church to do music on Sunday mornings and bring all sorts of folk mass music I'd never heard until we came to King of Peace. Bill brings his dulcimer and plays along. Today he surprised everyone by playing our new piano for communion music. And of course, those who were raised Episcopalians share their hymns with me as well, although some are a little fuzzy on why we got a piano instead of an organ. We all share and are better for being part of the mix.
You see, God's love for us and our love for Him is the common root for our life in communion with each other. While we may have different views on expressing our faith, on worship, on spirituality, on what a "good Christian" looks like, we are bound together into one community by Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane - that His disciples and followers would be one, just as He and the Father were one. He knew that while He is our foundation we needed to support each other for our survival.
Holy Week is a time that liturgical churches get back to the reason we're here. We wouldn't be here if Jesus was just a Godly prophet. The Church is in existence because of Jesus' sacrifice, death, and resurrection. He is our foundation, our rock, our cornerstone.
anything but typical
P.S. Apologies to my family for my getting carried away in all the excitement over the new piano and the preparations for Holy Week services. Thank you for all your encouragement and patience. (Did you know we got a new piano?)
The Church's One Foundation by Samuel J. Stone 1866
The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.
She is from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.
The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against both foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.
Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song!
’Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.
Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won,
With all her sons and daughters
Who, by the Master’s hand
Led through the deathly waters,
Repose in Eden land.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee:
There, past the border mountains,
Where in sweet vales the Bride
With Thee by living fountains
Forever shall abide!
Let me explain. Lots of people have come together to my church who were raised in other churches. They bring with them other points of view and traditions.... and music. My friend, Carol, who was raised Lutheran, teaches me all the old German hymns. We find that we're singing the same hymn texts with different tunes. I teach her the Baptist versions. D-Ray keeps reminding me of how things are written in the Methodist hymnal. His wife, Gina, and I sang a song out of the Pentecostal Holiness hymnal from my husband's family's church that I had no idea she knew, and our friend, Mary Kay, another former Lutheran, said it sounded like Baptists had landed. Jim brought me music from Handel's Messiah that he wants to sing. Linda and the Esparagozas come over from the Catholic church to do music on Sunday mornings and bring all sorts of folk mass music I'd never heard until we came to King of Peace. Bill brings his dulcimer and plays along. Today he surprised everyone by playing our new piano for communion music. And of course, those who were raised Episcopalians share their hymns with me as well, although some are a little fuzzy on why we got a piano instead of an organ. We all share and are better for being part of the mix.
You see, God's love for us and our love for Him is the common root for our life in communion with each other. While we may have different views on expressing our faith, on worship, on spirituality, on what a "good Christian" looks like, we are bound together into one community by Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane - that His disciples and followers would be one, just as He and the Father were one. He knew that while He is our foundation we needed to support each other for our survival.
Holy Week is a time that liturgical churches get back to the reason we're here. We wouldn't be here if Jesus was just a Godly prophet. The Church is in existence because of Jesus' sacrifice, death, and resurrection. He is our foundation, our rock, our cornerstone.
anything but typical
P.S. Apologies to my family for my getting carried away in all the excitement over the new piano and the preparations for Holy Week services. Thank you for all your encouragement and patience. (Did you know we got a new piano?)
The Church's One Foundation by Samuel J. Stone 1866
The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.
She is from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy Name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.
The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end:
Though there be those who hate her,
And false sons in her pale,
Against both foe or traitor
She ever shall prevail.
Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed:
Yet saints their watch are keeping,
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song!
’Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.
Yet she on earth hath union
With God the Three in One,
And mystic sweet communion
With those whose rest is won,
With all her sons and daughters
Who, by the Master’s hand
Led through the deathly waters,
Repose in Eden land.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with Thee:
There, past the border mountains,
Where in sweet vales the Bride
With Thee by living fountains
Forever shall abide!
Saturday, March 24, 2007
A Weather Report
It has been a truly dreadful week.
Monday and Tuesday were so bad that I went to church service Wednesday - even though I knew I would be late - glad for the peace, quiet, and familiarity of a liturgical service, glad to go and just be there, glad to not be responsible for all the answers to all the problems.
I know I'm not the only one in the world who looks to people on the outside to have it all together and to feel on the inside like she's holding on to the precipice during a hurricane by fingernails long overdue for that manicure.
But God knows.
Even we we think He's not listening or ignoring us or whatever.
He hears and He knows. And He gives us the strangest answers.
I went for a drive tonight to the gas station and took the long way home. I was feeling quite overwhelmed, underappreciated, overworked, and undersupported. I have offered up many prayers this week and shed many tears with no end in sight to the stressors in my life. And as I turned on the radio, I heard "I'll praise You in this storm/ And I will lift my hands/ For You are who You are/ No matter where I am/ Every tear I've cried/ You hold in Your hand/ You never left my side/ And though my heart is torn/ I will praise You in this storm".
I had to pull into a parking space and pray. I had to tell God that I was sorry for being such a demanding, whiny baby, and witholding the grateful praise He wants and desires. I've been feeling neglected because I have felt taken for granted. But I've been treating God that way, too.
I'm a firm believer that for the most part, love is a choice. I choose to love my husband, and because I make that choice, I spend time on our relationship even if that means I sacrifice my own wants and needs sometimes, just as he does because he chooses to love me.
Well, God chose me, too. And I choose to love God. That means that I have to choose to love, serve and be obedient even in the storms that buffet my life and even if God doesn't rescue me the way I think He should, or even if He says, "No".
I choose to love Him because He is the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, of all that is - seen and unseen. I choose to love Him because He loved me enough to send Jesus. I choose love Him because Jesus loved me enough to choose to sacrifice Himself to make things right.
I choose to praise Him in my storm because He chose to be there, too.
anything but typical
PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM as recorded by Casting Crowns
I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls I barely hear
Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on If I can't find You
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
Written by Mark Hall / Music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms ©2005 Club Zoo Music (BMI) / SWECS Music (BMI) (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing) / Word Music, LLC (ASCAP) / Banahama Tunes (ASCAP) (admin. by Word Music, LLC)
Monday and Tuesday were so bad that I went to church service Wednesday - even though I knew I would be late - glad for the peace, quiet, and familiarity of a liturgical service, glad to go and just be there, glad to not be responsible for all the answers to all the problems.
I know I'm not the only one in the world who looks to people on the outside to have it all together and to feel on the inside like she's holding on to the precipice during a hurricane by fingernails long overdue for that manicure.
But God knows.
Even we we think He's not listening or ignoring us or whatever.
He hears and He knows. And He gives us the strangest answers.
I went for a drive tonight to the gas station and took the long way home. I was feeling quite overwhelmed, underappreciated, overworked, and undersupported. I have offered up many prayers this week and shed many tears with no end in sight to the stressors in my life. And as I turned on the radio, I heard "I'll praise You in this storm/ And I will lift my hands/ For You are who You are/ No matter where I am/ Every tear I've cried/ You hold in Your hand/ You never left my side/ And though my heart is torn/ I will praise You in this storm".
I had to pull into a parking space and pray. I had to tell God that I was sorry for being such a demanding, whiny baby, and witholding the grateful praise He wants and desires. I've been feeling neglected because I have felt taken for granted. But I've been treating God that way, too.
I'm a firm believer that for the most part, love is a choice. I choose to love my husband, and because I make that choice, I spend time on our relationship even if that means I sacrifice my own wants and needs sometimes, just as he does because he chooses to love me.
Well, God chose me, too. And I choose to love God. That means that I have to choose to love, serve and be obedient even in the storms that buffet my life and even if God doesn't rescue me the way I think He should, or even if He says, "No".
I choose to love Him because He is the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, of all that is - seen and unseen. I choose to love Him because He loved me enough to send Jesus. I choose love Him because Jesus loved me enough to choose to sacrifice Himself to make things right.
I choose to praise Him in my storm because He chose to be there, too.
anything but typical
PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM as recorded by Casting Crowns
I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls I barely hear
Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as You mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on If I can't find You
As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth
Written by Mark Hall / Music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms ©2005 Club Zoo Music (BMI) / SWECS Music (BMI) (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing) / Word Music, LLC (ASCAP) / Banahama Tunes (ASCAP) (admin. by Word Music, LLC)
Monday, March 12, 2007
Carry Your Cross
Last Friday was the first time I had been to Stations of the Cross service. It was interesting for me in spite of the sand gnats and feeling rushed.
I went back out today with my son and just walked the trail at my leisure. I thought about the stations and the trip our Lord made from Gethsemane to the empty tomb. It was a trip He made knowing full well ahead of time what lay at the end. He knew His purpose and His destiny. He knew the pain and anguish and suffering and humiliation that awaited Him. And He went anyway out of His great and gracious love for us.
Ever since I went to service on Friday, I've been singing a song to myself by Third Day. It's called Carry My Cross. It's written in first person and the speaker is Jesus. The lead singer has this deep gravely voice that fits in with my picture of the big burly "manly man" Jesus the tough guy carpenter. It's about His accepting His destiny and purpose even though it going to be hard.
A friend of ours recently sent me a letter with the definition of destiny as "a non-transferable assignment from God for the benefit of His Kingdom." That was what Jesus had. He was assigned something that no one else could do for humanity. He was the only one who could do the job and He accepted his destiny.
What destiny, what nontransferrable assignment has God given you? Are you trying to get out of it or are you accepting responsibility for your role in His kingdom?
anything but typical
Carry My Cross by Third Day
As long as I remember
I’ve been walking through the wilderness
Praying to the Father
And waiting for my time
I’ve come here with a mission
And soon I’ll give my life for this world
I’m praying in the garden
And I’m looking for a miracle
I find the journey hard but
It’s the reason I was born
Can this cup be passed on
Lord, I pray your will be done
In this world
So I’ll carry my cross
And I’ll carry the shame
To the end of the road
Through the struggle and pain
And I’ll do it for love
No, it won’t be in vain
Yes, I’ll carry my cross
And I’ll carry the shame
I feel like I’m alone here
And I’m treated like a criminal
The time has come for me now
Even though I’ve done no wrong
Father, please forgive them
They know not what they’ve done
In this world
So I'll carry my cross
And I'll carry the shame
To the end of the road
Through the struggle and the pain
And I'll do it for love
No, it won't be in vain
I'll carry my cross
And I'll carry the shame
Three more days and I’ll be coming back again
Three more days and I’ll be coming back again
I went back out today with my son and just walked the trail at my leisure. I thought about the stations and the trip our Lord made from Gethsemane to the empty tomb. It was a trip He made knowing full well ahead of time what lay at the end. He knew His purpose and His destiny. He knew the pain and anguish and suffering and humiliation that awaited Him. And He went anyway out of His great and gracious love for us.
Ever since I went to service on Friday, I've been singing a song to myself by Third Day. It's called Carry My Cross. It's written in first person and the speaker is Jesus. The lead singer has this deep gravely voice that fits in with my picture of the big burly "manly man" Jesus the tough guy carpenter. It's about His accepting His destiny and purpose even though it going to be hard.
A friend of ours recently sent me a letter with the definition of destiny as "a non-transferable assignment from God for the benefit of His Kingdom." That was what Jesus had. He was assigned something that no one else could do for humanity. He was the only one who could do the job and He accepted his destiny.
What destiny, what nontransferrable assignment has God given you? Are you trying to get out of it or are you accepting responsibility for your role in His kingdom?
anything but typical
Carry My Cross by Third Day
As long as I remember
I’ve been walking through the wilderness
Praying to the Father
And waiting for my time
I’ve come here with a mission
And soon I’ll give my life for this world
I’m praying in the garden
And I’m looking for a miracle
I find the journey hard but
It’s the reason I was born
Can this cup be passed on
Lord, I pray your will be done
In this world
So I’ll carry my cross
And I’ll carry the shame
To the end of the road
Through the struggle and pain
And I’ll do it for love
No, it won’t be in vain
Yes, I’ll carry my cross
And I’ll carry the shame
I feel like I’m alone here
And I’m treated like a criminal
The time has come for me now
Even though I’ve done no wrong
Father, please forgive them
They know not what they’ve done
In this world
So I'll carry my cross
And I'll carry the shame
To the end of the road
Through the struggle and the pain
And I'll do it for love
No, it won't be in vain
I'll carry my cross
And I'll carry the shame
Three more days and I’ll be coming back again
Three more days and I’ll be coming back again
Thursday, March 8, 2007
There's Within my Heart a Melody
No, I didn't decide to abandon blogging. I just got busy. I appreciate all those who have kept looking for new posts and the e-mails asking if I was OK.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the role of music in the ministry of the church. Music is primarily seen as a performance art but performance really has no place in worship. After all, the main purpose of the worship is to adore and connect with God, not to show off.
That said, music is a powerful force. Weaving together words, rhyme, meter, and harmonics is an art form that exists in every culture. Music, even through the many permutations that exist in the world, is a constant. The spiritual, sometimes tribal, draw that music effects on us varies from individual to individual, but even some deaf people can still feel the vibrations.
Church music functions in several different ways. First and foremost, congregational music in worship is about the worship. This does not change whether a church prefers southern gospel, sacred harp, traditional hymnody, contemporary praise music, or any combination. It adds a point where the congregants can and should offer praises to God Almighty. It's about the joyful noise that the psalmist David described.
Second, music has also been a teaching tool in the church particularly in societies where literacy is not the norm or for preliterate children. This occurs for several reasons. The frequency of hymn repetition usually means that the hymns are heard more often than a specific passage of scripture. The patterns of strict rhyme and meter with frequent repetition make memorization very easy, and sometimes even unintentional as anyone who has ever had a song stuck in his head can attest. The hymns of any given church are usually screened by the powers that publish to ensure that the hymns are consistent with the doctrines of that particular denomination.
Third, in liturgical churches, there are chants, prayers, hymns, and psalms that are regularly sung as part of congregational worship and longer pieces that are chanted or sung on special occasions such as at the upcoming Holy Week and Easter services. These are also part of worship. The plainsong of chant done well musically parallels the text and augments it making it more interesting to hear than to be read to.
Fourth, special instrumental music - preludes, postludes, offertories, etc. - offer time for quiet contemplation. Congregants should take the time to enjoy the art form, but to use the sounds and melodies to help center their minds for contemplation and prepare themselves for what is to come next in the service.
Fifth, special vocal music - choirs, ensembles, individual singers with or without accompaniment offers a the advantages of a presented text (the lyrics) with the opportunity to allow the congregation time to contemplate that text. This type of music is the most problematic for most churches. It requires the most work since it means that multiple musicians - some of whom must have some training and skill - have to work together to choose appropriate music, practice, teach musical skills to those who want to learn and participate in groups, come to agreement on how the musical score should be interpreted, or even write or arrange the music desired. Depending on the complexity of the piece and the skill level of the musicians, music presented in this fashion may take months to prepare. And while it is the most demanding, it is also one of the most rewarding personally. I love to sing in groups both large and small because I love the interplay between different sounding voices and instruments. I love the way a good score can bring emphasis to the text. I love the way that music can reach into your head unexpectedly and grab your attention. I love that when I don't have the words of my own I can still have a song in my heart to speak to God or to others about Him.
Unfortunately, it is easy to see church musicians as "performers" since that is what we see in secular music. I don't think of myself as a performer. I see myself as a musican - one who practices the art and craft of music - for the glory of the Father. I'm not there to show off. My purpose is different. I desire no applause (praise should be reserved for the Savior), although an occasional acknowledgement of hard work is appreciated. And sometimes the tendency to see church music as a performing art diminishes the ability to fully appreciate it's power to move people spiritually in worship. For me, it's just part of who I am. It is how I serve, how I worship, and how I can share God's love.
anything but typical
Keep Singing by Mercy Me
Another rainy day
I can't recall having sunshine on my face
All I feel is pain
All I wanna do is walk out of this place
But when I am stuck and I can't move
When I don't know what I should do
When I wonder if I'll ever make it through
I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
Your'e the one that's keeping my heart beating
I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
That's the only way that I'll find healing
Can I climb up in Your lap
I don't wanna leave
Jesus, sing over me
I gotta keep singing
Oh You're everything I need
And I gotta keep singing
I've been doing a lot of thinking about the role of music in the ministry of the church. Music is primarily seen as a performance art but performance really has no place in worship. After all, the main purpose of the worship is to adore and connect with God, not to show off.
That said, music is a powerful force. Weaving together words, rhyme, meter, and harmonics is an art form that exists in every culture. Music, even through the many permutations that exist in the world, is a constant. The spiritual, sometimes tribal, draw that music effects on us varies from individual to individual, but even some deaf people can still feel the vibrations.
Church music functions in several different ways. First and foremost, congregational music in worship is about the worship. This does not change whether a church prefers southern gospel, sacred harp, traditional hymnody, contemporary praise music, or any combination. It adds a point where the congregants can and should offer praises to God Almighty. It's about the joyful noise that the psalmist David described.
Second, music has also been a teaching tool in the church particularly in societies where literacy is not the norm or for preliterate children. This occurs for several reasons. The frequency of hymn repetition usually means that the hymns are heard more often than a specific passage of scripture. The patterns of strict rhyme and meter with frequent repetition make memorization very easy, and sometimes even unintentional as anyone who has ever had a song stuck in his head can attest. The hymns of any given church are usually screened by the powers that publish to ensure that the hymns are consistent with the doctrines of that particular denomination.
Third, in liturgical churches, there are chants, prayers, hymns, and psalms that are regularly sung as part of congregational worship and longer pieces that are chanted or sung on special occasions such as at the upcoming Holy Week and Easter services. These are also part of worship. The plainsong of chant done well musically parallels the text and augments it making it more interesting to hear than to be read to.
Fourth, special instrumental music - preludes, postludes, offertories, etc. - offer time for quiet contemplation. Congregants should take the time to enjoy the art form, but to use the sounds and melodies to help center their minds for contemplation and prepare themselves for what is to come next in the service.
Fifth, special vocal music - choirs, ensembles, individual singers with or without accompaniment offers a the advantages of a presented text (the lyrics) with the opportunity to allow the congregation time to contemplate that text. This type of music is the most problematic for most churches. It requires the most work since it means that multiple musicians - some of whom must have some training and skill - have to work together to choose appropriate music, practice, teach musical skills to those who want to learn and participate in groups, come to agreement on how the musical score should be interpreted, or even write or arrange the music desired. Depending on the complexity of the piece and the skill level of the musicians, music presented in this fashion may take months to prepare. And while it is the most demanding, it is also one of the most rewarding personally. I love to sing in groups both large and small because I love the interplay between different sounding voices and instruments. I love the way a good score can bring emphasis to the text. I love the way that music can reach into your head unexpectedly and grab your attention. I love that when I don't have the words of my own I can still have a song in my heart to speak to God or to others about Him.
Unfortunately, it is easy to see church musicians as "performers" since that is what we see in secular music. I don't think of myself as a performer. I see myself as a musican - one who practices the art and craft of music - for the glory of the Father. I'm not there to show off. My purpose is different. I desire no applause (praise should be reserved for the Savior), although an occasional acknowledgement of hard work is appreciated. And sometimes the tendency to see church music as a performing art diminishes the ability to fully appreciate it's power to move people spiritually in worship. For me, it's just part of who I am. It is how I serve, how I worship, and how I can share God's love.
anything but typical
Keep Singing by Mercy Me
Another rainy day
I can't recall having sunshine on my face
All I feel is pain
All I wanna do is walk out of this place
But when I am stuck and I can't move
When I don't know what I should do
When I wonder if I'll ever make it through
I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
Your'e the one that's keeping my heart beating
I gotta keep singing
I gotta keep praising Your name
That's the only way that I'll find healing
Can I climb up in Your lap
I don't wanna leave
Jesus, sing over me
I gotta keep singing
Oh You're everything I need
And I gotta keep singing
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