One Final Note About Worship Music
I want to write one more blog about the changes we have made in the music that we use in our worship service.
When we moved into our spacious new auditorium in June 2003, young people began to come forward wanting to do contemporary music. No one, not even the young people, wanted to eliminate hymns; they simply wanted to add contemporary music to the blend. We did what many churches do – had blended worship – hymns AND contemporary music. It seemed like a good idea, but I continued to receive complaints behind the scenes.
From a musical standpoint our musicians found it easiest to do a set of hymns followed by a set of contemporary songs. I received complaints from traditionalists that contemporary songs right before the sermon ruined their contemplative preparation for the message.
So, we reversed the order: contemporary songs followed by a set of hymns. Then the traditionalists complained that putting contemporary music first made the hymns sound dull and drab.
Our younger people offered to search for versions of the hymns done in more upbeat ways so they wouldn’t sound dull and drab. But when we did that, the hymn-lovers complained that we were “jazzing up” the hymns. “Why can’t you just do them the way they were always done?”
We then decided to dedicate one Sunday completely to hymns done in the traditional fashion with the piano. Then I received complaints from traditionalists that we were making that one entire “hymn Sunday” dead and boring.
All the complaining eventually discouraged those who had volunteered to lead the hymns – until I ran out of volunteers.
The process I have just described took place over 20 years.
You may be thinking: “You can’t please all the people all the time.” Yes –but what are my options as a leader? Do I say to those who complain, “Tough luck! Here’s the agenda and if you don’t like it, go to church somewhere else!”? There are some pastors who lead that way. But that’s not how I see shepherding. I believe that, to some degree, I have a responsibility to deal with people where they are. Most change is best achieved gradually with gentle persuasion, not insistence and force. It takes time – and therefore great patience.
Over the last twenty years I believe I have exhausted every possible option to accommodate the varying musical tastes of our congregation – and now if anyone complains about our music, I simply review this history with them.
Working through these options has brought us to a place where the leaders interested in leading music are those who know, love, and are excited about contemporary music. They have also shown tremendous willingness to incorporate versions of the old hymns, where possible.
As they are the ones that have remained continuously faithful over the years, my conclusion is that God has put them into our local body to lead the music. And so they do.
When we moved into our spacious new auditorium in June 2003, young people began to come forward wanting to do contemporary music. No one, not even the young people, wanted to eliminate hymns; they simply wanted to add contemporary music to the blend. We did what many churches do – had blended worship – hymns AND contemporary music. It seemed like a good idea, but I continued to receive complaints behind the scenes.
From a musical standpoint our musicians found it easiest to do a set of hymns followed by a set of contemporary songs. I received complaints from traditionalists that contemporary songs right before the sermon ruined their contemplative preparation for the message.
So, we reversed the order: contemporary songs followed by a set of hymns. Then the traditionalists complained that putting contemporary music first made the hymns sound dull and drab.
Our younger people offered to search for versions of the hymns done in more upbeat ways so they wouldn’t sound dull and drab. But when we did that, the hymn-lovers complained that we were “jazzing up” the hymns. “Why can’t you just do them the way they were always done?”
We then decided to dedicate one Sunday completely to hymns done in the traditional fashion with the piano. Then I received complaints from traditionalists that we were making that one entire “hymn Sunday” dead and boring.
All the complaining eventually discouraged those who had volunteered to lead the hymns – until I ran out of volunteers.
The process I have just described took place over 20 years.
You may be thinking: “You can’t please all the people all the time.” Yes –but what are my options as a leader? Do I say to those who complain, “Tough luck! Here’s the agenda and if you don’t like it, go to church somewhere else!”? There are some pastors who lead that way. But that’s not how I see shepherding. I believe that, to some degree, I have a responsibility to deal with people where they are. Most change is best achieved gradually with gentle persuasion, not insistence and force. It takes time – and therefore great patience.
Over the last twenty years I believe I have exhausted every possible option to accommodate the varying musical tastes of our congregation – and now if anyone complains about our music, I simply review this history with them.
Working through these options has brought us to a place where the leaders interested in leading music are those who know, love, and are excited about contemporary music. They have also shown tremendous willingness to incorporate versions of the old hymns, where possible.
As they are the ones that have remained continuously faithful over the years, my conclusion is that God has put them into our local body to lead the music. And so they do.