When it comes to Worship Music, there is a lot of good things in it. The music is energetic, it is uplifting, and it is well written. I myself play on the worship band at my church once in a while. However, just like anything else in this world, there is always room for improvement. I am not writing this to bash or attack Worship Music, I am only giving my thoughts on how it can improve and make a bigger impact. I would also love to know your thoughts and how you think that Worship Music can improve. With that, here are 3 things that can improve Worship Music.
1. Add More Songs To The Mix
Now there is nothing wrong with Hillsong, Jesus Culture, or Elevation Worship as they are talented bands filled with great musicians that make great music. However, there are also a ton of great Christian artists out there that are just as good as these three bands are. Bands like Jars of Clay and Switchfoot are very good, and have also made an impact on Christian Music that could really benefit the Church. Churches should also not be afraid to incorporate different genres as well. There are plenty of good Christian Rap, Country, and Rock and Metal bands that can really boost a Church musically.
For the record, I am not advocating for the Church to perform Devil Wears Prada or Extol, even though I would give a church props for being bold enough to do that. I am talking about bands like Stryper, POD, Skillet, and some songs from Disciple and Demon Hunter. Yes, it would be a lot of work but it would be good, because these different genres bring a feel and energy that Hillsong and Elevation Worship don't have. The last way that Churches can add more songs to their mix is by writing their own songs. Many Churches all over the world have very talented musicians that can write great songs. Again, I know it would be a lot of work, but if done right the pay off would be worth it. Each individual church would be unique and that uniqueness would make a bigger impact. I get that Churches want their identity to be in God and not themselves, which is good and noble, but just by human nature everybody is going to be different, there is no way around that. As long as their motivation is in the right place and it is not for money, their is nothing wrong with making their own music in my mind.
For the record, I am not advocating for the Church to perform Devil Wears Prada or Extol, even though I would give a church props for being bold enough to do that. I am talking about bands like Stryper, POD, Skillet, and some songs from Disciple and Demon Hunter. Yes, it would be a lot of work but it would be good, because these different genres bring a feel and energy that Hillsong and Elevation Worship don't have. The last way that Churches can add more songs to their mix is by writing their own songs. Many Churches all over the world have very talented musicians that can write great songs. Again, I know it would be a lot of work, but if done right the pay off would be worth it. Each individual church would be unique and that uniqueness would make a bigger impact. I get that Churches want their identity to be in God and not themselves, which is good and noble, but just by human nature everybody is going to be different, there is no way around that. As long as their motivation is in the right place and it is not for money, their is nothing wrong with making their own music in my mind.
One Good Example is Jesus Take The Wheel By Carrie Underwood
2. Increase Stage Enthusiasm
This one varies depending what church you go to or watch. Some Churches encourage you to get into your performance and have fun with it. Others stand on stage like statues and don't really give much energy into their performance. This can be a problem because if you don't appear to be enjoying yourself, then why should your audience? This also creates a bad impression for people who are attending your church for the first time. It doesn't give a new person a reason to comeback and even if the pastor is good, the person is never going to forget how dull and lifeless the Worship band was and that will result in someone not choosing the Church. I also think that big stages and big productions are helpful as well. Now, some people don't like this because they feel it can be a distraction from God. I do believe that you can go to far, but it takes a lot to get to that point. If you're setting off fire canisters, that is over the top but big lights and visual projector effects can be effective. Also, I feel like it depends on the motivation. If it is about money, people will know and the church will pay for that motivation. However, it can really be used to communicate a songs message more effectively and as a result make a bigger impact.
3. Don't Be Afraid of Sorrowful and Lamenting Songs
One of the biggest criticisms about Worship Music is that it is all happy music. Growing up in a Church and watching other churches online, I can understand this criticism. While I like a lot of the positive, uplifting, God celebrating Worship Songs, I have to admit, that tone takes up about 95% of the songs. This is a problem for several reasons. The first problem is that when you sing that message so much, it becomes hollow and loses its meaning. People don't take it as seriously because they've heard it so much that people become numb to it. Another problem is that to someone who is not a Christian and doesn't listen to Christian music, it feels fake. That doesn't mean that the motivations of the musicians are fake or that they are not passionate about the songs. The problem is that when you constantly sing about how happy you are and you are constantly celebrating you come off as unauthentic because no one is that happy all the time. You will run into problems in life and everyone knows that.
One of the biggest problems though is that happy music doesn't do anything for people who are in a bad place. If someone is sad, going through hardships, or questioning their spirituality, happy music won't do much for them because they can't relate to it. By playing a song about sorrow and mourning, you give that person something to relate to and they feel like someone else understands them. This gives them comfort in knowing that they are not alone and that other people understand them. Now, you can argue that it's the pastor's job to acknowledge hardships but I feel that the message sticks better in song. What I mean is that when you play a song that goes with what the pastor is talking about, the message becomes more clear and sticks with you better. It reinforces the pastor's message and makes the message more memorable. Now of course the question comes, what kind of sorrowful songs do you have in mind?
Some of the best examples that come to mind are songs like, Flood by Jars of Clay, Dive by Disciple, and Going in Blind by POD. The specific reason I chose these songs is because of how the lyrics are written. Flood is about feeling like you are drowning and you are calling out to God for help. Dive is about going through hard times but still having the determination to get through the hard times no matter what. Going in Blind is about not knowing what to do in hard times and God guiding you back and showing you where to go. What these all have in common is that they acknowledge people's pain while also giving them hope. We are admitting that we suffer and go through hard times while at the same time giving hope to those suffering. It is authentic but not hopeless and that is very powerful. Songs like these can make a certain impact that happy songs cannot and in some ways they resonate better then happy songs. Now does that mean there is no place for happy music in Worship Music?, of course not. Celebration is very important as well and should never be ignored. However, it is just one piece of the puzzle and if the Church leaves out sorrow and mourning, then Worship Music won't make the full impact that it can.
One of the biggest problems though is that happy music doesn't do anything for people who are in a bad place. If someone is sad, going through hardships, or questioning their spirituality, happy music won't do much for them because they can't relate to it. By playing a song about sorrow and mourning, you give that person something to relate to and they feel like someone else understands them. This gives them comfort in knowing that they are not alone and that other people understand them. Now, you can argue that it's the pastor's job to acknowledge hardships but I feel that the message sticks better in song. What I mean is that when you play a song that goes with what the pastor is talking about, the message becomes more clear and sticks with you better. It reinforces the pastor's message and makes the message more memorable. Now of course the question comes, what kind of sorrowful songs do you have in mind?
Some of the best examples that come to mind are songs like, Flood by Jars of Clay, Dive by Disciple, and Going in Blind by POD. The specific reason I chose these songs is because of how the lyrics are written. Flood is about feeling like you are drowning and you are calling out to God for help. Dive is about going through hard times but still having the determination to get through the hard times no matter what. Going in Blind is about not knowing what to do in hard times and God guiding you back and showing you where to go. What these all have in common is that they acknowledge people's pain while also giving them hope. We are admitting that we suffer and go through hard times while at the same time giving hope to those suffering. It is authentic but not hopeless and that is very powerful. Songs like these can make a certain impact that happy songs cannot and in some ways they resonate better then happy songs. Now does that mean there is no place for happy music in Worship Music?, of course not. Celebration is very important as well and should never be ignored. However, it is just one piece of the puzzle and if the Church leaves out sorrow and mourning, then Worship Music won't make the full impact that it can.
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