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RE: Musical upheaval... - 4/29/2009 6:42:26 PM
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GodsMusic
Posts: 713
Joined: 4/3/2006
From: Arkansas
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quote:
ORIGINAL: 29redballoons
unfortunately we are struggling. Our worship leader is not interested in learning new each week...now we are singing the same prasise songs each week...it is either same hymns or same choruses...not sure what is going to happen...feels like we are perched on a time bomb...we just keep praying. 
Struggling? Is God in all this for sure?
Upheaval is probably not coming from God.
"James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."
< Message edited by GodsMusic -- 4/29/2009 6:50:29 PM >
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 4/29/2009 11:30:11 PM
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29redballoons
Posts: 480
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Georgia
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GodsMusic, I am not going to argue this with you. My OP plainly asks for persons who have dealt with or are dealing with this to respond with how it can be easier.
I thank you for your input. If you have dealt with this in your church...how did it turn out and what made it easier?
Lisa, I am so sorry to hear or yours and hubby's resignation...I take it there was an upheaval there too.
Again, I am so sorry.
Where are ya'll going to church now? Are you still singing?
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 4/29/2009 11:48:37 PM
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GodsMusic
Posts: 713
Joined: 4/3/2006
From: Arkansas
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quote:
ORIGINAL: 29redballoons
GodsMusic, I am not going to argue this with you. My OP plainly asks for persons who have dealt with or are dealing with this to respond with how it can be easier.
I will honor your request. God Bless you.
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 5/1/2009 1:52:16 AM
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sympathy07
Posts: 40
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Yes, I agree with you, we change our praise with southern gospel. Classical or old music is the best for smoother transaction.
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/6/2009 12:16:30 AM
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davidbowden
Posts: 35
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My church went through this. I am both pastor for discipleship and music leader (because we had no one else). My former pastor wanted to do the newer songs because there were more accessible to "seekers" who would typically come in on Sunday Morning. It just so happened that I had just come from a church were the music was all right off CCLI's charts and I knew the songs.
Fairly major resistance at first. However, the church had so many other problems that we simply plowed ahead. I used my other hat, discipleship pastor, as a trojan horse. I pointed out in various forums, Sunday School, during music service, church training, etc. that there is no such thing as Christian music---only Christian lyrics.
I pulled quotes from church history condemning those that first added harmony to the "plainsong", to those awful apostates Watt and Wesley, who had the temerity to stop using the sacred Psalms and the psalter and got so personal with God, to Fanny Crosby and Ira Sankey who utilized music not unlike the dance music of their day, and on down to today. I told them, "God's message in worship never changes; only the packaging."
Then to illustrate this, I began to pair older songs and newer ones. For example, I did "Have Thine Own Way, Lord" with Darelen Zscech[code][/code]'s "The Potter's Hand". Or "How Great Thou Art" with "God of Wonders". I could have paired "Follow On" with "We Will Embrace Your Move". I also had some services where we did only the older songs.
Today, I am happy to report that our congregation thoroughly loves the newer sound. And it got them to thinking about the older hymns and their lyrics, which was really the goal to begin with.
Just bear in mind that while the newer songs tend to promote intimacy with God---something both He and His people long for---the older ones tend to reinforce the doctrines of the faith in ways that are memorable and lasting. They are both very important.
Ministry in music is the easiest thing in the world. All you've got to do is ask God what He wants done and then do it! It is as simple----and as monumentally difficult---as that.
_____________________________
David
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/6/2009 12:49:25 AM
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ShallbeRebuilt
Posts: 1596
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Thanks David--an informative and erudite post. Welcome to the forums! I just finished my fourth semester of Music History, and realize the truth of what you taught your people.
Currently I am using a "hymn of the month" approach, which I think I outlined a few pages ago in this thread. This is the first month that we will have a song that is not strictly from the hymnal. We'll be using Chris Tomlin's "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)".
Teaching about the hymns/songs is so important. I have a further handicap in that I'm a woman in a Baptist church: the only reason I was allowed to lead music was because there literally was no one else. So any "teaching" I tried to do about the songs/hymns was/is mightily resisted.
Now I limit myself to a bulletin insert teaching something about the lyrics and encouraging meditation on the words and connected scriptures and doctrines, and it seems to be accepted.
I like your approach.
However, I'd like to inquire what sort of congregation you have: at my little church, the congregation is older, and cannot seem to get their minds around anything but a Southern Country Gospel/Bluegrass style even in their use of hymns. I have learned that if I want to introduce new music, it has to start with that style. I have yet to discover if the transition to something more contemporary in style will be successful: I've been working on this for 3 years already, and we're not there yet.
shallbe
_____________________________
has decided that the command against forsaking the assembling of ourselves together shall henceforth be considered satisfied when she wakes up each morning and finds that all her body parts are still assembled...
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/8/2009 9:53:32 PM
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davidbowden
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Shalibe--
My church is also a small Southern Baptist church. Our congregation was older when I first started this program but now we have become a church with a bunch of young families with children. I have to think the music had something to do with this. I believe we are now a church with a future.
As to being a woman, I am 57 years old, male, and have trouble with allergies and chronic bronchitis anymore. Typically I play the piano now days and my daughter, Becky, actually leads the worship. We've had no complaints, at least so far, but we are an unusual church.
The main thing to remember is that when you lead music you are called to be a minister, not an artist in residence. If country bluegrass or Southern gospel ministers to your people, use it as a springboard for other things. If the Lord leads you to do something else, then by all means throw in a new one every now and then, but don't let them get in the rut of singing 100-200 year old songs by rote with no appreciation of what the lyrics say or mean.
Good luck. We'll be praying for you.
David
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David
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/9/2009 2:24:43 AM
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Skyescraper
Posts: 40
Joined: 7/9/2007
From: VA
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My husband and I are worship leaders in a church in northern Virginia and are taking the church through a similar transition to what you are doing. We were hired specifically for this purpose and came here three months ago, having previously been in a more contemporary church.
This church sang only from the hymnal and never used projection for the lyrics, or any instruments other than piano. However, their hymnal (Southern Baptist) does contain a number of newer songs wirtten in the last 30 years or so (like "I Love You Lord").
Change is hard, so we have found we need to move slowly... ease the people into it. Our pastor is incorporating little things about worship/music into his messages, to help them understand why we are doing certain things. For instance, he says that when you have your face buried in the hymnal it is difficult to look up in praise, or raise your hands (his opinion, I know, but it helps with the transition for some folks). Also, we are making sure to include at least 2 very familiar, well-loved hymns or songs from the hymnal in every service. Sometimes the music set is heavier on the hymns and sometimes not.
As far as newer music goes, we are using some of the most popular (that is, well-known) contemporary songs, especially since a lot of them are played on our local Christian radio station, which our people listen to during the week. This helps with familiarity. We also let our congregation know on a regular basis that we welcome their requests for songs they like. If someone comes to me and tells me they have a favorite song or hymn, I try to incorporate it into the next week's service. We have gained many friends that way. It means so much to them that we want to please them. I realize we are here to worship the Lord, but for some of these people it is difficult if everything they are accustomed to is taken away... so we want to make sure we give them something familiar and comforting. Another thing we do is have a good old-fashioned Hymn Sing every so often on a Sunday evening, so they have a chance to sing all their favorites. It helps when they realize that they will still get to sing their beloved hymns - just not exclusively.
I wish you well. This can be difficult at times. Please don't lose heart. May the Lord send some people to encourage you along the way!
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/9/2009 5:01:07 AM
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momma_bee
Posts: 1671
Joined: 4/12/2005
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Thought of this thread the other day...
Before worship started the other morning, they played three songs on cd's with the lyrics printed in the bulletin for everyone to sing along.
I didn't like it at all. Barely sang because I didn't know the songs and couldn't pick out how the melody was going and had no music to guide me. But, by the end of at least one I was able to sing the chorus without feeling out of sync. The rest of the congregation was really into it. I assume two things. One, they knew the songs better and two, it was a selection of 'conterporary Christian music'.
I didn't dislike the songs. I disliked being ask to sing them. But I really liked the idea of a sing-a-long.
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/15/2009 3:37:31 PM
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hjemerson
Posts: 172
Joined: 3/4/2008
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AMEN TO IT ALL!! small church! Older group! donot want change! (said they do) O MAN!!!
We stated 6 months ago Power point !! we found MIKE SPECK had songs that were old songs with newer music that calmed a lot of the folks down! gave the choir (all 6 of them) the cd and they loved it!!! noew just praying the rest will come a long!! I remember whan PAS IT ON was not allow to be sung in church unless it was a youth service NOW it in the BOOK!
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/15/2009 9:18:38 PM
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AndyBern
Posts: 50
Joined: 5/17/2009
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Our church is small with an higher percentage of older people, but for the most part they like the new songs and well as the old. We have a mix of praise and hymns.
Being in a small church, sometimes we do "favorites" for all of the music.
About the gradual change bit, there's a joke here about if you want to move the piano from one side of the room to the other, then move it 1 inch at a time.
_____________________________
- Andrew
(ex-enemy of God)
http://dtjsoft.com
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/23/2009 10:26:15 AM
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khyli
Posts: 19
Joined: 6/18/2009
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Okay. I'm only seventeen, but I thought I might be able to at least comment on this issue. . . a few years ago my church went through a nasty ordeal in the way of music. About 13 families left our church in the end b/c of it. And after all the fighting and name-calling, the music was basically the same. It made no sense to be fighting about anything, much less, music. My church is big; we have at least 300 people there every Sunday. I lead worship for our youth group, and sometimes on Sunday mornings too. I play piano, drums, and bass guitar, and sing too. (not all at once, of course!) The songs that I (we) use are contemporary, such as Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, and the like. We have three music services. The first one is all hymns. The second is more contemporary, such as Darlene Czech (not sure about the spelling), and the third service (the one I lead) is very contemporary. This method has seemed to work for my church; we've still had some issues, but not anything major. Mostly volume control. Hopefully, everything works out for everyone!
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 6/23/2009 4:25:28 PM
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tafkam
Posts: 1399
Joined: 9/23/2005
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quote:
Being in a small church, sometimes we do "favorites" for all of the music.
I grew up in a church that also did "favorite hymn" night, but the cynic in me sometimes wonders.....when did it become about US?
(I'm not busting on you, dude, just spitballing!)
_____________________________
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.' - Ronald Reagan
Tafkam
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RE: Musical upheaval... - 7/2/2009 8:37:18 PM
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29redballoons
Posts: 480
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Georgia
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just an update...music was being accepted, new families had shown up and returned to visit more...(three families have stayed) First evident growth in years. Music director got tired of the practice required, has gradually gone back to old faithfuls. In the past few weeks, several first time visitors, none to return. The Lord shall overcome...
thanks for the continued input...
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I just hate to see the focus going from the Gospel to junk. 
