There is Power....

Andy Piercy writes: "I am beginning to think that writing worship songs is far too important to leave to just the singers and musicians.  For some reason, contemporary worship music seems to have taken on board the rock-and-pop model of the singer-songwriter without questioning it and assumes that the singer-musician should be the one to write both the words and music of the song.  Why?

"I know we have some great songs around, but let's not be too easily satisfied.  We need to get the theologians involved with the poets and lyricists, and get them all involved with the music writers.  We mustn't be "precious" about all this."

In the Army we have done--do--this well.  Unfortunately, I think that this is happening less frequently. I remember as a teenager how much Stan Ditmer's (he eventually became a Commissioner) chorus "I'm in his hands" helped me over many rough patches.  As young Lieutenant Gowans and Larrsons were inspirational and and often a reminder of my Army and Christian heritage.  "Kneeling in Penitence," "They Shall Come from the East," "How Much More," and "For His Love Remains the Same" to name just a favorite few.

Music is a powerful gift from God.  It has the power to penetrate all defenses and open the heart.  The encouraging and scary thing is the message which can then be planted there.  We all too often read about young people committing suicide after listening to certain kinds of music over a period of time.

Music can lift us to the gates of Heaven but it can also push us down towards the gates of Hell.  We all too often underestimate the depth and strength of music's power and influence. In one instance this causes us to underutilized a precious implement God has given us for both personal edification and spiritual growth as well as a powerful weapon in the war on sin.

As we plan the music for worship it is imperative that we do so wisely and with sensitivity.  "In our culture, choruses are flourishing and hymns are dying.  Here is my point.  Despite the many benefits of worship choruses, we must acknowledge that they tend to reflect values of popular culture that should not be 'bought into' without question--values that include instant gratification, intellectual impatience, ahistorical immediacy, and incessant novelty." (Kenneth Myers) "Used exclusively, choruses have real limitations.  Choruses excel at expressing celebration and intimacy but, in general, lack intellectual rigor and fail to offer a mature exposition of the broad range of biblical doctrines. Often choruses shortchange the full reality of sin and human weakness and fail to capture adequately the agony and suffering of Christ on the cross. They emphasize sin defeated and gloss over persistent sin in our lives. There's very little emphasis on corporate confession or repentance...The lyrics of choruses are often so short that thoughts about God cannot be developed or expanded."  (Barry Liesch)

If after reading the above, you are still with me....whew!...I am not advocating getting rid of contemporary songs and choruses.  I am advocating that we use them wisely.  Choruses can be very effective.  I still sing to myself those choruses to hymns that I learned as a child (while I may not remember all the verses, I know that they are there and can bring greater depth and meaning to the chorus when I need it).

Let me leave you with a chorus that had great meaning for me in my formative years by Alfred Akley.

"Take up thy cross and follow Me,"
I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice,
When Jesus paid it all?