The Music Issue

I figured that I have danced around this one for long enough and it would be beneficial to just get it off my back.

Music plays an integral part of virtually any worship service I've ever been a part of. It helps direct the focus, set the tone and the mood, and allows worshipers the opportunity of praising God directly. It's a huge part of any service and one that cannot be overlooked or ignored.

But what style of music is most appropriate? What is music's purpose? There seems to be a huge generational disconnect between my Grandma's generation and mine, with my parents' generation being caught squarely in the middle. The older generation is of the attitude that worship in general is supposed to be respectful and we need to be in awe of God and act appropriately. My generation and those that follow seem to have a more relational and open approach to God that alienates and even angers the older crowd.

I think it's because in their mind, the newer styles don't have respect for God as this huge entity that created everything, is everything, and has immeasurable power. On the flip side, those of us in the younger generations view this attitude as ridiculous and old-fashioned, stagnant and static, offering no room for growth in relationship with God and thus keeping God at a distance instead of allowing ourselves to be known through and through by our friend.

What we're dealing with here, essentially, is a difference of opinion of how to approach God-through respect and humility, or as a good friend who knows us intimately.

This is a tough topic in that one simply can't say that one or the other is right or wrong; both have a place in today's body of believers. I do encourage all of us to question what it is that attracts us to a particular style; is it because it doesn't require us to grow, or is it because it's how God speaks to us? If it's the former, I would really question a person's motivation for being a Christian-is it to be comfortable or to allow God to move in your life and change you into who you were meant to be?

One comment I will make is that I have noticed that the younger generations can appreciate and respect the more traditional worship style and music, but the older generations cannot seem to give the same appreciation and respect to the alternative styles of worship, which is very discouraging. Both styles are viable and have places, and it's unfortunate that some people cannot accept that simple truth and praise God that people are being reached for Jesus Christ. In their mind, there is one right way to worship God and everyone must be corrected to fit that mold and thus be the same; cookie-cutter Christians. Interesting how much that sounds like Communism, isn't it? They would rather pick apart what's "wrong" with another style, usually focusing on the music. Too much beat, they have drums, it's not respectful of God, it's clear that the music is all about the performers and not about God...on and on it goes.

What cracks me up about that last statement is that the same people who criticize the performers as puffing themselves up when they play will sit and enjoy an incredibly complex and difficult organ piece and applaud when the piece is done-isn't that the same thing? Why SHOULDN'T a musician use their talents to glorify the Lord? The style of music they play doesn't matter! Stop putting God in a box and maybe you'll get yourself out of the way so God can show you all you've been missing!