Sunday, June 29, 2014
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Musical style in worship
Two Sundays ago we worshiped “indoors”/”outdoors,” with
music led by members Steve Kidder, Kirby Taylor, Dan Marlow, and Cassi
Lamb. (We were “indoors” in the Dining
Hall because of the rain, although we were supposed to be “outdoors” honoring
God’s great creation.)
To some, the musical leadership that morning might have been
a Praise Band. To others, it might have
been a group of talented members offering their gifts of music in a new
style. To some, it might have been
unfamiliar and unwanted, while to others, it might have been a welcome breath
of energy.
Needless to say, the style of the music that morning was
certainly different than what usually occurs at First Lutheran. We have often loosened up and tried something
new for our outdoor services. Last year
we celebrated a bluegrass liturgy; in some years, we’ve been treated to a Polka
Mass.
The question of style in worship often opens a can of worms,
because many hold dearly held and tightly formed beliefs about what style is
appropriate. “Worship Wars” was a name
given to the argument between the traditional and contemporary worship camps in
the past 20 years. However, one
generation later, no clear victor or conclusion to the argument seems
apparent.
Instead, thoughtful commentators have shifted the question
beyond style. Rather than asking which
style of music is better (Bach or Rock), the question looks at context,
purpose, intent, experience, and other elements. There is a focus upon the texts sung in
worship, or the success of a given style to unite all the voices of an assembly
together into one voice. There is a
consideration of intent – that is, wondering if the music is assisting the
assembly in doing what it intends. Does
the music help us pray, weep, shout for joy, celebrate, or express
reverence.
One aspect of intent that seems to be fading is the notion
that the style of music we sing will “attract” a certain segment of the
population, and convince them to come to worship. That is a shallow stream. Paul Manz once said that “the music might woo
the people, but it is the Word who will win them.”[1] (And, I don’t think Dr. Manz was talking
about rock and roll!) A new sense of
abandoning the consumerist model of organizing worship in favor of embracing a
missional model is allowing worship leaders to focus upon the essentials of
worship that form new disciples. Word,
water, bread and wine are the primary elements of our worship at First
Lutheran, and they transcend musical style.
To be fair, there are plenty of reasons to be cautious about
singing in some styles over others. I
find that one of the primary difficulties of singing music in the popular vein
is that of navigating the soloistic syncopated rhythms. And, often, the lack of musical notation,
with only words given, leaves me singing in a rhythmic swamp. Or, the greatest aggravation – the excessive
volume of an amplified group that overwhelms all ability to hear each other,
much less our self. However, these are
problems that CAN be fixed, if desired.
There are many more nuanced elements in this
discussion. I’ll leave you with a quote
from a recent article in CrossAccent, the journal of the Association of Lutheran
Church Musicians. The author, Ron
Rienstra, in contemplating the style of the praise band asks this:
What we need to explore is this:
does the new music help people to participate more fully, more actively, more
intelligently? Does it deepen their
prayer and lift up their spirits? Does
it call forth their presence to engage the presence of the Triune God who meets
them in worship? The surprising answer,
at least in those churches where the congregation has not lost its voice
altogether, is a qualified yes.[2]
