I love it that we have had an explosion of new worship songs in a popular musical idiom. These songs have been accepted across denominational lines. Singing only old songs, accompanied by instruments from a bygone era sends a message that the church is a thing of the past, an outdated institution for a bygone era.
Recently however, some of the songs that I’ve heard in our congregations have trite lyrics that leave me yearning for something more. I will give some examples. Please don’t be offended if you choose the song. I have some them and even let them in worship too. Some of them are extremely popular.
“Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord.
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord.
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord. Amen.”
If you know this song, and have used it. Don’t get your feelings hurt. I’ve used it too. But it’s like eating McDonald’s. It leaves me wanting more. If you haven’t heard the song, you probably can’t believe that there’s a hymn with these words.
Voltaire was right: “Anything too stupid to be said, is sung.”
Recently we sang this one:
“I’m so madly in love with you.
I’m so madly in love with you.
I’m so madly in love with you.
I’m so madly in love with you.”
We used to think this one:
“I could sing of your love forever.
I could sing of your love forever.
I could sing of your love forever.
I could sing of your love forever.”
One got the impression that that was precisely what we were going to be doing during this service.
Now, I get mantric singing. There are some phrases you want to sing over and over, devotionally, to commit them to heart. “Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord” is not one of them for me. “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est: Where charity and love prevail, there God is.” This is an ancient hymn of the church, one that is worth singing over and over, committing to memory. God is love. Shades of 1 John 4:7–8. The hallelujah chorus is a bit repetitive, but it is the exception to the rule for Handel, whose lyrics are most often quite rich.
I long for the thought provoking lyrics of some of the older hymns. Not revival hymnody, but even older. Yet even revival hymnody has some thoughtful lyrics.
Pop Christian musicians and worship song writers: Your songs are upbeat and fun to sing, but we need more meat. Please consider collaborating with poets to create worship songs that brings tears to the eyes – lyrics that spark the mind and imagination. Take a look at lyrics from older hymns. Beg, borrow and steal. Ubi Caritas has been around over 1000 years. As your next song give us something so profound and powerful that it might be around so long.
September 13, 2013 at 1:07 pm
You may enjoy this – How to write a worship song in 5 minutes or less. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhYuA0Cz8ls
September 13, 2013 at 5:21 pm
I could not agree more. Our hymn of the month for September is #581 ELW, “You Are Mine”. I had a couple come up after worship last Sunday and tell me that while the hymn was brand new to them, the words said everything and the lady wants it sung at her funeral! I am encouraged since this is a new hymn for our congregation. I am not fond of the 7-11 hymns – 7 words sung 11 times over. It is too diet lite – I want more. Thanks for a thoughtful post – love it when you post, but especially when it concerns music.
September 15, 2013 at 5:10 pm
Reblogged this on Through a glass, darkly.
September 16, 2013 at 2:55 pm
I am humbled that I was called by God to help start two congregations. But both activities pale by comparison to being present at the conversion and addition of a single new life to the kingdom. I am awestruck to see God at work in the hearts of unbelievers. Two weeks ago I was standing in the midst of a group of these new converts. We were inside the TDCJ prison walls in Sugar Land, joined in worship. Our group included three previously life-long Muslims, now on fire for Christ. One man served as the unit’s Islamic prayer leader until, driven by curiosity, he attended our Kairos weekend. I remember him telling me in March, with tears in his eyes how he had never before known love. It was absent from the Koran, and he wanted desperately to experience more, reading the Bible like a child eating candy.
Standing with these men, I could strongly feel God’s presence. The transformation taking place in their hearts was work only God could do. And together, over 100 strong, we sang:
“I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back. No turning back”
Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes, Lord!
Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes, Lord!
Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes Lord Amen!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Arms pumped in the air to punctuate each amen. These men are proud of their new identity. I love worship experiences like these, whether with street kids in Peru, the homeless downtown Houston, or with the incarcerated. I experience the presence of God in the oneness of purpose to praise Him.
Yes, I am writing in response to your recent comments on the shallowness of modern lyrics, not just to good naturally pick at you, but to lament about the shallowness of faith in so many of our congregations. It is not about the words emanating from our lips as much as it is what is emanating from our hearts. It has been acceptable for far too long for membership to merely show up to drop money in the plate without pouring their hearts out in praise of our Lord. It is understandable for you to defend meaningful words in our worship, as shallow lyrics on top of shallow faith leaves nothing.
A few months ago a recently released felon joined out young congregation in Fulshear. One young mother emailed every member to warn of the new danger in our midst. In a special congregational meeting held to address her concerns, she tearfully told how her parents ELCA congregation in Tennessee “would never let someone like that in the doors.” Another man opined that “some sins are simply unforgiveable”. I’ll skip the rest of the ugliness.
I suddenly appreciated the tension felt by many pastors as these babes in faith entrusted to us through membership struggled to understand the very core of our faith. Sadly, most have attended church services their whole lives. I pray for them and for the future of our church. So far, four families resigned to join, or in one case re-join, Living Word, where they might disappear in the crowd to sing the cherished 1000 year old words without ever digesting them.
But we are a real church! A place where everyone is welcome and a place where all find spiritual depth and challenge. Yes, Lord, we are out of the boat and soaking wet.
September 16, 2013 at 2:59 pm
I am humbled that I was called by God to help start two congregations. But both activities pale by comparison to being present at the conversion and addition of a single new life to the kingdom. I am awestruck to see God at work in the hearts of unbelievers. Two weeks ago I was standing in the midst of a group of these new converts. We were inside the TDCJ prison walls in Sugar Land, joined in worship. Our group included three previously life-long Muslims, now on fire for Christ. One man served as the unit’s Islamic prayer leader until, driven by curiosity, he attended our Kairos weekend. I remember him telling me in March, with tears in his eyes how he had never before known love. It was absent from the Koran, and he wanted desperately to experience more, reading the Bible like a child eating candy.
Standing with these men, I could strongly feel God’s presence. The transformation taking place in their hearts was work only God could do. And together, over 100 strong, we sang:
“I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
I have decided to follow Jesus.
No turning back. No turning back”
Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes, Lord!
Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes, Lord!
Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes, Yes Lord Amen!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Arms pumped in the air to punctuate each amen. These men are proud of their new identity. I love worship experiences like these, whether with street kids in Peru, the homeless downtown Houston, or with the incarcerated. I experience the presence of God in the oneness of purpose to praise Him.
Yes, I am writing in response to your recent comments on the shallowness of modern lyrics, not just to good naturally pick at you, but to lament about the shallowness of faith in so many of our congregations. It is not about the words emanating from our lips as much as it is what is emanating from our hearts. It has been acceptable for far too long for membership to merely show up to drop money in the plate without pouring their hearts out in praise of our Lord. It is understandable for you to defend meaningful words in our worship, as shallow lyrics on top of shallow faith leaves nothing.
A few months ago a recently released felon joined our young congregation in Fulshear. One young mother emailed every member to warn of the new danger in our midst. In a special congregational meeting held to address her concerns, she tearfully told how her parents ELCA congregation in Tennessee “would never let someone like that in the doors.” Another man opined that “some sins are simply unforgiveable”. I’ll skip the rest of the ugliness.
I suddenly appreciated the tension felt by many pastors as these babes in faith entrusted to us through membership struggled to understand the very core of our faith. Sadly, most have attended church services their whole lives. I pray for them and for the future of our church. So far, four families resigned to join, or in one case re-join, Living Word, where they might disappear in the crowd to sing the cherished 1000 year old words without ever digesting them.
But we are a real church! A place where everyone is welcome and a place where all find spiritual depth and challenge. Yes, Lord, we are out of the boat and soaking wet. And singing all manner of lyrics from our hearts.
September 18, 2013 at 11:19 am
I am sorry for the double posting; It was unintentional. As penance I leave you the words of the prophet, 2000 years old and so much better than mine:
“The Lord says, ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'”
Isaiah 29:13
October 21, 2013 at 8:46 am
Repetitive praise band nonsense and “hymns” that don’t hold anything other than empty good feelings are two reasons young people don’t like to go to church. Here’s my evidence:
http://kaleidoscope49.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/why-young-people-leave-the-church/
http://thesubdeansstall.org/2012/05/15/dont-do-it-for-the-kids-of-hymnal-revision-and-young-adults/
If the Church wants to be meaningful it needs to have a bit of meat for those of us with teeth as well as milk for babes; and the milk for the babes must be nourishing rather than Quick chocolate milk.
It goes even further than hymnody:
http://marc5solas.com/2013/02/08/top-10-reasons-our-kids-leave-church/
How I look forward to a day when we put away childish things (the scarlet hymnal) and really start to embrace our Lutheran heritage and traditions; including a strong tradition hymnody that in which both text and music are meaningful, illuminating, and dignified.