13 Nov Our Continual Quest for New Worship Music
At Anchor Community Church, we’re always on the prowl for new worship songs. Most new songs we learn from Christian radio. When we attend Christian events, we’re not particularly interested in hearing songs we already know. We want to hear new stuff. It’s disappointing to leave an event having heard the same ol’ songs.
We brought back two songs from last summer’s US National Conference, which we’ve incorporated into our repertoire: “Revelation Song” and “Let Me Sing.” Thanks, Mainstreet worship team!
A Willow Creek conference taught us “Lord I Will.” A Promise Keepers convention provided “I Am Free,” “Strong Tower,” and “How Great is Our God.” MinistryCOM introduced me to “Yes You Have” and Michael Neale’s “More and More.” All of these are now regular songs at Anchor, songs our people enjoy. The latest batch of “possibles” includes two songs I heard at this year’s MinistryCOM.
I’m no music expert. I’ve been playing on worship teams for 20 years, but I’m still basically a keyboard hacker with a rock-and-roll bent. But I see a lot of wonderful music being written today, music that connects with me and with our congregation.
And it’s not necessarily fluff or repetitive (as too many people stereotype contemporary Christian music). We’re talking songs with multiple verses, plus a bridge (which you don’t find in hymns). Songs that, if written in another era, would have been included in a hymnal and revered today.
Too many churches still fight music wars, with parishioners who have sung the exact same hymns for 60 years resisting the introduction of any new music. That always makes me sad…and very grateful for the wide-open attitude at Anchor.
Brian Allbright
Posted at 15:35h, 14 NovemberI am also saddened by people who resist the singing of the old hymns. At Kilpatrick our worship team has been able to include a few hymns. We don’t necessarily “rock” them but we at least play and sing them faster than a funeral dirge. By the way, you can always compose a bridge for any hymn.
Mike Scobey
Posted at 16:48h, 31 DecemberI am always interested when I come across people discussing music used in worship and which is “best”? Brian’s comments are close to my thoughts I’d guess. I enjoy many types of music and can accept pretty much what ever we come across in worship services where ever we attend. Repetitive phrases however do bother me. Invest time on the following:
I’d like to direct you to a person named Chris Teichler who has taught music at Wheaton, Trinity, and Northwestern University. His website is http://www.christeichler.com look under “links” “more of Chris” then “Teichler’s Musical Musings” or go to http://composerchris.wordpress.com/ and look up 5 of Chris’ posts May 9, & 24th, this year, Oct10th,2009, Sept.27th,2009 and August 21st, 2007 he has a lot of interesting thoughts and ideas about music used in worship. Some very good ideas on Praise Music resources one can use. Carry on. I do enjoy reading the posts even if I may not agree with everything I read. We don’t need to all agree on everything unless we bring up the unending Love of God and his Son Jesus.