I don’t take a lot of time on this blog to write about the “deeper” thoughts that go running through my head. I’m not sure why that is, except that writing has never been my strong suit. In high school I was in AP everything, except for AP English. I think I just disliked writing papers. Eh, eventually I learned to just write in my own voice and that’s usually what you “hear” when I write (grant you, sarcasm never seems to translate well.) That little aside behind us, I thought I would try every once in a while to share some of the stuff that goes through my brain on a semi-random basis.
Today, for instance, I was thinking about contemporary Christian music (ccm) and the way I’ve seen it change over my lifetime. Some of those changes have been good, others not so good. In particular I was contemplating the trend toward “praise” music that’s been going on for the past few years. Admittedly I’ve never been a fan of the new “praise & worship” trend. I’ve always felt that the purpose of song in worship was to pull you closer to Jesus and His Word. A lot of the songs I hear just seem to want to make me feel good about me (insert broad paintbrush here). Or they use “Christian-esque” sounding language without any meaning (yup, getting a good coat o’ paint on the ole house of cards today). Or my personal favorite, spiritualizing actual events or types without really proclaiming to the people the physical realities (“Days of Elijah”, anyone? Yes, he is coming on a white horse. No, he hasn’t come yet). Maybe I’m just turning into a grumpy old man, but there seems to me to be something different about the whole situation now. What used to be loudly proclaimed as a musical ministry to those outside the church suddenly turned into an industry with its own target market right inside the sanctuary. Where songwriters used to find ways to share the Gospel through music, now it feels like we share personal experiences and stories instead. Is that bad? Not necessarily, but I feel like it winds up being somewhat fake. It’s as though we use it as a substitute for relationship…for community. It’s easier to identify with the thought or feeling in a song rather than with a person. Rather than using that communication in a didactic way, we try to use it as a substitute for an intimate connection.
So in an attempt to fake my own intimate connections with people, do you have any comments? Am I totally off the mark? Hitting some points? Help me formulate some thoughts on this. In the meantime I’m going to go back and listen to some vintage Petra and Steven Curtis Chapman and revel in the glory days that were the 80’s. ;)
2 comments:
I find much of CCM to be inane, Jim.
But, I do agree that there are some positive portions.
But, I must admit that you sound awfully Anabaptist in your critiques of music and aren't you supposed to be reformed? ;-)
Seriously, though... I tend to like "Christian" music that is of sincere emotions and has artistic merit. If it draws us closer to that which is difficult to articulate, then I think it is valuable.
If it's just to sound pretty, it seems egoistic and not, necessarily, especially Christian.
I like the deeper posts, Jim. Keep them up.
Yeah, since it wasn't clear in the post, I've pretty much given up on CCM as an active part of my life. Which is a little weird to me because it really did play a formative part to me as I was growing up. I still listen to what I like, but I think I've given up on the "industry" as a whole in regard to my current spiritual life. Every once in a while I do like to stick my head back in though and just see what's going on. I guess the big question for me is what role does music play? In worship? In celebration? In life? I think we just take it for granted that our lives come with a soundtrack that we never really think about how it influences us.
Ah well, thanks for responding. You've officially used up my half-reader quota for the month. :)
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