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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3619
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | ... Just a long overdue update from my previous postings about "issues" having to do with music styles controversies and our church going to one combined service ...
First ... a thanks to all those who contacted and encouraged me.
Well, we finally made the move to one service, and lo-and-behold, we survived! I've ratcheted-down the actual worship service a bit to a soft contemporary style and some modified hymns (lots of maj 7th chords). We continue to have a prelude time of about a half hour prior, where we let it loose with the higher-intensity, newer Tomlin/Redman/Baloche-style songs. Everyone seems to be happy and numbers are creeping back up.
Thanks to y'all for the website links also! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | Glad to hear of perseverance and success! |
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February 2005
Posts: 121
Location: Powder Springs, Ga. | Over time you can step it up a bit. Just do it so gradually they won't notice. It's like the frog in hot water theory. |
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Joined:
January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by Bentman:
Over time you can step it up a bit. Just do it so gradually they won't notice. It's like the frog in hot water theory. Before you know it you'll be handing out BIC lighters and hearing protection at the door!
Dave |
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December 2004
Posts: 370
Location: Isle of Man, UK | Nicely done.
Change is hard to be involved in, even more so to drive through, so I can imagine how much hassle you've taken.
Well played indeed.
JB |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | We each look at our own singular situation, but there is a wider perspective on this subject.
Some years ago, we had a speaker at a worship conference held at our church. He is an Ethnomusicologist; he studies the music (specifically worship music) of different people groups around the world...first-hand. He played many recordings of live worship from all corners of the globe, including several isolated groups almost untouched by the outside world.
This man pointed out that there is a "music of your heart"...the type of music that, more than any other, moves your emotions and speaks to you. This is a point that all of us understand as it applies to secular music, but don't consider too much with regard to our worship.
It was pointed out that the core age of the people in Praise Fellowship was (at the time) 40-ish, and that our chosen style of worship music was heavily influenced by CSN, JT, Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, and so-on.
Now that there is a younger core group emerging that we are yielding to (20-30ish), our music is NOT the music of THEIR hearts. They are somewhat bored with a steady diet of our misic, preferring Casting Crowns.
There is no easy fix for this dynamic in a single local church, but I think it's helpful to have an understanding of what's really going on. As a 50 yr. old, I also firmly believe there is no substitute for having an overriding desire to see the next generation connect with the Heart of the Father. My own personal taste shouldn't even be a blip on the screen compared to that. John <>{ |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | John, if you go to the edit post screen, there is a delete check box... |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | Great..I learned one new thing for today. I'm going back to bed now. John <>{ |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Happy dreams. |
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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 97
Location: Chicago | Originally posted by bauerhillboy:
We each look at our own singular situation, but there is a wider perspective on this subject.
Some years ago, we had a speaker at a worship conference held at our church. He is an Ethnomusicologist; he studies the music (specifically worship music) of different people groups around the world...first-hand. He played many recordings of live worship from all corners of the globe, including several isolated groups almost untouched by the outside world.
This man pointed out that there is a "music of your heart"...the type of music that, more than any other, moves your emotions and speaks to you. This is a point that all of us understand as it applies to secular music, but don't consider too much with regard to our worship.
It was pointed out that the core age of the people in Praise Fellowship was (at the time) 40-ish, and that our chosen style of worship music was heavily influenced by CSN, JT, Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, and so-on.
Now that there is a younger core group emerging that we are yielding to (20-30ish), our music is NOT the music of THEIR hearts. They are somewhat bored with a steady diet of our misic, preferring Casting Crowns.
There is no easy fix for this dynamic in a single local church, but I think it's helpful to have an understanding of what's really going on. As a 50 yr. old, I also firmly believe there is no substitute for having an overriding desire to see the next generation connect with the Heart of the Father. My own personal taste shouldn't even be a blip on the screen compared to that. John <>{ Excellent points! |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 4413
| Maybe this is why traditional hymns are so loved - unchanging from generation to generation and telling of an abiding truth.
And frankly if I was God I'd rather listen to lyrics by William Blake, Charles Wesley, John Wesley et al than any guy doing it for a living with a three chord accompaniment. After you've had Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, Britten and Duke Ellington writing music for you, you'd have to figure that things were going downhill.
Just my uninvited $0.02 |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | I'm still waiting for someone to write some real good Deist hymns! |
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Worship Team People ... Update
