Featured Is Contemporary Christian Music/Christian Rock wordly and sinful?

I remember one time at a church singing years ago a gospel group was on stage singing in the microphones and playing the electric music when all at once the electricity went off, it was like some one poured cold water on the service. What some thought was a spirit filled singing was just electricity filled meeting.

 

Are you sure it couldn't have been the shock of suddenly losing power and the music stopping and (I assume) the lights going out that caused that? I mean, if I'm singing in church, and we've got the music playing and we are singing our hearts out to God, I'm probably going to be jarred by the sudden change in environment if the power went out.

 

Exactly. Our church building has HUGE stained glass windows so getting natural light in is no problem, we'd either start going with memorized songs, or break out the hymn books. But I can't imagine that we'd keep going as we were like nothing happened.

 

If you're up for reading an old puritan sermon: "PUBLIC WORSHIP TO BE PREFERED BEFORE PRIVATE. http://www.covenanter.org/DClarkson/clarkson_pubwor.html

 

The singing was held in the day light hours, in a country church building, no lights were on. The only thing that changed in the service by the power going off was it killed the sound of the electric guitars and microphones. The group didn't stop singing till they finished the song but you could tell they were to dependent on electricity. Maybe I view this different but if it takes a drop cord plugged in the wall to get in touch with Jesus then leave me out of it.

 

How old were the musicians?

 

They were all adults in there thirties or forties.

 

They are not professional entertainers, they were caught off guard. It's not your place to say they weren't in touch with Jesus when they were taken by surprise.

 

They were not professional in one since but they were a well know group that traveled and were booked up regularly. I have an opinion just like you do, we all judge by what we see and hear. There are groups of singers that talk in tongues while they sing, jump up and down, cut all kinds of shines, nothing but a side show. They say they are in the spirit, I say they are pumping up peoples flesh, you say whatever you want too.

 

Just to make sure my stand is clear: my husband and I are not against hymns, against gospel songs, or against contemporary music.

There is good and bad under all the genres.

But we do head for the door if the behavior of the people is crass during the music, or if we feel it is being used to manipulate, or if we believe it is being used in a way to bring the world into the church instead of the church into the world.

Case in point, 2 songs. While In the Garden is certainly not really contemporary, we've seen it used quite well and seen it used in engendering a sappy sentimentalism (thanks Christianity Today for a good description.) Amazing Grace-My Chains are Gone is a sort of combined mish mosh of parts of Amazing Grace and And Can it Be. We've seen it used very manipulatively, but we've seen it used wonderfully and consider it one of our favorite hymns.

Our main challenge is this: if you find yourself unable to make contact with Jesus unless with your favorite music (any genre) or if you find yourself feeling you make better contact with Him with the music than without, consider at least a 30 day detox. Make sure your relationship is with HIM, not emotions stirred up by the music. Then, once you are sure you are in a good place, enjoy.

But do remember that when you are in a public service with your eyes closed, the rest of us can still see everything you wiggle, jiggle, shake, reveal, or touch. We very much want you to "fall in love with Jesus" but it is not a sexual encounter. Behave accordingly.

We are not Puritans and not much into taking their opinions as gospel. We've really put the time into studying what the church service is or should be. We disagree with those that would say it is a performance we do for an audience of One. And we disagree with those that make it an intimate time with Jesus. We do fall in with those that see it as a time for the evangelistic preaching of the Word.

We understand others see things differently.