For me, the question becomes "What is the music for?" I don't usually compare hymnody to CCM, because in my mind and life, they are for VERY different purposes. I don't compare Tolstoy to Heinlein, either... because they are very different genres, and I read them for different purposes.
Same with CCM. I don't expect it to have Law and Gospel, because it's not Lutheran church music. It's more along the lines of pub and garden music... the stuff I'd like to listen to during the day. Some people like to listen to rap, others to country. I like to listen to CCM.
There is only a VERY small percentage of CCM that I could even begin to think of using in a church service. And those are the ones that can pass the "Praise Song Cruncher" test, at the very least. And when I attend Lutheran services where they use CCM, I am very critical of where in the service they use it, and what exactly it says.
But in general, just for daily listening for encouragement and uplifting music, I enjoy CCM very much.
__________________ Many people think that the question should be: have you made Jesus your Lord? Have you invited him unreservedly into your heart? Have you completely dedicated every part of yourself and your life to him?
The trouble is that when we are truthful, the answer must always be "No." So let's ask the question a different way.
Has Jesus given everything for you? Has he dedicated his whole life to you? Has he invited you into his heart? And the answer to that is a glorious and gracious and conscious, freeing, comforting YES!
(paraphrased from Pastor Wolfmueller, Table Talk Radio)
Yeah, let's make a distinction between contemporary worship music and CCM. What I'm talking about is music that you would listen to for enjoyment or to keep the kids quiet in the car, not for use in worship settings which I don't really support.
It's nice to have an alternative to secular pop and country to listen to. And for all it's faults, CCM still has a more positive message than these two. That said, I was surprised last year or so when I decided to check out our local country station for a while. Many of the songs they played had a positive, family-oriented message. Of course, many of them didn't.
(All scripture quotes in my posts are from the Holy Bible English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise indicated.)
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Yeah, let's make a distinction between contemporary worship music and CCM. What I'm talking about is music that you would listen to for enjoyment or to keep the kids quiet in the car, not for use in worship settings which I don't really support.
It's nice to have an alternative to secular pop and country to listen to. And for all it's faults, CCM still has a more positive message than these two. That said, I was surprised last year or so when I decided to check out our local country station for a while. Many of the songs they played had a positive, family-oriented message. Of course, many of them didn't.
But what kind of message does that send to children? They can't make the distinctions that we can. They think that what ever we listen to, read or allow in the home is 100% OK. Me personally, I like a liturgical service with CWM.
I tend to think of Christian-themed music in five categories, three of which are from Scripture.
Psalms are self-explanatory, and straight from scripture.
Hymns are doctrinally solid, clear-cut teaching songs that are sung by congregations in church. They can be straight from the hymnal, or they can be more modern. The key for me is that they are useful for doctrinal teaching.
Spiritual songs are primarily "contemporary" songs. Those are the ones that are mostly doctrinally correct, but may not have a complete enough emphasis on Law and Gospel to be considered for congregational singing. But they are fine for personal singing and radio-listening for encouragement, challenge, and direction in one's day to day walk. These are the ones I sing from the radio.
Then there is a group of contemporary songs that are doctrinally unsound, or emphasize the wrong things (the "Jesus is my boyfriend" or "happy clappy" songs). Those I tolerate when they come on the radio, but I don't sing them or emphasize them. And my daughter hears my criticism of them when they do come on.
And finally, there are those songs that are Christian in theme but are not focused on specific doctrines at all. They may be focused on political issues, or just be a song that is so steeped in metaphor that it's hard to figure out whether it's Christian or not. These I tend to ignore. And in general, they're not on the radio much.
__________________ Many people think that the question should be: have you made Jesus your Lord? Have you invited him unreservedly into your heart? Have you completely dedicated every part of yourself and your life to him?
The trouble is that when we are truthful, the answer must always be "No." So let's ask the question a different way.
Has Jesus given everything for you? Has he dedicated his whole life to you? Has he invited you into his heart? And the answer to that is a glorious and gracious and conscious, freeing, comforting YES!
(paraphrased from Pastor Wolfmueller, Table Talk Radio)
For instance, there is a young Lutheran song-writer who is trying to marry contemporary music with solid doctrinal teaching. I've been listening to his podcasts, and trying to encourage him. One of his songs really struck me as a well written, and doctrinally sound.
"Promise of Heaven" has four verses, each of which emphasizes a different Biblical metaphor for Christ... the star of the morning, the vine, the Lamb, the water of life. I find it very singable, and the lyrics are strong. I may suggest that we do the song as a solo/small group during offering, especially on a day where one of these verses is part of the Scripture reading.
To hear the song, click the last link in the quote, below.
This week’s song looks at four different metaphors for Christ that are found in both the Old and New Testaments.
The lyrics:
Promise of Heaven
Promise of Heaven and star of the morning
Blinding our pride in the light of your rising
Burn through the shadow of death in our eyes
Parting darkness, restore our sight
Lead us from lives that are clouded and torn
Into the light of a world that has been reborn.
Promise of Heaven and vine everlasting
Sprung from an earth that was barren and wasting
Branch of a righteousness we could not grow
Bearing fruit to renew our souls
Source of all life, may our hearts find in you
Strength to grow outward, alive in your love and truth.
Promise of Heaven and Lamb to the slaughter
Holding the weight of the guilt of another
Silent in suffering, taking our pain
Spotless until our judgment came
Falling on you, innocent sacrifice
Washing our stains in your blood, we are brought to life.
Promise of Heaven and pure living water
Calling to drink from the wells of your Father
Wells of salvation fulfilling our thirst
Spring transforming in our new birth
Healing our emptiness, making us whole
Pour out your Spirit in grace that will overflow.
__________________ Many people think that the question should be: have you made Jesus your Lord? Have you invited him unreservedly into your heart? Have you completely dedicated every part of yourself and your life to him?
The trouble is that when we are truthful, the answer must always be "No." So let's ask the question a different way.
Has Jesus given everything for you? Has he dedicated his whole life to you? Has he invited you into his heart? And the answer to that is a glorious and gracious and conscious, freeing, comforting YES!
(paraphrased from Pastor Wolfmueller, Table Talk Radio)
synger, I wish there were more artists like him out there. While I very much appreciate his efforts, I can't say as I enjoy his singing and playing style, though - I guess I'm too old.
It's like my nephew's band. I want to like it. I really do. But ... wow.
There's another young man on YouTube - gasness1's Channel that has recorded some 'modernized' traditional hymns. Again I very much appreciate his efforts, but the singing and playing, not so much.
Is it really too much to ask for solidly Lutheran CCM that's well performed and well produced? Maybe there's just no profitable market for it.
Edit: Maybe Brian Yamabe has it right in his blog post about this hymn.
There we are receiving and doing nothing good on our own and even repenting for what we do add. That is our theology and that won’t be in the CCLI top 40 anytime soon because us as powerless sinner doesn’t sell records.
(All scripture quotes in my posts are from the Holy Bible English Standard Version (ESV) unless otherwise indicated.)
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, Your mercies are new every morning; and though we deserve only punishment, You receive us as Your children and provide for all our needs of body and soul. Grant that we may heartily acknowledge Your merciful goodness, give thanks for all Your benefits, and serve You in willing obedience; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Last edited by Tangible; 17th August 2009 at 12:31 PM.
I try not to focus on the singing and playing, but rather on his words and music. Probably because as I'm listening, I'm imagining how the song would work as a solo/small group offertory, a choir anthem, or as a congregational song/hymn. How he performs isn't a factor for me.
That being said, there are only a couple of his songs so far that fit my fairly exacting criteria for music used in church. But that can change as he grows as a hymnist and song-writer. That's why I want to encourage him, and have started leaving him comments about the songs, wrapping my constructive criticisms of his work in encouragement about the parts I thought worked. It's shaping up to be an interesting conversation.
__________________ Many people think that the question should be: have you made Jesus your Lord? Have you invited him unreservedly into your heart? Have you completely dedicated every part of yourself and your life to him?
The trouble is that when we are truthful, the answer must always be "No." So let's ask the question a different way.
Has Jesus given everything for you? Has he dedicated his whole life to you? Has he invited you into his heart? And the answer to that is a glorious and gracious and conscious, freeing, comforting YES!
(paraphrased from Pastor Wolfmueller, Table Talk Radio)
I can't get it to it. I can never get into it. Most of the ones I've ever liked they were so cryptic they could have gone secular with it and then I stopped listening. It's not a bad thing to reach out to the unsaved but for example my best friend was really into Michael W. Smith and would buy all his CD's and get posters and sing and hum all the time. She's floating around now spiritually and had given the Bible back I gave her as a high school graduation present. He's changed his lyrics now but back in the late 90's they really weren't full of much.
Song from the 90's
Sometimes I feel like this world is just one big gigantic merry-go-round
You gotta hold on tight or you get hurled through the air
Yeah, life is a 3 ring circus With clowns and freaks and camels and such
And you never know when you might be attacked by the bears
(Chorus)
Give me love, give me love
Love me good
Give me love, give me love
Love me good
More recent
I will run and not be weak
Hope has come
Renewed my strength
I have found what I did seek
And I'm ready to fly
All forgiven, all forgot
Heaven waits beyond the plot
Swing low, sweet chariot
Yes, I'm ready to fly
Father come to save my soul
Father come to
Make me whole
There was a price
He paid the toll
Gave me freedom to fly
I know this because I know bands. Some only go Christian because they think it will be easy to get into because the market is not as saturated as secular and they can make money.
__________________ I know I am blunt. I apologize.
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1 Peter 5:8-9
Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world.
Even doves get testy, especially about CCM. But I have been looking at some of it. If you want to make a theological, doctrinal Lutheran point to someone, goodluck. But if you can find some representative CCM lyrics making the point for you, why not use it?
Maybe to reach some, we have to reach a little deeper than giving all our pat Lutheran answers, which for the most part, really turns some people off. But if I can make Luther sound like Casting Crowns, I might have a few more willing to listen.
Two songs I listened to on the radio this morning. Both of them are what I would call "spiritual songs". Not as bible-centric as psalms or most hymns, perhaps. But they have merit in reminding me day-to-day of God's love, and his calling to me in my daily work.
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior
I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I read
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my savior
That He would leave His place on high
And come for sinful man to die
You count it strange, so once did I
Before I knew my Savior
Chorus (2x's)
My Savior loves, My Savior lives
My Savior's always there for me
My God: He was, my God; He is
My God is always gonna be
Yes, living, dying, let me bring
My strength, my solace from this spring;
That He who lives to be my King
Once died to be my Savior
Brandon Heath Lyrics – Give Me Your Eyes
Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black tile
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared? Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah
Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide whats underneath
There’s a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
To ashamed to tell his wife
He’s out of work
He’s buying time
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared? Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah
I’ve been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah
__________________ Many people think that the question should be: have you made Jesus your Lord? Have you invited him unreservedly into your heart? Have you completely dedicated every part of yourself and your life to him?
The trouble is that when we are truthful, the answer must always be "No." So let's ask the question a different way.
Has Jesus given everything for you? Has he dedicated his whole life to you? Has he invited you into his heart? And the answer to that is a glorious and gracious and conscious, freeing, comforting YES!
(paraphrased from Pastor Wolfmueller, Table Talk Radio)
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