worship songs and music?

Goodbook

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I have a question about church music, hymns and songs..are they just songs people have always sung and whats this I hear about nowadays you have to have a license to sing a worship song in public or has this just been the case for any song 'performed' in public you have to pay a music publisher?

Singing to God, praising him, worship him never came with any monetary price attached in the Bible...just wondered what this was all about (especially going into a christian book store and just seeing rows of christian music you can buy just like ordinary music - where does the money go, for each CD you buy..straight back to the church and the needy people or in 'christian' music publishers hands?

Don't really understand all that especially as once went to a christian music festival and it just sounded like ordinary music but maybe with christian sounding lyrics. I thought it would be more I don't know..uplifting, spiritual or convicting and actually preaching the gospel but it doesn't seem to be, and I suppose its nice to have songs about people's personal journeys and struggles but maybe thats just different from praise music.

Also theres lots of songs sung by just ordinary people who haven't labelled themselves as a 'christian artist' or 'christian band' who sing great songs to God, am wondering if maybe a lot of this music is more packaging then substance. Especially when in some cases you can't even understand the words when it gets drowned out by the beat or the music. Also I have heard some great choir music, but it seems many christians these days would rather prefer rock n roll and squealing guitars to being still and silent and sing in harmony like angels in a choir and the words really mean something rather. To me when I hear that and sing with others like that I get that sense of God's presence, like how heaven would be on earth. I love singing but I don't like it when I'm singing and the band or whatever drowns out the voices and you can hardly hear yourself.

And I know lots of older folk don't like it and complain sometimes the music is too loud and hurts their ears at some of these churches. I'm not elderly but I tend to agree with them, I've found it seems like being at a concert with 'christian' celebrities on stage and worshipping THEM (in some churches) rather than being with God and worshipping HIM.

What do others think?
 

heron

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nowadays you have to have a license to sing a worship song in public or has this just been the case for any song 'performed' in public you have to pay a music publisher?
Ever since copyright laws were established, it has been the law that any creative work could not be reprinted or re-used for profit without permission. Laws tightened up as precedents were set, to include educational and nonprofit institutions.

The problem is not the congregation singing, but the congregation needing to look at words in order to know what they're singing... reprinting music on their own.

The old method of hymnbooks solved this, and modern hymnbooks have been made but churches found it cheaper to use a projector or overhead, allowing them the flexibility to bring in a new song as soon as it hit the radio, and bring in different styles of music.

Copyright protection of creative work started in the UK, then was adopted by the US and enforced. The rest of the world works loosely under international copyright law, which is not really enforced -- seen more as an ethic that some follow and some don't. When a musician writes in the US and is protected by US copyright law, they still lose control outside the US due to lack of enforcement.

where does the money go, for each CD you buy..straight back to the church and the needy people or in 'christian' music publishers hands?
Good question. Before this system, musicians were investing a lot in writing and promoting their songs, and then finding everything bootlegged. You can imagine how this loss would be worse in the Christian realm, where people see songs as expression of faith.

Publishers who do this correctly ask churches to log which songs they sing, and report it back to them, so they can disburse royalties to the artists. The publisher became the clearinghouse for permissions, making everyone's job simpler. This allows the publisher to offer churches thousands of songs to choose from.

You will notice that many churches now have returned to a counted number of songs, and repeated verses. Some of that comes from the contract they have with the publisher. (And some for freer worship.)

I knew someone who had worked their way up to fame in Christian music, and they said they were still only making just above minimum wage for touring, between all the people they had to pay and the hours spent setting up, doing interviews.

All in all, the whole concept that appears to sap churches is just an attempt to prevent sapping the original artists. It really is fair, and meant for our protection. Most of us have friends who aspired to be musicians, artists, dancers, videographers... notoriously underpaid career paths.

I love singing but I don't like it when I'm singing and the band or whatever drowns out the voices and you can hardly hear yourself.
Same here. We are all priests through Christ, and worship occurs in the congregation on an equal basis to the leading worship team.

And I know lots of older folk don't like it and complain sometimes the music is too loud and hurts their ears at some of these churches.
If you know anyone with tinnitus, you change your perception on loud music. The noise in the head is irreversible (except through Christ's healing).
 
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Goodbook

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Wow this Sunday the usual worship leaders weren't there think they were ill/busy so we didn't have the drums and the synths and so many guitars and there was such a difference we even sang a hymn acapella (twice!) it was really nice and just to be sort of silent and reflective at the end and to be able to pray without having my eardrums blasted with sound.
 
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Incariol

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Goodbook said:
I have a question about church music, hymns and songs..are they just songs people have always sung and whats this I hear about nowadays you have to have a license to sing a worship song in public or has this just been the case for any song 'performed' in public you have to pay a music publisher?

Singing to God, praising him, worship him never came with any monetary price attached in the Bible...just wondered what this was all about (especially going into a christian book store and just seeing rows of christian music you can buy just like ordinary music - where does the money go, for each CD you buy..straight back to the church and the needy people or in 'christian' music publishers hands?

Don't really understand all that especially as once went to a christian music festival and it just sounded like ordinary music but maybe with christian sounding lyrics. I thought it would be more I don't know..uplifting, spiritual or convicting and actually preaching the gospel but it doesn't seem to be, and I suppose its nice to have songs about people's personal journeys and struggles but maybe thats just different from praise music.

Also theres lots of songs sung by just ordinary people who haven't labelled themselves as a 'christian artist' or 'christian band' who sing great songs to God, am wondering if maybe a lot of this music is more packaging then substance. Especially when in some cases you can't even understand the words when it gets drowned out by the beat or the music. Also I have heard some great choir music, but it seems many christians these days would rather prefer rock n roll and squealing guitars to being still and silent and sing in harmony like angels in a choir and the words really mean something rather. To me when I hear that and sing with others like that I get that sense of God's presence, like how heaven would be on earth. I love singing but I don't like it when I'm singing and the band or whatever drowns out the voices and you can hardly hear yourself.

And I know lots of older folk don't like it and complain sometimes the music is too loud and hurts their ears at some of these churches. I'm not elderly but I tend to agree with them, I've found it seems like being at a concert with 'christian' celebrities on stage and worshipping THEM (in some churches) rather than being with God and worshipping HIM.

What do others think?

This is why I think the liturgy is important. No self-glorifying songs, just the same timeless worship that is focused on God over personal satisfaction.

Sent from my iPod touch using Forum Runner
 
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.Iona.

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I love singing in church - it's a great way of worship for me. I agree that when the bands voices are too loud, it's almost as though you are at a concert and not in church - it should be about singing in unity and being one in worshiping God.

I love Hillsong music, but am not a big fan of the Hillsong way of worship - being held in a stadium like that is a concert and for me and not a weekly service of praise.

For the most part, I have seen great singing which is directed at God. I do agree that there are many who end up worshiping the singers themselves, and forget the main reason for the music... as well as singers who seem to forget that they are supposed to be singing for God.

I ave been in church choirs, and church bands - and I am always do focused on the words and praising God - it's amazing!
 
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Goodbook

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I am finding some of the Carpenters music are actually worship songs and thats great because I always loved the Carpenters before I was saved...

two songs in particular 'YOU' and 'I can't last a day without you' I shared with my lifegroup YOU and also 'bless the beasts and the children' as a sung prayer..

When we are all singing and praising God it is really amazing and especially singing the Holy spirit helps us find the words where we all come in various part harmonies and singing in tongues as well.
 
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