Does anyone else Hate Christian Contempory Pop Rock type of music ?

thecolorsblend

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Hymns are boring full of outdated tunes. I much prefer more contempoary modern rock tunes. William Booth once said why should the Devil have all the best tunes and songs?
Apart from questionable theology in some of those lyrics, as a music fan I object to contemporary stuff because of what a bore it is.

Those songs have a hook. One hook. And it gets beaten into the ground again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again through out the song. It gets annoying fast.

Second, the studio production of the songs tends to be so antiseptic that all life is drained from the performance. There might be 20 drum tracks recorded before a perfect one is recorded. That perfect track will be used in the final mix of the song.

Another 20 bass guitar tracks get recorded. The perfect one gets used. 20 lead guitar tracks. The perfect one gets used. 20 vocal tracks. The perfect one gets used.

The end result is something so carefully manufactured, cultivated and produced that it has no life to it whatsoever. It's got the perfect instrumentation, the perfect run time, a carefully rehearsed solo that lasts just long enough and just one pop hook that nobody wants to let the listener forget about already.

This is not an attempt on my part to change your mind. Rather, it's to explain my objection to this genre of music. Quite apart from how meaningless, vacuous and hollow I find it to be, it's annoying simply on technical grounds.

There's also the optics of the faith which changed the entire world being distilled into an easily consumable 3-minute pop song that offends me as well but there's no accounting for taste.

By way of comparison, a lot of my favorite secular rock bands don't necessarily trouble themselves with technical perfection in the recording studio or in live performances. A given take of a song might be selected for final album release because it has the right atmosphere or it has a better energy to it than other takes... even if those other takes are technically superior.

CCM doesn't have that. CCM has never had that. CCM doesn't aspire to that. CCM doesn't even necessarily aspire to be a meaningful act of worship. It exists to create a product which can be mass produced, played on the radio and sold successfully until something new comes along to replace it. It has no long-lasting, transcendent value. Indeed, it shies away from transcendent value, in many cases.

The best satire includes truth. On that basis, this video is amazingly good satire.

 
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Presbyterian Continuist

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There's also another old saying, "Having your cake and eating it too."

If Amazing Grace gets a free pass because of lyrics, then why can't other songs with good lyrics in a rock / blues style also get a free pass?
it depends on whether the style of music dominates the lyrics or not. Where lyrics are drowned out by loud electric guitars, drums, etc., so that people don't know what they're listening to, and the rhythm has an emotional hyping up effect, then it departs from the spirit into the soulish area.

Interesting enough, there is a song: "Jesus, Jesus, let me tell you how I feel", etc, written in a minor key. There was a group in a convention in the 1970s singing it over and over again, and many of the group were getting spaced out similar to Eastern meditation. The only thing missing were the drugs! That was a good example of a song with good lyrics causing a group of young people going off into an altered state of semi-consciousness.
 
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timothyu

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Quite apart from how meaningless, vacuous and hollow I find it to be
Does that then also apply to the nature of the followers? Actually I guess modern mega churches are more about hype than substance. I'll bet they even play the right/left game contrary to Jesus' teachings, not just politically but pitting NT writers against each other.

The only gimmick Jesus used was to feed the people and heal the sick.. in others words, love neighbour as self and help the less fortunate.Wow, what a concept. Imagine if that was used to draw in the crowds today. Although the political rally down the street which opposes such behaviour might draw a larger crowd.
 
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thecolorsblend

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Does that then also apply to the nature of the followers? Actually I guess modern mega churches are more about hype than substance. I'll bet they even play the right/left game contrary to Jesus' teachings, not just politically but pitting NT writers against each other.
I can't speculate on that. I can't remember if I've ever discussed this with you but my sense is that most people actually do quite well with meat and potatoes faith.

What I mean is that they don't need anything frilly or special. Tell them about Our Lord and Him crucified, they'll believe it and they'll generally get with the program, religiously speaking.

Some people need a lot more than that. However, most don't. So on that basis, perhaps a 3 minute CCM song which I find utterly meaningless and devoid of value buoys their faith from one day to the next. I would be the last to condemn them for that sort of thing.

My objection is, was and will always be that I see absolutely, positively no value for myself in CCM. Give me Gregorian chants any day of the week, thx.

But if others get something out of this insipid CCM nonsense, well, who am I to judge?
 
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Tolkien R.R.J

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Wasn't meaning to be snarky but reading back I understand it does read that way. So I apologize. My brain was thinking across several other threads as well, but you would have had to be in my head to see the connections.

For what it's worth, we saw Crowder a couple of weeks ago. He ended his set with the song you posted - quite a bit of fun.


Great and i apologize as well. I would see crowder and zach williams.
 
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misput

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The meaning of the word worship is doing whats pleasing to God and I take that to mean 24/7. So if that is true then worship in the "church house" is only a tiny part of our worship and like the rest of our life should be conducted decently and in order. That being said: your and my ideas of decent and orderly may differ.
 
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Cis.jd

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Thanks! I found lyrics

Baba yetu
Christopher Tin

Baba yetu, yetu uliye (Our, our Father who are)
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina (In heaven, our, our, amen)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)
Baba yetu, yetu uliye (Our, our Father who are)
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina (In heaven, our, our, amen)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)
Utupe leo chakula chetu (Give us today our food)
Tunachohitaji utusamehe (We need you to forgive us)
Makosa yetu, hey (Our errors, hey)
Kama nasi tunavyowasamehe (As we do forgive those)
Waliotukosea, usitutie (Who did us wrong, don't put us)
Katika majaribu, lakini (Into trials, but)
Utuokoe, na yule, milele na milele (Save us, with him, for ever and ever)
Baba yetu, yetu uliye (Our, our Father who are)
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina (In heaven, our, our, amen)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)
Baba yetu, yetu uliye (Our, our Father who are)
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina (In heaven, our, our, amen)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)
Ufalme wako ufike utakalo (Your kingdom come that it be)
Lifanyike duniani kama mbinguni, amina (done on earth as in heaven, amen)
Baba yetu, yetu uliye (Our, our Father who are)
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina (In heaven, our, our, amen)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)
Baba yetu, yetu uliye (Our, our Father who are)
Mbinguni yetu, yetu, amina (In heaven, our, our, amen)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)
Utupe leo chakula chetu (Give us today our food)
Tunachohitaji utusamehe (We need you to forgive us)
Makosa yetu, hey (Our errors, hey)
Kama nasi tunavyowasamehe (As we do forgive those)
Waliotukosea, usitutie (Who did us wrong, don't put us)
Katika majaribu, lakini (Into trials, but)
Utuokoe na yule msiba milele (Save us from this distress for ever)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)
Baba yetu, yetu, uliye (Our, our Father, who are)
Jina lako litukuzwe (Let's glorify your name)


Wow. this is the soundtrack to that Civilization 4 game, I didn't know this was a christian song.

The Civilization 4 version is good as well, one of my favorite video game music of all time. The choir is female as well in this version, and the tone is so nice.
 
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Halbhh

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I can't speculate on that. I can't remember if I've ever discussed this with you but my sense is that most people actually do quite well with meat and potatoes faith.

What I mean is that they don't need anything frilly or special. Tell them about Our Lord and Him crucified, they'll believe it and they'll generally get with the program, religiously speaking.

Some people need a lot more than that. However, most don't. So on that basis, perhaps a 3 minute CCM song which I find utterly meaningless and devoid of value buoys their faith from one day to the next. I would be the last to condemn them for that sort of thing.

My objection is, was and will always be that I see absolutely, positively no value for myself in CCM. Give me Gregorian chants any day of the week, thx.

But if others get something out of this insipid CCM nonsense, well, who am I to judge?

When St. Paul the Evangelist went to Athens, he says he listened and looked to learn about what the unbelievers thought, so that he could better bring them the message, the Good News. We don't want to try to reach group X with a style from group B always, that is the many still in group X that didn't already respond to style B. You can think of it in musical terms as a very good analogy. If you bring the traditional choir music to group X you may be able to reach a portion, a fraction, who keep listening long enough to hear what you say next, but what about all the rest, many whom left during the wrong style music? We want them to hear the Word, that can save them. If I need to use rap or rock or banjo music, then praise the Lord, because He is good.
 
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laboringbro

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I have moved from a local charismatic Baptist church to my local Parish church because I cannot stand churches that have worship bands playing this modern contempory ''Pop/Rock'' Christian worship songs.
I am officially a member of The Church Of England anyway,as I was brought up into it,was ''Christened'' as a baby and later when I came to faith I was ''Confirmed''.The Baptist church were also too over the top for me with their beliefs and they were putting pressure on me to be a member and also wanted me to have a proper Biblical baptism by Full Immersion.That would be wrong as ive been christened as a baby..also there is no reverence for God with this ''Pop/Rock'' type of modern contempory worship songs churches seem to be going for these days.Call me an old fashioned old fogey if you like,but i'm 67 now and I prefer a ''proper'' church service with the Liturgy.. I love the old hymns,the church choir and organ,but the Baptist church say that kind of worship is old fashioned,so ive left after sticking it two years and have gone back ''Home'' to my Traditional local Church Of England church and its so lovely to be back..i felt like I was in a ''Rock Concert'' at the Baptist church as it was all this modern worships songs with drums,guitars,keyboards,flute etc and flashing coloured lights over the stage which would change different colours during worship..i just got fed up of it and didn't feel like i'd been to church at all...so here I am back at my local Cofe church & its great to be back.
Does anyone else feel the same way? & prefers old Traditional hymns and a choir and organ and the Liturgy rather than been in a church which has Rock worship bands that play this modern contempory stuff.Would you rather attend a Church Of England church that has remained Traditional in its worship rather than gone all ''Happy Clappy''or do you like churches that use worship bands playing contempory modern worship songs..churches like Baptist,Pentecostal,Charismatic etc,or are you like me,prefering a liturgical Cofe church with a choir and the organ?
Do you think Contempory worship music with worship bands has any place in the church?
Even Christian radio such as UCB 2 & 1 and Premier play this noisy Christian contempory music so I don't listen to Christian radio..i stick with Angel Vintage or Classic FM,both on dab or online.Surely not EVERYONE likes this so called modern contempory Christian worship music...maybe they use it to attract the young people.
 
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steve78

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Apart from questionable theology in some of those lyrics, as a music fan I object to contemporary stuff because of what a bore it is.

The best satire includes truth. On that basis, this video is amazingly good satire.


I have never come across anything comtempoary with questionable theology in its lyrics. The only gripe i have about this style of music is those Worship bands who think its great to keep on repeating the same old verse over and over again

Old hyms although have nice words the tunes are pretty naff. In the Salvation Army we have brass bands which make these tunes sound a little better than singing to somebody playing the organ or plonking the piano.

I am a fan of the Graham Kendrick style of Songs although some of those are a little outdated.

I also like a lot of the Doug Horley kids music, awesome stuff.
 
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steve78

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A good guideline for music in corporate worship:
  • If an atheist, Muslim, Buddhist, Jew, Mormon, and Jehovah's Witness can listen to the song and not feel offended, it isn't a Christian song.
  • If it fits the criteria that determines it to be a Christian song, but the song is focused more on ourselves and our feelings, it is not to be used for corporate worship.

You must have a really boring church then.

I want to go away from worship with a buzz, if you can't enjoy yourself as you give worship to god then whats the point.
 
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Halbhh

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I have never come across anything comtempoary with questionable theology in its lyrics. The only gripe i have about this style of music is those Worship bands who think its great to keep on repeating the same old verse over and over again

Old hyms although have nice words the tunes are pretty naff. In the Salvation Army we have brass bands which make these tunes sound a little better than singing to somebody playing the organ or plonking the piano.

I am a fan of the Graham Kendrick style of Songs although some of those are a little outdated.

I also like a lot of the Doug Horley kids music, awesome stuff.

There was something from the salvation army I really loved recently, and for some reason this below is what came to mind, even though it's not the one (!?).... (I'm not sure why this is, but I perhaps should post it --

 
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Halbhh

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Tower of Babel effect there guys.

Usually in most discussions people use words a little differently and don't know exactly what the other person is trying to say. But we tend to think we do, and then the problem starts.
 
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Halbhh

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If I could try to translate what I think is meant:

The meaning is we feel that church should make a difference, so that we don't leave feeling empty, as if nothing good happened to us.
 
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steve78

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That's Christianity in a nutshell.
If I could try to translate what I think is meant:

The meaning is we feel that church should make a difference, so that we don't leave feeling empty, as if nothing good happened to us.

Being bored to death with crap and boring music certainly makes one feel empty.
 
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