It was a brisk morning. Katie, my beige Corolla, kept me company as we headed off to church. I was greeted along the way by familiar red and green lights, intersections and passers-by. "More leaves have fallen since last week," I thought in pre-determined prose.
Squirrel!
I saw it, too. But I wasn't the one who wanted to catch it. A black lab, appropriately dressed for the season, reacted instinctively to the small woodland (suburban?) creature racing near it. The dog leapt forward! He took a few majestically grand steps toward his goal. Quickly paced, he lunged, only to be sharply drawn back by a thin cord attached to a man in a jogging suit. Just as quickly as it had begun, the chase was over. The squirrel mocked the dog, and the master and slave continued on their scheduled route. The man wished his dog would be more tame. And the dog wondered why he felt so unfulfilled.
I've played in church or para-church bands for 13 years, almost half my life. (A moment of silence for feeling a little old today... Thank you.) One of the greatest challenges I have experienced for the musician in church is how to not become the "church musician." In days past the church musician would be the slow moving organist with the too-long breaks between each verse of whatever anthem the congregation would moan that morning. Today's church musician is typically younger and looks flashier. But there's a good chance that musician has been musically emasculated, regardless of gender. There is no life or vigor in the artist; just a chord-strumming shell who can barely hear his small contribution through the monitor.
Great musicians don't like to play in church for just that reason. Why would they take something they're so passionate about into the church if it won't be appreciated? In Old Testament terms, musicians see consistently easy music as an unacceptable offering to God. Por ejemplo: A fantastic musician coming in and playing I V vi IV in four keys for as many songs isn't bringing her spotless, unblemished lamb. She's bringing what's lying around the farm as her sacrifice of praise. The worst part is, she'd love to bring the best, but the culture shuts her down.
There's nothing wrong with those simple songs, and a musician should have enough humility and willingness to play them, but if that artist is never allowed to actually play, it'll kill that musician's spirit.
So, how does a church unleash it's musicians? How can they be free to find their purpose, especially in God's house? How do they balance between performance art and worship, where the objects of attention are very different?
I have my thoughts, but I'll hold off. What are yours?
8 comments:
Letting them jam at the end of the service...what do they call that? At our church, the organist plays a great song they choose each week after the service. After the benediction...after all that. They're allowed to jam, and everybody stays to listen. It's better than nothing and it gives them a chance to shine.
Justin, that was TOTALLY a solution I had months ago (ah-hem, Dan).
Other thoughts:
1. Offerings are a great way to allow people the chance to truly praise and rock out in their own way, without the constraints of leading a congregation.
2. Take a Sunday every now and then to let the musicians do their thing... and allow the congregation to be washed over by it. Maybe the congregation doesn't sing that week...
3. Respect your musicians and their musicianship.
4. Find ways to showcase special talents. Solo verses. Musical breaks. Find the gifts, affirm them, and use them.
5. Bring forth your music with an attitude of praise. Even if your musical gift isn't your best, you can perform it as if it is.
And those are only some of my thoughts... :)
VJ - Good thoughts, which works at some churches. But not at others, which I'll discuss below.
Anders - The reason we don't do that has more to do with pastoral preference than anything else. I'm fine with it, but I'm not in charge.
The offertory is a good time. I really want to do Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."
Letting the band go full-out is tempting. There's a counter-balance that needs to happen, though. Derek commented via Facebook (pasted below) about accessibility of melodies and general congregational participation. As much as I like the idea of letting the band go, there's a large part of the church-going population that wouldn't understand the purpose of being "washed over." Artists and musicians, we get it. Unfortunately, not everyone does. So, I consider this a good possibility, depending on the congregation.
From Derek via Facebook:
"The thing about church music is it has to be somewhat easy so as to include the majority of people who have no music training. It is a particpatory experience for the congregation, so the musician can't leave them behind. One way a church musician can stay creative without getting too technical for the congregation is to write their own arrangements to songs.
"If you remember the chapel service we did with Worship Resources class, we used lyrics from Anglican hymns and re-arranged them with all different instruments. We made the melodies easy enough so people would catch on quickly but we were able to express creativity in arranging the song for a variety of instruments. The music itself wasn't that technically challenging, but the inspiration was in the arrangement.
"I think church musicians can have some freedom to play more challenging music, so long as the easier particapatory elements of the song aren't lost. I think what we can do is challenge church musicians to write more fun and challenging arrangements for their instrument, but without making the song more challenging for the congregation to sing along with."
Derek - I loved that chapel! I think we did a good job making accessible, creative arrangements, and I agree that's one of the keys to great church music. One of my favorite things to do is arrange hymns with the same melody, but different harmonization. People don't have to learn a new song, just experience it in a fresh way.
Culturally, there are different experiences of worship. If you listen to modern black gospel, you'll hear all sorts of stuff that isn't accessible. For example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndrgy3IoX2s
It starts as accessible, but eventually, the congregation submits to be being sung over by the choir, because there's no way the average person is keeping up! So, our assumption is generally that participation is singing along; other cultures see participation as simply clapping or cheering along. This gives more hope to Anders' idea, to let the band "wash over" the congregation.
From Chris Hall via Facebook: "I wonder if the elderly complained about the trumpets being too loud...
The shouts of praise too boisterous? When I participate in a service where a song written with big drums and an electric guitar is being carried instead by seven voices and the drums are choked and the electric guitar is barely heard I feel like my own spirit's fire is being put out and as a congregant, I'm not free to express myself and bring a real sacrifice of praise.
"It seems singers have always had a bit more freedom (and volume!) when it comes to church's worship services. I'd imagine because they want the message to be heard and communicated clearly. Is the music not the message as well? Are characteristics of who God is and what He does not translated as well through the musicians? Do we need captions for a sunset?"
Chris - If I hear you right, you're making an argument for loud guitars and big drums if that is, in fact, how the song was intended to be played. And I think that's a great point, and something to be considered.
Why are vocals usually prominent? You've hit it on the head: The hope is the lyrics will be formative, so they should be heard. The flip side is that we've understood formative spirituality in terms of intellectualism, disregarding intuitive experiences of God. Then again, intuitive experiences that aren't formed by Scripture are subject to whatever interpretations of experience people come up with. The sunset could mean no matter how bright life gets, it'll always get dark again. (A stretch, I know, but you get where I'm going.)
I guess I've revealed my bias for audible lyrics over guitars and drums. Then again, I'm speaking from a context that prefers that. What's your context? That changes everything.
Kristen via Facebook: Google hates me, so I'm leaving my coment here...
Basically, I said I agreed with Anders except for #2 (which is something that might work better for a special evening service), and that my home church, Moraine Valley Church in Palos, used to do 1,3,4, and 5 all the time. It was a very musical place with very talented musicians (and other artists/dancers/etc.), who gave their all to God on Sunday morning with an enthusiasm and humble sincerity that carried over to the congregation.
Also, offering is a great time to "let the band go," since it gives the congregation a break from standing and singing but helps them keep focus while waiting to give.
Also, also, dogs are AWESOME!!!
Kristen - MVCC is right down the street from us. Chad's leading worship there now. I'm glad they did all those things. I love how you note their "humble sincerity carrying over to the congregation." If the congregation can sense true humility, that's an incredible testimony!
Also, well-placed comment re: evening service! That's a great idea. :)
Accessible but not predictable.
PS- Ya'll are smart!
Ian - I feel like I've heard that somewhere before...
BTW, we need to talk b/c I might-could use your church for a project.
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