I appreciate a variety of music styles in general and in worship. I do not, however, like praise songs that are little more than a musical excuse to repeat a few lines over and over again or sound like something anyone could have written in five minutes or less. The following video makes fun of what can be seen as the worst of so-called contemporary praise songs.
So What?
Developing a Christian service of worship around a key theme or Scripture in ways that all elements contribute to the whole and that moves worshippers of all ages and backgrounds closer to the divine is a challenging task no one should seek to undertake on her or his own. While many congregations (or at least most services within any given congregation) gravitate toward a specific style of music, it is important that the service not be limited to such.
- What is your preferred style of music in worship? Does your congregation’s current style match or significantly overlap with your preference? Would you ever actively participant in a congregation that had a dominant style very different from that which you prefer?
- What do you believe to be among the greatest contributions of contemporary praise songs to the worship life of the Christian community? What do you see as some of the most significant shortcomings of this style of music?