I don't want to harp on too much more about modern Church worship, but this is a great quote.
“People at worship services close their eyes and, as ecstasy spreads across their faces, begin to rock rhythmically, arms out, mouthing the lyrics. It’s more than a little sexual and a tad uncomfortable if you’re sitting next to an attractive person who’s been overcome by the Spirit. Worship tunes tend to evince an adolescent theology, one that just can’t get over how darn cool it is that Jesus sacrificed himself for the world… Moreover it’s self centred in a way that reflects evangelicalism’s near-obsession with having a personal relationship with Christ. It’s me Jesus died for. I just gotta praise the Lord.”
This review was written by Andrew Beaujon after he had attended a worship service at the Gospel Music Awards in Nashville in 2005. Beaujon was researching his book Body Piercing Saved My Soul, which he wrote after spending a year researching the Christian Music industry.
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Sometimes I have the impression that Christian modern worship isn't even about God at all, but just about getting your kicks out of the worship time — it's not about me praising the Maker, but about what I can get out of this relationship. I'm as guilty as this as anyone else.
I was reading through some devotional poems/hymns from William Cowper (a friend of John Newton) this week. Call me old-fashioned, but the words were so deep, so meaningful, so human, so humble. Comparing this to Hillsong is like comparing Shakespeare to the Beano, or Leonard Cohen to James Blunt.
I can't see why modern music can't be coupled with meaningful lyrics.
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