Art & Music Journal

Ex-hibitions

Posted by: Jim Mondry on Friday, December 18th, 2009

Pardon the bad pun for the title, but I’ve had an idea for a while, and I’m wondering if there’s any interest at Ecclesiax regarding use of the gallery for community art again.

Specifically, I’ve been thinking about issuing a “challenge” or “topic” or some sort of theme for the month (or it could be quarterly, or whatever we have time to organize), and encourage people to take photos, paint, cross-stitch, or what ever (make jell-o molds?) along the line of the theme. We would then have an “opening” (a great excuse to invite friends to a party, and invite some of our locale musicians to perform) to show off all the work done on that theme.

Is this something people would be interested in participating in? Is this something people would be interested in helping me organize? Do people have ideas for themes?

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Music as Worship, as response

Posted by: Jim Mondry on Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

I appologize, as this post all over the map, but its where I’m at right now with music and worship. I’ve been wondering about posting this for almost a week now, but hopefully it can get some discussion started.

I really struggle with the connection between music and worship. I have this simplified understanding that “Worship of God” should be my response to God, resulting from my understanding of God (or more specifically lack there-of). If I see God as profound, as life changing, I should respond accordingly - yet so often it seems I’m not responding to anything. Music has been a tool used historically, as it is able to reflect an emotional response. So often I struggle, watching music becomming a narcisisstic tool, used to raise one’s own self-worth in front of a congregation (and I’m not innocent of this). The frustrating thing in all of this, is that almost every time I’m fed up with music in churches, I experience something authentic that gives me hope again (thanks Arjun, Sean and Zac).

Not long ago, in my journal, I wrote “Music is my golden calf”. Its one of the few things that has stuck with me. Some days I swear I worship the music more than I worship God. It starts by me focusing on “how deep are the words” followed by “how creative and original the tune is” (acutually its probably in reverse). Soon, all I am focused on is the song itself, missing what the song is pointed to. Somehow I have lost the ability for myself to be lost in the music, as I overly intellectualize all the elements, focusing on the question of if it will create a good worship atmosphere. It’s a funny circular thinking that seems to ruin what its trying to accomplish.

For a long time now, I have understood the role of worship leader (read–person playing the instrument up in front of the congregation) as the person who’s supposed to help the congregation connect with God on a different level. Is that even a realistic goal? Leadership in a church is all about being a servant, so the “Worship leader” is a servant of the congregation. But, how does one select music that will appeal to everyone, that will provide a profound experience, that will help people get beyond the music to connecting with God? I am beginning to wonder if its those goals are somehow wrong, as if I’m trying to make the music out to be more than it is. Then I am struck back to the beginning, wondering how to select music for worship.

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Music, what is it good for?

Posted by: Jim Mondry on Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

I’ve been watching a church I really care deeply for start to rip itself apart over music (no, not Ecclesiax). There are deeper issues in that church, but all anyone can see is the surface things right now, and everyone is taking the music issue personally. Even Ecclesiax is struggling with music. I’ve heard comments about how we’re playing more traditional worship music now, as opposed to trying to draw in other music that wouldn’t traditionally be played in a church.

I really don’t like the idea of “this week is -insert style here-, while next week is -insert different style-”. I’ve seen too many people try to pick and choose the sundays they come based on that. Church is more than the style of music you listen to, and if you reduce your commitment to attending a church based on the fact that you only like a certain band playing, that’s spiritually unhealthy. Yes, we all do well with some variety otherwise we will end up in a rut in a big hurry, but if you alternate weeks, you’ll get into your rut just a quickly, but with people attending spottily.

How does one pick music for worship now? There are so many varieties of music, and everyone has their preferences. Sometimes a church can rally around its music, like the Hillsongs churches. In London, it was clearly a uniting thing, but I know I cannot take what is happening there and try it anywhere else. That is music set up for a community, run by that community, created by that community, for that community. But, the experience transcended the music, it was about far more than the chords, and the harmonies, and the dancing singers on the stage.

I was at a taize event last year, and we were essentially signing variations on french folk songs, and ancient choruses. The music was anything other than progressive, but it was profound, transcendent worship. Again, the music pointed to something greater.

How does one do this intentionally? I have lead worship in many different setting, at many different events. I have worshiped at an even greater variety of events. Sometimes it was great, people really were able to connect to God. Others, I might as well have been playing Garth Brooks songs to a bunch of hip-hop heads (not to say anyone who listens to hip-hop doesn’t like new country, but I think my example is valid). It’s not a formula, there isn’t a magical list of songs that if I play I can get the Spirit of God moving over the waters of the congregation.

Music appeals to our deeper selves. Some of it connects deeply within us, while other music repulses us. Right now I’m feeling like I want to say “Music, what is it good for? Absolutly nothing.” And, in the sense of worship, I think that’s true. The music is meaningless. It only takes on meaning if we allow the music to point to something greater. But how does one do this? Given that we all live in a culture, and every style of music is making a cultural statement. If I try to play old hymns in a blue-grass style, that’s making a statement. If I play the latest David Crowder song, that’s making a statement.

How does one break away from that, and help their congregation break away from that, and bring it back to the intended focus, that of worshiping God? Is this even possible?

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