I've been singing this song to myself all day long -
This is my Father's world.
O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad?
The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!
-----------
And yeah, I think I'll respond with some thoughts soon, but I want to think, pray, and not be so reactionary.
Love God? Hate Christians?
Meet my friend.
He's my friend because we both at least pray that God's grace is big enough to save the whole world.
He's my friend because we both at least pray that God's grace is big enough to save the whole world.
Singing - everybody's doing it.
I'd bet you know the words to your team's fight song and have an optimal volume somewhere around "verbose" to show your love of team.
You hopefully know the words to the Star Spangled Banner and sing it (even that word that's high - laaand of the freeEEEEE!). You can probably get the first and last verses to Amazing Grace, even if they are wrong..
Look, everyone sings. EVERYONE loves some kind of music. And everyone sings. In the *least* everyone hums. Or claps. Or jives. Or taps their foot.
But when it comes to singing in church, we can't seem to get our mojo going.
Just a word of warning - I won't call anyone out directly here and non-participation is certainly not the case in *all* churches - just a bit in mine. Maybe we are just naturally quiet people? Which is great - there is nothing wrong with being a quiet person. This post isn't about that.
And believe me, some days you just don't feel like singing (tired, sad, mind is elsewhere) but I'm talking about those people who have justified their non-participation day in and day out - but do sing in other areas of life.
Songs serve different purposes, after all. You don't want a dirge at a wedding and if we SANG a dirge and you were smiley happy all over the place, I'd look at you funny.
But most songs we sing in the church are celebratory or praise or even joyful.
Bottom line is this: everyone sings... but not at church. For some reason, some folks in (my) church do not. I have some thoughts about this, and ways that we can encourage more singing.
Reasons they don't sing:
To you folks who are worried about becoming gurly-men out there, I've seen you give it your best at karaoke or make a friend smile by being goofy. I know you *can* sing. And I've heard the fight songs of football teams from people who wouldn't speak louder than a mouse when they come into a sanctuary.
Why should you sing?
Now, when I say he enjoys that I'm not saying the inverse is true - I don't think God suddenly loves us less because we sound bad (and yes, some people sound bad). But hey, didn't God make you? Isn't Jesus in on that whole knowing your limits and grace and appreciating who you are unconditionally? I think there are other things God gets a lot more angry about than if you flub "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing"
But when you do sing (like smiling) you find yourself feeling and understanding the thoughts and praises you are singing about. Sometimes there are things in the songs that we need to know - and by know, we need to hear - and by hear, I mean we need to hear it come from our own lips and the lips of those next to us so we can believe it.
I'd rather everyone come to worship and not sing than not come to worship.
If you don't enjoy singing - hang in there and start small. I promise you you'll find a song about God you'll enjoy. You might start as simple as tapping your foot or humming - but let a song pull you in.
If you do enjoy singing - please do it for God. Worship on Sundays is corporate and nothing causes more of a distraction on a Sunday than you trying to prove to the people around you *just how much* you love God.
If you don't enjoy singing and can't stand that guy who does - focus! Stick to God. a little grace, please. :) Always assume that the person worshiping beside you is doing it for God and not just to make you angry or draw your attention.
What about you? Why do you think we should sing louder/fuller/better? Why do you not like singing?
You hopefully know the words to the Star Spangled Banner and sing it (even that word that's high - laaand of the freeEEEEE!). You can probably get the first and last verses to Amazing Grace, even if they are wrong..
Look, everyone sings. EVERYONE loves some kind of music. And everyone sings. In the *least* everyone hums. Or claps. Or jives. Or taps their foot.
But when it comes to singing in church, we can't seem to get our mojo going.
Just a word of warning - I won't call anyone out directly here and non-participation is certainly not the case in *all* churches - just a bit in mine. Maybe we are just naturally quiet people? Which is great - there is nothing wrong with being a quiet person. This post isn't about that.
And believe me, some days you just don't feel like singing (tired, sad, mind is elsewhere) but I'm talking about those people who have justified their non-participation day in and day out - but do sing in other areas of life.
Songs serve different purposes, after all. You don't want a dirge at a wedding and if we SANG a dirge and you were smiley happy all over the place, I'd look at you funny.
But most songs we sing in the church are celebratory or praise or even joyful.
Bottom line is this: everyone sings... but not at church. For some reason, some folks in (my) church do not. I have some thoughts about this, and ways that we can encourage more singing.
Reasons they don't sing:
- They don't believe the words that are coming out of their mouths.
- The music isn't very good (uninspired).
- It's not their "thing". And by thing they mean a.) they think they can't sing. b.) they think it's girly.
To you folks who are worried about becoming gurly-men out there, I've seen you give it your best at karaoke or make a friend smile by being goofy. I know you *can* sing. And I've heard the fight songs of football teams from people who wouldn't speak louder than a mouse when they come into a sanctuary.
Why should you sing?
- It's like smiling. If you do it, it actually makes you feel better.
- God deserves better.
- We absorb it better.
Now, when I say he enjoys that I'm not saying the inverse is true - I don't think God suddenly loves us less because we sound bad (and yes, some people sound bad). But hey, didn't God make you? Isn't Jesus in on that whole knowing your limits and grace and appreciating who you are unconditionally? I think there are other things God gets a lot more angry about than if you flub "O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing"
But when you do sing (like smiling) you find yourself feeling and understanding the thoughts and praises you are singing about. Sometimes there are things in the songs that we need to know - and by know, we need to hear - and by hear, I mean we need to hear it come from our own lips and the lips of those next to us so we can believe it.
I'd rather everyone come to worship and not sing than not come to worship.
If you don't enjoy singing - hang in there and start small. I promise you you'll find a song about God you'll enjoy. You might start as simple as tapping your foot or humming - but let a song pull you in.
If you do enjoy singing - please do it for God. Worship on Sundays is corporate and nothing causes more of a distraction on a Sunday than you trying to prove to the people around you *just how much* you love God.
If you don't enjoy singing and can't stand that guy who does - focus! Stick to God. a little grace, please. :) Always assume that the person worshiping beside you is doing it for God and not just to make you angry or draw your attention.
What about you? Why do you think we should sing louder/fuller/better? Why do you not like singing?
neighborly-ism: more radical than socialism.
Doesn't quite roll off the tongue, but I bet it could be just as much of a snark as "Methodist" was back in the day. Or nowadays, maybe even "Christian."
What I love is that for all the people who think "liberal" Christianity goes too far, the true answer is that no, it goes farther than you think. I could argue the same about "conservative" Christianity and how some of my friends will do the craziest things in the name of Jesus (thank God, literally). The bottom line isn't the liberal or conservative labels, it is the faithful following of Christ that calls into question everything.
But alas, I haven't heard many "liberal" Christians running around wanting to disown their conservative brethren so I can't speak to that call, just yet. I must roll in some pretty gentle crowds.
HT again to my friend Lyn who apparently lacks both a blog and twitter.. (and thanks to Rev. Jim Evans for the article, of course)
What I love is that for all the people who think "liberal" Christianity goes too far, the true answer is that no, it goes farther than you think. I could argue the same about "conservative" Christianity and how some of my friends will do the craziest things in the name of Jesus (thank God, literally). The bottom line isn't the liberal or conservative labels, it is the faithful following of Christ that calls into question everything.
But alas, I haven't heard many "liberal" Christians running around wanting to disown their conservative brethren so I can't speak to that call, just yet. I must roll in some pretty gentle crowds.
HT again to my friend Lyn who apparently lacks both a blog and twitter.. (and thanks to Rev. Jim Evans for the article, of course)
An open letter to Mr. Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck urges listeners to leave their churches if they preach social justice.
I'm hurt, to be honest. I didn't see the broadcast or catch the whole transcript - but I'd love to ask you why you see fit to cause more division among Christians. I'd argue that there is only one way to respond to such talk: stories of God's love and grace. I know men and women...real flesh and blood Americans who love their neighbors like Jesus. Who cares what they call it. Why demonize people who love other people? Why assume that the Christian next door to you is truly a communist in disguise? These shenanigans only further entrench the notion (for conservatives and liberals!) that the real enemy is next door. Where is the fruit? What do the stories say? Isn't being concerned about abortion a social justice issue?
Any time you have two people in a room together you've got social justice issues.
I remember a guy who talked about wealth, economy, and oppression. The same guy was killed for loving the unlovable. He ate with sinners: tax collectors and prostitutes. From his witness a community sprung up that brought everyone together. Rich, poor, black, white, Gentile, Jew, male, female, conservative, liberal, young, and old. They all come together in the body of Christ. It is this man who I will side with. If being worried about the people and things Jesus worried about is worth being called communist and nazi, well... so be it. Surely worse has happened to faithful Christians who tried to do what was right.
Are you saying Jesus is about Communism and Nazism? Wow. Jesus was around before either. And, if I remember my history correctly, neither liked Jesus either. Isn't it ironic that a.) you would encourage Christians to flee churches that would have been oppressed under Nazi or Communist rule. b.) you encourage listeners to read the Bible! Jesus talks more about money than he does about heaven!! c.) In the name of defending Christian freedom you denounce.... Christianity. Wow. We've been on this merry-go-round before.
You are on target with one thing: I would lovelovelove it if church members were beating down my doors asking how they could love their neighbors better. One can only hope, eh sir?
well you are right, actually. Sounds like someone will censor what I read in my Bible. And no, I won't stop talking about God's (social) justice.
In Christ,
Jack
HT to my friend, Lyn. Props to my brother, John Carl. And Here.
I'm hurt, to be honest. I didn't see the broadcast or catch the whole transcript - but I'd love to ask you why you see fit to cause more division among Christians. I'd argue that there is only one way to respond to such talk: stories of God's love and grace. I know men and women...real flesh and blood Americans who love their neighbors like Jesus. Who cares what they call it. Why demonize people who love other people? Why assume that the Christian next door to you is truly a communist in disguise? These shenanigans only further entrench the notion (for conservatives and liberals!) that the real enemy is next door. Where is the fruit? What do the stories say? Isn't being concerned about abortion a social justice issue?
Any time you have two people in a room together you've got social justice issues.
I remember a guy who talked about wealth, economy, and oppression. The same guy was killed for loving the unlovable. He ate with sinners: tax collectors and prostitutes. From his witness a community sprung up that brought everyone together. Rich, poor, black, white, Gentile, Jew, male, female, conservative, liberal, young, and old. They all come together in the body of Christ. It is this man who I will side with. If being worried about the people and things Jesus worried about is worth being called communist and nazi, well... so be it. Surely worse has happened to faithful Christians who tried to do what was right.
Are you saying Jesus is about Communism and Nazism? Wow. Jesus was around before either. And, if I remember my history correctly, neither liked Jesus either. Isn't it ironic that a.) you would encourage Christians to flee churches that would have been oppressed under Nazi or Communist rule. b.) you encourage listeners to read the Bible! Jesus talks more about money than he does about heaven!! c.) In the name of defending Christian freedom you denounce.... Christianity. Wow. We've been on this merry-go-round before.
You are on target with one thing: I would lovelovelove it if church members were beating down my doors asking how they could love their neighbors better. One can only hope, eh sir?
well you are right, actually. Sounds like someone will censor what I read in my Bible. And no, I won't stop talking about God's (social) justice.
In Christ,
Jack
HT to my friend, Lyn. Props to my brother, John Carl. And Here.
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