Comments on: iMonk’s Worship Riff http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2008/07/14/imonks-worship-riff/ unsolicited commentary flavored with wit from a decidedly Christian world view Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:16:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: fuzzywhumple http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2008/07/14/imonks-worship-riff/comment-page-1/#comment-262 fuzzywhumple Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:57:57 +0000 http://saltypeanutgallery.com/?p=164#comment-262 Agree.... I actually see some of this "movement" as a part of the "suckling pig" mentality that you have talked about before Don...and the church feeding it. Some of these choruses being talked about make it easy on people -- chanting the same thing over and over with no real depth -- people don't have to think about what they are singing or how they are singing it -- where is the worship here??? Unfortunately, it also opens the door for church to be more of a performance than a form of worship - ugh. I would have to equate it my children -- they get in trouble for some sort of infraction and they stare at me blankly and with a monotone voice say "yes sir.....yes sir....yes sir...." when it comes down to it their response means nothing -- they just think it will make me happy and things will move on. When you don't have to think at all about what you are singing and just do it over and over and over how much meaning does it have - is it really worship? Now I am very grateful that you (Don) take the time to pick out meaningful choruses but also include the "great old songs" in our services. WORSHIP IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT!!! GET UP AND BE A PART OF IT!! Of course that is not limited to physical participation but mental and spiritual as well. A "concert" format just doesn't do it. Okay I'll stop now.... Oh, and Don I really don't think Bob G. will be speaking in tongues any time soon :) Agree….

I actually see some of this “movement” as a part of the “suckling pig” mentality that you have talked about before Don…and the church feeding it. Some of these choruses being talked about make it easy on people — chanting the same thing over and over with no real depth — people don’t have to think about what they are singing or how they are singing it — where is the worship here??? Unfortunately, it also opens the door for church to be more of a performance than a form of worship – ugh.

I would have to equate it my children — they get in trouble for some sort of infraction and they stare at me blankly and with a monotone voice say “yes sir…..yes sir….yes sir….” when it comes down to it their response means nothing — they just think it will make me happy and things will move on. When you don’t have to think at all about what you are singing and just do it over and over and over how much meaning does it have – is it really worship?

Now I am very grateful that you (Don) take the time to pick out meaningful choruses but also include the “great old songs” in our services.

WORSHIP IS NOT A SPECTATOR SPORT!!! GET UP AND BE A PART OF IT!! Of course that is not limited to physical participation but mental and spiritual as well. A “concert” format just doesn’t do it.

Okay I’ll stop now…. Oh, and Don I really don’t think Bob G. will be speaking in tongues any time soon :)

]]> By: Don http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2008/07/14/imonks-worship-riff/comment-page-1/#comment-261 Don Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:11:23 +0000 http://saltypeanutgallery.com/?p=164#comment-261 As I said, “We don’t sing the great old songs BECAUSE they’re old." As I said, “We don’t sing the great old songs BECAUSE they’re old.”

]]> By: Byron http://saltypeanutgallery.com/2008/07/14/imonks-worship-riff/comment-page-1/#comment-260 Byron Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:26:05 +0000 http://saltypeanutgallery.com/?p=164#comment-260 Yes, agreed, with one caveat: there are some "great old songs" that aren't so great, or at the very least, have lost much of their impact today. And there are a few new ones that really pack a wallop ("In Christ Alone" is more theologically meaty than most any old hymn I can think of). Overall, your point is well-taken; I just get itchy when comparing "new" to "old" as though "old" is automatically "great" (not that you're doing that; I just think some folks do). Let's sing songs with "gravitas" and theological substance, whether they were written by Martin Luther hundreds of years ago or by your worship leader yesterday. Yes, agreed, with one caveat: there are some “great old songs” that aren’t so great, or at the very least, have lost much of their impact today. And there are a few new ones that really pack a wallop (“In Christ Alone” is more theologically meaty than most any old hymn I can think of). Overall, your point is well-taken; I just get itchy when comparing “new” to “old” as though “old” is automatically “great” (not that you’re doing that; I just think some folks do). Let’s sing songs with “gravitas” and theological substance, whether they were written by Martin Luther hundreds of years ago or by your worship leader yesterday.

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