Theologian John Stackhouse also plays in worship bands. So he's worth listening to when he insists that the typical worship band needs to turn down the volume, as he does at the Christianity Today web site.
It's a clever, insightful piece, as judged from our point of view as something of a theologian and something of a worship band member.
7 comments:
Peace be with you
I'm glad I took a moment to read. Perhaps I have hit an age where I simply agree because I am that age or perhaps it is wisdom that has taken time to catch up with me. But, I think that many worship teams alienate the congregation while they mean well by thinking "If the music is so loud then even people that do not sing well will sing along because no one will hear them. It will be awesome and everyone will sing."
In Truth, you must be fair to your lowest common denominator. This isn't an issue about style and taste, it is finding a db level that doesn't hurt the ears of newborn infants and allows individuals to feel like they contribute to music that is being lifted up to God.
yawn...worship leaders/bands need to simply understand that there are bigger fish to fry than what kind of music is played, how it's played, and its volume.
I was puzzled once when I visited a church and noticed that no one was sitting in the first dozen or so rows of pews. When the music started blaring, I understood why. What I didn't understand was why the congregation didn't just meet out on the lawn.
I thank God every Sunday morning that my church still doesn't do the worship band thing. I don't know what I'll do if we change. Maybe teach Sunday school.
I'm in a non-instrumental church for the first time in my life and can testify that it's a beautiful sound to hear a bunch of crummy signers (and inevitably some good ones as well) ;et it air like they just don't care.
Wow, I love that article.
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