Comments on: Pt 2, Corporate Singing (with words from Dr. Michael Braz)

By: Jamie Burnside

Jamie Burnside — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:40:40 +0000

yes please! Go and see him! What a treasure!

By: Russ

Russ — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:34:33 +0000

Dr. Braz! One of my favorite college profs of all time! What amazing insight.

Thanks Fred for posting his thoughts and these other comments are definitely getting my brain going!

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:15:02 +0000

Wow. First of all, thanks for posting this. Second – great to see some positive discussion between two way different viewpoints. His words were very interesting and something I’m definitely going to be chewing on for a long time.

How do we “condition people to be audiences, rather than participants” in our churches? I’ll be thinking on that one for a while.

By: a worship-leader must read « blendingworship

a worship-leader must read « blendingworship — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:27:28 +0000

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By: mandythompson

mandythompson — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:16:54 +0000

dang.
now THAT is an informative perspective on the culture of music that has permeated our churches as well. tell him thank you for us!

mandythompsons last blog post..Sunday Setlist – 7.27.08

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:39:18 +0000

Chris that’s a couple of great points. The general congregation may have difficulty singing songs that are easy for us musicians and singers to pull off and therefore aren’t as enthusiastically involved.

Striking a balance with ‘to’ and ‘about’ songs is something we’ve frankly never discussed in our planning meetings – I’ll bring that up next time!

Steves last blog post..Worship setlist, July 27, 2008

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 05:33:38 +0000

““Worry is God’s job”? Somehow, I don’t think God is worried about anything.”

Oh yes, I agree, sorry I wasn’t clear – I meant that in the sense of Matt 6:25-26: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

In the same way *we* shouldn’t worry so much about what *they* do or don’t do, but trust that God is taking care of it – does that make more sense? (I think you get what I mean, depsite my lack of clarity)

Steves last blog post..Worship setlist, July 27, 2008

By: Chris Moncus

Chris Moncus — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:53:46 +0000

Balance. That’s the word I forgot to use.

Even the Psalms. Many were to God. Many were about God. I really like songs that lead us from “about” to “to” like Tell the World. It’s both.

Balance.

Chris Moncuss last blog post..The Design Process

By: Pt 2, Corporate Singing (with words from Dr. Michael Braz)

Pt 2, Corporate Singing (with words from Dr. Michael Braz) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:30:13 +0000

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By: Shannon Lewis

Shannon Lewis — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:23:51 +0000

I might add this, however – if you remember my famous (rather, infamous?) “Hillsong United” post a year or so back my critique of them was that they – the night I saw them – dove right into “to God” songs and left me in the dust wanting something to respond to… I think we need to be regularly reminded of who God is and what He has done, and done for us, in order to sing those more ‘intimate’ numbers in response to that revelation.

By: Shannon Lewis

Shannon Lewis — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:20:45 +0000

Chris, good point – I think there needs to be a balance of “about” and “to” God songs, ideally beginning with the “about” and moving towards “to” as a way of responding. Hadn’t thought about it, however, when putting together this weeks set list.

By: Chris Moncus

Chris Moncus — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:00:55 +0000

Forgive me for my last comments as harsh as they were.

Is there a correlation between easy/old songs and harder/new songs and the amount of or passion during singing?

Is there a correlation between songs to God and about God and the amount of or passion during singing?

Could it be that the past few weeks at church most of the songs are about God? For instance…

July 27 – All about God
-All I Have
-No Other Name
-Jesus Paid it All
-How Deep The Father’s Love For Us
-Mighty To Save

July 20 – All about God
-Again I Say Rejoice
-The Solid Rock
-I Will Never Be
-Hosanna
-I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever

July 13 – 2 about God. 3 to God. 2 are to and about God.
-We Shall See The King
-For All You’ve Done
-Mighty To Save
-All Who Are Thirsty
-What A Friend We Have in Jesus
-Here I Am To Worship
-The Heart Of Worship

In comparison, I “get into” songs more that are to God. They become a prayer. They remind me of the things I need to talk to God about and I sing them to Him. For some people instead of singing they are spoken in a prayer.

On the flip side, sitting a service that is 100% fact – including music, announcements and sermon – there is no scheduled time to engage with God. I think that might have been a huge oversight on our part if what I’m asking is true?

What do you think, Fred or others? Might we need to weight our songs toward those TO God instead of only ABOUT Him?

By: Pt 2, Corporate Singing (with words from Dr. Michael Braz)

Pt 2, Corporate Singing (with words from Dr. Michael Braz) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:55:17 +0000

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By: Fred

Fred — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:52:40 +0000

Steve, oh yeah … sorry, it’s late and I’m sleep deprived. I had to say that (above), but neglected to ALSO say “great thoughts” … I agree, we can easily get WAY too caught up in worrying about how people are “seemingly engaging”.

By: Fred

Fred — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:48:10 +0000

“Worry is God’s job”? Somehow, I don’t think God is worried about anything.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:40:23 +0000

Great insight from Dr. Braz, and thanks for posting that. I think there’s no pat answer to the question of why some people don’t sing in church. I do think discussion, thought, teaching, and willingness to be open to the Spirit’s leading above all are certainly warranted. However, I also think we can be too obsessive and worried about it as well. Worry is God’s job. If we’re doing our part of being diligent and seeking Him – He’ll take care of the rest.

Finally, God meets us where we are – not where some worship leader thinks we ought to be.

Steves last blog post..Worship setlist, July 27, 2008