Brian McLaren On Worship
Interesting clip by Brian McLaren on the "Worship Industry." What are your thoughts on what worship has become or is becoming?
If we take Brian's statements to the nth degree, then all truth is ugly, and everyone always doubts. If we are to be truthful, then sometimes life is good. Sometimes our lives are not drama and angst-laden, but are joyous. It's not always true, but sometimes it is. Is it wrong for our worship to reflect that?
Besides, we can vote with our feet - if we believe a church is being dishonest, we're free to leave it. If we think an artist's worship album is "pre-fabricated pretty truth," we don't have to buy it. I'd hesitate to assign motives to someone without having a heart-to-heart talk with them.
A great example is Tammy Trent - when you watch her in concert in person, she's exciting and joyful and lights up the stage. When you hear her share her story, you know she's experienced great tragedy.
The "truth" is what will last. If a song becomes used worldwide, it apparently is speaking truth. If a film is viewed and/or bought by millions of people, it's apparently done something right. Judge by the fruit, not by the appearance of the branch or the sound of the wind whistling through the leaves.
That was really funny! Great clips that you hardly even notice at first. Very well made. Speaking of VERY WELL MADE... uh hem, (uh...me, me, me, me, me - ay, is this thing on?) "Worship" as a genre, in my most humble opinion, goes back and forth between being a great experience and entirely boring. How many songs can be written using the chord progression G - D/F# - Em - C ? I have totally lost track. There are a lot of great songs coming out of places like England, and parts of the USA (and i have to say that Israel Houghton is one fine song-writer. Stand-up-on-your-chairs kind of songs. I've never heard congregations sing louder than to his songs). Then there's a bunch of good songs from Hillsongs.Unfortunately, I've heard all to often that CCM artists are now pretty much required by their labels to record a "Worship Album". And so, most of them not-surprizingly come-out as a roll-of-the-eyes, completely uninspired, let's-get-this-over-with kind of album.BUT, then there's the exceptions...the turn-it louder and louder in your car kind of excpetions, the "I know it's too early to blare this song, but WHO CARES. Haha." That's the stuff that you'll keep coming back to. The other...eh. (But, I suppose that in defense of "eh"... you can't really sit back and rate the kiss of a married couple can you? It is what it is... a show of affection between one and the other. But I guess when that kiss becomes a requirement "OK you two, let's have a good one, for the camera - right on the smacker..." Then it can become very contrived.Ladies and gentlemen, I have now given you a piece of my mind.(Um, could I please have that back sometime? thanks!).