MODERN-DAY PRAISE AND WORSHIP

I knew I'd get around to this subject sooner or later. Unless you're a "has been" like me, better buckle your seat belts, but tight.

Music has always been my passion. Noise, beat and rhythm, however, are an entirely different matter! They're not even worthy to be classified as "music"! Add the haunting wail and hopeless dismay of a minor key and you have nothing but the melancholy despondency of heathen nations. History states that one mark of heathen nations is the minor key of their music. Even today most Jewish music is in a minor key. Some may argue that modern-day music is closer to Old Testament music than our church hymns. Maybe so. But who wants to revert to the forlorn music of the staid Old Testament Covenant of rules and regulations when we live under the joyful New Testament Covenant of freedom and newness of life established by the resurrection of Christ? Hymns of the ages are so rich in doctrine which didn't even exist in the Old Testament age.

One of the popular modern-day choruses repeats and repeats and repeats, "Yes, Lord, yes, Lord, yes, yes, yes." I know we should always say "yes" to our precious Lord and Savior. But where is the praise and worship in the repetition? All I can think of when I hear that particular chorus is Matthew 6:7 which says, "But when ye pray" (and I'm sure this holds true for singing, too.) "use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

Another of my pet peeves re modern-day praise and worship music is the fact that we no longer use hymnals. The words are posted on a screen via an overhead projector. For many of us it's extremely difficult to learn a new song without seeing the notes. Not only that, but senior citizens often are unable to sing as high as they once did in their younger years. Therefore they must sing harmony. And some of us, (including me, a musician) are unable to sing harmony without notes to follow. So where does that leave us? Bored as all get out, never singing a note throughout the entire song service. Hardly the best way to set a proper mood for the sermon which follows!

I'll let you in on a secret: I remove my hearing aids during the so-called praise and worship! But it still leaves me so frustrated that I get very little to nothing out of the rest of the service. Just don't tell my pastor I'm sleeping when she sees my eyes closed during the sermon. Maybe she'll think I'm meditating or praying!

Preacher's Kid

P.S. Whew! At last I got that off my chest. Bet the scales show a weight loss of at least 25 pounds! And let the comments come, even if you don't agree. I'm ready for them.