A couple of days ago my friend, Kyle, got back into town. He has been away at school off and on these past 4 years(1/4 College Student, 3/4 Rock Drummer). He dropped by and casually asked me to take a ride with him which I did. As he was driving he casually turned into his church building, which I no longer frequently go to. The kicker was that it was also a Wednesday night and they were doing their thing, including music practice for the coming Sunday morning program. ( I don’t like to use the word service as in Sunday Morning Service, since service is not what we usually do at church. I prefer and think the word “program” is a better description or Sunday Morning Moochfest, as in mooch off your members, mooch off your volunteers, mooch to build YOUR Ministry and don’t worry what God is showing the people of his body…it’s only about what you say he wants you to do) Sorry, I digress….
So I go in with Kyle to get his transcripts as they were faxed to his mom, who is on staff at this church building, earlier that day. As I walked into the hall, I heard what is known as “worship practice”. (Such a misnomer….let’s practice something that is innate to a believer.) The music that I heard was decent in its own right. A lot more people on stage then when I was there before. Seemed that one part was giving them a problem as they were practicing it over and over at the instruction (or ranting and raving) of the leadership. I believe that is when I started getting sick.
Structured music in its own right is a good thing. I am classically trained and there is so much beauty that comes out of a full orchestra when they are together and in union…..but there are times when I have played in a symphony were the conductor let go a little and what emerged had so much more life. I believe in worship if you shut down the creativity so much and micro manage the hits and licks of your players and singers you severely limit the expression of Freedom which is at the forefront of what Jesus gave us. It is one thing to want to submit to one another and create something structured together….it is all together a different issue when you carry a legalistic view of having worshipers submit to you and make them create something structured. I see both sides of the coin… I guess the easiest way of explaining this is a symbolism that my wife uses with spontaneous singing :
“When you get a card from someone, upon opening it what do you look at and read first; the typed message or the personal hand written one?”
I believe God would rather hear our own words, our own sounds, our own modes, and our own melodies instead of someone else’s. The thing is, when the spontaneous musicians come together the music created does sound structured in a way but it is far more beautiful than without the spontaneity component added. The reason is that the Holy Spirit is structuring the music that we are releasing. If we get out of the way and let Jesus take the leadership in all facets of the church…..I can’t even imagine what would take place.