Singing and music (in church)

How many of you love to sing and love the music in church? I have to say for myself that I find myself annoyed with it and I don't know why. When I think back I wonder if it is because sometimes the singing goes too long and seems tedious at times.

I watched Times Square church this morning and couldn't watch the whole thing because there was more singing then there was sermon and I could literally tell anyone what was going to happen next. I.e. it starts with praise music for 30 minutes then the music lowers and then the music goes into a slow worship thing even to the point of saying a phrase over and over and then it will either end and go to a speaker or the music will pick up and go into praise and then end. In the end it was predictable for me.

The church that I was attended (Nazarene) sings for about 20 minutes and then the choir will sing and there might be a solo and then the message. It is more tolerable but the lyrics are watered down.

Anyway, back to my point. Why do I find music so annoying? Even in general life I don't listen to music much anymore. I listen to various forms of talk radio and podcasts. This even includes if I wash the care and weightlift even though I have cd's near the radio.
Do you think it is an age thing? I am 43.

I chuckle when I think some people might think it is blasphemous that someone would not like praise and worship music. I used to like the music but I find I get music'd out so easy that many times it is as if I am sucking on a lemon.

What do you think?

John

Hey DEADn. I think you belong to a large group who are tired of 'religious' format as related to praise. Many of the posts downing 'emotional' expression makes me wonder if we are no longer supposed to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

We are told to sing a new song to the Lord. Reading Rev. ch 4 & 5 show that singing/ shouting are a central part of 'around the throne ' praise.

Perhaps your dis-satisfaction is a tug from the Holy Spirit to prod you toward seeking the Lord about some fresh praise in your life.

Russ

Brother perhaps you should examine your self.

Hi John,

Do you think that the fact that you were 'watching' the praise and worship at TSC rather than being part of the worship to your God would be the reason for the way you felt? Worship is not meant to be a spectator event. :)

Edit: BTW I don't think it is an age thing... I'm 54. When I visited TSC a couple of years ago I found the praise and worship very poweful. It does have a very Jazzy style, so it's not to eveyones taste I guess. However I love the old hymns as well if they are sung with strength and conviction. As I said it's all about the worship of our heart, rather than the music.

I can relate to your question, Deadn.

Many here might remember John Weselys famous quip, "I don't mind if there are musical instruments in the church, as long as they are neither seen nor heard!" Any one who has served as a church musician can understand Weselys weariness over the controversy of music. Music attracts criticism.

JI Packer summed up this issue of music quantity and quality for me, in a lecture from his book A Quest for Godliness: The Puritan Vision of the Christian Life. He said he personally can't focus on the Lord with lots of colorful banners, dancing, and contemporary music, although he perfectly accepts that other people can.

Years ago at the first Sermon Index conference in Canton Ohio, I was blessed one evening to be a part of a diverse assembly of Christians singing accapella hymns together. The music wasnt my favorite, but that special night continues to be an instructive memory to me at how we can be in Christ when we put aside our own agendas.

Blessings,

MC

Well, John, I agree and you are younger then our oldest son. Nice to hear a young person share the same idea.:-) The kind of music you describe bores me to no end. Like a good southerner I will tolerate it but it gets on my nerves. I love to participate in singing, hear all four parts sung in harmony - beautiful. I enjoy learning new songs - I can read music.

Too many of the P&W songs today, IMHO, are like "see Dick run, see Dick run fast, See Dick run" ad infinitum. Too repetitious. Meaningless. It assumes the people have limited comprehension ability, can only think on a first grade level.

OK, stirred up the ire of some. But just know that not all are blessed with this kind of music.

This song came to my mind, a beautiful one that is sung with gusto...

COME WE THAT LOVE THE LORD

1. Come we that love the LORD
And let our joys be known
Join in a song with sweet accord
Join in a song with sweet accord
And thus surround the throne
And thus surround the throne.

Refrain

We're marching to Zion,
Beautiful, beautiful Zion
We're marching upward to Zion
The beautiful city of God.

2. Let those refuse to sing
Who never knew our God
But children of the heavenly king,
But children of the heavenly king
May speak their joys abroad
May speak their joys abroad.

Refrain

3. The hill of Zion yields
A thousand sacred sweets
Before we reach the heavenly fields,
Before we reach the heavenly fields
Or, walk the golden streets,
Or, walk the golden streets.

Refrain

4.Then let our songs abound
And every tear be dry
We're marching through Immanuel's ground
We're marching through Immanuels ground
To fairer worlds on high
To fairer worlds on high.

I often wondered if something is/was wrong with me. I am not a big music fan in the church and I don't know why. I don't care for choirs either but that is another story. This extends outside the church as well. I probably listen to more music at work then outside of work only because I know the women there don't care for any kind of talk radio so we have to agree what to listen to and I just deal with it. When on my own I have NPR on and sometimes MOODY radio especially in the morning.

I would almost rather singing a few hymns simply because it only takes a few minutes. I think in part I don't like that it takes 30 minutes or more to SING, lol. Although I like to get to church a few minutes early many times I would almost rather get there when the singing is over the preacher begins his message. I have kind of always been like this but just dealt with it but in the last 2 years I have moved away from music because in general it bores me anymore.

John

you will be out of place in heaven.jimp

Well Jimp.. it depends what is boring him.

I was in a evangelical church (close to pentacostel) and I get sick of the music there. It was more focussed on emotions then on God. It was predictable, it seemed meaningless. For almost a year I didn't listen to a lot of music at all because I was tired of this kind of music and just went back to the old hymns and read them.

Then I went out of that church (because of some other issues and deceptions) and in a years time it is changed and I can value the songs again. What was the problem? Not the songs, not the repetition, but the way it was sung, the focus of the church, etc.

Now I love to sing, I play piano and guitar, etc. We sing many songs in Church (accapella, hymns) and I like it. I am more a reader, so I can enjoy reading the songs more most of the time, but when I am joyfull, how can I not sing?

Extra note: Praise is not equal to singing. You can praise and worship God without music and songs! You can praise God with speaking words and worship Him in silence! No problem :-)

Your problem is perspective is the worship for you or God? God takes delight in a worshipful heart no matter what the style, sound, and length of a worship set is. And ultimately worship is about submission to God not music.

I have heard some tell me that I won't like Heaven because there will be singing in Heaven. I usually tell these specific people that they are thinking in their skin too much on this platform. Does anyone think they will be the same when they get to Heaven from what they are now? So this means that even though I am really burned out on music and this includes praise and worship I am sure my Spirit man would definitely wake up if I were on my death bed and saw the Heavens open and heard the singing of angels. True?

Right now music in general just bores the snot out of me even though one song has really caught my attention. A song by Shinedown which I posted on my blog because the video to it is a bit too much but other that I am really music'd out. How can that be that someone is music'd out?