Mark’s comments in *[ ...]

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… One hears a lot of complaints about lame music, trite lyrics, theological shallowness, etc., etc., in the world of contemporary Christian music.

*[Often by Christian musicians like moi]

….

In the postmodern world, many of us believe that the theologians will have to leave the library more often and mix with the rest of us. And the best of them will join hands and hearts with the poets, musicians, filmmakers, actors, architects, interior and landscape designers, dancers, sculptors, painters, novelists, photographers, web designers, and every other artistic brother and sister possible.

…

Too many of our lyrics are embarrassingly personalistic, about Jesus and me. …. listen next time you’re singing in worship.

*[Most church goers NEVER reflect on the lyrics. If they did they would never sing them. THINK about what you are singing. If you don't agree with the lyric then don't sing it.]

It’s about how Jesus forgives me, embraces me, makes me feel his presence, strengthens me, forgives me, holds me close, touches me, revives me, etc., etc. Now this is all fine. But if an extraterrestrial outsider from Mars were to observe us, I think he would say either a) that these people are all mildly dysfunctional and need a lot of hug therapy (which is ironic, because they are among the most affluent in the world, having been blessed in every way more than any group in history), or b) that they don’t give a rip about the rest of the world, that their religion/spirituality makes them as selfish as any nonChristian, but just in spiritual things rather than material ones.

….

1. You’ll be surprised to hear me say “eschatology” first … By eschatology (which means study of the end or goal towards which the universe moves), I mean the Biblical vision of God’s future which is pulling us toward itself. …. it bathes itself in the Biblical poetry of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Revelation.poetry which, when it enters us, plants in us a vision of a world very much different from and better than ours. And when this hope grows and takes root in us, we become agents of it.What joy I can imagine being expressed in songs that capture the spirit of Isaiah 9:2-7, 25:6-9, 35:1-10, 58:5-14! Who will write those songs?

They need to be written, because people need hope.They need a vision of a good future.They need to have in their imaginations images of the celebration, peace, justice, and wholeness towards which our dismal, conflicted, polluted, and fragmented world must move.This is much, much bigger than songs about me being in heaven. It’s not about clouds and ethereal, other-worldly imagery. Dig into those passages, songwriters.and let your heart be inspired to write songs of hope, songs of vision, songs that lodge in our hearts a dream of the future that has been too long forgotten.the dream of God’s kingdom coming, and God’s will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

2.You may be equally surprised to hear me suggest that we need songs of mission. ….

For many of us, the world exists for the church. It is like a strip mine, and people are mined out of it to build the church, which is what really matters. In the new emerging postmodern theology and spirituality, that image is terrible. It mirrors the raping and plundering of the environment by our modern industrial enterprises. In it, the church is another industry, taking and taking for its own profit. How different is the image of the church as the apostolic community, sent into the world as Christ’s hands, feet, eyes, smile, heart.We need songs that celebrate this missional dimension-good songs, and many!

For inspiration, we have to again go back to Scripture, and read the prophets, and the gospels, and engage their heart for the poor, the needy, the broken.

…

As I write, I am struck by this thought: perhaps we have so over-emphasized the role of songs in worship-to the exclusion of many other liturgical options (poetry, historic prayers, silence, meditative reading, etc.)- that we have forgotten the role of song in teaching.

*[Art is a very POOR medium for pedagogy. A song is not meant to teach. It is meant to EXPRESS.]

…

4. You will likely be less surprised to hear me say that we need songs that are simply about God.songs giving God the spotlight, so to speak, for God as God, God’s character, God’s glory, not just for the great job God is doing at making me feel good. And similarly, we need songs that celebrate what God does for the world-the whole world- not just for me, or us. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read the Psalms, because they love to celebrate what the Lord does for the whole earth, not just the people of Israel. Many of the songs we need will also celebrate God as Creator.an important theme in Scripture, but not for most of our churches.We have lacked a good creation theology in the modern era, and we need songwriters/artists and theologians to join together in the emerging culture to celebrate God as God of creation, not only 15 billion years ago (or whenever) but today, now.the God who knows the sparrows that fall, whose glory still flashes in the lightning bolt, whose kindness still falls like the morning dew, whose mysteries are still imaged in the depths of the ocean and the vast expanse of the night sky.

5. I should also mention songs of lament.The Bible is full of songs that wail, the blues but even bluer, songs that feel the agonizing distance between what we hope for and what we have, what we could be and what we are, what we believe and what we see and feel.The honesty is disturbing, and the songs of lament don’t always end with a happy Hallmark-Card-Precious-Moments cliché to try to fix the pain.

Sometimes I think we’re too happy: the only way to become happier is to become sadder, by feeling the pain of the chronically ill, the desperately poor, the mentally ill, the lonely, the aged and forgotten, the oppressed minority, the widow and orphan.This pain should find its way into song, and these songs should find their way into our churches.

The bitter will make the sweet all the sweeter; without the bitter, the sweet can become cloying, and too many of our churches feel, I think, like Candyland. Is it too much to ask that we be more honest? Since doubt is part of our lives, since pain and waiting and as-yet unresolved disappointment are part of our lives, can’t these things be reflected in the songs of our communities? Doesn’t endless singing about celebration lose its vitality (and even its credibility) if we don’t also sing about the struggle?

* [This type of song is never found in church but is very widespread in art. Think about the blues. Listen to BB King's spirituals as an opener.]

…

First, may I suggest that we fully and finally get over King James English in our new lyrics, even if we choose to retain it in our old?

…

Second, may I suggest that we be careful about using gratuitous Biblical language-Zion, Israel, go forth, on high, etc., etc.? If there is a good reason to use such language-in other words, if we are using it intentionally, not just for a “spiritual feel,” then fine. Otherwise, if we can find contemporary language and imagery that would communicate more crisply, poignantly, immediately, and deeply to people who don’t already have a lot of pew time.then let’s use it, in the spirit of I Corinthians 14, where intelligibility to the spiritual seeker is a gospel virtue.

Third, may I suggest that in an era of Columbines and Islamic fundamentalism, we be careful about the language of jihad and holy war? I suppose there is a time and place for that, but I don’t think this is it.We all need a strong dose of Anabaptist peace right about now, in my opinion.

Fourth, musically, am I the only one wishing for more rhythmic variety? Why is it that I am being blessed so much by creative drummers and percussionists wherever I go?

*[Drummers have always been criticised by clergy who like nice quiet Jesus Jingles. A drummer cannot functionally operate under a certain level. The reason is that the skins must be hit in a rythm that involves some type of force. Deadening the sound with blankets etc kills the quality. Rather than silence the drummer bring up the rest of the band to the drummers' level. Supply the oldies with ear plugs.]

Fifth, can our worship leaders enrich the musical experience by reading Scripture, great prayers of the historic church, creeds, confessions, and poems over musical backgrounds? You may not like rap music, but it’s trying to tell us something about the abiding power of the spoken word, the well-chosen spoken word that is. (We have far too many less-than-well-chosen spoken words already, I think you’ll agree.)

And finally, can our lyricists start reading more good poetry, good prose, so they can be sensitized to the powers of language, the grace of a well-turned phrase, the delight of a freshly discovered image, the prick or punch or caress or jolt that is possible if we wrestle a little harder and stretch a little farther for the word that really wants to be said from deep within us? Sadly, while many of our songs have better and better music, but the lyrics still feel like “cliché train”-one linked to another, with a sickening recycling of plastic language and paper triteness.

….

*[Christian art does not HAVE to mention God or Jesus. The above article is useful as a guide ONLY for music within a WORSHIP setting. Christians as a whole have to produced better art and VALUE art. Listen to music of U2 and Bob Dylan for Christians at the cutting edge in this area.]

From http://www.brianmclaren.net/archives/lettertosongwriters.pdf

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