My husband and I have very different tastes in music. I’m an acoustic guitar, folk-y kind of gal, while he loves blaring electric guitar solos and hard rock.
Somehow, despite our musical differences, we make it work. We take time to listen to the other’s music. He’s given me a new perspective on music I would never have considered. We attended a Demon Hunter concert on our honeymoon (I got brownie points from his friends over that one), and he’s gone to more than his fair share of acoustic concerts that he was probably struggling to stay awake for. It’s all about compromise.
There are certain bands and albums that we both agree on. We also have this unspoken agreement that he doesn’t inundate me with too much screamo, and I don’t play so much banjo music that he runs screaming.
Everyone does not has the same music preference. Not everyone loves pop. Or country. Or contemporary Christian music. Yet we present one kind of music each week in our worship services and expect everyone in the congregation to connect.
It would be impossible to please everyone in one worship service. There are just too many musical tastes out there. It would be a bit weird to start with a quiet acoustic song and then launch into death metal. At some point we have to pick something and go with it.
But let’s not be surprised if people aren’t getting into the music. Don’t force them to worship to something that doesn’t feel natural to them. My husband feels worshipful when he hears an electric guitar solo while I connect better with acoustic guitar and a djembe.
I have no idea how to make corporate musical worship work better for the masses. But if I’m honest, I’m not real excited by the way it’s done now.
Any suggestions?
The only problems I’ve run into is when the majority like something and expect me to. I’ve been deemed all sorts of things because I didn’t just fall in love with something they liked.
I’ve run into that too.
“let’s not be surprised if people aren’t getting into the music” – Thank you for this thought and this insight. I don’t often worry about this when leading but it’s a good reminder.
The church I grew up in had several different worship teams. One was the youth band, (which would be more upbeat and louder) one was a more gospel group with horns and the third was an acoustic band. I always felt that was a great way to have different styles in worship and allow the artists to own it more, by being in the group that they more closely identified with.
That was unfortunately ended in the interest of community, by forcing everyone into a regular rotation that didn’t pay any attention to their different specialties and served to homogenize the whole thing. Too bad.
I heard someone once say, “A blended service just means nobody’s happy.” I understand the need for community, but it’s so hard to find a type of music that everyone can connect with.
I think it goes a long way if this is just acknowledge by those who lead. That they realize that everyone will not enjoy it as much as someone else but the overall purpose is to glorify God not for everyone to be entertained.
Yes. It’s easy to forget that sole purpose.
“It would be a bit weird to start with a quiet acoustic song and then launch into death metal.” But yet part of me wants to see this now!! 🙂 And this is kind of close… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YebaLcDHA4
That is CRAZY.
I enjoy the newer sounds coming from Bethel and IHOP. A sort of postrock sound. And it seems it catches on to congregation. I also like contempory and hymns mixed together, which helps bring generations together.