Musicians just can’t leave traditional Christian hymns alone. They just have to abuse them to make their own money off of them! And why oh why do church music leaders kow-tow to them by using their stuff?!?!?! (Oh, that’s right — with the abused version you can manufacture more emotion and get more sound out of the band!)
The latest case in point is one we sang yesterday (I saw the copyright so I know it’s a few years old but it was a first for me). While the the traditional hymn is great for congregational singing, the added chorus was not easy for congregational singing, and the repetition of the last line at the end, and the “oh oh oh” demonstrates that it is just a “radio song” and should stay there on the radio! (I’d prefer it stayed nowhere!)
Here’s the song my “rant” is about.
"Hark The Herald Angels Sing / King Of Heaven"
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace
Hail the Son of Righteousness
Light and life to all He brings
Risen with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
King of heaven come down
King of heaven come now
Let Your glory reign
Shining like the day
King of heaven come
King of heaven rise up
Who can stand against us
You are strong to save
In Your mighty name
King of heaven come
Oh oh oh
Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a virgin's womb
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
King of heaven come
King of heaven come
King of heaven come
King of heaven come
by Paul Baloche
Discernment isn’t just about watching for doctrinal problems or abuse of Scripture. It should also be about protecting from emotional manipulation of the congregation, and about not spending church money to support a musician who had no imagination of his own so he has to steal from old authors and “juice them up.” Why are we supporting these musicians with royalties when the original is free!!!
PLEASE, PLEASE music/song leaders — don’t do this to your congregations!
6 comments:
With you on the blah, no thank you! I can't stand "altered" hymnody, either.
-Carolyn
I actually like rearrangements of old hymns. I think the band Indelible Grace does a great job with their arrangements, I'm a tightwad but I've bought and enjoyed all their CDs. But they tend to choose the unknown but very, very meaty ones to dust off and freshen up a bit.
https://indeliblegrace.bandcamp.com/album/wake-thy-slumbering-children-indelible-grace-v
But these other ones, the ones my church tends to use, ugh. And I won't sing "oh" or "yeah" or the like in worship, sorry, just can't do it.
It's not just the rearrangements, it's HOW they are rearranged, such as this one when it is for the worse.
Oh, and I listened to that "Abide With Me" version; it's okay for personal singing, as a "radio song" but I don't think it is good for congregational singing. The tune doesn't have a good flow and would be difficult to learn.
One of the things I enjoy is memorizing the Psalms and making up my own music to our LORD'S Words. The theology is spot on and well, my voice isn't too pretty, but God knows the worship of my heart. I don't have to perform my worship in front of man to prove how "spiritual" I am, and I don't have to stumble around trying to keep up with the hip "oh, oh, ohs" and "oooo, oooo, oooos." I don't have to stop singing when the guitarist or piano player breaks out in their own solo to prove how talented they are, and the congregation is left standing there waiting for the next verse so they can join in.
Performance and entertainment in crucial in the 501c. 3 churches now. People love their shows, but what does our LORD honor?
Repeatedly calling for Christ to "come down" is also problematic is it not? It doesn't sound like calling for the 2nd coming (which isn't up to us anyway), but some sort of charismatic chant calling on God to "do something."
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