SIGH!

Why is it that the bands (whether small or large) which perform during the gathering of the saints in the assembly on Sundays (or any day) are called “worship bands,” or “praise bands” (or instead of “bands” they are called “teams,” but with the same prefix)?  They aren’t any of those prefixes —they are just bands or music teams.  “Worship” and “praise” covers more (and should cover all) of the activities in “church.”

Well, that’s just an aside.  This post is about more pap being sung in the assembly.  Here are two we used this week (at least we also sang two old hymns!).

Our God Saves

By Brenton Brown and Paul Baloche.

In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son

In the name of the Spirit, Lord, we come

We're gathered together to lift up Your Name

To call on our Savior to fall on Your grace

In the name of the Father, in the name of the Son

In the name of the Spirit, Lord, we come

We're gathered together to lift up Your Name

To call on our Savior to fall on Your grace

To call on our Savior, to fall on Your grace

Hear the joyful sound of our offering

As Your saints bow down, as Your people sing

We will rise with You, lifted on Your wings

And the world will see that

Our God saves, our God saves

There is hope in Your name

Our God saves, our God saves

There is hope in Your name

[repeat all the above after the obligatory bridge for the band performance]

Mourning turns to songs of praise

Our God saves, our God saves

Our God saves, our God saves.

Why must we always go around and around repeating the text of the lyrics?  I realize the artists singing these songs on their CDs are doing this, but that doesn’t mean the congregation should be performing these songs as if we are on stage!

Think about this part of the song;

Hear the joyful sound of our offering

As Your saints bow down, as Your people sing

We will rise with You, lifted on Your wings

So our offering gives a joyful sound as we bow down and sing, and this makes us rise with God?!?  Really. And “lifted” on His “wings”?!?  What is this supposed to mean? I wonder about these song writer—do they think about what they are writing or are they just trying some way of making rhymes? Or to make the emotions get all sappy?

Let’s look at the next one:

Give Us Clean Hands

By Charlie Hall

We bow our Hearts

We bend our knees

Oh Spirit come make us humble

We turn our eyes from evil things

Oh Lord we cast down our idols

So give us clean hands

Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

Give us clean hands

Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

And God let us be

A generation that seeks

That seeks your face

Oh God of Jacob

And God let us be

A generation that seeks

That seeks your face

Oh God of Jacob

We bow our Hearts

We bend our knees

Oh Spirit come make us humble

We turn our eyes from evil things

Oh Lord we cast out our idols

So give us clean hands

Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

Give us clean hands

Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

And God let us be

A generation that seeks

That seeks your face

Oh God of Jacob

And God let us be

A generation that seeks

That seeks your face

Oh God of Jacob

So give us clean hands

Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

Give us clean hands

Give us pure hearts

Let us not lift our souls to another

And God let us be

A generation that seeks

That seeks your face

Oh God of Jacob

And God let us be

A generation that seeks

That seeks your face

Oh God of Jacob

Oh God of Jacob

We bow our hearts to you

And we had a wee bit more repetition than shown here! Does it make the song better to have so much repetition?  Does it make a stronger point of what is asked of God?  Or does this sort of fit into “vain repetition” in our prayer?  I think it does!

Again, this is nothing better than pap.  Why can’t the song leaders quit trying to be like every seeker-sensitive/market-driven assembly and give their congregations meat!! Please, you men who are in church leadership and you who lead the music, don’t treat your congregations like spiritual babies!