Open Letter to “Worship” Leaders

First, I want to make a point that the people leading the music are MUSIC leaders and not “Worship” leaders.  Music is just part of worship.

The following is a modified version of a letter I wrote to the pastor and “worship” pastor at the assembly where we currently worship.  I wrote it as a thought-provoker.

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Before I get to the meat of this letter, I’d like you to look at the lyrics in the following songs.  As you read the lyrics you may see that there is nothing really wrong with them.  The first song is intended for communion times, the second is just encouragement about the Word, while the last is an encouragement in a relationship with Jesus.

Again, Our Dear Redeeming Lord

1. Again, our dear redeeming Lord,

We meet in thy beloved name,

While from the fountains of thy love

Thy Spirit kindles like a flame.

For all the anguish of thy soul,

For thy great gift so full and free,

With grateful hearts all penitent,

Dear Lord, we do remember thee.

2. In token of thy bleeding flesh
And of thy blood so freely spent,
We meet around thy table now
And take thy holy sacrament.
We seek thy pardon, dearest Lord,
And may thy favor, too, be sent,
While in our hearts we turn to thee,
Renewed in faith and covenant.

As I Search the Holy Scriptures

1. As I search the holy scriptures,

Loving Father of mankind,

May my heart be blessed with wisdom,

And may knowledge fill my mind.

2. As I search the holy scriptures,

Touch my spirit, Lord, I pray.

May life's myst'ries be unfolded

As I study day by day.

3. As I search the holy scriptures,

May thy mercy be revealed.

Soothe my troubled heart and spirit;

May my unseen wounds be healed.

4. As I search the holy scriptures,

Help me ponder and obey.

In thy word is life eternal;

May thy light show me the way.

Come Unto Jesus

1. Come unto Jesus, ye heavy laden,

Careworn and fainting, by sin oppressed.

He'll safely guide you unto that haven

Where all who trust him may rest.

2. Come unto Jesus; He'll ever heed you,

Though in the darkness you've gone astray.

His love will find you and gently lead you

From darkest night into day.

3. Come unto Jesus; He'll surely hear you,

If you in meekness plead for his love.

Oh, know you not that angels are near you

From brightest mansions above?

4. Come unto Jesus from ev'ry nation,

From ev'ry land and isle of the sea.

Unto the high and lowly in station,

Ever he calls, "Come to me."

Now, just looking at the lyrics I don’t think anyone would find anything really objectionable about them.  Therefore Christians would probably be more than ready to use these songs for worship.

However, what if I told you these songs were written by and for Mormons, and are in the Mormon hymnal?  Does that change things?  I would hope so.  No matter how sound the lyrics seem, knowing where they come from should immediately eliminate them from use by Christians!  We should never use songs from sources which have false, aberrant or even heretical teachings.

Okay, so what about some of the songs we sing in Christian assemblies — are we using songs from sources which have aberrant, false, or heretical teachings?  Sadly, the answer is an emphatic “YES.”  I think it’s because most people aren’t aware of the problem.  Often the lyrics of these songs are innocuous, but they get very repetitive so as to work up the emotions.  More often the lyrics are vacuous and esoteric.  More importantly, no matter how theologically sound the lyrics may be, by using the song we give tacit approval to the teachings of the source.  Not only that, we also help finance these sources, and help spread their teachings.

Let me give examples of the particular sources which I believe we should find as problematic:

Source #1.  The teachings of this “denomination” include modern-day apostles, dominion theology, “strategic level spiritual warfare,” false signs and wonders, focus on “works” of the Holy Spirit, and that everyone has the same spiritual gifts as the apostles of the Bible.  In the previous assemblies where we worshipped, I refused to sing any song from this group.  So what is this source?  Vineyard.  Many of theirs show their charismatic foundation, but many have decent lyrics; however, their origin should still eliminate them from our services.

Source #2.  This source teaches the heretical Word of Faith doctrine, practices a lot of occult activities (such as “sucking” the “anointing” from a dead person in “grave soaking” trips), about every charismatic excess one could imagine, is part of the New Apostolic Reformation with dominion theology, teaches denigration of the deity of Christ, etc.  They target youth primarily.  Songs from this source just started invading our previous assembly not long before we left. This source is Bill Johnson and Bethel Redding, which includes the band, "Jesus Culture."  From the CCLI’s top 20 are the following examples:

This is Amazing Grace, by Riddle, Farro, and Wickham

Holy Spirit, by Bryan and Katie Torwalt

One Thing Remains (Your Love Never Fails), by Johnson, Gifford, and Riddle

Source #3.  Very similar in ideology and theology as #2, this source’s “worship” services routinely resemble a rock concert.  It is essentially a cult of personality, focusing on the leader.  Homosexuality is not condemned (although not really promoted), and one assembly had worship leaders who were a homosexual couple!  (One of the main leaders said they don’t want to address moral issues because they might offend people, and brags about how many homosexuals attend that assembly.)  Some of their “performances” (they cannot really be called worship services) have had some really crude and deviant skits.  Their leader has often stated that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. What makes this group even more dangerous is that they are spreading primarily because of their music!  As with #2, the youth is their primary target.  They seem to have more songs invading the church than the other groups, which is giving them more popularity.  Like #2, songs from this group just started invading our last assembly shortly before we left.  The group?  Hillsong!

From the CCLI’s top 20 are the following examples:

Cornerstone, by several writers, remake of “My Hope Is Built”

Mighty To Save, by Fielding and Morgan

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) by Houston, Crocker, Ligthelm

Forever Reign, by Ingram and Morgan

This I Believe (The Creed), by Fielding and Crocker

What finally got me to write this was a song our assembly used recently, “Praise the Name of Jesus,” from Latter Rain.  Latter Rain is a dominionist teaching, with the “Manifest Sons of God” and “Joel’s Army.”  A lot of aberrational charismania is taught by Latter Rain groups.  I was truly taken aback when I saw the origin, and couldn’t sing it.  It is the first time I’ve ever seen a Latter Rain song in any assembly we’ve ever attended.

Because I know the origin of the songs by these groups, I can’t sing anything from them, just as I would refuse to sing songs by Mormons.

I think it is great to have a mix of good contemporary songs and traditional hymns, but even with both we should be discerning as to the content of the lyrics as well as their origin.  I highly recommend that you discontinue using material from these sources.