What is it with church music leaders that they have to dig up every insipid song that makes people feel good? Ah, but they give a lot of action for the band!
Look at this one I heard for the first time yesterday:
It's All About Jesus
by Henry Seeley
It's all about Jesus
It's all about the way he changed our lives
It's all about Jesus
The power of his blood can't be denied
It's all about Jesus
It's all about the covenant he made
It's all about Jesus
Victorious he rose up from the grave
We lift our hearts to him
He is the reason that we sing
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
We praise your name
It's all about Jesus
It's all about the way he set us free
It's all about Jesus
Bearing all our sins at Calvary
It's all about Jesus
It's all about the gift of love he gave
It's all about Jesus
The precious lamb of God was slain
We lift our hearts to him
He is the reason that we sing
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We praise your name
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We praise your name
We lift our hearts to him
He is the reason that we sing
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We praise your name
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We praise your name
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We praise your name
Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah
We praise your name
The lyrics were okay, but a bit trite. The problem was the ad nauseum repetition.
It was followed by this one:
Nobody Fills My Heart Like Jesus
by Dennis Jernigan
I'd like to say, Lord, from the start
Thank You for breaking through my heart
Thank You for tearing ev'ry chain apart
When I was lost You made a way
You turned the darkest night into day
You are my joy and Lord I'd like to say that
Nobody fills my heart like Jesus
Nobody thrills me like You do
O, nobody fills my heart like Jesus
Nobody, Lord, but You
Nobody but You
When I am weak, my Lord, You're strong
Loving me even when I'm wrong
Lord, You are my salvation and my song
Everyday I'll make the choice
Just listening, following Your voice
Being with You I can't help but rejoice
Nobody fills my heart like Jesus
Nobody thrills me like You do
O, nobody fills my heart like Jesus
Nobody, Lord, but You
Nobody but You
Now, the way we sung it was to sing the first verse, then bring the tempo up with lots of band (especially drum) and start over again. Then we had to repeat the chorus twice at the end.
This song is something one would expect to find in a VBS or Sunday School class rather than for a worship service. I find it to be very juvenile, apparently designed to just manufacture emotions and give something for the band to show off with.
Fortunately the other song we used, although modern, was quite good:
When Trials Come
by Keith & Kristyn Getty
“When trials come no longer fear
For in the pain our God draws near
To fire a faith worth more than gold
And there His faithfulness is told
And there His faithfulness is told
Within the night I know Your peace
The breath of God brings strength to me
And new each morning mercy flows
As treasures of the darkness grow
As treasures of the darkness grow
I turn to Wisdom not my own
For every battle You have known
My confidence will rest in You
Your love endures Your ways are good
Your love endures Your ways are good
When I am weary with the cost
I see the triumph of the cross
So in its shadow I shall run
Till He completes the work begun
Till He completes the work begun
One day all things will be made new
I’ll see the hope You called me to
And in your kingdom paved with gold
I’ll praise your faithfulness of old
I’ll praise your faithfulness of old”
We really need to remember that songs we sing in church are teaching us. How great it would be if song leaders would always use meat instead of pap.
4 comments:
"... lots of band (especially drum)" I am a lover of drums. Sadly, what passes for drumming today sounds more like rifle shots followed by their reverberation. The drummer becomes the star, instead of the accompaniment. Not appropriate for worship, in my humble, but correct, opinion.
We have a couple drummers who seem to take turns. One is as you described, while the other seems to have real talent.
To show how cultic some people get with their love of insipid songs, a comment I will not post said that since I critique songs like these, I am not a Christian and do not know Jesus! Such un-Christian judgmentalism from cowardly anonymous posters is why I moderate comments.
I feel saddened that such people have to attack people who teach discernment; apparently they are not interested in learning.
I like that song, When Trials Come too. When we first sang it in a service, I asked the song leader afterwards if if was a hymn, I thought I had missed an old hymn since I didn't recognize it : )
I used to be nearly paralyzed when trials hit. I thought God was punishing me, oh how little and how weak my faith. (I grew up half the time in a IBLP (Gothard) church and the other half in LDS--taught if I did everything right, I would be blessed). Now I know trials come to draw me closer to Him and they are welcome, because there's nothing I need more than to be close to Him.
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