You Are What You Sing

 Note: This is a slightly edited repost from September, 2010.

If you’ve been to an average American church, no doubt you know what a cheesy Christian song is all about.  From “Shine Jesus Shine” to “From The Inside Out” to “I Can Only Imagine,” solid theology is out and emotions and feelings are in.   I like what Stephen Nichols has to say about this.  Commenting on “I Can Only Imagine,” he writes that it

“…Has a rich sound and explicitly religious, even Christian, lyrics, but in the end it presents a rather vacuous theology.  These crossover artists remind me somewhat of the Osmonds.  They are wholesome, safe, and clean-cut, especially compared to their purely secular counterparts, but you can listen for a long time and not hear anything overtly Mormon.  Perhaps the same could be said of Christian crossover artists.  They too are wholesome, safe, and clean-cut, but not much Christianity crosses over with them.”

“In some ways this problem confronts more than the crossover artists.  The whole sweep of CCM may come under its purview.  CCM itself attempts to crossover, combining tastes and styles of the popular culture with the sensibilities and (a modicum of) the lyrics of church music.  How well it straddles that fence becomes a point of debate.  One problem that arises, however, is what CCM communicates in general about evangelicalism’s ambivalence to culture.  While the early days of Jesus music had an edge, arising as it did from the streets, CCM today has dulled the edge, producing music that is safe, not all that complex and artistically ranking a little below the songs on pop albums that don’t make it into radio circulation.”

“CCM has become ghettoized, the Christian suburban youth’s counter to what their unchurched friends listen to.  James Davidson Hunter refers to this dynamic as parallel institutionalism, which means that you can listen to Christian music on Christian radio stations or at Christian concerts or on CDs brought at Christian stores.  You can even download Christian ringtones for your phone bought, hopefully, from a Christian-owned-and-operated kiosk at the mall.”

“Hank Hill, the character from the animated series King of the Hill, sagaciously quipped in relation to Christian rock, ‘You aren’t making Christianity better, you’re just making rock and roll worse.’” (p. 134-5).

Since Christians learn much of their theology from the songs they sing in corporate worship (and privately), no wonder American Christianity is a mile wide but only an inch deep.  You really can’t expect Christians singing quasi-Christian pop music week after week to mature into doctrinally sound believers (cf. Heb 5.13).  The phrase “you are what you sing” might be a little cumbersome, but there is for sure some truth to it.

Get this book by Stephen Nichols: Jesus: Made In America (Downers’ Grove: IVP, 2008).

rev shane lems

Bored, Boring, Boredom

 Richard Winter’s book Still Bored in a Culture of Entertainment is a great book that asks and answers this question from an intelligent, biblical point of view: Why are so many Americans bored when there are a billion things for us to do?  Another way to think about this topic is that Americans are “distracted from distraction by distraction.”   In this book Winter examines the social, biological, historical, spiritual, and philosophical aspects of boredom.  I was fascinated to learn how boredom, postmodernity, anxiety, and even addiction (among other things) are related.  This book is worth studying if you want a readable account of boredom in Western culture.

One section I found helpful was how Winter showed the way out of boredom.  Passion, wonder, leisure, ordinary pleasures, delight in the good, and a longing for the new creation are some examples of combating boredom and all the emotions and attitudes that go with it.  To be sure, this isn’t a biblical survey of boredom, but Winter does apply the general aspects of Christianity to boredom.

Here’s another angle of the book that is worth quoting and discussing.

“When stimulation comes at us from every side, we reach a point where we cannot respond with much depth to anything.  Bombarded with so much that is exciting and demands our attention, we tend to become unable to discriminate and choose from among the many options.  The result is that we shut down our attention to everything.  The boredom that we feel today is probably more likely to come from overload than underload.  When we are surrounded by so much information, we find it hard to sort out what is relevant and important and to find meaning in anything” (p. 37).

How does this relate to Christian worship?  Indeed, there is such a think as dry, lifeless, legalistic worship in churches where there is little love and laughter.  “At the end of the spectrum, others have found churches with plenty of excitement, entertainment, and emotion where there is little good teaching but everyone has a great time” (p. 133).  Winters even pointed out that he noticed one church called “Exciting First Baptist.”

“Of course our emotions should be involved in worship, but too often we want peace and happiness like an emotional fix.  We want instant pain relief and entertainment.  When God does not come through like that, we manufacture techniques and teaching to give us the excitement and experience we crave.  Worship has to be ever more entertaining and thrilling.  At first everything is wonderful, but after a time there is an ever-increasing desire for something more – another gift of the Spirit, another healing miracle, more dramatic experiences in worship” (ibid.).

Winters then says that the Bible doesn’t promise health, wealth, and unending excitement in this life.  There is such a thing as sin and brokenness; we’re called to be patient pilgrims longing for the new creation.  “God does indeed offer something deeper and more fulfilling now and in the future, but these are not often associated with the instant thrills and excitement promised by the culture of advertising and entertainment.    Sensation seekers and the instant-fix generation often have a hard time with that, and they may end up disappointed and bored with God” (p. 134).

This is something worth thinking about.  If our view of Christianity and our worship services have everything do with a band, positive CCM lite-Christian music, and uplifting atmosphere, what happens when these things no longer excite us or make us feel good?  What about our kids?  If children grow up in this entertaining church atmosphere, what do they do when it bores them?  What comes after Veggie Tales?  It’s pretty easy in our culture to push the delete button or download a new app.

I suppose this has to do with Andrew’s post yesterday.  Winters certainly helps us cut through this addiction to entertainment and its resulting boredom.  Get the book, study it, pray through it, and think about it from a mature Christian perspective.  By doing so, you’ll be able to avoid boredom and enjoy the life God has given us in an intelligent, mature, and enjoyable Christian way.

shane lems

Prayer: A Jewel of Christian Worship

 As Luke emphasizes around thirty times in the book of Acts, the Apostolic church was (is) a praying church, a people who gather to worship the Lord in prayer.  Throughout history the church has regarded prayer as a chief part of the corporate Christian life.  The Heidelberg Catechism, in its exposition of the 4th commandment, even says that God’s will for us on the Lord’s Day has much to do with corporate prayer.

Unfortunately, one trend in churches today is to make public prayers a mere footnote of worship.  The rationale (though stated differently) is because public prayer is not exciting or fun (there is no instant gratification in it). Furthermore, it could mean losing some visitors who aren’t used to sitting quietly in prayer for five minutes.  (To be fair, even in some traditions where public prayer is still an essential part of worship, there are some pastors who switch into robot mode for the prayer.  This makes it very difficult for the body to follow along attentively.)

I like what Dan Lucarini has to say in his book, It’s Not About the Music.  As I mentioned here before, at one time Lucarini was a worship leader of a CCM-type band; he’s got a very interesting and unique story which is worth reading.  Here’s what he says in the area of public prayer, which he calls one of the jewels of public worship.

“It is time to bring back the pastoral prayer, which has fallen into neglect in many churches.  We need the [under]shepherd of the local flock to pray for us, just as the Chief Shepherd did when he was on earth and still does for the church, interceding constantly for us in heaven as our advocate before the Father.”

“It is also time for churches to put an end to the disrespect shown to public prayer.  At some churches, while a pastor is praying for the sick and the unsaved - very serious matters – musicians and other ‘worship leaders’ are busy shuffling sheet music, adjusting microphones, changing instrumental settings, or moving across the platform to their next performance position.  The media booth personnel are frantically re-adjusting sound levels, lighting, computer presentations, or a dozen other technology items.  Ushers are walking about when they should be still and hushed.”

That’s hard-hitting. all too true, and very tragic.  What does it say about a worship leader who is toying with his music or instrument during public prayer?  I don’t know about you, but I  don’t think someone with such a trivial view of prayer should be leading worship.  In fact, Lucarini is rightly blunt: he says that pastors (and I would add elders) need to put a stop to such things immediately.  He also wisely tells churches, “Be careful that you are not more concerned about the form and flow of your worship service than you are about prayer.”  Amen.

The above quotes are found on pages 87-88 of It’s Not About the Music.

shane lems

sunnyside, wa

The Misery and Menace of Mindless Christianity

From the human side of things, one major reason why I’m a Christian is because it makes sense to me intellectually.  Many false religions often meet emotional needs to some extent (i.e. the Mormon burning in the bosom or the Buddhist’s inner tranquility), but none of them are as intellectually coherent and logical as the Christian faith.  This is one of many reasons why I’m frustrated by modern Christian praise songs, Christian radio, Christian fiction, and the shelves of many Christian bookstores: the Christian subculture is, for the most part, not an intellectual subculture and it makes Christianity look quite silly.  (I’m guessing Screwtape and Wormwood have a hearty chuckle every time they hear the words Veggie Tales.)

Therefore, when I read John Stott’s little booklet, Your Mind Matters, it instantly became one of my favorites on this topic.  After I read the following phrase, I couldn’t set it down: “Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service.  If we do not use the mind which God has given us, we condemn ourselves to spiritual superficiality.”  Listen to these other great quotes.

“Perhaps the current mood (cultivated in some Christian groups) of anti-intellectualism begins now to be seen as the serious evil it is.  It is not true piety at all but part of the fashion of the world and therefore a form of worldliness.  To denigrate the mind is to undermine foundational Christian doctrines.  Has God created us rational beings, and shall we deny our humanity which he has given us?  Has God spoken to us, and shall we not listen to his words?  Has God renewed our mind through Christ, and shall we not think with it?  Is God going to judge us by his Word, and shall we not be wise and build our house upon this rock?”

Later Stott quotes a parishioner who complained:

“Whenever I go to church…I feel like unscrewing my head and placing it under the seat, because in a religious meeting I never have any use for anything above my collar button.”

Stott goes on, positively.

“Faith is a reasoning trust, a trust which reckons thoughtfully and confidently upon the trustworthiness of God.”

He also quotes H. Moule:

“We should beware equally of an undevotional theology and an untheological devotion.”

I’ll end with these words.

“[God-given knowledge is] to be used, to lead us to higher worship, greater faith, deeper holiness, better service.  What we need is not less knowledge but more knowledge, so long as we act upon it.”

This book, Your Mind Matters, is a great one for newer Christians to read, but also one that mature Christians will appreciate.  It is only around 90 pages and is clear, biblical, and edifying.  It is also inexpensive, so it is worth getting two and giving one away.

shane lems

Christian Milk, Christian Cows

If you want a sharp and penetrating criticism of the Christian subculture (aka Christian bubble), you’ll want to check out Fearless Faith by John Fischer.  Here’s a section of it where Fischer quotes someone who used to work for a major Christian record label in Nashville.

“I can tell you exactly when I knew I had to leave Christian music.  I was in a marketing meeting studying the so-called WWJD phenomenon that had moved large quantities of T-shirts, bracelets, and hats through Christian bookstores nationwide.  Our general manager pointed out that this thing was a ‘multimillion dollar catchphrase.’  He wanted to jump on it and come up with the next Christian phrase that would replace it and then market the heck out of it.  I knew right then and there that I could no longer have anything to do with an enterprise that made money off of marketing Jesus to Christians.”

“Don’t get me wrong; these are nice people.  Like me, they had all gotten into this business for the right reasons.  We wanted to help sincere Christian artists get their message out.  But it’s a gradual, slippery slope.  One little compromise on top of another, and suddenly you’re planning how to make lots of money off of Jesus.  I take the worship of Christ seriously, and I no longer felt right about being part of a subculture that would sell John 3:16 to Christians for $15.95.  It would have been hypocritical for me to stay in this industry once I realized this.”

“Most of what we ended up creating didn’t have artistic integrity.  In the ’70s it was all grassroots ministry, but by the 80′s, big business took over and we started marketing to a subculture.  Everything became inbred, self-contained.  Christian milk from a Christian cow.  By creating a subculture we watered down the message.”

“…The church used to be the source of the world’s greatest art, but now it has turned its back on that.  Now the Christian subculture is where you go to find some of the worst art.  Every time we make a movie it’s about the end times.  And then we market it to ourselves.  We already know what’s going to happen.”

This quote is found on pages 66-67 of Fearless Faith.

shane lems