Music Mondays - Manufacturing Controversy over a "Baby"

The 80's and 90's were curious times in the Christian music world.  Legitimate stars were being made. Some were even gaining larger audiences, beyond just the Church.

Yet, for those first mega-stars of the CCM world, any hint of "going secular" was met with automatic backlash.  One of those trailblazers was the queen of CCM, Amy Grant. Looking back, it's apparent her albums were less and less overtly Christian but it was "Heart in Motion" that was her pop music breakthrough. And it was the the #1 single "Baby Baby" that catapulted her to superstardom and put a target on her back for some.

This song made her the first Christian artist to record number one hit on the US pop charts. But not only did she get flack for selling out to the world, her video received criticism because it showed her interacting with a guy who wasn't her husband. 
Despite her assertions that her newborn was the inspiration for the song, some Christians tuned her out and dismissed the idea that a Christian could make quality 'worldly' music without morally compromising.

I personally think she handled herself pretty well through it all. Yes, her personal story would include a divorce that brought out a lot of critics. And while some of these criticisms might be justifiable, for me, this is all about what happens when we put our Christian heroes on pedestals and expect perfection.

She might be a cautionary-tale, but she's definitely a trail-blazer and an artist who's established an excellent career - both in the secular and sacred music realms.

Music Mondays - Manufacturing Controversy

Several years ago, as an pastoral intern at my home church, I was witness to a brief encounter after a worship service that really made me cringe.

Our church music was a "blended" style mixing contemporary songs with traditional hymns. As part of the worship set, we sang "Create in Me A Clean Heart" which is based word for word on Psalm 51. 

I was near the stage at the end of the service when I noticed an older lady in our church approach the worship leader and associate pastor. She told him she objected to that song because it mentioned "taking the Holy Spirit" from the author/singing audience. That was just incorrect theology and we should not have sung it. 

Now the leader graciously received her input and agreed with her theologically. As I remember it, he also mentioned that we'd sung that a few months prior and had made comments of qualification before singing it then (I do remember this instance and it was clear and well-done). He apologized for not repeating that step this time and promised to do so in the future. 

Crisis averted. 

On the one hand, it's good that this person was thinking critically about her worship. 

But at the same time, I'm cringing watching that go on precisely because of the context. Our church was staunchly theologically conservative with clear statements about their beliefs about Holy Spirit written in it's constitution. And this pastor had previously made a recent extra effort to clearly explain the nuances of our NT position in Christ vs. the OT differences - that affect seven words of a beautiful song about confession and repentance. Side note, how many other worship songs are there about confession and repentance?

Again, I'm all for discernment and thinking through what we're singing in worship. I don't want to dismiss the idea that our worship should be theologically sound. I'm very much for that. 
Maybe it's the effect of modernity on our society or maybe it's a ripple effect of the Church's own "Worship Wars" over the past 30 years but I've observed a lot of manufactured controversy over various modern and traditional church music. 

This case wasn't "manufactured" exactly, but over the next month or so I'll be featuring cases where some within Christendom have stirred up controversy needlessly. 

They will run the spectrum of very recent to very old. But all will be cases where - in my opinion - some people are "straining gnats while swallowing camels".

And if you have some examples you can think of, feel free to leave them in the comments.

Music Mondays

Going with an older traditional hymn this week in memory of Gordon Rhodes, a 96 year old WWII veteran who recently passed away. I officiated his funeral over the weekend and it was truly an honor to pay tribute to a man who wasn't just a war hero but also a great man of faith. 

There were many songs included in the service, but this week's selection wasn't actually one of them. It's a personal choice of a song that always reminds me of our victory over death because of Christ. 

This version is the classic version. I'll also always remember this song for the sped up A Capella version my Greek prof led us in occasionally at the beginning of class.

Music Mondays

As this blog indicates, I serve as a pastor in Milford, Indiana. Wikipedia will tell you that Milford is a town of about 1,500 people and not much else. Our local news will tell you that, like so many other communities in our area, it is dealing with a significant meth problem. 

Of course, Wikipedia and arrest reports don't tell the whole story. There are good jobs, pleasant people, and - for me and my church - great ministry opportunities. 

I appreciate the Lord leading us here. Even though I grew up close to it, I didn't give it much thought, other than it being a place on the way north to bigger and better things.

I wonder though if the seeds weren't planted in my late high school/early college years for me to end up here. And it all began with a band called Bleach. 

Bleach was one of those niche Christian bands whose fans were loyal and adamant that they were underrated. Their second album Static had some fun hits but it was their overlooked third track that stuck with me.

"Rundown Town" tells the story of a aging minister who never finds any limelight but leaves a legacy of faithfulness to where God called him. Something in my soul was immediately drawn to this idea from the first time I heard it. 

Since I was a kid, I always had this belief that I was destined for greatness. As I grew older and my athletic abilities fell short of "pro-level", I started coming around to the idea that how I defined "greatness" could use re-evaluation. I realized that God's definition was way different than mine or the world's. 

So when a pastoral opening at a small-ish, but healthy church came across my path. I saw the opportunities as much as anything else. And it hasn't been disappointing. Sure we want to see our church's influence grow and I'd like to make an impact on many lives. But those are the right goals, those are fringe benefits to properly serving the Kingdom. Fruit/results/growth - those are all by products of faithfulness, plus they are out of my control and in God's hands anyway. 

And that's how I've discovered fulfillment in the midst of a 'rundown town'.

Music Mondays - extended family edition

Most of my Music Monday selections fall under the contemporary music category. But I've noticed that my recent choices, including today's, fall under the more 'old-school' or traditional classification. 

Also I'd like to note that I've got all kinds of family with musical gifts - grandparents, parents, siblings, and in this case - uncle and cousin's husband - but poor little ol' me is left to just blog about it. 

Music Monday

At the conclusion of a service I was participating in - but hadn't planned out, the worship team played this week's Music Monday selection.

It is a classic hymn that didn't just speak to me personally, but also professionally. 

The particular reasons as to why aren't important, but don't the simplest Gospel truths make the most profound impacts on our hearts. Praise God for the grace that is greater than your, than mine, than all our sin.

Music Mondays

I highly suspect that subconsciously the existence of this running "Music Monday" theme goes back to my childhood when my parents were invested in a traveling music ministry. Both of them were very talented and would travel to various churches and cities to present special concerts and I got to tag along as a pre-school aged kid.

Many memories still rattle around in my brain, like the time our van started rolling away in a church parking lot as dad and some volunteers were unloading equipment. 

Likewise, many of the songs have stuck in my head too. This week's selection was one of those songs. An early eighties single from the group Truth, it is a mini-time capsule taking us back to those early days of contemporary Christian music. 

Why feature it? Well, it popped into my head last week as I was preparing my sermon on Isaiah 36-39. 
Those chapters recount some tension-filled days in the reign of King Hezekiah. For the most part, the King trusted the Lord - relying on him completely despite great odds. But alas, in chapter 39 he makes a foolish blunder. I believe the whole story, taken in the context of Isaiah's book, is meant to leave us wanting more. 

Isaiah had promised a coming King who would set things right and faithfully lead God's people. King Hezekiah (and others) did so to a point - but they were just place holders until God's true Messiah-King would arrive. To a great extent, Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus' life and ministry as a fulfillment of God's promises in Isaiah. The crowds of Matthew 21 were celebrating Jesus' kingly arrival even though they didn't fully understand God's plan or the nature of Jesus' kingship. 

So, in a round-about way, Isaiah 36-39 connects with Palm Sunday - reminding us that there is one faithful king who succeeded where human kings failed.  The beauty of Palm Sunday and Easter can indeed be summed up in the concise phrase - "Jesus Never Fails".