Any Protestants who prefer a contemporary worship music style?

[tntgoodwin]

Or am I the only one??

:lol::lurk5::lol:

[mrs.m]

me! :)

[Mrs Mungo]

I do, so does my dh. :001_smile:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Or am I the only one??

:lol::lurk5::lol:

 

Judging from the last several churches we've attended, there are more than a few.

 

My personal preference is for something that includes the congregation. That might be hymns or praise or contemporary. I'm learning to not get too worked up over the dark sanctuary and spotlit praise team that turns the congregants into an audience; but it's not my favorite.

 

But then take it with a grain of salt. My favorites have included German pipe organs and barefoot praise team leaders introducing the church hula group (though these two styles were not at the same church). So I'm hardly mainstream.

[angela in ohio]

Judging from the last several churches we've attended, there are more than a few.

 

My personal preference is for something that includes the congregation. That might be hymns or praise or contemporary. I'm learning to not get too worked up over the dark sanctuary and spotlit praise team that turns the congregants into an audience; but it's not my favorite.

 

Yep. I don't care what style the music is, but I want to sing and praise the Lord, not watch a concert. :D

[Chris in VA]

I go to a liturgical, organ-music church, with occasional handbells and piano, but I LOVE the times I can visit a contemporary church. We do have the "Pohick Pickers" play once a month--guitars and fiddle, old-timey and more traditionally black music, but it's not quite the music I really praise the Lord to--

A little Travis Cottrell and hand raising does it for me--I get my fix at things like the Beth Moore Simulcast I went to in September. :D

[mrs.m]

Yep. I don't care what style the music is, but I want to sing and praise the Lord, not watch a concert. :D

 

So is it considered a concert if the church does it that way? I never thought of it that way. :001_huh: I'm too busy with my connection with God to think that the praise team or church was making it all about them and their performance.

 

Maybe they should put the band in the back of the church? :confused: Maybe also keep the lights on so I can be distracted by the person 5 rows in front of me that keeps itching her nose? :lol:

 

Interesting perspective that I never considered.

Edited March 22, 2011 by jannylynn

[Garga]

So is it considered a concert if the church does it that way? I never thought of it that way. :001_huh: I'm too busy with my connection with God to think that the praise team or church was making it all about them and their performance.

 

My mom went (only once) to a church where the congregation wasn't encouraged to sing along.

 

However, if the band is up front, but everyone is encouraged to sing along, that can be ok. I guess it all depends on the feel of the individual church.

[Mrs Mungo]

Judging from the last several churches we've attended, there are more than a few.

 

My personal preference is for something that includes the congregation. That might be hymns or praise or contemporary. I'm learning to not get too worked up over the dark sanctuary and spotlit praise team that turns the congregants into an audience; but it's not my favorite.

 

But then take it with a grain of salt. My favorites have included German pipe organs and barefoot praise team leaders introducing the church hula group (though these two styles were not at the same church). So I'm hardly mainstream.

 

I agree with that, I like the congregation to sing along. I also loved the hula praise groups in Hawaii. :)

[mrs.m]

My mom went (only once) to a church where the congregation wasn't encouraged to sing along.

 

However, if the band is up front, but everyone is encouraged to sing along, that can be ok. I guess it all depends on the feel of the individual church.

 

Ah! got it! ;)

 

We used to go to a church that did this and called it "performance songs". I enjoyed it because it usually tied in with the message. But I really like listening to music too and often connect to God that way. If I knew the song, I'd go ahead and sing along. It was loud enough that nobody could hear me. :lol:

 

But the church we go to now never has performance songs. They stick to contemporary praise music in the later service. I like the earlier service too with the hymns mixed in. Like I said, I really like music!

[Rhonda in TX]

Oh, there are lots and lots. I think this is actually a huge issue (sometimes divisive) in churches these days.

 

I personally prefer traditional services, but I can worship just about anywhere.

[Princess Peach]

Judging from the last several churches we've attended, there are more than a few.

 

:iagree: but this could vary according to where in the country one is. We

 

prefer hymns with some traditional contemporary (not sure this really is a genre, but trying to explain it). Anyway, it's very hard to find a church that has this type of music around here.

[michelle l]

I prefer a contemporary service, We just attented a very traditional liturgical service with my MIL and I really was not engaged (despite the fact that I know that my worship should be based on the fact that God deserves it, and not what I'm feeling) Nevertheless, I know and respect that that's a meaningful form of worship for many.

[Gooblink]

For a long time I preferred it. It's really beginning to annoy me, now.

 

It's definitely not part of my worship, but I go because my family likes it.

 

I love old hymns...sung a capella and in Latin. :)

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I just notice that fewer people seem to sing when the lighting is dimmed. I have to wonder if people feel that when the musicians are playing and singing that the congregation isn't supposed to be. It's also interesting to hear everyone pipe up when the instruments stop playing.

 

There really isn't a difficulty seeing the lyrics on the screens with the lights up. The lights stay up when the pastor is preaching.

[katemary63]

DH was raised Assembly. I was raised Lutheran. So we compromized when we met and started attending a non-denominational church with contemporary music. We've stuck with that ever since. I love the drums, keeboard, and all the guitars up there. But, all three of the churches we have attended mixed hymns with worship songs. You can rock out a hymn you know and it sounds great! When we moved this last time, we couldn't find what we were looking for and ended up at a wonderful Baptist church with "old fashioned" music - organ and a choir - ACK! I felt no desire to sing along - none. The arangements were so old and slow and boring. We went there two years until one morning I woke up and said, "I'm not going back there. I can't take that music one more day." I was 44 at the time. If I felt like the music was too out dated, what do you think the younger people thought!? So, we left, sadly, because it was a great church, and found another great church but this time, with a rock band up front. Yay!

 

Clarification: The band up front is an accompaniment to the singing of the congregation - not a concert to watch.

 

I love choir music and organ music. Just not to worship to every week.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Clarification: The band up front is an accompaniment to the singing of the congregation - not a concert to watch.

 

 

 

I agree that this is the intent. I'm just not sure that the effect is to actually leave a spiritual/mental space for others to participate.

 

I loved the folks in the praise team in Hawaii. They did a great job of leading the way into worship, but also leaving space for the congregation to follow.

 

I have also seen some praise teams that are so loud that there is no reason for anyone else to sing. I can't hear myself, let alone my family or the people next to me. I think under these conditions that people in the congregation may tend to hang back.

 

The chapel on base in Yokosuka had been designed pre sound systems. It had a big marble front wall to reflect the congregations voices back. Unfortunately, it did weird things to modern instruments with sound amplification. I actually found it painful many weeks. I would go stand in the foyer and sing there until the musical worship was over.

 

Of course, I also realized a few weeks ago that when I'm getting frustrated at minimal singing, the best remedy is for me to sing more.

 

:hurray: (But I'm still not much of a hand raiser.)

[Jennifer in MI]

I agree with that, I like the congregation to sing along. I also loved the hula praise groups in Hawaii. :)

 

I'm all about traditional worship with traditional music. But THIS would have been fun!!!!!

 

(And, I do occasionally play LOUD praise music at home - so I'm not opposed to it or anything. I was just brought up with more traditional music in church.)

[TN Mama]

I do!

[6packofun]

Me! Us!! I still love hymns thrown in, but a more upbeat style with theologically rich words and themes is what we *definitely* prefer. It's just easier to sing along to music that you LIKE.

[lionfamily1999]

I like both :D

[Heatherwith4]

I like a mixed bag! :)

[mrs.m]

I just notice that fewer people seem to sing when the lighting is dimmed. I have to wonder if people feel that when the musicians are playing and singing that the congregation isn't supposed to be. It's also interesting to hear everyone pipe up when the instruments stop playing.

 

There really isn't a difficulty seeing the lyrics on the screens with the lights up. The lights stay up when the pastor is preaching.

 

Well, I'm not sure that is true. I won't sing very loud if the music is too quiet. I have many friends that have said the same thing. Play it loud so I can sing out without worrying about my neighbor being distracted by the off key behind her! So when I visit MIL in her little Methodist church with only a piano, I don't really sing very loudly even though I do really like the hymns. I just can't get into it because I can't sign (good enough to know I'm off key, bad enough that I can't get on key.) :blushing:

 

I was on the tech team at a large church that dims the lights. It really is because it is less distracting and creates a mood that helps some connect with God during the praise set. It isn't so that people can see the words on the screen.

 

Of course some people prefer something different for their praise. That's the reason that there are so many churches out there and so many different ways to praise!

Edited March 23, 2011 by jannylynn

[ktgrok]

I don't mind it if it is GOOD music. I like good music of any kind, contemporary or otherwise. However, too often it is really awful. I don't have enough musical background to tell you how it is awful, but it is.

 

that said, my favorite musical moment in church was a female soloist signing "Mary Did You Know" at the back of the church, with her husband accompanying her on guitar, in a candlelit christmas eve service. I sobbed. So yeah, contemporary can be good, if it is done well.

[3lilreds in NC]

My dh and I love contemporary worship. We started attending a contemporary service when we were first married, at a Lutheran church in Michigan. I thought we would go traditional every other week, but we loved the contemporary service so much, we never looked back.

 

Our church in Raleigh had AMAZING music. AMAZING. Our pastor told the congregation regularly that the music was kept loud so that everyone would feel comfortable singing along. I think it worked, too! The band was definitely there to lead worship. There were sometimes special songs, but almost always the congregation was expected to sing along.

 

I love hymns. They bring back lots of wonderful memories. I love to sing them at home and in the car and sometimes even in church. :D However, I feel like my soul is set free when I am able to worship to contemporary music. I am so, so blessed to be able to sing on the worship team at our new church. Do you want to know how much I love it? Church starts at 8:15 am and I am there EVERY WEEK. :lol:

 

Honestly, it's the only thing that keeps us at this church. (Well, that, and the fact that it's less than a mile from our house. That's a pretty big selling point too.) The people are nice, and it's a nice little church, but we're used to a much different setup. When we have gone to their traditional service, they sing hymns I have never heard before and I don't like them. It's interesting to me that people can have such different choices in hymns! When I go to choir practice, the choir director says, almost always, "You all know these hymns so we will just work on the special." I almost never know the songs. It cracks me up. All the long-time members of the church laugh with me.

 

I've been back to traditional churches when we visit family. Sometimes, we visit on a "good" Sunday, lol, when they sing hymns we know and love. I love the smell of old churches, you know, and sometimes it's nice to revisit the order of worship or liturgy. Most of the time, we sit through the service out of respect for our parents/siblings and look forward to being back at our own church.

[tntgoodwin]

Phew! After reading through some other threads, I was beginning to feel like I was the only one who felt a deeper and more meaningful worship of God in these type of churches! Glad to see I am not alone!

 

I have seen a few of you mention some churches in Hawaii...do you mind sharing which those were? I live on Oahu currently.

 

What are your favorite worship songs? I really like "Revelation Song" and "How He Loves Us" (the version with "sloppy wet kiss").

[mrs.m]

One of my favorites is "Beautiful Things" by Gungor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7VOKQ0xJY&feature=related

"Mighty To Save" Hillsong and Jeremy Camp has a version too.

"Lead me to the Cross"

I also love "How He Loves Us"!!!

[Donna]

I prefer it. Our church includes the audience in the singing. I especially loved it when the kids were little because they enjoyed singing along as well so I never had to put them in a nursery.

 

I wanted to add a little funny thing...I work with developmentally delayed children one day a week as a physical therapist. I was showing one little guy (2yo) a book with pictures for him to color and we came upon a guitar. I asked him what it was and he said, "That's a Blessed Be Your Name." So cute!

Edited March 23, 2011 by Donna

[Cinder]

barefoot praise team leaders introducing the church hula group

 

We got to visit a church in HI that included this and it was a wonderful experience (the whole thing--worship and sermon, etc, not just the praise hula). For Tony--It was New Hope at Farrington.

 

We enjoy a contemporary style that is not too loud and includes hymns. I love singing hymns in a contemporary style. Our current church has 2 worship leaders and each has a slightly different style--it's refreshing. Prior to settling at this church we had visited a few others. Some of the contemporary worship out there is a bit too loud or too performance-y for us. At one church I thought the rock-style was because it was a youth emphasis day. Nope, we went back and found that was their norm. At another church the guy in the back was directing the singers on where to stand, when to move to new positions on stage, focusing the lighting on particular singers. It was too much of a production for me.

 

Contemporary worship seems to be more common here than traditional. So much so that churches with traditional-style worship advertise as such.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I love them both, we used to have a blended service but now it is a worship team. They do a mix of old standards and new though.

[6packofun]

So is it considered a concert if the church does it that way? I never thought of it that way. :001_huh: I'm too busy with my connection with God to think that the praise team or church was making it all about them and their performance.

 

Maybe they should put the band in the back of the church? :confused: Maybe also keep the lights on so I can be distracted by the person 5 rows in front of me that keeps itching her nose? :lol:

 

Interesting perspective that I never considered.

 

I don't think so. I actually consider most choirs to be more of a show than the people with instruments playing up there. I want to sing with Jesus' church, not just listen to someone else sing! And if we're singing along with the choir, why do they need to be up there? LOL!! But try to do away with a church's choir and see what happens... it can get ugly. Heart motives... :D Most of the time, though, I think that people just want to use their talents for God and that's OK. Just as long as I can sing along, too. :lol:

[Hedgehog]

Any Protestants who prefer a contemporary worship music style?

 

Me.. and the family! Our church usually plays traditional hymns accompanied by the organ, which is fine, but it doesn't lift me up like some of the contemporary music does. I love to have a piano plus guitars, drums, flute or violin playing with the congregation. I haven't ever been to a church where there's a band and choir that play by themselves - we always sing along.

[lionfamily1999]

Ah! got it! ;)

 

We used to go to a church that did this and called it "performance songs". I enjoyed it because it usually tied in with the message. But I really like listening to music too and often connect to God that way. If I knew the song, I'd go ahead and sing along. It was loud enough that nobody could hear me. :lol:

 

But the church we go to now never has performance songs. They stick to contemporary praise music in the later service. I like the earlier service too with the hymns mixed in. Like I said, I really like music!

Our church does both modern music and traditional Baptist hymns. The choir also sings one song alone for our listening enjoyment. :lol: It is possible to have the best of all worlds!

 

I grew up in a church that was contemporary only. Growing up I got to hear about how wrong it was (we danced too). There, the idea was if David can sing, leap and dance to show praise to God we can too! The church I attend now is different (I'm not sure how they would handle dancing), but thankfully they do regard praising God as praising God, regardless of the instruments.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Me! Our church uses a mix in an effort to appease all. I know people love hymns but frankly ~yawn~. Good music with some drums and a bass makes me listen to the words and sing for joy to Jesus. YMMV

[justamouse]

I love contemporary Christian music, although, to me, it's starting to sound repetitive. Like all Hillsongs. I play it around the house, but at church I like the old hymns.