So, You Know You're Square . . .Now What?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on October 5, 2010 at 4:43pm

Hey Greg, I'm glad you think it's 'way normal' 'cos where I come from..........it's no go. Seriously : (

Why do you get into trouble about your song choices?

Lorraine

Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on October 5, 2010 at 7:18pm

Sometimes my choice of songs, placing a song for its value in the Word, what it's speaking to the people, is not appreciated when the song seems to impede the "flow", meaning the direction that another staff member perceives as the way the service ought to be going... agh.. going to be late for work, have to continue this thought later...

Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on October 5, 2010 at 11:31pm

OK, back from work. A worship service may have a number of reasons for being constructed in a certain way. Some see the service as an "experience", an environment laded with Scriptural thought and compelling beauty and energy that influences a person Godward.

Some view worship as therapeutic -- people come in, and during worship they are encouraged to repent, or let go of various types of spiritual hindrance (or "bondage", the popular term in the US), thus receiving healing in body &/or soul during worship time. Songs such as "You Won't Relent" or "Rain Down" may dominate such a service, repeated at great length until the will to resist is broken. The overall thinking is that of a musical environment that intensifies until some sort of breakthrough is made. "Take it to the next level" is a common catchphrase among proponents of this type of service.

Others, myself included, see the value of the dramatic, spirit-drenching worship service, but also desire to see the Body grow through songs of fellowship, Gospel story, admonition, praise, simple joy and even fun, as part of a community. The person who is always looking for a mystical "flow" of worship which will sweep people off their feet will consider songs of these other genres to be trivial, too wordy, or aside the point (as they see the point to be). I will hear such phrases as "Are we on the same page?" "We don't want to go back to where we were before." That sort of thing.

In this situation, style and manner of conducting the flow of "worship intensity" begin to outweigh content. "The medium is the message", Marshall McLuhan's old saw, starts to dominate worship planning. I personally think that while we should make every effort to speak the language of both congregants and outsiders, when we sacrifice message for "flow", we lose the vitamins of worship through song.

Actually, I don't get into such trouble currently. I no longer serve as a chief musician, and my wife and I are visiting all of our friends' churches -- after 15 years in one location there are a lot (we've seen a different Body each week since June, and are not nearly done!). It has been a great, refreshing time of seeing how others sing to God, in a wide variety of contexts, ranging from Orthodoxy to Episcopal to Baptist to Pentecostal.

Also, I would be unfair to present this "issue" about getting into trouble as solely a problem that others have created. Looking back, I think I would have spent a lot more time getting input from others as to my choices. I'm not sure; I mentored the current leaders, encouraging them to choose "their own services." Desiring to have complete, thought-out, prayed-on, non-politically generated worship services, have I engendered ingrown thinking?

My head has pretty well reached its limit on this. Do you or anyone out there care to take this baton and run with it?

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on October 6, 2010 at 3:31pm

What you have described is really interesting and I totally understand what you are saying. I also know how you feel about your head reaching it's limit, I know the feeling only too well.

The situation is kinda different for me 'cos I have never done worship in one place but get asked to provide worship in all sorts of places, with different denominations. This is the reason I gotta trust in the choices God gives me. You know, I really don't think (if I am completely honest), in fact I know, that I wouldn't be happy doing worship at the same church and in the same type of service week in and week out. I have to admit, I admire you and others who stick it out for so many years in one location, I really don't think I could handle that at all for lots of different reasons. Hence the reason I joined this group, I am definitely a 'square peg', in fact, I doubt very much I would fit into a 'square hole'!.

Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on October 6, 2010 at 6:04pm

Actually, for the moment, breathing the fresh air of new experiences and freedom is no nice, the idea of going back to a standard "position" seems stale (that may change with time). But there is a real place for people in God's kingdom who will move around, be interfellowshiptual and interdenominational. Jesus rattled everyone's cage on the Sabbath, sometimes in the synagogue, sometimes in the field. Paul didn't hang around too long anywhere, but I kinda think he could be described as "faithful." On the other hand, there's Lois & Eunice and Timothy. And there is a season for every purpose under heaven.

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on October 7, 2010 at 4:16pm

You know Greg, you are absolutely right, I'd never thought of it like that before : )

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Bluhm on March 16, 2010 at 2:43pm

Greg, this could be your group, as all "squares" are welcome! Everyone is a square about something, most everyone has a situation where they are having a hard time fitting. I know for me, and others here, this feeling we have is one of the challenge of swimming upstream, so to speak. For me, it is a matter of calling and fit, as opposed to preference (well, mostly!) I, personally am beginning to see that perhaps the call on my life is to bring a balance "to the force". I have a strong inclination that worship is more than the songs we sing, and that even within the realm of musical worship, there is room for teaching, prophecy, exhortation, and "transformative"/ supernatural healing and deliverance through God's Word. Most of the congregations and churches that I have been a part of, appear to prefer a somewhat watered down approach . . . though I think my more intense perspective on the subject colors my perceptions. Anyhow . . . WELCOME!

Permalink Reply by Alisa Mattison Price on March 17, 2010 at 11:15pm

My "fit" had to run up behind me, get a good grip on the bat, draw WAY back and letter rip!!! Talk about slow! I was singing in a choir in a mid-sized, surburban church TOTALLY feeling useless in regards to exercising what was inside of me. Strange thing was, I didn't know what it was . . . sad, I know. Someone actually recommended me to a pastor of a church plant as a potential worship leader for them. Only one problem; I'd never led worship!! Long story short, I found myself and was blessed to leave the poor fit behind. Learned a lot of things that I now employ, but man am I feelin' you on the whole fit thing. I still struggle at times with fit since I am African American and have a middle-of-the-road worship style (don't naturally scream and yell with the pentacostals, but don't do well with the catatonic, although I can co-exist with both). Love Fred Hammond/gospel, Fannie Crosby/hymns, Janet Pascal/southern, etc-smile. Guess I'm wired weird like that for a reason, huh? As you might guess, I don't have enough sense to not try a different style, so we do traditional gospel, hymns, contemporary, and even tried raggae recently. God rocks!

Permalink Reply by bet nich on July 24, 2010 at 7:18pm

Alisa - I can really relate.

I am white, can do any genre but prefer Gospel (gasp!). I have gotten my share of double-takes and puzzled looks when I play! After spending much of my christian life in mainstream churches, I have found a small multicultural fellowship where I feel much more comfortable.

My style falls somewhere in between 'smooth' jazz and people like Israel Houghton, Martha Munizzi, Fred Hammond. I also like 'shout' music and Trad. Gospel. Right now am preparing for our choir to sing "May the Lord God bless you real Good"...

I believe that God is big enough to be welcomed and worshipped in any musical style. Be comforted - God does make us the way we are for a reason...

Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on October 6, 2010 at 6:40pm

There may be constellations that get more attention... but the Square of Pegasus fits spledidly in the heavenly sphere of the night sky.

God's world is big enough for all Pegs.

Permalink Reply by Lorraine Doswell on October 7, 2010 at 4:26pm

That's great........but you know I have come across a few things lately to do with work, friends, church and I really don't think I fit anywhere, but if I am brutally honest, I really don't think I want to be part of the 'clique'. I think I am on the outside looking in and once I feel as though I am being sucked in, I back off. Does that make me a weird person, maybe it does? At least I am an honest, weird person : )

Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on October 8, 2010 at 1:40am

Not at all weird. I'm a choir-and-everybody-sing type of person myself, having been practically dragged into the worship-team thing (I resisted because I saw how easily they develop into cliques and performance societies). You may have explained why I often felt like "odd man out" even though I was the leader!

Now, "all seriousness aside" -- I was really just enjoying an astronomical pun with the Square of Pegasus:)

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