Worship Songs Aren't For The "Blokes" - Agree or Disagree?

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Permalink Reply by MIke on September 22, 2009 at 11:09pm

I would have to disagree with matt on this one. The first thing we MUST remember is that God is not a male. Nor is He a female. He certainly does have charactaristics of both sexes but God does not have a sex. I think sometimes we take things like "Father God" and apply it in a way too literal sense. Yes God is a father, but he is also a mother. There is a mothering side of God. He is where we get all of our character traits. That's how he designed us. Men and women are different but, both are Godly characteristics.

Now, the whole "Jesus as my boyfriend" thing... bull. Someone please read Song of Solomon and tell me we aren't supposed to have INTIMATE relationships with God. He created intimacy!!! Why would we have intimacy with our wives and not God. If we do not have that kind of relationship with God, how can you give it to your wife? We are supposed to have romantic feelings towards God. The whole story of God and man is about romance. Our relationship with our God is very sexual. Not in a physical way but spiritually. It is about the two becoming one and being impregnated with destiny and revelation. How do we receive reveltion and destiny from God? Initmacy! In todays age we have such a perverted knowledge and understanding of love, sex, intimacy, etc. My point is it is NOT homosexual to sing love songs to Jesus. (For some reason men see homosexuals as pansy boys!) Isn't that the concern anyway? Coming off as a homosexual? Men want to see themselves and be seen as tough, rugged, powerful, and not gentle, kind, etc.. Look at Jesus. Was he manly? He was a freakin carpenter, it doesn't get more manly than that. And he was more kind and gentle than anyone! If coming off homosexual or weak is not the concern, what is? When we say we want to be like God, do we really? Or, are we blocking out parts of Him that we don't want because it makes us feel uncomfortable? The powerful and flowery are both aspects of God. Why do away with one for the other. The point is to have both.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on September 23, 2009 at 3:21am

I also disagree with Matt (though it was a leading question and perhaps he was caught off guard as his answer was rambling). The focus in our worship is God and our changed lives should lift us out of our preconceived notions of love from the world's point of view that in our lives prior to knowing Christ would make us uncomfortable. I have led worship for 8 years now and I have never seen or heard of anyone (even the more macho guys) ever expressing discomfort with singing about loving Jesus (in fact, they sing much louder than the women).

I also disagree with some of your comments however, God created sex for His creation, men and women. That is not the same relationship that we have with God. We need to be conscious of our word use. The Bible has very specific words to describe various aspects of love that do not come out as clearly in English. One thing I can assure you though, there is not a single instance of passionate love (sex) used to describe the relationship we have with God. That is physical, carnal, superficial and fleeting. We have agape love, which is much deeper and initimate, but in a way that is very different than worldly love, which has become corrupted.

We need to be careful about how we use words and not get into a situation where we are confusing non-believers or misinforming believers. The one thing we should be focused on is not the "manliness" of the lyrics, but whether the lyrics are reflective of the Word. If someone can come away thinking the song could be about loving God or loving your boyfriend, then that could be a problem.

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Permalink Reply by MIke on September 23, 2009 at 4:31pm

Sex is a physical expression of a spiritual principle. Sex as a physical expression is between a man and a woman. It is the joining of two lives which were once separated becoming one. Sound familiar? It is what happened between Jesus and His bride (that's us). Now we are one with Him. We are one with Him. I didn't mean to say that we are physically sexual with God. I was simply trying to show the connection between the physical demonstration and spiritual principle. In the Bible Jesus relates the relationship of Himself and the church to that of a husband and wife. That is what I was trying to point out. Sorry for any confusion.

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Permalink Reply by daniel cash on September 25, 2009 at 2:21am

So maybe the next extension of "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs is to bring back temple prostitutes? I think that the focus of the bridegroom passages is not simply a physical or sexual allegory. Anyone who has been married can testify, the husband/wife relationship is about way more than sex. Even the Song of Songs is allegory in only the most general sense and the specific sensual language is, in fact, very literal.

I think the point that Mr. Redman is making (or answering) is that worship leaders need to consider all types of people when they write songs, not just people "like us." Most of us spend some time and effort making sure that the songs we choose are in appropriate keys, are easy to sing, etc. We even choose the style of songs according to what our congregations can tolerate. Maybe the video can call to attention to the fact that lyrics need to also be considered.

Not that "girlie" songs are bad or inappropriate, or that "blokey blokes" are unable to get anything out of them, but we should balance the views of God we present in our worship.

Mr. Redman is correct in that the Church has been emasculated even though God is viewed in the masculine.

I like to picture my God as neither male nor female. Like an emo kid wearing skinny jeans and eye liner.

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Permalink Reply by febe lampacan on September 23, 2009 at 1:52am

worship songs aren't really for the blokes- IT IS FOR GOD...
are we only to sing this songs when we are comfortable with it?

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Permalink Reply by Linda Embardo on September 23, 2009 at 1:09pm

Wow, this is timely. I just had this conversation with two men in my church. One told me he struggled with the the phrase "bring me to my knees" in Lead Me To The Cross. He told me that another man in the church expressed the same issues when singing that line. I never thought of that. Personally, I cannot lead Your Love Is Extravagant in church. Although it may have been meant as an intimate love song between a believer and the Savior, the words just don't seem appropriate for public worship.

Is there some happy medium between chucking these songs and asking ourselves and our churches to rise above these carnal thoughts (is that even possible)? Is our flesh to powerful a force to be reckoned with, even in worship?

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Permalink Reply by Robert on September 23, 2009 at 4:20pm

Sure is awesome that we are forgiven for our filthy minds.

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Permalink Reply by daniel cash on September 25, 2009 at 2:23am

That's what she said.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Letus on September 23, 2009 at 11:09pm

I remember thwe first time I encountered this back in the mid '90's with David Ruis' "True Love". I, as a recently married man, was awestruck with the boldness and beauty of the lyrics taken from Song of Solomon about the 'kisses of your mouth and feeling your warm embrace.' It actually helped me to connect to Jesus at a deeper level than I thought possible for a man.

And fast forwarding about 15 years---it's songs like Darren Clarke's "You Are Wonderful", David Ruis' "True Love", Samuel Lanes' "Beautiful", and just about any Jeremy Riddle or Ryan Delmore worship song that are currently pulling me back into a closer relationship after an extended dry period.

I daily thank the Lord for intimate worship music.

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