Change: Not Always a Good Thing

I was at a loss of things to write about, so I began recalling some musically relevant things I’ve experienced. The only thing I can think of right now is the various age limits we place on involvement in our music departments. Some time ago, I was faced with the dilemma of not having enough “solid” singers on the praise team. I knew that I had some children that were 11 and 12 that were able to sing and even harmonize as well as any adult.

What do you think I did?

Well, with my pastor’s permission, I removed the age requirement (15 years old) for being on the praise team. This requirement was in place long before my arrival, but no one seemed to have a problem with the fresh new faces on the praise team. Of course I was totally fair about this and allowed anyone who was interested in singing to audition. Some did not make the cut and only a few did. The result was the same as with adults; there were hints of jealousy and resentment from several that did not make the cut, but we were able to talk through everything and move on.

About six months into everything, a visiting elder asked if there was no children’s choir. The pastor said there was. The elder asked why there were children singing on the praise team if they had a choir to sing in. The pastor explained the need for skilled singers and the elder responded by saying this decision may not send the right kind of message. The pastor and I took these thoughts into careful consideration. But we continued with the younger singers on the praise team. A few months later, an issue came up that brought attention to the fact that certain people were under the age of 15 and this led to the reinstatement of the 15 year old age requirement.

The worst part about the whole situation was telling the children they could not be on the praise team. But the children seemed to have no problem with that as they were beginning to feel the pressure of being depended upon like an adult. These children were on time for rehearsals, behaved in practice, and held their own while singing with their parents and other adults. It’s a shame, but I had less disciplinary problems from them than some of the twenty-somethings.

Some of the children’s parents were the ones who had the biggest bone to pick with me. And I could understand the anger; we gave their children something and took it away. But with the pastor’s support, we were able to put that fire out.

Looking back, I learned that maybe it isn’t the best thing to use children until they are a certain age. The level of responsibility placed on someone on a praise team can be taxing to young children. There are even times when practices become uncomfortable because you can’t teach young children the same as adults. You just have to work with what you have. We should be very careful that we try not to change things on impulse as we might find out later, the need probably wasn’t as urgent as it seemed. You have to consider ALL the people affected by your decisions. If we were not so fortunate in this situation, we could have lost people in that local assembly over someone singing 2 times a month. All I have left to say is be careful out there people. PLEASE be careful.
God Bless!

Sacred vs. Secular

This is Shyla Salmon posting for Ann Ahrens who apparently has "nothing to say" today. Of course I don't believe her claim, but I'm here nonetheless.
She instructed me to write something, anything about music. So, that's what i'll do.

Recently, I have been becoming increasingly aware of the subconscious tendency I have to categorize music under two categories: Christian and Non-Christian. I have also become aware of how faulty this is.
Has the song itself been converted to Christianity? When did any four piece minute of music decide to follow Christ and begin to manifest the fruits of the spirit?
I know there are times when i'm strolling down the grocery store aisle and hear a song that has words like "God", or "hallelujah" and immediately proclaim with joy: "This song MUST be Christian". As if, on an imaginary scoreboard I am tallying "1 for the Christians, 0 for Non-christians"
But isn't music God's? Isn't He the ultimate reference point for all things? Don't get me wrong.
Of course there is music that is filled with vulgarity and references to things that do not bring God glory. With every gift there are boundaries, everything can be perverted-But that is the true test: Does it glorify the God of the universe, or does it defame Him?
The questions we should be asking ourselves should be more like: Does what I am listening to draw me to Christ? Does it stir up a deep awe and reverence of Him in my soul?
Of course, what stirs my affections for Jesus, may actually rob yours.
For example, Beyonce's new hit single "Smash Into You" and Coldplay's "Fix You" are both songs that cause me to weep in remembrance of my experiences with the Lord, even though the writers of these songs may have not penned it about Jesus. And recently, at a Mutemath concert during their song "Obsession" I was moved to worship (I worshipped Jesus, not the strikingly talented, goodlooking lead singer). I understand that not every Christian worships the Lord to Beyonce, but you get my drift.
In any case, I believe it is important for us to rid ourselves of automatic stereotyping that may or may not be subconscious. I wonder if we were more concerned about encouraging the glorification of God through music, than condemning it to Hell, maybe through unexpected avenues we would see Jesus more clearly and love Him more dearly.


What I'm listening to: Brand New's newest album Daisy, and Switchfoot's Hello Hurricane
What I'm reading: Turning Points by Mark Noll

This is Shyla Salmon, signing off
Stop by my blog www.shylasal.wordpress.com if you get the chance :)

Make a joyful noise

“You did what? You didn’t. You didn’t seriously kick him out of the choir, did you?”

“No way. Get out! I can’t believe you did that. What did you say? What did he say?”

“No… You didn’t say that, really. Tell me you didn’t just say that there was no way that he was ever going to be able to carry a tune.”

. . .

I really have a hard time with this one. On the one hand I do not feel that there is EVER an excuse to disallow someone from singing unto the LORD. I don’t think God is pleased when we hold our music to such a standard where it is not something where anyone can participate. I don’t just mean congregational singing. I mean in the spotlight. On the stage. In front of God and every one.

“But Everett, you can’t mean to tell me that you’re going to let someone who is extremely tonally challenged sing a special!”

Um… well… I think I would. It would be painful to me. It would probably be painful to a number of other people. But I would test the spirit. I wouldn’t let the lack of musicality diminish the person’s heartfelt song unto the LORD.

Perhaps God is more pleased with the sincere special sung by the tonally challenged than some of my efforts, which, although perhaps containing more talent, contains less sincerity. I will admit with a high degree of shame that I have gotten up to sing a special with little or no preparation, and with little or no anointing. And that I have witnessed some with much less musicality offer much more sincere worship unto the LORD.

I do think we should be prepared. And we absolutely need the LORD’s anointing. And we need to practice. We need to make a sound that is not only joyful, but also pleasing to the ear, ours, the congregations’ and the LORD’s. But face it. You will always have the tonally challenged among you. Let them sing in the masse choir. You don’t have to let them sing in your “audition-only ensemble.” You don’t have to let them sing a special. At least, not more than once. However, if their worship outshines that of any of the more practiced among you, let it be a lesson in humility for those with the trained ear. Let it be a lesson in God’s grace that any one of us can lift up our voice in song. After all. It is His hand that created each one of us. Let us glory in the off key singing. Let us revel in the simple fact that we are His creation.