Music Changes (Continued)

As I look at the past 20 years and the changes in music that the church has experienced, I believe it has brought great renewal for many churches.

For the generation that we are currently trying to reach, music is a very important part of their lives and culture.

Look at their I-pods, mp3 players, CD players, home entertainment systems, and car sound systems. They spend thousands on music and they enjoy many varieties.

As church attendance took a decline around 1990, the major issue was a modern generation that could not relate with a historic church. They wanted more for themselves and their children.

With that brought many changes to the church. Family life centers (gymnasiums), outreach (church planting in small areas outside of church buildings), Children’s Ministers and eventually, worship styles (music).

I believe that Keith Lancaster, founder of Acappella, has made the largest impact on music and the church than any other single individual in the last 50 years. His love for music and his writing ability for new church music sparked an interest in new contemporary language music for a generation seeking that for themselves and their young families. Acappella traveled the country singing with power and emotion about what God can do in the lives of His people and it signaled a change in our worship assembly as well as preaching in the church.

Other song writers from the church, such as Ken Young (Faithful Love) and Brandon Scott Thomas (Zoe Ministries), have produced new music arrangements for churches to make our worship more meaningful and contemporary for today’s society.

With this new music has brought many challenges. Some older members have been “stretched” singing the new songs. Some members feel like we are abandoning our traditions and old sacred hymns. In some churches, there have been great division and splits because of the worship music. We must be careful to keep the unity of the spirit and also allow each of our groups within the body to be uplifted and encouraged. We do this by understanding the needs of others.

In New York City, the church, once a month, sings songs in Spanish so the Spanish members are encouraged. A church in Texas sings 4 new songs and 4 older hymns every service. In a Colorado church, they sing two youth songs every service for the younger people. Many churches are realizing the need to reach every group.

The church will continue to grow in its worship. Individuals will always have “likes and dislikes” in church music. But we need to focus our energy on the one we are worshipping. It’s easy for a song leader to take a book out 1 minute before service and pick 6 songs to lead. It takes work, time and prayer to design a service that will be uplifting to all in attendance and glorify our Heavenly Father.