The last week or so has been really rough; but God is good, and rough weeks end, the sun still shines after the rain, and that’s as worthy a reason to give praise as any.
As I write this, I have “Thinking of You,” a cut from the new/old band Future of Forestry, playing through my computer speakers, and that’s a good reason to give praise, too. I say “new/old band” because this is the same group as the worship band Something Like Silas—they reinvented themselves and went off in a new musical direction, under a new name. Fortunately, from the first listen (I’m now on to “Sanctitatis”), they brought their musical and songwriting gifts with them.
Anyway, if you’ll pardon the right turn—I’ll come back to Something Like Silas in a minute—I’ve been thinking about a conversation I had with a friend of mine a week or two ago about worship. This friend is one of the worship leaders for a big-city megachurch/satellite church/pocket denomination/whatever you want to call it; they seem to be doing great work for the kingdom, but from some of the comments my friend has made, I’m wondering when the folks leading that congregation will hit their Dave Johnson moment. Right now, they seem to be on top of the elephant; but they’re making some decisions that, from the outside (and a considerable distance—no churches that size up here), I wonder about.
For one, I understand they recently issued the dictum that in worship (which is to say, in the singing part of worship), 3/4 of the songs need to be songs addressed to God, not songs about God. Which, OK, I can see the reasoning on this, but (as my friend pointed out), there are a couple of problems here. First, if you’re trying to lead a church across multiple campuses, you need to accept that those are in truth different congregations, different gatherings of people, with different needs, which thus must be led differently. Trying to centralize decision-making in worship planning really isn’t a good idea—there needs to be some degree of freedom for the folks with leadership responsibilities at the individual sites to do what is appropriate and fitting for them, not just what someone halfway across the metro area thinks is a good idea.
And second, songs addressed to God are, logically, songs in the first person; and unfortunately, given the way folks write, they tend to be in the first person singular—”I” songs. Looking at the landscape of what is generally called contemporary worship music, the great majority of “I” songs tend to be focused on me and my experience and what I’m doing for God. As such, the dictum to give most of the time to songs addressed to God will likely tend to produce a shift toward songs that are actually more about me and myself—not about who God is, not about who we are as the body of Christ, but about what I’m doing and feeling. Doing and feeling about God, yes, but . . . well, just think of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14) if you don’t see what I’m talking about.
That said, this shift is far from inevitable, even if it is the course of least resistance; and here’s where Something Like Silas comes in. I only have their last album, Divine Invitation—as yet, I haven’t picked up any of their indie releases—but while their songs are very personal expressions of worship, mostly “I” songs, they’re also songs which are unquestionably focused on God; some are expressions of praise, while others are heartfelt prayers for God to act. So, since I missed posting a song for last week, I thought I’d post an example of each, two tracks off Divine Invitation.
Words That You SaySpeak in this close communion,
Though this hour seems timeless still,
I wait for your words that bid me come.
Breathe in me, Holy Spirit,
The will when my tomorrow comes
To follow when this song is gone.So I await the words that you say—
I open my life;
I am longing just to hear these words
That you say, that you say.Shape me with words of wisdom,
Free my torn heart from this world;
Renew my mind and form my will.
Teach me to wholly offer
More than words that I can sing,
So I become the song I bring.ChorusCan I be an instrument of praise
And here pursue your heart,
So my life will tell of who you are?
Can I be a channel of your love,
A reflection of your light,
And live to bring you praise and serve you, Lord?ChorusWords and music: Eric Owyoung
©2004 Birdwing Music
From the album Divine Invitation, by Something Like SilasInfiniteLord, a thousand years go by,
Just a moment in your eyes,
‘Cause you alone are far beyond the infinite, O Lord.Lord, all the heavens sing to you,
You’re full of grace and truth,
And you alone are far beyond the infinite . . .So I’ll trust you when I cannot see;
So I’ll trust you when the shadows hover over me
And I’ll love you when the distance leaves me cold.
So I’ll love you . . . I will still believe that you are sovereign, Lord.Lord, your promises are true,
Your mercies always new,
Your love for us is far beyond the infinite, O Lord.Though I fear I walk alone,
You reach into my soul;
Your love for me is far beyond the infinite . . .ChorusI’m learning to trust,
I’m learning to feel,
I’m learning to love you always . . .ChorusWords and music: Eric Owyoung and Steve Hindalong
©2004 Birdwing Music/New Spring Publishing, Inc./Never Say Never Songs
From the album Divine Invitation, by Something Like Silas