Words of Wisdom from the Babylon Bee – My take on the matter …
The reason the Babylon Bee is so popular is that it simply takes the truth that most people will not say out loud and puts it in print. What is also interesting is that, unlike most news articles, the greatest attraction is in the headline. The copy which follows is somewhat irrelevant.
If you are over the age of sixty, the view of praise songs is that they are shallow and repetitious. If one is not raising their hands with their eyes closed while singing the lyrics from memory, then you are less than sufficiently spiritual.
Christian churches have continued to transition away from hymns toward more contemporary music because an increasing number of believers have grown up with it.
Christian contemporary music had its start in the late 1960s and early 70s. Larry Norman released “Upon This Rock” in 1969 and is considered the father of the genre. From there it was just a matter of time before the “Worship Team” began replacing the “Choir” in “Seeker-Friendly” churches across America.
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary eliminated their traditional music degrees around 2019 as interest waned. This trend has continued as the term “Worship Leader” has been broadened to include more than choir and handbell rehearsals.
Repetition in Christian Music
Repetition is not new to contemporary Christian music. Martin Luther was a strong proponent of repetition in hymns, seeing it as a way to make the theology presented more ingrained into the minds of believers. However, this approach was accentuated in the 19th-20th century during revivals “with choruses and refrains repeated over and over to create a sense of energy and enthusiasm.” New believers could learn songs quickly through the repetition and engagement as a community of believers, fostering a sense of belonging.
It remains to be seen whether today’s Christians find repetition and the limited number of words that often accompany contemporary religious music as engaging. For many, especially in mainline churches, there exists a hollow sound from those who mouth the words without the emotions that were more evident in the tent meetings and revival services of the past. However, that reality is more a function of the state of Biblical Christianity in America than it is the choice of music from the Sanctuary on Sunday mornings.
Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words
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