Christmas Carols and Contemporary Worship
People appearantly love Christmas carols. I love them to for various reasons. Mostly nostalgia. I love to remember the ghost of Christmas past like any ebenezer but I do not love them for worship. I have heard lots of worship leaders do various contemporary renditions but most of them quite frankly seem to consist of these carols with a drum beat and the electric guitar player in the back scrambling to change chords every beat. Praisecharts.com has some better than average arrangements that you should check out if you are in charge of putting a worship set together this christmas. These are on the light side of contemporary however and may not be suited for more 'cutting edge' services...
Another issue I see is the focus of these songs. They are for the most part horizontal'data stream' songs intended to recount the entire christmas story in three stanzas or less. Good for a sing-a-long perhaps but isn't worship more than just a sing along with songs that make us feel good?
Just a thought....
Another issue I see is the focus of these songs. They are for the most part horizontal'data stream' songs intended to recount the entire christmas story in three stanzas or less. Good for a sing-a-long perhaps but isn't worship more than just a sing along with songs that make us feel good?
Just a thought....
5 Comments:
Stumbled onto your blog during a blog search on "worship" - glad I found you! I have a blog on similar topics: www.commonsaints.blogspot.com. Come and visit... I will read more of your thoughts on previous posts and probably make a few comments. Also, I will be linking to your blog, if that is okay!
David - tried posting on the 10 reasons people don't sing in church entry but I could not find a link for posting comments... did you totally mess up your blog site, or what? I WANT TO COMMENT! LORD, OPEN UP A COMMENT CHANNEL ON DAVID'S BLOG SITE - AMEN!! LOL...
I know this is a bit late, but perhaps for next year:
Paul Baloche has a song out that I am sure you are familiar with "Offering" it has a beautiful melody, and a fabulous chorus... last year he put Christmas lyrics to the verse, and what a wonderful Christmas song... It will be in my line-ups every year from now on... A Brief CHristmas Story Synopsis, but a meaningful "Vertical Message" Chorus that allows the congregation to connect with God...
You can download it for free at http://www.leadworship.com/resources/songbook.html
It is called "Christmas Offering"
So next year, you will be ready!
I know this is a bit late...but our worship pastor uses traditional Christmas carols, both during the holidays and other times, quite worshipfully and effectively. We are a very cutting edge church; some might call us post-modern, even, although I don't believe we fit that description completely.
He has added a simple new chorus or section to many of the carols that has a vertical focus. And it's in the way he presents the song; he oozes a worshipful attitude and heart, and that brings a spirit of worshipfulness into every song he presents. I keep telling him he needs to do a Christmas album of all of his arrangements; it would be huge.
Thats really cool. I would love to hear those. Let me know, I could possibly post them to freeworshipmusic.com. I think something like that really is needed. I would probobly use it.
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