The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Infestation of Contemporary Worship

Question:

Why are we abandoning the old hymns? We are all aware of what is metasticizing among many churches; the contemporary worship songs played on a power point projector that have completely replaced traditional hymns. I lamented such "progress" happening among Protestant churches but felt safe in my traditional Catholic Mass....until last Mass where one of the lineup songs during the Preparation of the Gifts was "I could sing of your love forever." I was shocked!

What's my beef with contemporary worship? It is utterly devoid of theology. These songs stress relationship at the expense of what should truly be our focus, the cross of Christ, the harbinger of salvation. Perhaps the most admirable aspect of the Protestant Reformation is their grand tradition of hymns. Here's an example:

TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS

1. 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, "Thus saith the Lord."
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I've proved him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

2. O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
neath the healing, cleansing flood!
(Refrain)

3. Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace.
(Refrain)

4. I'm so glad I learned to trust thee,
precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
and I know that thou art with me,
wilt be with me to the end.
(Refrain)

In comparison, Contemporary worship is utterly devoid of content. Churches today are like parents who give their kids junk food because they like it and won't go to someone else's house where meat, potatoes, and vegetables are served. Contemporary worship is like sugary junk food, it tastes great going down, but does nothing to nourish us.

Many Protestant hymns are sung during Catholic Mass, this I have no problem with, but perhaps what we are "borrowing" now from Protestant churches is something we can do without.

You'll find no shortage of sympathizers here, I think. I myself grew up in a Pentecostal church where contemporary "praise & worship" choruses were the main fair. There were, of course, a few old favorite hymns, among them "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name," "Nothing but the Blood," "Amazing Grace," and so forth. But these seemed to be sung only when the pastor felt particularly nostalgic.

I was positively amazed to discover the rich heritage of hymns that in the past 30 or so years had been all but entirely abandoned in most of the evangelical church. After having done a lot more thinking about what God desires in worship, I've left the "praise & worship" music far behind. It is utterly devoid of godly reverence or nourishing spiritual food. It's the equivalent of subsisting on Twinkies.

Do they sing "Nothing but the blood" during the mass?


Remember this is a reformed discussion board "we don't believe graven images are how God wants us to worship Him" please change your avatar.




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Thank you,
William

William said:


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This thread is about worship music trends in church. If you wish to discuss my Avatar, please start a new thread. (turnabout is fairplay)

And yes, we do sing hymns that celebrate the blood of Jesus. For example, "There is power, power, wonder working power, in the precious blood of the Lamb!" Beautiful song!

Friend,

Your avatar is sin!

And we place our faith in Christ's blood we don't drink it.



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Another Mass, and this time 2 contemporary worship songs, "I could sing of your love forever," and "this little light of mine." The 2nd is not so bad, I grew up in Sunday school singing, "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."

Tell me anyone if you can relate to this. When these songs are played, I am conflicted inside. We all know that we can't benefit from a church service if we're judging it, because we close our hearts to the message. So I'm trying not to quench the Spirit while at the same time I'm distressed at this growing trend...can anyone relate?

The first song has a little bit of theology, which is good:

LORD I LIFT YOUR NAME ON HIGH

"Lord I lift Your name on high,
Lord I love to sing your praises,
I'm so glad You're in my life,
I'm so glad You came to save us.

You came from heaven to earth
To show the way,
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay,
From the cross to the grave,
From the grave to the sky,
Lord, I lift Your name on high."

So this song isn't as destitute as other songs like "I'm getting back to the heart of worship," or "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord" and some songs are full of very Biblical worship images such as "Ancient of Days." I don't so much mind that one hymn is replaced by a contemporary worship song, but two infuriats me, three results in an angry letter to the Bishop. It's not so much the songs, but rather the hymns they're replacing.

By the way, if there's anything I find breathtakingly beautiful about the Protestant tradition, it has to be the classic hymns. They have been truly inspired by God.

Kyle, you seem to link what is nowadays known as "praise and worship" to the Pentacostals. Is the origin of "praise and worship chorusses" in the pentacostal movement? The reason I ask is that since early last year all of a sudden this phrase has also been introduced in our English service (remember where I am the dominant language is not English but Afrikaans). I once remarked to one of the people that attends the English service that I think it is due to the influence of some people that come out of pentacostal churches that have joined the English service group.

Johan

Johan,

The vast majority of "praise & worship" music stems from the Charismatic movement, rather than Pentecostalism per se. Pentecostalism is the mother of the Charismatic movement. The differences between the two are subtle to most outsiders, but basically Pentecostals affirm that tongues is the necessary sign accompanying the "baptism of the Holy Spirit," where Charismatics do not believe that tongues must accompany Holy Spirit baptism. Also, Pentecostals formed separate denominations where Charismatics remained within the old mainline churches, at least in the early days. Now most "non-denominational" churches are one strand or another of the Charismatic movement. But, it is true that most "praise & worship" music reflects Charismatic and Pentecostal theology and their understanding of worhip.

I want to stress again the connection between contemporary worship bereft of content and the alarming takeover of the Universal Grace heresy that was refuted by the early Church. Sound theology is an innoculation against the infiltration of false doctrine and such theology is present in the traditional hymns but vacant in contemporary music.

I believe Universalism is a dangerous teaching that guts the gospel and diminishes the cross..for invariably Christ's crucifixion is disnecessitated and what we are saved from is trivialized making the "Good News" not so good after all. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here.

Fluffy, teady bear, feel good contemporary music evades the very things that hymns face; the old rugged cross, the blood that flowed at Calvary, the threat of eternal destruction, salvation by grace, and biblical images such as cherubim and casting crowns. CCM is sterylized and nonjudgemental, never condemning the sinner or calling him to repentance. CCM's cross is paved with gold and scented with potpouri. Nobody is ever called to sacrifice or radical conversion.

Is it any wonder that, like sheep that have strayed, the Universalist wolves are snatching up uncatechized Christians?

Kyle, thanks for that info.

Johan

Friend the RC mass is an an accursed idolatry.

XXX. LORD'S DAY.

Question 80. What difference is there between the Lord's supper and the popish mass?

Answer. The Lord's supper testifies to us, that we have a full pardon of all sin by the only sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he himself has once accomplished on the cross; and, that we by the Holy Ghost are ingrafted into Christ, who, according to his human nature is now not on earth, but in heaven, at the right hand of God his Father, and will there be worshipped by us: - but the mass teaches, that the living and dead have not the pardon of sins though the sufferings of Christ, unless Christ is also daily offered for them by the priests; and further, that Christ is bodily under the form of bread and wine, and therefore is to be worshipped in them; so that the mass, as bottom, is nothing else than a denial of the one sacrifice and sufferings of Jesus Christ, and an accursed idolatry.

Heb. 7:27; Heb. 9:12,26; mat. 26:28; Luke 22:19,20; 2Cor. 5:21

1Cor. 6; 1Cor 17; 1Cor 12:13

Heb. 1:3; Heb 8:1ff

John 4:21,22,23; Col. 3:1; Phil. 3:20; Luke 24:52,53; Acts 7:55

Isa. 1:11,14; Mat. 15:9; Col. 2:22,23; Jer. 2:13

William,

If I no longer seem to be responding to your posts I want you to understand the reason. First of all, you can't seem to stick to the discussion at hand. Second of all, your responses seem to go off on a tangeant of vitriol and calumny toward my faith whereas I have come as a guest on this board and tried my best to intimate my profound respect for the Reformationist tradition. I assure you that I have enough respect for myself and for you to not endure you're incessant casting aspersions on what I hold dear. I will continue to glance over your posts to look for evidence of a rational riposte that pertains to the discussion. But if that doesn't happen, then this will be my last reply to you.

In Christ's most Sacred Heart.

William, please start a new thread if you wish to discuss this further. Thank you.

The reason I "can't seem to stick to the discussion at hand" is that via dolorosary is promoting the mass by the mere mention of it in his posts which he knows very well is an offence and stirs the emotions of protestant's. At least this one.


Also you can not compartmentalize the worship of God on the Lord's day, any kind of worship associated with the RC mass including your beloved hymns pollute the whole worship of God. Amen and Amen


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God forbid you have promoted dancing and desecrating the Sabbath by the mere mention of these things, William.

The topic of this thread is about contemporary worship songs, not the idolatrous Mass. Please, start a new thread in which to discuss the Mass, or about the entirety of Roman worship if you like. Thanks.