Christianity Today: "Modern Worship Is Going Nowhere"

sojournmusic.com reader Brian Daugherty recently left a comment in this blog that referenced an article at christianitytoday.com entitled “Modern Worship Is Going Nowhere,” by Russ Breimeier.  The article asserts that the writers of modern worship songs are “in serious need of creative spark” and then provides an assessment by covering the short history of the contemporary worship movement, current trends, and recommendations for the future.

Breimeier points out that labels like Integrity, Maranatha and Vineyard have been producing church music for a few decades now, but argues that modern worship music “arrived” just ten years ago with the introduction of Delirious to the U.S., the debut of Sonic Flood, and the arrival of the multi-artist worship project Exodus, coordinated by Michael W. Smith.

Breimeier argues that a lack of innovation in songcraft leads to stale music: “For every Chris Tomlin that successfully brings new songs to church worship programs, it seems like there are another twenty artists who fail to offer music that endures.”  He then looks at the CCLI Top 25 (songs most used in churches) to show that most of the top “contemporary” songs are seven to ten years old.

He identifies two problems: that we’re beginning to expect new songs with too much regularity (laying the blame at the feet of the Christian music industry) and also that:

“Consider how many worship songs sound as if they were inspired by U2′s ‘Where the Streets Have No Name.’  First came Sonicflood’s ‘Open the Eyes of My Heart,’ followed by Tomlin’s ‘Forever,’ and from there, hundreds of others have imitated the same driving rock sound.  By the same token, how many big worship ballads follow the same patterned pop style as Hillsong with their sprawling anthems?”

Most helpful is Breimeir’s three suggestions for getting out of the rut:

1. “Modern worship needs to push itself musically.”

Breimeier is right, although this is treacherous ground depending on what one’s understanding of “push itself” is.  We must realize the healthy tension that exists between innovation and tradition, as well as between the complicated and the simple, the challenging and the singable. 

Also, worship music must fit the needs of the local church as well as the global church.  One problem that people will always have with music coming out of the big record labels in Nashville and other centers of Christian music “business” is that the music is designed to appeal to the widest possible range of tastes, as those in the industry understand it.  And it can certainly be a great, unifying force in the body of Christ to know that the Matt Redman song you’re singing in your local church is one that tens of thousands of congregations are also singing that morning.

But if a church body desires to reflect the culture in which they live, work and play, their music will show it.  Should Sojourn Music, in Louisville, sound exactly like the music ministry of a church in Dallas, Seattle, Louisiana or New York?  Or Australia, India and Sweden? 

This doesn’t mean Breimeier is wrong, just that we must not just give his admonition a surface treatment, thinking that “to push ourselves musically” means that every new worship project of 2009 should sound like whatever the newest stylistic darling sounds like at the time we all enter the studios to record our projects.

2. “There will always be a need in worship for songs that adapt God’s Word.  With that said, the last ten years have produced more word-for-word adaptations of Scripture (especially the Psalms) than the church has need for.”

I agree on one level, but it is a level in which we all need a paradigm shift: our common assumption is that new music needs to aim for an international audience.  So many songwriters and worship leaders feel that their music needs to go beyond their local church body and into the wider halls of Christendom.  In some cases this may be true, but in most, it just isn’t going to happen.

In this internet age, it doesn’t hurt to put your songs online and see if people elsewhere are interested, but remember that if you’re aiming for an international audience, Breimeier is right.  There are only so many versions of “Who is this King of Glory,” “The Lord is my shepherd,” or “Sing a new song” that people across the globe are going to embrace. 

I do think the matter changes if you’re a writer exclusively serving your local church through new music.  Can a church in Hoboken, New Jersey come up with a completely original musical setting for “Who is this King of glory,” as well as a church in San Juan, Puerto Rico?”  Sure — and both songs may serve their local churches well.  Just know that most churches around the world will continue singing Tomlin’s version for at least a generation.

3. “Lastly, it might be wise for worship writers to craft albums thematically, as if they were writing a soundtrack for a Bible study or a sermon series.”

I agree.  This is something that our worship arts pastor models at Sojourn.  Before the Throne centers around our own congregational worship liturgy, beginning with a Call To Worship (“Come and Sing”) and ending with a Benediction (“All Good Gifts”).   My reason for writing my own two songs on that disc was driven by the fact that I’d never written a song of confession (“Lead us Back,” with Brooks Ritter) or song for the offering (“All I Have is Yours,” with Rebecca Elliott) before.  Being cognizant of the elements of basic Christian liturgies could help songwriters broaden their themes and “break the rut.”

These Things I Remember is Sojourn’s exploration of lament (another often-neglected theme of modern church music, although it permeates the psalms and the poetry of the prophets) and Psalms, as well as our most “world music” influenced album to date.  And of course Advent Songs is a collection of songs for the season of Advent, in which we wait with great expectation for the birth of Christ.

More and more artists are crafting thematic albums, although it seems to me that these are mostly church ministries (like Sovereign Grace and Indelible Grace) rather than individual worship leaders. 

Breimeier’s final paragraph includes the statement that the modern worship song movement “can’t remain as influential as it once was if it continues to churn out more of the same.”  This is true, and it would certainly be interesting to look one hundred years into the future and see which writers from this era have taken their place alongside the likes of Isaac Watts, Charles Wesley, Fanny Crosby and others in the tradition of church hymnody who have left us with a rich legacy of worship through music.