WINDOW DRESSING

Fresh becomes stale. New invariably becomes old. Cutting edge grows dull. New activities soon become old habits. Today’s popular styles will one day be replaced by the styles promoted by those who stand to profit from our need to distinguish ourselves from the pack.

I was recently trapped in a location where it was necessary for me to listen to a large selection of Christian music all of which was being performed by relatively young Christian music artists. At the huge risk of sounding like an old… a very old… man, I would like to make a few observations – not about music but about the matter of “change”. Music will simply offer to me a ready example of a condition that affects us all.

Song after song after song… musical artist after musical artist after musical artist… each and every one… male or female… they all sounded like they were trying to sing in an oxygen deprived atmosphere. Each note seemed to be pulled from lungs gasping for air. Some words came out more like gasps for air than lyrical music notes. I realize that this “style” might be performed and/or perceived to convey sincerity and passion, which is a good thing. But, I couldn’t help think: “Get this person some fresh air, before they faint.

This particular “you take my breath away” style does indeed give the impression of passion and sincerity. And, I must admit that it is a style that is particularly suited to Christian praise and worship. But to be so overtaken with emotion in the singing of song after song after song, after a while begins to breed a sense of faux sincerity. After a while it begins to appear phony.

Now, I am fully aware - trust me - that musical preferences are intimately personal. Each of us has music that moves us. I have always thought of myself as very open minded musically. Depending on what mood I’m in, I like everything from Skynyrd to Seeger, from the Gold City Quartet, to the Gaither Vocal Band, from Santana to Sugarland, … oh, and I almost forgot ZZ Top.., but the short list of music styles that I do not personally find particularly enjoyable continues to grow. I’m really not a fan of Blue Grass… I’m definitely not a fan of Rap… But, I have now added to my list this “out of breath - help me before I faint” music to my “not personally enjoyable” list. What, you ask, does this have to do with my observations about “change”? I’m glad you asked.

Recently, I visited a homepage for a local church that boasted: “NO HYMNS”. The idea, that I think they were trying to convey was that they were a relevant and modern church not bound by lifeless, old and stale methods and music. Yet, somehow in the process of wanting to appeal to a younger, hipper group of people, music that we could reasonably describe as hymns was treated as something unlikable, or unwanted. Let’s for a moment overlook the fact that I’m not sure this is even scriptural (Col. 3:16)… Suppose that I was new to the community and I wanted to attend a church that appreciated and provided me with the opportunity to worship the Lord through the singing of the some of the historic hymns and anthems of the Church… songs like Amazing Grace, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, How Great Thou Art, Blessed Assurance, I Sing the Mighty Power… the list goes on and on. Would I be attracted to attend based upon this homepage?

The aforementioned church, in an effort to provide freshness and vitality has, whether by accident or intention, or more likely as an unintended consequence, eliminated a group of Christians and a particular style of Christian music that has blessed the Church over a period of many years. Worse yet, they erroneously assume that sinners are more attracted to one style over another. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Sinners, just like Christians, come in a variety of flavors; with a wide variety in personal preferences. In an effort to include one group of people they have excluded another. In an effort to reach a modern culture they have abandoned an historic culture. In an effort to reach out, it avoids reaching people like me.

The things that please one group of people may not please another. Nothing… let me repeat it for emphasis… nothing in this world satisfies all. We used to hear it said, “You can please some of the people some of the time, and all of the people some of the time. But, you cannot please all of the people all of the time.” It’s true. Comedian Bill Cosby has noted, “I don’t know the secret of success, but the secret of failure is trying to please everyone.”

Even Christ Jesus himself understood this truth. He could not please everyone. He didn’t try. His call to deny oneself and take up your cross and follow him caused some to fall away. In fact the Bible tells us that many left him… so many, in fact, that he asked his closest friends if they too were going to leave him.

So then, the argument can be made that Churches that abandon “churchy” music in favor of “non-churchy” music are simply following the example of Jesus. They are openly admitting that they are not interested in appealing to everyone… instead, they are only trying to appeal to a more casual post-modern culture. And, in doing so, they are doing a good thing.

Times change. Styles come and go. And mark this: that which is popular today will be one of three things 20 years from now. It will be completely forgotten about - fading into obscurity through neglect. It will be viewed as rotten and outdated, and as a result treated with repugnance, not unlike how we might treat over ripe and rotting fruit. Or, it will be preserved and institutionalized, and added to the list of sacred and protected artifacts of the Church.

As hard is it is to imagine, in some future day a Pastor desiring to attract his community to his Church will place an ad in a local paper announcing, “No Chris Tomlin Music”… or “No Israel Houghton Music”… or “No Darlene Zschech Music”. The music of these amazing and talented Christians will join the list of “out of favor” writers like Fanny Crosby, and Horatio Spafford. We must continue to answer the hard questions: “What price have we paid… what have we lost, when and if we discard the past in order to pursue the future?” How much of what we do is “window dressing” whose only purpose is to draw attention? And worse yet... Have we sanctified the “window dressing”?

When the church plans its ministries around a style of music, or a particular style of clothing, or a specific type of seating, rather than the need of sinners to be saved, we miss the single point to which we should be focused. All have sinned (horribly) and have fallen (helplessly) short (way… way short…) of the (holy) glory of God. Man… every man, woman, boy and girl… is in desperate need of a savior. No one can save themselves. Salvation from sin’s penalty and power cannot be gained by our own efforts or good works. We need Jesus.

I would hope that if I were to ask, most Christians would agree that we are not saved by good works. And yet it seems that some Churches today are trying to save themselves by good works, or new music, or coffee bars, or bistro seating, or multi-media presentations. The church is in danger of providing ministry to neighborhoods, without providing the cross to sinners. Some would argue that you can and should do both. But I would question, are we winning people to the Church or to Christ? When the pursuit of styles and trends replaces the pursuit of the Cross, we have hopped on the never ending "fashion tilt-a-whirl" controlled not by the Word of God, but by the world.