Why does worship music often feel lacking compared to secular music?

[Marc Proctor]

I’m going to play the instigator, it’s a big question I’ve been trying to pin down and just can’t do it! I’d love to hear your thoughts since I’m just stuck!

To start, take the music of A.F.I., for example. Their albums “Sing the Sorrow” and “Black Sails in the Sunset” there are most definitely functions of nihilism and its counterpart existentialism. Both those ideas are most surely contrary to the foundations of Christianity; But the form (i.e. melodic orchestration/lyric) contained in the songs is so true to what they are trying to communicate. The songs can even grab you and, if you take time to really listen, force you to grapple with the ideas A.F.I. is presenting. The form fits the function, so to speak.

(A.F.I. is not alone. I’m sure there are infinite secular examples. But considering A.F.I.’s message is so contrary to my own views, their music stood out as good example.)

Similarly, I’ve been evaluating popular worship music. Do worship songs, though born from different motives, have the same effect as “A.F.I.’s” music? To me, it doesn’t seem that they really capture/inspire in the same effectiveness, or in the same way… and for the life of me I can’t find a good answer to explain why!

(As an answer, I have considered how our human nature responds to sin as portrayed in music, but does that mean that God is less inspiring?)

Another observation, many people listen to, or prefer secular music though they are devout Christians (or so it seems to me) is it that worship music is not as captivating?
(I generally listen to more secular music than worship music as well.)

(I don’t think I’m not articulating what I want to say very well! Hopefully you can fill in the blanks of what I’m trying to get at. I’m really trying to ask questions to make things better, not complain or promote myself as being more insightful than everyone else.)

Has anyone else wondered about this, or noticed it? Why contemporary worship feels the way it does? Or if it could benefit from a change? I just want to find the reasons behind how things are; or how they could be made better.

[Samantha Martin]

i think most christian music is mostly just trying to based on God cause thats what the artist wants I believe. I think most the time people turn to secular music just cause its whats in now. Sometimes the enemy uses it to stray from God but most the time it can get a bit tiring praising Him. sometimes I find myself needing to take a break from him but never going to far. Thats why church helps us focus only on Him. not that you need to be there, but when in there you can keep your focus on him so much better than anywhere else cause there are things that can get distracting. God knows we can only take as much as we can handle. but wants us to give our time as much as possible. As long as you spend more time praising him than other things I believe He knows you love him more enough.

As for the music seeming like the same old praise and worship. I think people can be afraid to talk about things cause it doesnt praise him. But I feel that songs about struggle can be quite inspiring. I remember when I was real mentally sick there was this somg called "Less Like Scars". It really got to me and became my personal struggle song. I would too like to hear more about what people have gone through and with the Lord helping along the way. It would make me love Him more to know whenever times are tough He is always there.

[Marc Proctor]

I agree! For me personally, there are so many times songs of worship fly right over my head. Its like I can't own all the phraseology that is commonly used today. Honestly I often have more questions than answers, doubts than faith, and struggles than victories. I don't always feel happy, jumpy, filled with joy, filled with peace etc. (though it does occur, but its not as some songs indicate). Reconciling these realities seems to find a more honest place in secular music than church music.

If I could wish, I'd wish for more honesty on Sunday and in our praise. We're human... it would be nice to let the masks down a bit and engage our humanity in honest terms with God. Yes He's great, yes He gives peace, yes His love is unfathomable, yes He is all we need... but its not as easy as that.

It makes me wonder, is secular music and worship music really something at odds with eachother? Some of the passages in the bible, particularly Psalms, feel very "secular" at times. I wonder if it is that honestly that we've lost touch with while trying to engage God.

Samantha Martin said:

i think most christian music is mostly just trying to based on God cause thats what the artist wants I believe. I think most the time people turn to secular music just cause its whats in now. Sometimes the enemy uses it to stray from God but most the time it can get a bit tiring praising Him. sometimes I find myself needing to take a break from him but never going to far. Thats why church helps us focus only on Him. not that you need to be there, but when in there you can keep your focus on him so much better than anywhere else cause there are things that can get distracting. God knows we can only take as much as we can handle. but wants us to give our time as much as possible. As long as you spend more time praising him than other things I believe He knows you love him more enough.

As for the music seeming like the same old praise and worship. I think people can be afraid to talk about things cause it doesnt praise him. But I feel that songs about struggle can be quite inspiring. I remember when I was real mentally sick there was this somg called "Less Like Scars". It really got to me and became my personal struggle song. I would too like to hear more about what people have gone through and with the Lord helping along the way. It would make me love Him more to know whenever times are tough He is always there.

[Paul Lytle]

I think it comes from a wrong focus and poor training.

As for poor training -- you look at who was writing the songs of the Bible and the hymns of old, and you'll find the theologians there. Most of what we know about God comes from the Psalms. But the people writing today are not theologians. They write vague emotionalism with some platitudes about Jesus, and that's it.

While I am not a hymn guy (I'm definitely a Rocker), I cannot listen to most praise and worship, simply because its depth is paper thin. Our song writers are not trained in theology, and so the songs say nothing about God. "Breathe" is a good example of a song that has absolutely no Christian meaning, that could be easily sung by a Muslim without a single lyric change, and frankly has pagan overtones. It's not a Christian song, but half the churches in America have played it over and over again.

As for the wrong focus -- when is the last time you heard a praise and worship song that extolled the majesty, righteousness, and awesome power of God? It's been a while, right? What we get most of the time is songs about "my boyfriend Jesus." Where is the fire that the Bible tells us to have when singing to the Lord? Where is the "joyful noise"? It's not there. Instead, we're all swaying with our eyes closed and singing about how Jesus makes me feel pretty.

[Praise Warrior]

Here is one of the daily devotionals I am publishing this week on my website, which sort of covers this. But I think what it boils down to is that we worship the worshippers (musicians and bands)j ust as much or more then the One we should be woprhipping (Jesus).

Rev 19:10

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."




I love Christian music because it draws me into the presence of the Lord so I can worship Him.
But some people take Christian music to far and treat it like the world’s music.
How? By worshipping the worshipper instead of God.

People will by posters, T-shirts and anything they can get their hands on that is related to their favorite Christian group. When they do this, in a sense they are making that group an idol and are worshipping them instead of God.

“But they are so good and they bring me joy.”
Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to Christian musicians, being one myself. But I am totally against the way we as Christians have put them on a pedestal making them greater then others or ourselves.

“But we need to reach the lost and the T-shirts and posters help do that.”
I’m sorry, I thought it was the Holy Spirit, and not man who changes people’s hearts.
Musicians are only a tool used by God to reach others. God doesn’t use their looks or sound to draw others to Him, but rather God uses His word as it is sung out.

• Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
• So go ahead and worship along with your favorite Christian band, just don’t worship them just as the angel said to John in today’s verse.
  
  But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

[Mash Cody Kakrah]

I that in worship songs skills are something lacking caus much attention is always on the lyrics that the playing of instruments. But God demands skills, that's one.

Another point is that God demands that our songs be filled with the power of the Holy Ghost. This makes worship music inpiring and touching. I think worship musicians should be prayerful and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Me thinks, if worship musicians are filled with the Holy spirit He is also able to give skills if we seek his direction. Not withstanding hard training.

I also think there is no ispiring words that those in the book of psalms. We can find better lyrics from the the bible especiall the book of psalms. These gives us better lyrics far better than secular musics can contain.