Gospel is a NOUN, not just an adjective...
Last night, a few of us went to see the Harlem Gospel Choir. They were playing at the Hummingbird Centre, and the crowd was almost sold out. I'm not sure what my expectations were when I went in. I did know they were a world-renowned gospel choir, and have sung with pretty much everyone. They were professionals. So not only was I interested in seeing how they did their thing (and of course compare them to our own little U of T gospel choir), but I was expecting the presence of God , the worship to be rampant in that house.
Well, I can't say that I didn't see them do their thing. Expecting a choir, we got 8 soloists (3 sopranos, 3 altos, 2 tenors). A drummer and a keyboard player. Interesting. But that's forgiveable.
What blew me away (and not in a good way) was the absolute ABSENCE of depth and message in their performance. It was just that - a performance. The soloist's voices were amazing for the most part, but that's all they were, voices. There was no soul, no feeling, just vocal acrobatics and a whole lot of empty "scream for Jesus" kinda thing going on. They danced a lot...I don't get how you prance around, swinging your hips, on stage to Amazing Grace. I just don't get it.
We all know that I've been to lots of concerts. What I saw last night was what I would have expected from an American Idol tour, or a Backstreet Boys concert, not a GOSPEL concert. I understand the need to keep the crowd engaged and entertained, and to sort of be on their level (which is where a karaoke version of Sister Act's "Joyful Joyful" comes in). But there's a bigger purpose to gospel music than that. Gospel is NOT JUST an adjective; it's not just a genre of music, or a vocal style or whatever. THE GOSPEL is the good news, it's the message that there is Someone greater than us, a Father who loves us all unconditionally and will take care of us. I'm not saying it has to be preachy...not at all. But the message can still be there without singing about fire and brimstone. It can be heard in your voice, seen on your face, if you really live it and believe it when you're singing. It's encouraging, uplifting, it restores peace. The Gospel doesn't just entertain.
My choir director was also there last night, and this is what she had to say:
"when all you present is a show full of vocal aerobics, dance steps and hollering (all in the name of Jesus, of course) I can’t help but feel sadness. Everybody was having a great time - people were up dancing and clapping, etc. - I just felt that an opportunity was given for the choir to sing from a “real place” and draw people in; instead, people left happy and joyous without a sense of the real meaning behind it all."
Lisa's right. She's taught us that each opportunity to sing is an opportunity to minister to someone, to find that one broken heart or depressed spirit, and give them the message that it will be taken care of. We don't perform...we worship. I would rather someone come up to us afterwards and say, "you really look like you believe what you're singing" than "you guys rock! I had fun!". If everyone JUST has fun, and doesn't feel the slightest stirring in their soul of some sort, our work wasn't done properly.
In any case, that was my rant. 2000 people came to the Hummingbird Centre last night - they all heard gospel music, but none of them heard the gospel.
Well, I can't say that I didn't see them do their thing. Expecting a choir, we got 8 soloists (3 sopranos, 3 altos, 2 tenors). A drummer and a keyboard player. Interesting. But that's forgiveable.
What blew me away (and not in a good way) was the absolute ABSENCE of depth and message in their performance. It was just that - a performance. The soloist's voices were amazing for the most part, but that's all they were, voices. There was no soul, no feeling, just vocal acrobatics and a whole lot of empty "scream for Jesus" kinda thing going on. They danced a lot...I don't get how you prance around, swinging your hips, on stage to Amazing Grace. I just don't get it.
We all know that I've been to lots of concerts. What I saw last night was what I would have expected from an American Idol tour, or a Backstreet Boys concert, not a GOSPEL concert. I understand the need to keep the crowd engaged and entertained, and to sort of be on their level (which is where a karaoke version of Sister Act's "Joyful Joyful" comes in). But there's a bigger purpose to gospel music than that. Gospel is NOT JUST an adjective; it's not just a genre of music, or a vocal style or whatever. THE GOSPEL is the good news, it's the message that there is Someone greater than us, a Father who loves us all unconditionally and will take care of us. I'm not saying it has to be preachy...not at all. But the message can still be there without singing about fire and brimstone. It can be heard in your voice, seen on your face, if you really live it and believe it when you're singing. It's encouraging, uplifting, it restores peace. The Gospel doesn't just entertain.
My choir director was also there last night, and this is what she had to say:
"when all you present is a show full of vocal aerobics, dance steps and hollering (all in the name of Jesus, of course) I can’t help but feel sadness. Everybody was having a great time - people were up dancing and clapping, etc. - I just felt that an opportunity was given for the choir to sing from a “real place” and draw people in; instead, people left happy and joyous without a sense of the real meaning behind it all."
Lisa's right. She's taught us that each opportunity to sing is an opportunity to minister to someone, to find that one broken heart or depressed spirit, and give them the message that it will be taken care of. We don't perform...we worship. I would rather someone come up to us afterwards and say, "you really look like you believe what you're singing" than "you guys rock! I had fun!". If everyone JUST has fun, and doesn't feel the slightest stirring in their soul of some sort, our work wasn't done properly.
In any case, that was my rant. 2000 people came to the Hummingbird Centre last night - they all heard gospel music, but none of them heard the gospel.