This will be long.
Okay well im going to break this up and back up to start from the beginning.
Presbyterians dont really celebrate Mass, they do services just like any other Protestant church. They may sing a mass written by a composer but they do not celebrate a mass. If you want to compare it to something. Compare it to a Methodist Service but with classical music.
So now that is out of the way. I enjoy Classical/Opera Music more because the words in which it is written in is closer to the times of Christ. So many times we misinterperate scripture, the older language allows me to get into a better mindset to understand. I have also started reading just the King James Version of the bible. but i started that even before i left. As a trained musician or musician in training my definition of musicians and music has changed. I no longer enjoy christian contemporary because most players dont really know what they are doing. All music on stage is just guitar music. There is little to no musicianship. Just because you can sing doesn't make you a musician. There is so much more to music. I'm sure if you asked Skylar or Brian Dean they find all the music they play extremely easy. infact music most praise and worship songs are in 3 keys........ out of 32. Now you also have to know that the idea of praise and worship music has changed drastically. Now a days anything with a catchy tune that people can sing to or with can be called praise and worship. Hence why we have switchfoot songs being played in church services. Which in my opinion should never ever be. Praise and worship should be solely about God not us. Church should be about the exaltation and glorification of God. Not how much good he makes us feel. That should be done every other day of the week (but more on that in one minute). I believe God calls everyone into a excellence in their craft or calling. Music is no exception. Now most Christian Contemporary songs are about God and I. Thats cool, we should play them on the air and we should listen to them in our homes. But not for services. Services are to honor, exalt, and glorify God. The relationship is key, but you are there to worship God, not give yourself a pat on the back for having a relationship. There are even some contemporary classical songs that have sung that i have almost protested singing. Its not just First its at my church too. The music should reflect the direction and thought process of the body, in order for that to happen the congregation must be unified under a communal goal. Which brings me to my next topic:
Church isn't about you or I. Its about the congregation worshipping God together harmoniously. Its about God, not me by myself or the guy next to me. but the group united as a whole, under a common goal, worshipping God. That is what Christiandom is all about. its about the community as a whole.
Here is the problem if you have it other wise; Everybody is focused on their relationship with God, its selfish almost. All of that can be handeled outside on the other 6 days. God offers us time to dissolve our problems by worshipping Him, but the focus has to be on God in order for the problem to dissolve, not the problem itself. The reason i felt weird tonight is because nothing feels as though it has changed. People dealing with the same problems, fighting the same demons, dealing with the same God. Our definition of God should be reevaluated everyday, renewed everyday. All that you have is an excited body ready to do God's work and will but with no direction. Can you honestly tell me what the goal of the congregation is? other than saving souls, thats a no-brainer. What im asking is the congregation's goal to reach, its objective, or identity. When that is established then movement can take place, otherwise all you do is get to one spot and stop batteling the same thing over and over again just with a different face. But once again this is my opinion. Church should be about more than just your praise and your relationship with God, like i said thats what monday through saturday is for. ONe of the ideas i like about the Presbyterian church is that the same idea or theme is preached everywhere, in all presbyterian churches. Now when you have the same theme for each message going out, as well as the same readings, you are much more likely to have an even bigger unified body when outside the actual church walls. Dont get me wrong there are some things i dislike about the presbyterian church. Some of there hymns are horrible and i cant believe we sing some of them, not many but every once in a while i'll sing one that urkes me. But its unified. its a body. a body that receives the same message from Christ. Plus i like how sacred God's word is to the Presbys. Infact i love how sacred it is to them. Because then it doesn't get thrown around nearly as much to justify somebody's actions for doing wrong.
okay i think im done. But honestly, if i could find a church that have First Assembly's fire but government street's discipline, i would be at home. I wish i could find a Holy Spirit driven Liturgical church, which is far from being on oxymoron, infact that is the way it used to be. And they are out there. None here, but they are definately out there. But i think that is why i am getting the training i am getting. I believe i will see a day when children are just as excited about Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing or composed Mass or Requiem as they are about Days of Elijah or Freedom Reigns. I believe i will be a part of a church that does that. A church that, as a body, sets a goal and finishes a goal, hungry for the next one delivered by God. No selfishness, just putting into action the calling that specific church has from God. Having the congregation act in unison and say in unison "We'll Go, choose us." People who want to live the kingdom of heaven now and not when it comes time. That is what i want to be a part of.
Presbyterians dont really celebrate Mass, they do services just like any other Protestant church. They may sing a mass written by a composer but they do not celebrate a mass. If you want to compare it to something. Compare it to a Methodist Service but with classical music.
So now that is out of the way. I enjoy Classical/Opera Music more because the words in which it is written in is closer to the times of Christ. So many times we misinterperate scripture, the older language allows me to get into a better mindset to understand. I have also started reading just the King James Version of the bible. but i started that even before i left. As a trained musician or musician in training my definition of musicians and music has changed. I no longer enjoy christian contemporary because most players dont really know what they are doing. All music on stage is just guitar music. There is little to no musicianship. Just because you can sing doesn't make you a musician. There is so much more to music. I'm sure if you asked Skylar or Brian Dean they find all the music they play extremely easy. infact music most praise and worship songs are in 3 keys........ out of 32. Now you also have to know that the idea of praise and worship music has changed drastically. Now a days anything with a catchy tune that people can sing to or with can be called praise and worship. Hence why we have switchfoot songs being played in church services. Which in my opinion should never ever be. Praise and worship should be solely about God not us. Church should be about the exaltation and glorification of God. Not how much good he makes us feel. That should be done every other day of the week (but more on that in one minute). I believe God calls everyone into a excellence in their craft or calling. Music is no exception. Now most Christian Contemporary songs are about God and I. Thats cool, we should play them on the air and we should listen to them in our homes. But not for services. Services are to honor, exalt, and glorify God. The relationship is key, but you are there to worship God, not give yourself a pat on the back for having a relationship. There are even some contemporary classical songs that have sung that i have almost protested singing. Its not just First its at my church too. The music should reflect the direction and thought process of the body, in order for that to happen the congregation must be unified under a communal goal. Which brings me to my next topic:
Church isn't about you or I. Its about the congregation worshipping God together harmoniously. Its about God, not me by myself or the guy next to me. but the group united as a whole, under a common goal, worshipping God. That is what Christiandom is all about. its about the community as a whole.
Here is the problem if you have it other wise; Everybody is focused on their relationship with God, its selfish almost. All of that can be handeled outside on the other 6 days. God offers us time to dissolve our problems by worshipping Him, but the focus has to be on God in order for the problem to dissolve, not the problem itself. The reason i felt weird tonight is because nothing feels as though it has changed. People dealing with the same problems, fighting the same demons, dealing with the same God. Our definition of God should be reevaluated everyday, renewed everyday. All that you have is an excited body ready to do God's work and will but with no direction. Can you honestly tell me what the goal of the congregation is? other than saving souls, thats a no-brainer. What im asking is the congregation's goal to reach, its objective, or identity. When that is established then movement can take place, otherwise all you do is get to one spot and stop batteling the same thing over and over again just with a different face. But once again this is my opinion. Church should be about more than just your praise and your relationship with God, like i said thats what monday through saturday is for. ONe of the ideas i like about the Presbyterian church is that the same idea or theme is preached everywhere, in all presbyterian churches. Now when you have the same theme for each message going out, as well as the same readings, you are much more likely to have an even bigger unified body when outside the actual church walls. Dont get me wrong there are some things i dislike about the presbyterian church. Some of there hymns are horrible and i cant believe we sing some of them, not many but every once in a while i'll sing one that urkes me. But its unified. its a body. a body that receives the same message from Christ. Plus i like how sacred God's word is to the Presbys. Infact i love how sacred it is to them. Because then it doesn't get thrown around nearly as much to justify somebody's actions for doing wrong.
okay i think im done. But honestly, if i could find a church that have First Assembly's fire but government street's discipline, i would be at home. I wish i could find a Holy Spirit driven Liturgical church, which is far from being on oxymoron, infact that is the way it used to be. And they are out there. None here, but they are definately out there. But i think that is why i am getting the training i am getting. I believe i will see a day when children are just as excited about Come Thy Fount of Every Blessing or composed Mass or Requiem as they are about Days of Elijah or Freedom Reigns. I believe i will be a part of a church that does that. A church that, as a body, sets a goal and finishes a goal, hungry for the next one delivered by God. No selfishness, just putting into action the calling that specific church has from God. Having the congregation act in unison and say in unison "We'll Go, choose us." People who want to live the kingdom of heaven now and not when it comes time. That is what i want to be a part of.