Two letters in reply to Tim’s Understanding Music piece. Letter number one:

Tim,

Just a counterpoint to your point. Nothing personal or acerbic whatsoever meant.

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Your editorial piece entitled “Understanding Music” seems to step out a little far on the scale of editorial liberty.

Now, I can’t help but agree with your first two paragraphs, in which you state at one point: “Musicians seem to think if they mimic a sound and slap Christian lyrics onto it, people will buy their albums. It’s a disturbing fact that this does, indeed, sell albums.” No doubt this is a sadly true statement and one that causes those of us who feel this way to all but run from most modern “pop” Christian music.

However, your tone degenerates from one of an opinionated listener of tasteful music to that of one who seems to feel there is a cut-and-dry method for the worship of God.

Being a guitar player in several praise teams right now, I would like to assert the fact that there really is no cut-and-dry music that is or is not appropriate to praising God. One must use common sense here, however, and understand that there could be some forms of music that CERTAIN people would find dispraportionate to their worship experience. While I am not in the very least way a purveyor of political correctness, or the idea that anything goes as long as it makes someone feel good, I do find the pointedness of this editorial a bit much to bear.

Each weekend I get on the stage at the church and do everything in my power (power which, I believe, God gave me) to tear the roof off of the building. Not only do myself and the congregates actually worship God to the tune of rocked-out praise music, we do it with a fervor rarely seen in any Baptist church. I’ll give you the fact that at CERTAIN times, worship should be quiet and introspective and the music needs to reflect that mood. It would be ludicrous of me to go off into a 15 minute guitar solo with my amp set on “11″ when those moods are called for. Again, however, this is not always the case, and in my opinion, does not need to be the case. There are times when the worshipper just wants to serve the worshippee the most emotional and raw feelings they feel - and there is hardly a music better suited to this than rock.

What we do agree on is that: no matter the preference, the delivery must above all be reverant and honest. There is simply no excuse for applying “formulas” of lyrics to styles of music and labeling them as worship when the heart is not in them. Where our thoughts differ is the idea that rock cannot equal worship. I believe (and have witnessed) that rock can and is used more often than one might think to TRULY, reverantly and honestly worship a God truly deserving of worship.

- Carey Henderson

Letter number two:

I agree with the concept of “music fitting the message”. In accordance to that, I feel that sometimes rock is a justifiable medium. When faced with a section of youth culture that has been raised finding meaning in rock, it can only follow that that’s how they may choose to express their feelings in worship. When you see throngs of kids packed together at a show, eyes closed, singing along at the top of their lungs..what is that besides a modified form of praise? Many worship songs contain a declaration of extreme emotion, akin to instances in the Psalms of “crying out to the Lord.”

I have a deep fondness for a band called Five Iron Frenzy, who have managed to combine highly relevant lyrics with a music style that fits. “Man vs. himself, Man vs. machine, Man vs. the world, Mankind vs me. The show must go on, the wisdom I lack, the burdens keep piling up on my back. So hard to breathe, to take the next step, the mountain is high, I wade in the depths. Yearning for grace, and hoping for peace, Dear God Increase!”This last part takes the form of a cry, and is one of the most intense displays of a heart seeking guidance that I’ve seen. Yes, it’s loud. Sometimes, I want to be loud in worship. I want to shout, to yell, to jump up and down, throwing up my hands. I just don’t see the space for that in my church service. That’s ok.

I think Pedro the Lion definitely shares a more contemplative view of the Christian walk, and I love them dearly for it. The different genres and styles of music lend themselves to the varying emotions I have regarding my position my walk. Synth pop conveys the complete and utter joy I feel, guileless in my celebration. Rock demonstrates inner confliction and/or conviction, to a level that gives me the need to shout to the heavens as loud as I can. Emo, indie, whatever you want to call it, it helps me take the quiet time to ponder my actions.

Variety is the spice of life, they say, and sometimes you need cinnamon, and sometimes you need curry. Disregard that, it’s a lame allegory. I just think that life in Christ is too complex to pigeonhole your expressions of faith and worship into a limited amount of genres. Except maybe Swedish Death Metal. Unless they called theirselves “Life Metal.”

- Denise Dodd