As a huge fan of Christian worship music, I sometimes watch videos of worship artists and envy the atmosphere and spirit of worship that just seems to pour out of them. Kari Jobe, Kim Walker, Paul Baloche, Michael W. Smith, Steve Fee, Chris Tomlin. On and on we could go, but that’s enough to make the point, I think. Whether or not we are fans of the particular artist, I believe it is obvious that there is something “different” that happens when an artist of this caliber takes the stage and an audience is led toward a corporate encounter with the Holy Spirit.
I’m not sure if this is an anomaly, but I’m also a pretty solid fan of “new” bluegrass. To many, I realize that those two words can’t go together, but I want to establish that I am not a fan of Scruggs, Monroe, or any of the other pickers of the past who holler out nasally intoned renditions of songs about flowers in bloom. The songs are fine, but the vocals often ruin my entire day. I’m a huge fan of the Lovell Sisters, Allison Krauss, Chris Thile, Bryan Sutton, Tony Rice, The Isaacs, and others of that ilk. I’m not really too interested in ‘grass that was recorded before 1980 or so, even though the tunes are timeless and enduring and I still like to hear them if done by modern ‘grass artists.
Bluegrass music is a very pointed contrast to Christian worship music, in a very sad way.
Christian worship music is focused on God. The God that we worship is invisible. In effect, the entire “production” is done with the intent of singing TO a person who is, to the uninitiated, not even there. The voice of the singer(s) must be good, the skill of the musicians must be good, and the overall effect must be good, but there is little or no focus on individual skill. There are instrumental breaks, but they are done with the intent of emphasizing the song lyrics or adding to the atmosphere, rather than to draw attention to the skills of the artist.
Bluegrass, on the other hand, is hugely focused on the performer. The lyrics of the songs are often completely irrelevant. It’s all about playing the instrument exceedingly well. It’s not always a contest, but bluegrass music is famous for “fiddle contests” or “flatpicking contests”. People drive hundreds of miles to compete against other “pickers”. There’s a lot of need, just based on the history of the genre, for excellence as a solo performer. If a fiddler or a banjo picker performs a break, it’s almost insulting if the audience doesn’t applaud his or her ability at the end of that break.
“Worship music” as we often think of it, is using skills that musicians are gifted with to lead a larger group of people into an experience of worship. Bluegrass music is normally thought of as entertainment for a larger group by highly skilled individuals. Is the counterpoint as obvious to you as it is to me?
In a church setting, bluegrass gospel often stirs Christians to participate, but the nature of the performance doesn’t allow for it. Thus, many Christians express their worshipful thoughts in a way that is fairly noticeable. True worship music pulls the audience into a situation of worshipping together, and leaves little room for individual expression, even though it encourages worshipful thinking and participation.
Bluegrass musicians are capable of worship. Bluegrass music can and should be used to worship God, for He is the giver of the talent and ability that is required to create bluegrass music. The nature of bluegrass does not excuse a picker from properly using his music to worship God.
So how is an artist in a genre that focuses on the artist supposed to deflect “worship” from himself to the Creator? How can a “person centric” genre of music be used in the church to lead believers into the worship of Christ?
Virtually all worship music today is what I refer to as “rock based”. That’s not my way of calling it “bad” – it’s my way of defining the type of music it’s based on.
Can bluegrass be used to lead Christians into worship and non-believers into belief? Or will it always be doomed to being performance and performer based? Even if someone succeeds in using a couple of songs in a set to worship, will they be able to avoid the inevitable requests to “show off”?
Is there value in bluegrass? Or is it hopelessly human centered? Can we push the genre of “worship music” to include more than guitars, drums, and a bass? Can lovers of bluegrass ever experience the worship that occurs when we stop worrying about the music and focus on Jesus Christ?
Questions. Thoughts. Discussion? Anyone?
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Hi Bernard,
I think this shocked me a little because I have experienced both the “performing” and “worship” sides of bluegrass. As I said on your FB, my hubby is a fiddler in a worship team of bluegrassers, and they do alot of ministry in prison settings. Depending on the venue, they choose their songs carefully, and people do enter into worship during worship times when they play. I think the real question for me would be, what is worship? Is it the style of music? or the hearts of the people? I have heard many, many, “worship” songs which bring our God little to no glory, yet they are so popular in today’s churches. Why? Why are they even considered if the lyrics are about how we feel, or what we pull out of etc. and not directly worshipping our Holy God, and King of Kings. Actually that happens in any genre of music, so I wouldn’t be able to pick one.
We go to a Christ Tomlin concert etc, and really, where is the focus? He may be worshipping with all of his heart, but when you look around, where are the eyes? Are hands being raised because people are prompted by the Holy Spirit to raise them in praise, or because everyone around them is and it looks cool? What about mosh pits, is God really glorified there?
I’m not sure why you are differentiating between Christian music and Bluegrass. Bluegrass players, can, and around here they do, play christian music. Generally, during the worship period, if there is a solo, you will see their eyes are closed and they are worshipping, many times the people continue to sing along. I think we have a responsibility individually to check our own hearts before we enter into any kind of worship regardless of venue. It shouldn’t matter if there is a 5 year old singing Jesus loves me, or who really is “up there”….if our hearts are right as we enter in, it will indeed be a sweet aroma to the Lord.
Sorry for the typos…..lol
Just to clarify…
“I’m not sure why you are differentiating between Christian music and Bluegrass. ”
I’m not. I’m differentiating between the genre that we call “worship music” and “bluegrass”. Make sense? It’s a style of music, it’s a style of writing songs, it’s a style of playing. It’s also a little hard for me to get into words what I’m trying to say.
Thanks for engaging – seriously. I didn’t write this because I have the answers. I’m not just talking about using a banjo and a fiddle to play “Here I Am to Worship”. This is a much bigger question than that. I’m very glad to hear of your husband’s involvement. I’d love to hear more, love to hear recordings, love to dialogue with both of you about it. “Worship”, to me, is a terribly abused thing, but I regret the fact that some seem to respond by never worshipping at all. As a musician who loves bluegrass and attends a “slightly rural” church, I’m curious of what this really should look like.
Thanks. Feel free to keep talking.
“but I regret the fact that some seem to respond by never worshipping at all.” This breaks my heart as well…and yes you do make sense. I really do know what you are conveying here. It is epidemic in the Christ follower world. What should it look like, great question. I know the leader writes alot of his own music for the very reasons you are discussing here. He is good at being aware of what is going on, and during a designated worship service, he will see how people are engaging. I’ve seen him stop the entire worship set and begin talking scripture and Christ in an attempt to further prepare the hearts of the people before playing again. In the prisons, there are many who just use the time to get out of their cells so there is a much bigger challenge there than in a regular church service. Hubby can’t stand computers, but I’ll talk with him tonight and have him read this and type his response for you. I’d be happy to send you one of their CD’s with some bluegrass worship…..I do understand where you are coming from B, it seems to be a constant challenge in any genre, removing self to glorify Him.
Love to have the CD. Look for an email.
As long as one uses their God given talent to glorify, praise, worship whatever you choose to call it, then what does the genre matter? If a talented bluegrass “picker” walks the walk, gives God the glory, provides a blessing to someone somewhere and as a sidebar plays good music then he or she has done their job!
I do believe if you polled most good bluegrass bands about bluegrass being an individual activity or group effort, you would be told group effort. (Now if you poll a bad band, you might get the opposite answer and find the problem to their music! HA) Just like a baseball team, a fine-tuned office staff, or a church family, individually they may not be that effective; but, collectively they can move mountains!
You commented that “true worship music pulls the audience into a situation of worshipping together, and leaves little room for individual expression…” My belief differs from that quite a bit. Didn’t God make us all individual? With that in mind, I truly believe He accepts whatever form of praise, worship or prayer you as an individual want to participate in. Otherwise, He would have made us all clones of one another! So for me personally, the concept of worship music, no matter the genre, boils down to the connection made to the music by the individual and what he or she gleans from the experience!
Does it mean anything that I don’t like bluegrass music at all? I feel the same way about rap. Would I be opposed if someone did a “special” that was bluegrass? No. But in all honesty I would have to find another place to worship if that was the style of music a church fellowship offered. Sort of like rap, hip-hop or urban. I would tolerate (and I mean tolerate) a special but in no way, shape or form would I worship where that was the style of music used. I would either come in after it was over in order to hear the message or just go elsewhere. Whether individual or group, style plays a lot in my choice. My .02 worth.
Hey, Bill, thanks for dropping by and commenting
“Does it mean anything that I don’t like bluegrass music at all?”
Just means that you’re gonna have a really hard time even realizing that the question I’m asking is a valid one. If you can’t even stand to hear ‘grass, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t care in the slightest about how to use it as a vehicle to worship God.
Most – and I am convinced that nearly all – of the music choices in the church world today boil down to preference, even though many of the “old school” maintain that they are using “Biblical music” and that the “rockers” are not. I would love to see fewer churches attach doctrine to music preference, but it’s definitely a trend. In other words, in a lot of churches, you can tell what they believe by listening to the style of music they play. I’m intrigued by that, and I’m in search of the right perspective.
And since you mentioned urban, hip-hop, and rap – keep this in mind. My casual polling at my small, semi-rural church this summer yielded the shocking result that virtually ALL the “country” 13 and 14 year olds listen to a lot of rap. Yep. That old fuddy duddy classic rock that you and I think is so “cool” to play in church and sound “hip” is, well, outdated and blase to these guys. So, sounding like Angus Young or even Eddie Van Halen isn’t going to convince these guys that we’re a cool church any more.
I respect your preferences, but I’m convinced that we’re all going to have to drop the pretense that everybody has the right to pick a church whose music they like if we’re really out to advance the kingdom instead of wanting to be entertained.
Hey b! haven’t had a chance to get back until today. Thanks for the reply. I do get what you are trying to say. In my mind, all music is neutral. The lyrics make the point. I respect those who like a certain kind of music even if I do not prefer it. However, I was just saying that if I found a place that preached the Truth and was a loving fellowship interested in honoring God, if they used a style of music i was not comfortable with I would do what I could to work around it. If that means standing outside of the worship area until time for preaching then I would. I was not trying to say that corporate worship could not be done with grass or urban. Some might say the rock doesn’t do a thing for them. Maybe Matt Redman’s pastor was not too far off (which gave Matt the song “Heart of Worship”). I appreciate you taking the time to answer my thoughts.
Hey, Carla, thanks for dropping by! I didn’t mean to ignore you previously. I appreciate your viewpoint.
“You commented that “true worship music pulls the audience into a situation of worshipping together, and leaves little room for individual expression…” My belief differs from that quite a bit.” That really didn’t get written quite right, to be honest. When I said “true worship music”, what I was MEANING to say was “the music that we call worship music in today’s Christian world”. In other words, the Hillsong stuff. Even Kari Jobe. Tomlin. Or just the thousands of “worship leaders” who attempt to duplicate that effect every Sunday morning. What I was TRYING to say was that, in this environment, the intent is to “cause” worshipers to worship as a group. The purpose is for 40, 400, or 4000 to be thinking similar thoughts and doing similar things simultaneously. I wasn’t really meaning to define “true” worship music. My mistake.
Thanks!