The End, Music, Church

I suppose it's been a while. I've had a lot on my mind over the last couple of weeks. I got a new job back in Winnipeg. I'm really excited about this new job, it seems like a really great place to work, plus I really wasn't liking the one I have in St. Catharines. But, I have enjoyed living out here. But, I also miss some things about Winnipeg.

I've been thinking about music lately.... Well, I guess I'm always thinking about music, but I've been thinking about music in churches lately. Maybe it's because of the very interesting experience of leading a couple of songs at Providence CRC in Beamsville last Sunday. Or perhaps it's because I've now been asked to sing next Sunday at Covenant CRC in St. Catharines (yup, I'm on a CRC tour right now... good thing I'm leaving in two weeks).

I don't want to sound like a music snob. And I did enjoy playing at Providence on Sunday (mind you, it was just me, so not much to deal with). And it's not that I want things louder, or rockier, or anything like that. I'm a fan of the hymns, of the organ, all that stuff, but it's difficult to put my finger on what makes me cringe about worship at these churches....

I've been listening to Jon Foreman's eps lately. Don't judge him based on his past musical sins, but he was the front man of Switchfoot. His solo stuff is this wonderfully intimate singer-songwriter style, with some great world music sounds thrown in (chinese strings, spanish horns, etc). He's kinda in the same line as Derek Webb; somebody that was the Christian music scene for a number of years, and now sings about some more real issues.

Anyways, I was really hit by his song, "Instead of a Show" off his Summer EP. Here's some of the lyrics:

I hate all your show and pretense

the hypocrisy of your praise

the hypocrisy of your festivals

I hate all your show

Away with your noisy worship

Away with your noisy hymns

I stop up my ears when your singing ‘em

I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice

An endless procession of righteous living, living

Instead let there be a flood of justice

Instead of a show

your eyes are closed when you’re praying

you sing right along with the band

you shine up your shoes for services

but there’s blood on your hands

you turned your back on the homeless

and the ones that don’t fit in your plans

quit playing religion games

there’s blood on your hands

It blows me away that this is the same guy that was in Switchfoot for all those years.