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We had "A Night of Southern Gospel" at church tonight. The choir has been practicing music for it for the past two months (or possibly longer). We had to have a lot of the music memorized, and a couple of the songs had a lot of words sung very quickly. It was quite fun, however. We Baptists have a tendency to sing our music very stoically, but people really got into the music tonight. I actually saw one man in the back raise his hands a few times! I do like to see that sort of thing - is it not biblical to lift up your hands to the Lord? I think it is a shame that in so many churches people do not feel free to allow their whole person to engage in worship. There is joy in the Lord, and we should be able to express that during worship (reverently, of course - please, no dancing in the aisles!).
One of the men from the choir sang a solo. It was a song about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. The song said that our God is great - even when He was four days late He was right on time. Isn't that the truth? His ways are not our ways, and even if we don't understand what He's doing or why things don't happen when we think they should, His ways are perfect! God acts "in the fullness of time." Praise the Lord!
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9 comments:
Pleasant thoughts, thank you. Also, it is Biblical to dance in the aisles ...
Psalms 149:3 - Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Psalms 150:4 - Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Ecclesiastes 3:4 - A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Wil / www.inspiritministry.org
Yes, and David danced before the Lord, certainly. I think that it can be a distraction, however, and while we should be more concerned with our own heart before the Lord in worship, I think we do need to consider whether we are acting in a manner than may be offensive to others around us. I am by no means opposed to moving with the music, but it might be best to act as not to cause a "weaker" brother who may find dancing irreverent to stumble (and I guarantee that there are many where I attend church and I might be counted among their number at times). I will likely continue to content myself with a little bit of foot-tapping and a smiling countenance.
How does Southern Gosepel compare to other Gospel music?
I think spontaneous dancing is acceptable, but not the kind of artistic performance dancing that some churches use.
Coming from a worldly Charismatic background I have seen a lot of performance type dancing, where the congregation is directed to gaze at the teenage girls in the church. Not edifying at all.
Every Blessing in Christ
Matthew
The comparison is somewhat hard to make in words, so I'm including links to amazon.com listings with music samples. Southern Gospel is more like country music or bluegrass music. The Statler Brothers and "Gaither Homecoming" are what I was exposed to growing up (and I admit that I listen to The Statler Brothers by choice from time to time now). This is more like what we sang last night. It's more of the down home, old time religion music.
Gospel as a musical genre now is generally thought of as quite a different thing. The category is quite big and a lot of things fall under it's umbrella, but WOW Gospel 2005 is a good example of what I think of when I think of "Gospel" music now. This stuff I really do not like at all.
Casting Crowns also showed up under Gospel on amazon.com, but I would generally categorize it as "alternative" more than Gospel. It definitely has a different sound than the WOW Gospel music, but it goes to show how broad the label can be applied. (This also happens to be the CD that I have in my car right now - I love it!)
Pardon me, it goes to show how broadly the label can be applied.
Thanks for the explanation, Angie.
I only enjoy southern gospel music when they sing those good old fashion hymns!
I'm the only girl, at church who does not enjoy bluegrass...I've tried very hard, but I just cannot listen to it.
I do not mind Bluegrass; I do have one cheap Bluegrass c.d. in my collection.
God Bless
Matthew
My grandfather was in a bluegrass band when I was very young, so I think my early exposure predisposed me to like it. It is not my favorite kind of music, but I do enjoy it from time to time. Before I left California someone asked me to join a bluegrass band - they were going to teach me to play the upright bass and would eventually have me sing, too. It would have been fun, I think.
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