Dear Worship Dude. The Second Letter
[These are make believe letters to make believe experiences meant to garnish conversation]
Hey. It’s me again.
Dude Who Just Came Back To Church After 10 Years Because Church Sucks.
I decided not to come back last week because the Lakers were on Sunday night.
Man was that a mistake.
So tonight, after the sing-a-long, I happened to catch a conversation in the hallway.
This dude was telling this chic, “Man. Worship was amazing tonight!!!”
He was using all sorts of fancy words like anointed, renown, indescribable, and guitar tone.
He also said you sounded better on the third song than Charlie Hall.
I don’t know who Charlie Hall is, but this guy obviously did.
Maybe Charlie is his cousin or something.
Anyways.
This guy was standing about 2 rows in front of me.
He had his hands raised the entire first song.
He text messaged the entire second song.
He was really going for it the third song.
It might have been because he thought you sounded better than that Charlie guy.
I’ve only been here twice.
I just don’t get why he was all excited after the service?
It was like he was taking notes on you or something.
I honestly did not even notice you.
But this guy in the hallway, he seemed to notice everything you did.
I guess I’m just confused.
If all that singing is to God…
why is everyone talking about how amazing they felt during the sing-along afterwards?
Sincerely,
That Dude Who Just Came Back To Church After 10 Years Because Church Sucks.
Freaking love this…
Difficult to digest. Seems a little dramatized (obviously), but I get the point you’re making.
It’s a hard line to walk. We want the musical/technical aspect of gatherings to be top notch, but what happens when excellence becomes the very distraction that crapiness would otherwise be?
I am all three guys.
I’m a big, fat consumer…
I didn’t engage this morning because I was visiting a church with a different style than I prefer, and I just stood there patting my belly and clapping my hands until the music ended.
It would have been a rocking church in the 90’s… but today it was just “traditional”.
But God isn’t tired of those songs. Only I am.
dang.
because…its like when you admire something or someone you love…
when you see something beautiful you just absorb it…soak it in…take in all its beauty….
or when you love someone…that feeling you get just being near them (you don’t even have to be communicating with one another…just FEELING them being there near you)…or that feeling you get when you think about why you love them….it just feels…I dunno…good…
it’s kind of like that…that’s why we feel so amazing…because God is that beautiful thing…He’s that person we love that is sitting in the car seat beside or sitting on the couch right next to us…except…a bunch more.
sorry los
I’ll stop texting during worship!
Great point dp. Seriously. It is all true.
But second.
I’m sure the music would have sounded great had I actually been in Georgia to hear. However, the Lakers did win.
I am confused. Is this commentary on the worship leader or the regular attender? Is it wrong that I am moved by both God and the music? Music is the vehicle that we use to express to God how we feel about Him. It is a gift that He has given us to express and enjoy. Sometimes when I am leading or in the congregation, I don’t necessarily feel like the things I am singing are true for me at that moment, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t true descriptions of God. These are statements of fact that we are singing. The music may, however, move me when my heart isn’t open and ultimately move me closer to God, even when I feel like I don’t want to be moved there.
I get general tone of the “letter” and understand the desire for authenticity, but doesn’t authenticity also mean that you will screw up?
Dave. It is whatever you want it to be. Since it is a make believe conversation, you can have it focus on whoever you want.
“But God isn’t tired of those songs. Only I am.”
Thanks Ryan.
Brilliant baby, brilliant! H
WOW… again, WOW. S a worship leader I’ve often had moments of reflection on this subject. Thanks for putting this out here Los.
J
the best letter yet. i love this dude who just came back to church. we need to hang.
yep…producer team or not, my mind goes too often to “production value” thoughts rather than connecting with my Lord and Savior.
“But God isn’t tired of those songs. Only I am.”
Thanks Ryan.”
I second that motion.
Thanks for the calrification Los. I hope that my comment did not come across harsh. I really was just trying to understand the commentary better.
I love these!
Love the last line.
I deal with this everytime I get on stage. I just pray “help me die lord, kill it all so that you can be seen, felt, heard, this is yours.”
Good stuff!
im pretty excited that when its all said and done, i wont have to stand before this dude who thinks church sucks…and give an account for his _________ (fill in the blank)
…fortunately for me, us- since its a matter of my heart…God will know mine and yours intentions. At the end of the day…if i, me, you, we are worshipping something or someone…we cannot be to focused on those “dudes” out there…that might have opinions, be it confused, interested in church, wanting to understand…etc…
it seems like we should…but then who are we worshipping or singing to?
this dude is doing a good job and making his thoughts public and stirring up a little more paranoia and a feeling of insecurity – making people look side to side when their worhsipping.
An interesting thought:
i don’t talk to my wife based on how i hope others listening will judge my heart for her – she would be pissed.
she wants me, my heart…not what i would say to her in front of others.
So God it seems would be even more intent on me and him…..being just that….me and him….
I think a bigger question is WHAT are worship songs. the point of them?
who are they to? who are they for? WHO ARE WE CATERING TO?
him? the poor? the deaf? mexicans? or God? or me?
we could do a survey each week and only do stuff that these “dudes” will know so we dont make them feel left out?
we all want to reach people – i wonder if thats what the worship songs and worship “time” is meant to do on sundays?
or maybe….just maybe….
just like anything that is NEW…( a new song, a new band, a new store, style, fad etc….)
we gravitate towards what people are unashamedly supporting…and are spreading a mass wave about…
like adopting kids from china or africa….supporting the one campaign…doing things we would have NEVER done if Brad Pitt hadnt made a commercial….or Madonna…
Skinny jeans? wierd i think! But i find myself wanting to slide into a pare or strap them on incase they split…
simply cause those worship dudes seem to be embracing them, or so ive heard …..oh and the rolling stones…
but who cares what i think or what my opinions are…maybe my perspective doesn’t mean much since im limited a bit.
sincerly –
A guy who was born permanently blind.
Man oh man. It hits us.
I wish the Dude Who Just Came Back To Church After 10 Years Because Church Sucks dialouge could be more like:
“Wow that guys singing with a lot of passion. I wonder why?”
“The People had my old church didn’t get THIS excited about God.”
“I didn’t know God liked guitar solo’s so much!”