What The Church Can Learn From The Black Eyed Peas
I believe this video annihilates the idea that people want to show up to an event (church) and stand in rows and be sung and talked to.
Safety is overrated.
People want to be a part of something big.
What can we, the church, learn from The Black Eyed Peas?
Los
Is anyone else tired of Oprah taking something that's pure and people-driven and turning it into a mass-market, watered down gimmick? I know this was the BEP's idea, but now everyone and their mother thinks they know what a flash mob is. Unfortunately, what they think it is is a big group dance.
agree. Did you see her dance moves? lol
Oh shoot, my comment has nothing to do with Los' questions. Sorry everyone.
I'll go. I think the church can learn that PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOOT!!!!!
YES! There is so much potential for electronic music that is both god glorifying and can be sung/danced along to. There is not nearly enough of it getting made.
One thing is that 800 well-trained people can lead 20,000 very effectively – 1 leader for every 25 people sounds about right.
Another thing is that our music should groove. I don't have much scriptural evidence, but I'm convinced God likes funky worship music. Want people to dance in worship? Try some dance music. Luther used bar songs, let's use more club music.
I think this guy might be onto something. A few tracks on the Closer to the Start album begin to catch onto this idea… but I would love to see more popular music tones and beats.
But I don't think even Fellowship Church is doing any of the funkier ones
Ow, we want the funk
Give up the funk
Ow, we need the funk
We gotta have that funk
- George Clinton
Question: how many churches have a DJ as a regular member of their worship team? We had once a month for a while, but we totally underused him and he got discouraged and left. Made me so sad I wanted to cry.
new Crowder CD anyone?
David danced unbashfully in worship. Worship music was often used in the old testament and I’m sure it was music that they related to. My last church we had a hip hop dance group to reach the world and it will be done at my new church. Paul says I become all things to all people-why is music no different when God created it?
Ummm….you mean…we should have Oprah come to our city and close down a major highway for a choreographed dance party in the streets?
Ha!
Love the idea!
Thank you for sharing!
I think we need to learn Excellence. BEP's do stuff with excellence, they work hard to deliver great shows becasue they are proud of what they do. How much more so should we strive for excellence as followers of God?
I thnk that too often "close enough is good enough" for churches and it refelcts God poorly to those outside the church. We know and serve the most AMAZING being EVER so we should want to be the best we can be when we serve Him, meet with Him and represent Him. Note this is not perfection or striving to be the best becasue of our ego, this is giving to God what He deserves, as much as we humanly can… excellence, first fruits… actually example in our lives how much we say we love God in our public gatherings… if that's dancing then awesome, if its standing in rows or not so be it… that's my 2c
right on man!
like it.
I think the church can do great things when great ideas are brought forth. This proves that the simplest of acts (dancing), when put together & led can do something great.
That is flipping awesome! I love it. Combine those moves and throw in a Holy Ghost hop and we got it. God gave us the moves so we might as well use them. I believe that our freedom to be open in worship brings joy to God.
yup
Is it just me or does Los look a LOT like Human3rror today?
And the avatar changes while I type that… lol!
It tells me that many people are waiting to be led, and wont move and get out there until they are led effectively
That's a great insight!
Wow, I would have to say that at the very start my Hubby (@yochanan) made a remark about the girl being the only one dancing, then when more joined he suddenly teared up and asked me to restart the video. I was blessed to see what he saw…. One person living their life out for Christ even if no one around her was, she then influnced others and the effect was awesome.
Just imagine that being us, if we were to live all out for Christ how much of an influance would we be to the world around us.
OK – I'll admit it… I cried watching it. Stupid? Maybe. It's BEP's for goodness sake. But thinking about it through the lens Los put out there made me see what our worship could be if people would let themselves really worship.
I firmly believe that worship is contagious. And I have every intention of living my life that way and trying to inspire others to do the same.
Same here. Although I think our band would be run out of town on a rail if we played anything like that!
D
Crystal,
I'm ashamed, I totally missed that. I saw the prep in it instead. Thank you for driving that home. Now I'm going to snitch this and post it for our people to see and hopefully grasp and make their own. Dang. That's good stuff!
If you want an image of one person living out a life following Christ alone I think is best encapsulated in this video. Dancing Guy at Sasquatch anyone?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA8z7f7a2Pk
So true that people want to be part of something, but I don’t think it needs to be big. While the scale of this video is amazing, it’s the people in the immediate vicinity, and focus on the common goal, that make the experience special for each person there.
Jesus calls us to relationship with him and each other and, as individuals and the church, our focus needs to be on him. If our main concern is with creating good leadership, exciting worship, attractive environment, etc, etc, we (and those around us) will lose sight of Jesus and his purpose for our lives.
Well said. And I would add that LOVE is the thing. Above music, dance, preaching, technology, creativity, relevance, etc. Love is the thing. Love God, love one another. Love.
Wow. I feel kinda lame that this video made me cry. Los, you hit it man. This is the *perfect* picture of what the church is about. a massive group of diverse people coming together for the exact same reason. no other words can describe it except to say that it blesses my heart to see individuals come together to be a part of something so much bigger than ourselves.
and yes, i love the black eyed peas too.
Dude!!! That’s perfect for us white people who don’t have any moves. The interactive Church! I love it.
From this Black Eyed Peas video? I say we could learn to fake authenticity by rehearsing the audience into participation. Now, we can learn a totally different and better thing from this guy… http://www.ragamuffinsoul.com/2009/06/youre-bad-i...
However, I believe you are absolutely correct when you say that:
• people want to show up to an event (church) and stand in rows and be sung and talked to.
• Safety is overrated.
• People want to be a part of something big.
I'ts just that the video from your other post illustrates it better… that's all.
I don't think that rehearsing = faking authenticity. I rehearse for worship. Does that make me a fake? For someone who's never prayed before, it takes a lot of time, or "practice" to feel comfortable talking to God. But during those times, I don't think they are preparing to be fake.
I think Christians need to rehearse more before they walk out the doors into the world to share Christ's love – else they'll be ill-prepared.
That was legit
I think the thing we can learn for churches or even for life is that one crazy person is all that’s needed to start anything. The thing is, Are you that person crazy enough to be alone for a short time?
Of course it was planned ahead as a surprise for Oprah. How fun would THAT be to do at a worship gathering though? I would LOVE it!
this actually evoked some anger in me…no, seriously…while i certainly enjoyed the video and thought it was cool and all, I just couldn’t help think about how IMPOSSIBLE this would be for so many churches. i could hear the arguments now….and the committees being formed…and the religious restrictions we would try to put on a God who so desires to move in us.
i really wish a church gathering was more like this. maybe one day it will be more than a feeling.
i think it also evoked some emotions (anger) because i thought about how chicken i would be to be that ONE to help start the movement
People want to be a part of something bigger. They want to feel important in the whole vs. going it alone.
I was at the taping in Chicago for this and didn’t really understand how cool it was until I got home and watched it last night…
I had a similar thought…the people participating in the ‘flash mob’ in Chicago stood in a pin for 10+ hours learning the dance moves in order to be a part of something that ‘big’…
The question for me then became: How can the ‘church’ grab that same attention and make it long lasting?
A friend of mine had this theory about church that I've always found interesting. While he was the first to admit that life change happens in small groups of people (he used the dirty word "Sunday School," but we'll look beyond that), he said that we all have this need to worship a massive God with a massive group of people. I believe there's something in us, drawing us towards heaven, when we will be able to worship with all the other saints before our glorious Lord.
Awesome post Carlos.
Oh my gosh! I'm so glad you're asking this question Carlos. You have no idea how many times I've been in church just dying to run up on stage and dance! Hands lifted, feet moving, praising my Savior for his redemption. But no… it would be a "distraction". Really? Maybe that's what the church needs.,. distraction! Why is not okay to dance to worship music? I don't understand.
i feel like this post would have been more effective if the people had just stood around disinterested the whole time.
That would have proved that people don't come to an event (church), just to get sung to and stand in lines.
But in actuality, people WILL just go to an event and get sung to and make them think they are "doing church".
This is genius.
What i learned is that we need to hire about 5 people to start dancing at church service (maybe just sing) and then people will join in.
I mean look what the cha cha slide did for white people, it gave them a chance to take their uncoordinated selves and have some fun.
What a fun way to start the morning. I love when our church is moved to dance, unfortunately it has been awhile.
That was pretty awesome – not a BEP fan, only because I've never really gotten into their music, not because I don't think they're talented…
however, it looks like you hit several different levels with this video, per exemple:
1. That many people dancing about being on a live taping for the BEPs…why is it that people will wait for 10+ hours to learn the dance moves for something like that but not dance before Jesus like that?
2. The metaphor of one person dancing to the ultimate "Song" and impacting thousands and how obvious it is–almost uncomfortably obvious that there's this one person who sort of looks like a "nut" but ends up getting a whole crowd to join in with her "Dance."
3. People will act crazy over a sports team and at a concert but when it comes to Jesus, there's a fear of looking crazy…heaven forbid we "offend" any one.
…I can see where jonsutton was a bit angered by this video.
I think it also begs the question: do people know what they're getting excited about? And what of the worship leaders? So many times there's a soberness and a somberness expressed in worship but not even the worship leaders get into the upbeat songs (physically speaking) as much as musicians in bands do at concerts which is something that struck me about Chris Martin when I saw Coldplay last October. The guy was all over the stage. That's a blanket statement, I know. Don't get me wrong, I have felt restricted by pews and rows to move but even then, feeling awkward and crazy dancing and moving at church is not something I want to be doing by myself, and why not get into it regardless? … working on that
Those are all ‘planned’ dancers in that video, not just random people. They must have rehearsed this.
so I was leading worship at SCU this week and we finished with the Time has Come – and there were so many times during that song that I wanted to stop the music and ask people to jump up and down! I love the verse, Let ALL that is within me bless His holy name!!
That is so cool!!! Like Oprah said.
Your absolutely right, people would dance if we the worship leaders lead with uninhibited freedom and love for and belief in what we were singing.
I'm not there yet as a church stage dweller, I believe it but I have yet to really get lost in the words, the music. Thanks for encouraging us worship leaders to think outside the box.
Brilliance!
I got a feeling…. myself….
Check out http://www.thebasementonline.org
It’s a Birmingham student movement that incorporates a DJ and 5,000 kids at a service that has the feel of a club!
Sorry that should have been http://www.thebasementonline.com
This movement has the dance thing going on!
Holy Comments!!!! Why wouldnt people in the church on Sunday want to do this???? This is amazing!!!!
We just did something at my church (12Stone) this Sunday! A few plants with CIA (Compassion in Action) shirts on went out in the lobby and started dancing (had music playing of course, not exactly the norm but whatever). It didn't take very long for it to spread throughout the entire lobby. Needless to say the expressions on visitors' (and even some regulars) faces were priceless! The purpose was to show how something (such as compassion) can spread. It was fun in any case!
On a serious note though, I totally agree. At youth we all rush to the front as soon as worship starts, often jumping up and down, getting excited about God. Obviously, it is a little more tame Sunday, but I'm glad I'm at a church where this isn't a totally foreign thing. There are many different forms of worship, of course, but I know I sure do love it when stuff like this happens!
(I feel like I used a million parentheses in that comment).
Los -
priceless!
the Oprah show = something big * true statement
the church is part of something GREAT and bigger – let’s using this video to energize and take action…
i think one of the biggest things for the church to learn is this: an experience spreads. big or small, when you create an Experience, not just a service, or a sermon, or a song time, something spreads. emotion, joy, fun, there’s word-of-mouth, and something people can’t stop talking about, can’t stop spreading. heck, you weren’t there and you spread the experience because of how cool it was on video.
i remember when i heard someone tell me about the “Canvas” series Northpoint did a few years back, and borrowed their DVD so i could see it myself. truly amazing, and I spread the word.
the body painting that Dex did during “New Creation” at Fellowship…same experience.
the glowstick lights led on-screen at Granger Easter 2008…same experience.
when people experience something it spreads. church needs to create experiences that spread, whether that’s in service, or spread out of service
now how did they pull that off?? =D
every church needs a dance team. I random one. Like on Ellen… just start service and everyone dance.
And the pastor needs to shimmy over a coffee table. NO! Leap over a podium. Yeaaaaa.
hehe.
That made my day.
Tears to my eyes. I don't understand all of the reasons why but I was found tears in my eyes watching this
Well, I have to agree with alot of the posts here. This video, if looked at with the idea of what Los had in mind makes me wonder if we as churches are looking for something different. I know I want so much more for my life and my faith than what I get sometimes in my home church (and I am the worship leader) but then I am stuck with the question "why don't you do some thing about it" and then I realize it is up to me to find what God has for me. I want to be moved and I want the people that I lead to want to be moved just like the people in this video – one person living outside the box, influencing the world to be different.
Thanks Los I loved the video!
i think that's a pretty accurate picture of what heaven is going to be like. lots of undignified, unhindered, all out dancin' before the Lord. i think a lot of us will be surprised when we get to that pearly dance floor.
"where are all of the pews and hymnals!?!?!"
i like to think i'll be prepared.
and i'd like to add, that although i don't believe for a second that it's all about the music or lights or anything… i believe that God is bigger than i'll ever comprehend.. and when i have a love encounter with the living Christ… my response will be pretty big as well.
If everybody is told what to do and does it. It can look like something amazing that isn't anywhere close to being genuine.
For this crowd it WAS genuine. They were there to (1) Be a part of something big, (2) Be a part of something fun, (3) Show Oprah that she’s important enough to them to do this. Now, put Jesus as the target of the worship, and you’re onto something.
Looks like a Benny Hinn crowd…
The church could definitely do this. And then, just like the BEP event above. Most likely it would have nothing to do with worship.
The first girl dancing, had arms raised, eyes closed and everything. Was she worshiping God or the BEPs? Often it is hard to tell on Sunday morning as well . . .
My thoughts exactly. Oprah IS a god for many Americans. Why the heck should she get the spectacle in her honor? If there are going to be millions of us singing and dancing for Christ for eternity, why in the world are we not rehearsing NOW?!?!
it tells me that people want to be apart of something bigger than themselves.__We all do things to be apart of something, even if it doing something with 9999 other people. If we could get the church people to buy into that, what could are churchs do.
don't really know what this has to do with the church. are we not original here?