The Style It Takes...

David Herndon* — a Singer/Songwriter and Worship Leader based in Brunswick, GA in the USA — offers some reflections on the state of contemporary worship.

I’m a worship leader, and the over past few years I have had a growing concern with where ‘worship’ artists are headed. I am proud that worship music has stepped into modern times and the music quality has improved, more people are being reached etc. I’m just a little concerned that we may be going too far...

Concern #1: Style
Now, I don’t mean musical style. I’m talking about fashion. It appears that modern worship leaders are spending more time on their hair than on their music. I recently heard of one popular worship leader (a guy) who uses a flat iron on his hair! If you go to a worship event, you can clearly pick out the worship artists because they are dressed like rock stars — from hair spray to cool shades and stylish jeans. It’s okay to be yourself, but how important is fashion in leading people into the presence of God? Is that $150 haircut really going to minister to anyone? It’s hard for me to follow you in worship when you’re sporting the neo-mullet. I’m all for individuality, but currently everyone is beginning to look the same… ridiculous. (By the way, I mean no disrespect with these comments. I do believe most modern worship leaders are pursuing God’s call on his/her lives, even the guys who spend $150 on a hair-do! I simply want us all to think before we blindly conform for conformity’s sake!)

Concern #2: Style
I’m talking here about musical style. I recently listened to three different worship compilation CDs. The majority of the songs sounded similar: some vague Christian cliche or some over-quoted and out-of-context bible verse set to a 3 or 4 chord progression. And of course a U2-like bass drum driving the beat. Every song seemed to follow the same pattern: a moderate verse, rocking chorus, moderate verse two, double rocking chorus, a bridge, a chorus with just the vocals and drums, and then the final really rocking chorus, often followed with an a’capella chorus. Now, don’t get me wrong — worship should be emotive, and the stylistic elements I mentioned are certainly effective…but isn’t this approach to song-writing becoming a little redundant? And how about the words? Every new worship song that comes out has more and more words. How can you just let go and worship God if you can’t ever catch the song! Worship should not be complicated. And please don’t get me started on how completely unnecessary instrumental solos are in worship music, seeing as how a solo is meant to draw attention to that person and worship is meant to draw attention to God.

Concern #3: Lack of Authenticity
The biggest problem as I see it, is that worship leaders think they HAVE to sound (or even just look) like the ‘big dogs’ (Northpoint, Passion, Hillsong United). So everyone seems to be basically trying to re-invent the wheel. What about your personal relationship with God? Shouldn’t personality come through somewhere in your worshiping? Isn’t effective worship-leading that which helps people personally encounter God? Simple just doesn’t seem to be good enough anymore. We’re overproducing, trying to create a WOW moment. We’re missing out on a unique move of God and just trying to duplicate what the masses are experiencing at Passion: One Day in our 200 person congregation. My community is made up of different people than yours. My church has different struggles than yours. My congregation has different personalities than yours. Our worship SHOULD look DIFFERENT than yours, even if we do sing the same songs. One ‘mega-church’ is now actually offering an ‘educational’ subscription package in which you can learn how to do their songs exactly how they do it at your church. Where is the authenticity in that?

The biggest error here is that we may be missing out on some really unique innovations in modern worship. There may be people out there with some new insights and new styles of worship who are afraid to introduce their ideas because our culture demands that they look and sound like everyone else.

Concern #4: Musical Skill vs. Calling
Is everyone who is a Christian and knows how to play a musical instrument by default then meant to be a worship leader? The Christian culture seems to certainly think so. It’s as if we are so desperate to replicate the modern worship fad that we’ll stick anyone on stage as long as they can play. Traditional churches feel forced to add a ‘Contemporary’ service when 90% of their congregation has never heard of David Crowder or Chris Tomlin. The result is a very fabricated, un-authentic, and often ‘cheesy’ Sunday morning. This is not helping people clarify their call or develop their ministry gifts. This is not helping churches identify their unique, God-given mission. This is not the pursuit of excellence in Christ. This is just trying to keep up with the Joneses.

Concern #5: The People
If I, as a worship leader, obsess over keeping up with the status quo, I may miss out on real ministry. I remember one Sunday in particular when an older woman approached me and started sharing with me about a hymn that is really special to her, and she told me how much it would mean to her if we sang this hymn in worship. My first thought was, ‘Sorry, Lady, we don’t do hymns here unless some popular, modern worship leader has remixed one into a rock song.’ But God helped me see that she was really asking to be ministered to. So I found the hymn, listened to it, and our band worked on it… and now it is one of my favorite songs and ministers to me too. I’ll never forget making eye contact with her as our church worshiped with that song. 

Worship must never become just about the music. It must never be about the culture. It must never be about the worship leader. It must always be about God and His people. The second it is not about that, is the second it is no longer worship.

What are your thoughts on modern worship?

 

*David Herndon lives in Brunswick, GA, USA with his wife and two small children. He has led worship for 13 years and is presently Worship Leader at 'The Chapel', a church plant that is currently the fastest growing Methodist Congregation in South Georgia. He is also a Singer/Songwriter signed to Rebuilt Records, a non-profit recording label in Athens, GA. His new EP Into Danger/Out of Rescue is out on 29 January, 2008.

www.davidherndonmusic.com/