I have really started to get sick of all the feminine wording that is being required of me to sing worship songs these days. So much is so metrosexual sounding to me. I am left scratching my head and asking myself: Is it a love song or a worship song? Are they singing about sex or worship?
Sometimes I find myself saying: I sound gay singing this stuff.
Do I have to be Clay Akin to join in the songs today?
When did we have to become women to worship?
Why don't we just hand out skirts to all the men when they come in the sanctuary so they will fit in with all the hand waving, body swaying, flowery words and looks of summertime glee that are floating around the room. Liberatche would be proud.
I think we need some John Wayne worship leaders back in the saddle to drive out all this sissy talk.
Lets write some songs that men can sing without blushing please. Put some masculinity back into the worship and maybe we would see more men returning to our churches. But then again why do we have to sing all the time anyway? Is it really needed at every service? Singing, sharing, talking, confessing, hugging...all very tough hurdles for men to get over. Does anyone else see this or am I just loony?
Small groups where men are supposed to share with a bunch of women in the room? Please! Give me a break, most men can't share with their wives even knowing they will get better sex or more sex if they do! We want men to share with no prospect of sex at all. We are nuts.
I know that my thoughts probably tick some people off but I honestly think these things a lot. If I have to become Shirley Temple to fit in with this religious crowd than you can count me out. I have a friend who calls some of this stuff by the name: ESS (Empty Scrotum Syndrome). I have to agree, especially when I see so many men not only losing their masculinity during worship but being led around by their wives like a bunch of mamma's boys. Now I am no woman hater or chauvinist and I am all for women's rights and all that stuff but please I don't have to become a woman to support women do I?
When did men lose their right to be men. When did the church become so soft and cuddly and more concerned about feelings than acts. The modern church wouldn't even write a book of the bible called ACTS it would be called The book of sharing or caring or something else pitifully emasculating.
Ugh it all so pretty all the time. How about someone designing a church that doesn't look like the Fab Five put it together. Where is the stone, the wood, some steel, some concrete...give me something Norwegian that evokes the Viking spirit in me. Something that stirs me and the deep masculine powers that reside in my spirit, put there by God himself to be expressed and experienced as much as all the feminine qualities that are essential to a whole life.
Will someone wear something that had to be killed to be made into an outfit. What ever happened to the American male? Now we got a whole lot of shemales dancing around the altar. Please no more soft clothes, pretty smelling scents and tender hands at the foyer or I am going to start a church in a saloon.
9 comments:
Pasture Eric I am not sure what I think about this little article of yours??? It slightly throws me off!
Eric, you’ve always been one to go against the grain, whatever the grain is, and to want more than “average”, which is definitely an amiable trait. But this righteous chant seems to be missing some important truths.
What do you mean by “feminine wording” in the worship songs? Of all people, I would expect you to have the least bit of trouble expressing your love for the Lord in any way; I’ve seen your poems, and they haven’t always been Stalone-in-Rambo-esque. Besides, worship songs should be love songs. I’ve heard you say yourself that alternative music writers write better love songs than Christians. Where’s that spirit? I would hope that you’re not distracted by what you think you sound like, but rather what God hears, and anything sung with heart is beautiful to his ears.
It saddens me to hear such an influential voice make such bold statements about church services that have blessed so many men through the years. What about the many men who have given their hearts over to the Lord? Most of those times happened during worship songs. Are they to be called Shirley Temples? Do they get the Nancy Award? Did their life changes come only from the prodding of their wives?
You say you want something masculine put there by God himself. Well, He’s right there before we even ask if we come with the right heart. So embrace Him with your “Viking Spirit”. You’ve implanted in our heads that it’s not about what we get from worship; it’s what we give.
There are already so many pressures on the church regarding worship and style, trying to please everybody. I want the spirit that’s not lazy, that actually challenges itself to find God in a slow song.
Good comments so far and I find it interesting that two women post the first rebuttals. :)
Ha! That's what you get for raising fighters! :)
O.K. I gotta weigh in on this topic.
What she said.
Love Dad
boooo...booooo....cut the apron strings dad.
I really don’t know where to begin. You mentioned that these thoughts might “tick a few people off”. That is putting it very mildly. I really cannot fully describe to you how very upset I am about what you said and the way you said it. Whatever I am about to type you, please multiply the intensity, the vocabulary, and the voice volume about 1000 times and you will have my initial feelings on the subject. I have refrained many times from responding in the past to your blog, because I respect you. I know you like to prod people and urge them to care more about these issues, but I can find more encouraging ways to spend my spare time. You are my pastor and my brother. I respect you. God has used you in my life. He has spoke directly through you to my spirit. But often when you are ranting, you speak things so opposite of how I believe a pastor and a man of God should speak things. Underneath all the ridiculous stereotypes, generalizations, analogies, bad taste, and fleshly response, is in fact a spiritual point. Cannot you say the same things and coat them with some wisdom please? Have you forgotten that the whole world can read this? Isn’t there any sense of accountability or responsibility when you know that any Joe (saved or unsaved) can read what you write? So often I have prayed for my friends to hear your words of hope. Words from Christ. I believe that in fact your words were part of the equation for my friend’s salvation. I would hate to pray for people to never find your words, because they frighten me. It is really all about how you say them. You can’t go around speaking every thought in your head, even if you are a man of influence. You say it is your privilege. God also gave you wisdom with that privilege. If you want to sing a song of Victory… a war cry… preach to me about my God who is the Victor. Preach to me about the God who crushes the head of the serpent. That is how you will inspire me. I have written more than one song from just listening to you preach. This blog post will only enrage, not inspire. You have indeed inspired me to walk off the platform and throw in the towel. What great fruit of the spirit that is. You say that maybe because I am a woman I won’t fully grasp this issue. Ok fine. Do something about it yourself then. Are not you a pastor? Are not you the head in leadership and do you not have people under you. Take the portion God has given you and let it reflect the vision you see. Meet with your worship leader and rant to her all of this nonsense (sorry… somewhere in all the madness you wrote is a point. Its just coated with humanness). It should be easier because she is your wife. You should be totally free in discussing the thoughts and feelings you are struggling with. Perhaps you need to replace “Your love is Extravagant” with “The Victor is Living In Me”. I don’t understand why the world needs to know how you feel on this topic. I’m sorry. To me it does NOT inspire change. It inspires division and frustration. Shouldn’t we all be feeding soup to the homeless instead of writing these e-mails? I mean, your saved and I’m saved. Why not be manly and go rescue some men from hell. I really don’t think that a man who’s wife just left him, a man who is struggling with an addiction, a man who has no food, a man who is poor, a man who is miserable, etc. really cares THIS MUCH about the particular wording of songs. Let me quote my mother if I may: “It’s not so much the song you sing but the heart you bring.” I’m sorry (again). What is “manly” about lying prostrate before the throne saying “Holy, Holy, Holy?” Last time I checked, God was neither male nor female. If we are both made in his image, then together we make up his likeness. Why can’t you just say that you want people to know the truth of the God they are worshiping (when they are worshiping)? Why can’t you say that you want people to be encouraged that God has won the battle. Sometimes we need to motivate our spirit to join in war with the Spirit of Christ. Why can’t you say that we need to slay the dragon and then sing to God a song of thanks afterward. The right way is not in maleness or femaleness. We need to reflect the attributes of God. It’s odd reading this post from you. Remember who dared to preach a message on “Kissing in the Church”? Actual Christians kissing other Christians in the name of Christ. I’m pretty sure that more men were scared off by that message, then they ever will be by singing about Christ’s love. Do I have to remind you that YOU were the one who introduced me to songs like “Jesus I need to know true love. Deeper than the love found on earth. …let me know the kisses of your mouth …let me smell the fragrance of your touch…. etc. etc.” I love Vineyard music, but they have a lot of male writers who write some female sounding words. We wont discuss the fact that those words come from scripture though. (no we wont) I was randomly just trying to think of worship songs that sounded “male” or “female” and funny as it may seem…. Some of the more “masculine-victory chant” songs were written by females. And some of the more feminine songs were written by males. Funny. Maybe God wants the women to understand his masculinity and He wants the men to understand his femininity. Maybe there’s more to this than you think. Or perhaps your library of worship music needs to be expanded. What songs are you actually referring to? I hate (for real) all this generalizing. It offends mass quantities of people. You can’t talk against the body of Christ and tell me not to be offended by it. I am part of the body. I need the other parts to function. I can’t throw them away with the trash. I spend my life trying to collect them all and bring them together. I have been able to be apart of worship services and events from a vast number of denominations. It’s a gift to see God in every one of them. God can work through anything. Is he really limited by words? Is not the Holy Spirit beyond that? I’d like to think that Helen Keller could walk into a worship service and sense the presence of God. She would neither: hear, see, or touch anything. It would be something in her heart and in the room. I’m tired of Christians talking about everything in the flesh.
Perhaps you might say, “Well Angela, if it upsets you this much, you don’t have to read it.” I say, “Oh yes I do.” I care about every word my pastor says. You are one of the voices of God in my life. Your point may really be from God, but it is so mixed up with how you feel it loses its prophetic power. And you demean and bash anointed music and people as you plow through your rebuke. I noticed that your second response on the 15th of February actually sounded more grounded and sensible. Not weak but had wisdom to it. People might actually take it in without throwing it up first. Inspire me Eric. Inspire me through Christ. Write me a poem of the words you long to sing and I will put it to music. Then post it on this Blog and let it bring hope to MEN and WOMEN. For real. Do it. I dare you. I’ll write the tune.
P.S. I’m pretty sure your wife could cook you up a melody as well. But then again… worship isn’t about conjuring up a feeling we want to feel. We have to make sure everything we write is from Him, to Him and through Him.
P.S.S. You said that your post was not directly aimed at our church etc. How then do you explain your statement, “I have really started to get sick of all the feminine wording that is being required of me to sing worship songs these days.” Being required? Who is requiring you? Quit being so general. Aren’t you sick of offenses? Are you trying your hardest to create them? You must be. That’s too bad. When in doubt just quote some scripture and encourage the body. I think I’ll start to wind down this e-mail with a few myself.
But before I do… What was that comment in your post about complaining that we always have to sing when we get together? You said, “But then again, why do we have to sing all the time anyway? Is it really needed at every service?” Let me ask you this Pastor Eric, at what other time are Christians saying the same words of praise at the exact same time? Don’t the Angels in Heaven sing in unison over and over? What do you think we will be doing up there forever? Talking about our masculinity?
“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music. Awake, my soul! Awake harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of You among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the sky. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.”
PSALMS 57:7-11 NIV
“I’m ready, God, so ready, ready from head to toe, Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune: ‘Wake up, soul! Wake up, harp! Wake up, lute! Wake up, you sleepy head sun!”
PSALMS 57:7-8 MSG
Anyway…
The cork is off the bottle. I’m not smiling and this is not a game to me. Please don’t try to get a rise out of me and think its no big deal. I have better ways to spend my time. I love you and you have been one of the most influential people in my life. Please be aware of your power of influence. Save it for messages that bring life and hope. I don’t disagree with you on all counts. Please don’t think I do. I am just highly offended by how you communicate.
-Ang
Wow! That was a mouthful Pastor!
Thanks for adding another demand to the ever-increasing list of what people want in a worship service! Thankfully, my responsibility as a worship leader is to prayerfully and carefully select songs that will please the heart of God, celebrate His great deeds and encourage His people to experience His presence. Remember, whether you are male or female, worship is still an audience of one before our great God. He is the focus of our thoughts. There is some consideration given to the group of worshippers we will lead, but it is my responsibility to encourage the body of Christ to worship from their hearts, not from their “maleness” or “femaleness”. Although our flesh is involved in the worship experience, God’s Word says that true worshipers will worship God in Spirit and in truth.
I really don’t think that when David danced before the Lord he ever considered whether or not his worship expression was a male expression. My question is, “Just what is a male expression of worship”? “What is a male worship song?” The Psalms are filled with varied worship expressions encompassing a vast array of emotions. I really don’t think we can put all of that into tidy little boxes marked “male expressions of worship” and “female expressions of worship”. I believe this applies to the composing of songs as well as our personal expression of worship.
Tears, for example, are a legitimate masculine expression of worship, particularly in many other cultures around the world. “Masculine worship” becomes “masculine” because a man expresses it, whatever form it takes.
I really think you have underestimated men! They are not nearly as fragile as you suggest. When Jesus is lifted up in any church, people (both male and female) will be drawn to that place. We must also remember that when the whole body meets together, it includes people of all ages, diverse backgrounds, different cultures, varying religious histories and includes both male and female sexes. Could we not say then that it would be acceptable to include all kinds of expressions of worship? (That’s not to say we can’t take a prayerful and thoughtful look at how we do church. I’m up for that!)
As for your comment about men being drug around by their wives…that’s a completely different subject. This problem would have to rest at the feet of our brothers. They are the ones that will have to give an account of their obedience or lack of obedience to God’s instructions concerning their role as leaders of their households. This has very little to do with “feminine” worship expressions but much to do with male obedience to God’s Word. A vast majority of women that I talk to are longing for, could I even say they are desperate for their husband to be the godly leader that God has called them to be.
This anointing to lead will also be lived out and modeled for their family in their expressions of worship.
Still love me?
donzi
Ohhhh my the punches are flying! Uppercut, uppercut, body blow! Body blow!
I got a whole lot I could say in response to everything so far but I will hold steady to see if the perspectives being expressed are the only voices.
So far the women and women worship leaders are getting in the ring. It's a dogpile so far and I am on the bottom! :)
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