Feedback this week

I got a few comments this week about the 80s tune we started with Sunday morning. One adult couldn't believe we started with a song that they hadn't heard, and the teens; well, they were teens, but they were honest and had a right to be. I posted a 'send me songs you really like' status on Facebook, and here's an early list of what was replied.



Sweetly Broken - Jeremy Riddle
No One Like You - David Crowder Band
Remedy - David Crowder Band
Come and Listen - David Crowder Band
Glory of it All - David Crowder Band
"Mighty to Save" by Hillsong United from The I Heart Revolution
"Majesty(Here I am)" by Delirous
"Nothing but the Blood" by Matt Redman
"To the Ends of the Earth" by Hillsong United
"My Hope" by David Crowder Band
"Everything Glorious" by David Crowder Band
"This Is Our God" by Chris Tomlin from Live from Austin Music Hall
"Everyday" by Hillsong United
"King of Majesty" by Hillsong United
"Obsession" by David Crowder Band
How is it between us - Sara Groves
Mountain of God - Third Day
We Fall Down - Chris Tomlin (or most anyone else)
God is With Us - Mercy Me
You Are So Good To Me - Third Day
Ain't No Grave - Selah (Adam Crabb)
Love them Like Jesus - Casting Crowns
I Believe - Third Day
More Than You'll Ever Know - Watermark
NO one like our God.
Lifesong, praise you in this storm.
You are god alone.,
I am a friend of God.
Awesome is the lord most high
I Can Only Imagine,
What If I Stumble,
Your Love Oh Lord,
Trading My Sorrows,
In Christ Alone
"I've Always Loved You" - Third Day
"Thank You" - 33 Miles..
"Lead of Love" - Caedmon's Call
Still" - Hillsong
"Hallelujia What a savior",
"Amazing Grace My Chains are Gone"
Your Love is Extravagant (Casting Crowns),
Peace Be Still (Rush of Fools),
Full Attention (Jeremy Riddle),
I Am Nothing (Jeremy Camp),
Be Still and Know (Steven Curtis Chapman)

I had never heard of Jeremy Riddle, so this was a good exercise for me.

I think we did a good job on the song, and took a LOT of the 1980s out of it, but I'd still like to see us keep it 1995 or newer, unless we're playing an obvious Hymm; could avoid some similar results in the future.

I have a crazy collection I started by accident, of old HYMNALS that I just ended up with; I have about twenty. This is from the forward of the 1941 Methodist Youth Hymnal:

"When selecting songs for this collection, we had to ask ourselves three questions:
1) Is the melody pleasing;
2) Is the theology sound in the lyrics;
3) Is it singable? "

I think this works for worship music, whether it's from Chris Tomlin, or whether it's (probably not- see #3 above) from Third Day. One place I had to watch out in my former 'worship leader' days at Journey Fellowship was the large Third Day fanbase. Mac Powell is one amazing vocalist, and truthfully I cannot sing like him, and can't expect the typical worshiper to either. When something had too much 'style' vocally, we couldn't use it unless it was the weeks special music/offertory/whatever, but typically you and I can't sing like Mac Powell and shouldn't expect others to. At the risk of offending, I feel the same way about half of David Crowder's music. I am wrong, but it's how I feel, not think. The massive amounts of participation I hear in the Youth Worship downstairs tells me to re-evaluate my feelings on DC sometime very soon.

Regardless, remember that we are here for a purpose higher than ours, and we should listen to the Mighty One, and adapt ourselves to His purpose, however that needs to be achieved musically. Praise be to GOD!

Jimbo email