From the Pulpit: ‘Confessions of a contemporary Lutheran’
“Contemporary Lutheran” sounds like a contradiction in terms. Being a life-long Lutheran, I have heard all the criticisms. Our worship is the same every week and it becomes like recitation instead of heartfelt engagement. Our music is old because we refuse to sing anything that is not from a 500-year-old hymnal. I have been a pastor for seven years but before that I served for 20 years in several churches in the area of music under a variety of titles. The first church I served wanted to start a contemporary service and the learning curve for me was steep but I fell in love with contemporary music. There are many great songs like, “Known” by Tauren Wells. I love how he writes, “its hard truth and ridiculous grace”. I have an affinity to Chris Tomlin music, “Good Good Father” and “How Great is Our God” just to name a few. “In Christ Alone”, written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, is a great confession of faith.
How quickly over those 20 years have some of the “contemporary” songs now become old and put in the category of “traditional” and there has also been a trend of updating traditional hymn melodies into contemporary songs like “The Wonderful Cross” or “Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)”. “Come Ye Sinners” is the perfect example. A bandmate of mine several years ago brought to rehearsal this “new” song that she loved. We learned it and we all loved it. After worship she said to me, “This is why I love contemporary music. It is so meaningful for what we are going through today.” That is when I informed her that “new” song was written in the mid-1700s. She was shocked.
My confession is that I agree, sometimes worship feels uninspiring. Sometimes, even with a praise band, I wish we would liven it up. The most contemporary, lively song becomes mundane after some time because we are human and are easily bored. But music is such an important gift God has given us. It speaks right to our heart. The saying, “singing is praying twice” is attributed to St. Augustine from the 4th Century, and is as true today as it was then. It expresses our joy, sorrow, despair, frustration, or love in an elevated way.
As a church musician, my favorite Psalm was 150. “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
At that point in the history of the world, this would have been a comprehensive list of the ways and instruments used to praise the Lord. The Psalmist is really saying in all things, in every moment, with every instrument, praise the Lord. When you feel the joy of eternal salvation, praise. When you have enough food to eat, praise. When you get safely home from a trip to Florida or the store down the street, praise. And if you don’t play and instrument or can’t carry a tune, just do as it says in Psalm 100, “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”. Contemporary, traditional, praise band, organ, let’s use it all to give praise to the Lord who has done wondrous things. Amen.
