I have had concerns for some time know about the quality of some of our contemporary worships lyrics. A few years ago (round about the time that the Berlin wall collapsed and the Cold War ended) the Army’s exclusive use of the official song book in worship ended. Now when you visit a Corps you cannot assume that the ‘song book’ is the automatic first choice of the congregation (in some Corps it is not used at all.)
This is not just a shame it is a tragedy. Whilst I enjoy singing contemporary worship songs, especially songs like “The power of your love”, “All I once held dear” and “Refiner’s Fire” the available repertoire has a big hole in it which could be plugged by the use of the ‘song book’.
Generally speaking, most modern Christian songs could be accurately categorised as “Praise and Worship” – nothing wrong with that, indeed the arrival of some of these songs has been a timely reminder to The Salvation Army of the need to worship. However, contemporary worship songs are short on sentiments like; consecration, commitment, personal holiness, sacrificial living, obedience, evangelical urgency, intercession – indeed many modern worship songs enable the singer to spend a few minutes away with angels, before the throne, without having to consider the quality of their own life in terms of practical Christianity at all.
The Salvation Army has rich (maybe even unique) heritage among the churches for producing songs that challenge and inspire the singer. A good example and one of my personal favourites would be Walker’s classic (SASB 482)
"Too long at ease in ZionIncidentally I don’t know if Walker was a Salvationist but the important thing is that his sentiments have been preserved in our song book. Now I am told by people (better qualified than me) that this song is no longer culturally relevant and is incomprehensible to younger generations. That may well be true but the sentiment remains valid and is absent in the vast majority of modern worship songs.
I've been content to dwell,
While multitudes are dying
And sinking into Hell.
I can no more be careless,
And say there's naught to do,
The fields are white to harvest
And labourers are few.”
Another example (used by “The Singing Company”) would be Robert Johnson’s (SASB 696)
“See the brazen hosts of Hell,
Their art and power employing,
More than human tongue can tell,
The blood-bought souls destroying.
Hark! from ruin's ghastly road
Victims groan beneath their load;
Forward, O ye sons of God,
And dare or die for Jesus.”
I recently had a conversation with one of the organisers of Roots UK and asked him why we rarely sing a Salvation Army song at Roots (there is almost an unwritten policy at Roots UK that the official songbook is not used!). The answer I received was fairly predictable and mirrored the opinion voiced above that such songs are largely incomprehensible to young people and those outside our ranks. Incidentally when I questioned the inclusion of the song “Be thou my vision” surprise was registered at the fact that the song had originally been written in the 8th Century (and only translated into ‘modern’ English in 1905)
I suppose the solution is to write new songs which contain the sentiments of active commitment, practical holiness, love for the lost, the struggle for social justice, urgency etc but dressed up in contemporary words. We need modern Salvation Army songs that remind the church of their need for consecration and holiness in much the same way they reminded us of our need to worship.
If anyone is interested I could write the lyrics but sadly I am to musical composition what GSR is to nominal Christianity – if any budding musicians would like to help then email me at abale@ntlworld.com and we’ll see what we can do.
Yours, set apart by Christ, for the lost, in the Army
A
3 comments:
I think what needs to be done is for us to keep the words of the songbook and change the music.
I have not yet met an active Salvationist who has not loved and longed for the old Salvation Army songbook.
The words in that book have power, not to be in any way compared with the power of the bible but power non the less with songs written by Christians who would willingly die for the salvation of others.
Keep the songs change the music if you have to but keep the songs.
Interesting thoughts Andrew!
My friend and colleague Evie knows Eric Himes and was recently in the US. She brought back copies of the CD's and a story of her nephew and his friends sat in the car singing along to the Red Book Sessions in full voice. Makes a mockery of the argument that the language of some of our early day songs is incomprehensible to young people!
My teenage eldest, when still bewildered by the church a short time after she converted, commented that the words to contemporary songs are 'rubbish' but the music is ok. The SASB song words are terrific but the music 'sucks'.
She stuck it out, but still despairs.
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