This week sees the start of the Keswick at Portstewart 2012 convention in Northern Ireland. Speakers: Rev David Scott, Dundee, Scotland; Rev Dr Chris Wright, now working in London; Rev. Dr Steve Brady, Principal of Moorlands College, Dorset, England.
The two sermons/studies I have heard so far were helpful and at times very challenging. But the music last evening was so loud that I feared my ears would explode. The heavy rock-like beat sent vibrations through my body, the intention being, of course, to evoke some kind of physical and emotional response in me and the others attending. As I left the meeting and until I walked the 15 minute walk to my apartment, my head was still throbbing, resonating with that worldly noise.
One of the pieces we were asked to sing had so many first person pronouns in it that for that piece we were not worshipping God at all. We were singing about ourselves. How pathetic!
On top of that, we hardly knew when the worship leader was speaking to us or supposed to be leading in prayer. Also, we had to endure the almost endless repetition of choruses and the jumping about from verse to verse, and of course, the Palladium-type fading out at the end of a series of 'worship songs' to bring them to a conclusion.
It was all a bit too much for me, I must confess. In contrast was the morning Bible Reading where a lady played the electronic piano to accompany the congregational singing. This was accompaniment; the other was musical domination with a very heavy beat.
What has become of singing in the evangelical constituency? What has been done with the old sound reformed way of worshipping the living God? Where have the biblical principles regulating worship been dumped? Sadly, few attendees, it would appear, seem in the least concerned about this downgrade. The attitude seems to be that if the leaders think it OK, it must be OK!
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