There’s a Reason Every Hit Worship Song Sounds the Same
Religion News Service Reports on a New Study
In This Edition:
There’s a Reason Every Hit Worship Song Sounds the Same
Youth Pastors Ditch Gross-Out Games and Help Student Ministry Grow Up
ICYMI — Interdependence: Has Your Association Lost That Lovin’ Feeling?
There’s a Reason Every Hit Worship Song Sounds the Same:
A new study found that the most popular worship songs come from a handful of megachurches with a knack for writing pop songs about what God will do for you. By Bob Smietana, Religion News Service
Access the article HERE. Check out the top 25 worship songs chart included with the RNS article.
“A new study found that Bethel and a handful of other megachurches have cornered the market on worship music in recent years, churning out hit after hit and dominating the worship charts.
The study looked at 38 songs that made the Top 25 lists for CCLI and PraiseCharts — which track what songs are played in churches — and found that almost all had originated from one of four megachurches.”
ForthTelling Innovation Insights: I affirm the school of thought that Christian congregation participants learn a lot of their theology through worship music. This means churches need to carefully understand the theology of the worship hymns and songs they perform and call on the gathered congregation to sing. If four churches have this strong of an influence on worship music, we need to look more deeply into the theology they are teaching to be sure it is what we would intend to teach. The emotion and motivation of worship music also teaches even beyond its words.
Youth Pastors Ditch Gross-Out Games and Help Student Ministry Grow Up:
Today’s groups are becoming more integrated with the rest of the church. By Ericka Andersen, Christianity Today.
Access the article HERE.
“Not everyone left youth group culture of the 1990s and 2000s with a dying faith. Many who serve in youth ministry today are products of that time, did their share of scavenger hunts and gross-out challenges, and want to see this generation of young people supported and equipped in different ways.”
“Youth ministers and researchers agree that partnering with parents, bringing in a diverse group of mentors, and communicating with college connections in the immediate aftermath of high school are key to helping teenagers continue walking a path of faith.”
ForthTelling Innovation Insights: Every aspect of church programs, ministries, and activities go through cycles and phases. With the youth, teens, students foci at times it is simpleminded and other times it is serious. We are now in a more serious phase. That does not mean it cannot be mixed with some creative recreation experiences.
At times it is attractional and at times it is about missional mobilization. A healthy balance of each is important.
At times it seeks to separate youth from their parents and at other times it seeks to integrate what is happening with youth with their parents. We are now going through a phrase that results from great research that integration with parents is more effective than separation from parents since parents are more important in passing along their faith than is church.
Of course, this means the parents’ household is reasonable healthy and functional rather than dysfunctional. We all know that is not always the case.
In Case You Missed It! — Interdependence: Has Your Association Lost That Lovin’ Feeling?
Check out HERE George Bullard’s latest article on the Baptist Association (with implications for other local denominational organizations and judicatories)
“In 1964, music producer Phil Spector commissioned songwriters Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann to write the song, “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling.” It was then recorded by the Righteous Brothers and became a No. 1 hit.
It is still popular six decades later. Tom Cruise sings it in the original “Top Gun” movie. At least five generations of people around the world are familiar with it. Its popularity goes on and on and on.
Why?
It speaks to our basic desire to have deep, meaningful, dependable, loving relationships — and the sadness we experience when this love is wounded or lost.
Is it possible your Baptist association has lost that lovin’ feeling?
The lovin’ feeling in Baptist associations is characterized by the word “interdependent.” An interdependent relationship is about churches depending on the gifts, skills and preferences of one another. They seek to fulfill the mission of God from the base of their fellowship of churches.Thanks for reading ForthTelling Innovation! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.”