"we need to find a way to simply have less music in evangelical worship. I don’t say that out of any distaste for art or from a lack of appreciation for the need to reach musicians and people with musical gifts. I mean exactly what I mean: in the typical evangelical church, there is simply too much music, too much attention to music, too much judged by music, and too much attributed to music."
"Beyond Words" has this comment:
I think the downfall of evangelical musical worship is that electronically amplified music divides the music experience between the performers and the congregation even more than elevated choir lofts and organs did in the past. Praise is not a corporate act when you can’t hear yourself think, let alone hear the voices next to you. Also, Pop/rock band music requires a particular set of skills that marginalizes the participation of otherwise musically gifted people and creates a sort of celebrity clique.
I think Beyond Words has a point, and it is an ironic one. One of the Protestant gripes about Catholics during the Reformation was that the chalice was restricted to the officiating priest. Article 30 of the Anglican Church's 39 Articles of Religion is entitled "Of both kinds" and states:"The Cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the Lay-people: for both the parts of the Lord's Sacrament, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be ministered to all Christian men alike."
While music is not a sacrament, in my lifetime, I think it has gone the way of the 13th century chalice. Music is less and less a corporate act; and yet it is more and more the focus of our attention. Is church music the evangelical equivalent of the priesthood? Hmmm.
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