Youth around America embrace different kinds of music, from R&B; to Alternative to Gospel Rock. How does this affect the church? It is quite simple. Churches have to change their musical style in order to attract young people. Many songs like, "Amazing Grace," "To God Be The Glory", and even the traditional Doxology are replaced by newer songs, or alternative versions of the same songs. Is this a problem?
For that, I turn to Dr. Thom Rainer who wrote an expose entitled, "The Philosophy of Church Music and Its Effects on the Expansion of the Church". Rainer writes that "some Christians consider the older church music to be sacred, while they consider the newer music close to the level of blasphemy."
No disrespect to Rainer, but isn't blasphemy a little too strong of a word? Is the older generation overreacting? Are they too stubborn to change?
In My Own Opinion
Let's face it, a church bases its worship style on their congregation. If a church has older members, its worship style is likely going to be traditional. If a church has more youth, then music will be more contemporary.
Sometimes the rules have exceptions. Sometimes church leaders need to desperately need to get more members, so they change to contemporary music, despite the older congregation.
Music ministers will adjust, or the church may die out. This is because the baby boomer generation is getting older, and are finding it difficult to get to church. Meanwhile Millennials and Gen X'ers are going to become the majority of congregation in the coming years. Every person has to adapt to survive, the same thing goes for churches. A church cannot be fully traditional, or fully contemporary. Doing that would ignore the needs of people, which is something that should be avoided.
Personally, I believe churches should not argue over this issue. Every single church should let events play out. They will be led one way or another.
Reach the writer at ssydnor95@gmail.com or on Twitter @stephon146.
