The Heart of Worship
- Adele Creasey
- Feb 4
- 2 min read
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Psalm 96:1
I’ve been digging into the history of Christian Music going back to the Jesus Freak Days of the 70s when I was saved. There’s a lot of criticism around Contemporary Christian Music, and I’ve been curious to understand why. It turns out there’s a real clash within the church. Therefore, many churches, including ours, have taken the path of "Blended Worship". We sing hymns, worship songs, and modern contemporary songs.
Personally, I appreciate the diverse range of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) as well as hymns, renowned for their depth and richness. Additionally, the songs of saved hippies from the 1970s, such as “They’ll Know We Are Christians By Our Love,” have left a lasting impact. Amy Grant’s songs, like “El Shaddai,” also contribute to the genre’s appeal. However, CCM has faced criticism for its association with heavy metal bands and from the influence of preachers such as Jimmy Swaggart, who claimed it was music from the devil. There was an influence of rock 'n' roll, as seen in groups like DC Talk and Newsboys, who sang "God's Not Dead". There was a movement in the early 2000's that emphasized worship music. Michael W. Smith was a prominent figure in this movement, along with other artists. Notable worship songs from this period include “Heart of Worship.” In recent years, we have witnessed the emergence of beautiful worship songs from composers like Phil Wickham and Chris Tomlin. "Goodness of God" and "Holy Forever" are new songs we have sung this past year that are worshipful. A band currently at the forefront is For King and Country, whose story is told in the movie "Unsung Hero". This is just a short summary of the development of modern music in the church. We haven't even discussed the emergence of instruments.
We’re instructed to sing a new song to the Lord. Past hymns were considered new songs at one time. Every generation influences music, and we should be open to God’s influence on this generation. Worship is in our hearts, and music creates an atmosphere that helps us turn towards God. Every generation has musicians who bring us back to “The Heart of Worship.”
