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Country & western music in the church!

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by Ruth, Feb 25, 2003.

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  1. Ruth

    Ruth Member
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    It seems to me that CCM has taken enough of a beating recently - so what about country & western music in the church? The same things that have been said about rock and/or CCM are equally valid when the discussion focuses on our worship music done in the style of popular C & W - so what say you?

    I live in a part of the US where country & western is the predominate popular music type. And we all know that the lyrics of these songs are not any better than most of the "rock" music. And in virtually every honky-tonk around here, the preferred band for dancing is country/western.

    So, given that this form of music is so popular with the "world" should it be performed in church? I am speaking of the music type, and proceeding on the assumption that the lyrics are suitable for praising God.

    Let the wars begin! [​IMG]

    Ruth

    (First paragraph edited for clarity)
     
    #1 Ruth, Feb 25, 2003
  2. Pete

    Pete New Member

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    Country and western....MUSIC :confused: :confused:

    ;)

    Pete
     
    #2 Pete, Feb 26, 2003
  3. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    Do you mean real country, or the claptrap that pollutes today's "country" radio ?
     
    #3 Bro. Curtis, Feb 26, 2003
  4. Ruth

    Ruth Member
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    Bro. Curtis, I mean all of it. No one pays the slightest bit of attention to the genres of rock or when the performer was popular, so let's not make any distinction in C & W either. Let's include everybody from Hank Williams to Billy Ray Cyrus - they are all classified as country & western musicians.

    Is this music too "worldly" for the church? Should we avoid it because of its popularity, since we are to be different from the world?

    Ruth
     
    #4 Ruth, Feb 26, 2003
  5. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    A product of the 60's, I play the rhythm guitar and much of the music is a blend of the old folk sounds and true "western" music (NOT the modern C&W rock wannabes).

    Most of the modern praise music is either such a folk/western blend or rock blend. I perfer the former.

    And of course, since I use this music, it must NOT be sinful or evil. [​IMG]

    But YOUR music is suspect . . . :rolleyes:
     
    #5 Dr. Bob, Feb 26, 2003
  6. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Same principles that apply to rock apply here.

    The Bible doesn't speak one way or the other about specific musical styles so it's more or less up to the conscience of the believer.
     
    #6 Mike McK, Feb 26, 2003
  7. JonathanDT

    JonathanDT New Member

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    Hate to nitpick, but that statement is grossly misleading. It is the ones who don't understand or care about rock music that don't diferentiate between the genres. As far as I know, all who do care pay a great amount of attention to the genre, though they might not care about popularity. Popularity is a terrible standard for judging music, just look at N'Sync.

    For instance of differentiating, I would not want virtually any type of metal in the church, I don't think it would be appropriate for worship, particularly because they would be pretty hard to sing with. However, I would have no problem with a praise band like SonicFlood, Delirous, or even a ska band like the Insyderz.

    As for the original question, personally, I wouldn't like it. However, that is solely because of personal preference, I hate country music. But in an area where country might be more popular, I could see them with a country style worship, and I think it would be a fine idea(obviously as long as it is high quality and glorified God), just so long as I don't have to sit through it. ;)
     
    #7 JonathanDT, Feb 26, 2003
  8. cash1611

    cash1611 New Member

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    Having read several biographies of the Late and Great Hank Williams Sr. I know that he personally felt that his music should not be played in church. At the same time he hated to hear his hymms and spirituals played in bars. He was very much a Baptist theologicaly.

    ironicaly, the last concert he ever played was on the outside grounds of a church

    cash1611
     
    #8 cash1611, Mar 1, 2003
  9. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    That's pretty ironic considering he was known for his gospel music as much as he was his mainstream stuff.
     
    #9 Mike McK, Mar 1, 2003
  10. Aaron

    Aaron Member
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    If there's any question, chuck it.
     
    #10 Aaron, Mar 1, 2003
  11. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    I love Southern Gospel and it has that country sound....

    OUCH! Ruth! How young are you? I'm 52 and remember when Rock music was music! We all listened to Rock and Roll in the 50's and there was no vulgarity or explicit sex talk.... It was the music anyone to sing along with or tap their foot to.... Not like the Rock music of today!

    Used to be the C & W music was too rowdy for church folks.
     
    #11 dianetavegia, Mar 1, 2003
  12. Ruth

    Ruth Member
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    Actually, I wish I were as young as you think I am (not really, though!). I will be 49 this year.

    There is only one kind of music that I can really be considered a "fan" of: pre-1900 classical. I have yet to hear anything in that genre that I didn't like. I also enjoy good jazz, blues, and big band/swing, but am more particular about the type that I like. Next down my list is what we always called "convention" music - basically, that is the bulk of what the Gaithers do. After that comes...(ducking and running)....old rock and roll. And I remember it very well! But I don't like all of it; some was simply bad music period and the only reason it was done was to make money for the record companies.

    What I don't like is easy to specify - most modern classical is done in an atonal style, the structure is atrocious, and it grates on my nerves. And I really despise C & W. Sorry folks - to me, the only thing worse is listening to nails scraping across a blackboard.

    So it is hard for me to read all of these views regarding what is or is not "suitable" for the church. No one seems to want to admit that as far as being worldly, C & W is just as guilty as rock. And that is the honest truth, whether or not I personally like it. Anyone who came to my part of the country would have a very hard time finding ANY church that did not feature "country & western" style music, most often as special music.

    I did get back at them, however; for our last Baptist Association hog roast & sing, I sang an English translation of "Panis Angelicus". This was right after our locally semi-famous guitar pickin', nasal singin' gospel duet performed. [​IMG]

    Ruth
     
    #12 Ruth, Mar 1, 2003
  13. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Sounds like you're listening to the wrong rock music. There's plenty of rock music out there that's not vulgar or sexually explicit.

    You can even tap your toes and sing along if you want to.

    We're having a fund raiser next week that has two such bands. You're welcome to come and see if you want to.
     
    #13 Mike McK, Mar 1, 2003
  14. Alcott

    Alcott Well-Known Member
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    If there's any question, chuck it. [/QB][/QUOTE]

    There's question about any music. Churck it all!
     
    #14 Alcott, Mar 1, 2003
  15. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    So, has anybody heard the album, "The Gospel According to Austin"?
     
    #15 Mike McK, Aug 1, 2003
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