Ive told you before, but there are certain songs I won’t sing because I don’t believe the lyrics.

As a former worship minister, I believe worship is about way more than singing. It’s about service to the poor, justice for the oppressed; it’s about what kind of people we are/are becoming. (Amos 5-6)

Too often it seems like our corporate worship services are about a feeling. I can’t believe how many times I left worship services in the past thinking it wasn’t good worship because I didn’t feel a certain way after leaving. Corporate worship and music are certainly important, I think moreso than the ideas of “experience” that many churches strive for these days. Worship is about participating in Gods story and reminding ourselves who we are and what story of which we are a part. Corporate liturgy should have more communal pronouns. The words that we sing should draw us into a story of a god that’s putting the world back together rather than of a god who was so angry at us that he killed his son, or a god that cares only about how energetic or emotional the music is.

I think about this often when I worship. One thing that comes to mind is something N.T. Wright said in some lecture or another. He said, essentially, that the lyrics “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace” were the total opposite of the truth. The things of this earth will come into clearer focus the more we focus on Jesus. Jesus is what gives everything its definition.

I love everything about the hymn, “This is my Father’s world.” It’s difficult for me to sing “I’ll fly away” because it feels like escapism. But I do sing it because I have encountered people who in the midst of terrible suffering have longed for the discontinuity and release from their suffering that this song offers. This song was deeply meaningful for them. “I’ll fly away” gave a voice (albeit imperfectly) to their desire for healing and justice. So I sing for them, I sing with them.

The tension I feel then is to balance joining and supporting people’s meaningful connections with your observation that we as church can be and are more formed by songs than scripture – with all of the potential problems that can bring.

I have a hard time singing “I’ll Fly Away” as well, along with a number of other songs for theological reasons. While new heavens and earth is biblical concept and an escapest view of heaven probably is not (I know some who can marshall some support, though I am not convinced of their interpretations), we also need to talk in our churches about WHY the former matters. What is at stake if we ignore new heavens and earth for an escapist view of heaven?

That’s for next week’s post ha :)

Though I disagree with the escapist theology that undergirds the hymn “I’ll Fly Away,” I can sing that hymn with more ease than I can “Mansion Over the Hilltop.” And though eschatology is certainly part of our Christian story and therefore needs to be part of our worship, I wish the eschatological aspect of worship would be deeper than just fire insurancet.

Ok, dipping my toe in here. Who cares? I don’t mean that ugly but really. My Father’s World is beautiful, I love it. I’ll Fly Away or any other older hymn that speaks of a place without fear, disease, hurt, poverty etc.also move me. I long for that place where I’ll reside with God for eternity. I can sing about it joyfully. Just as I can sing joyfully hymns that speak to our lives here on earth. But, WE cannot make this world perfect and to assume we can removes our need of a Savior. What does “heaven escapism” mean? Are we just trying to find things to turn into problems?
Ok, be gentle with your criticisms.

Melinda,

You are always welcome to comment and with boldness :)

I think you raise an excellent point. There’s a large piece of this discussion that can turn into an unhealthy focus.

The reason it matters to me is because I sense that many Christ-followers have forgotten the core historic teachings of resurrection and the wedding of heaven and earth.

We certainly can’t bring perfection to earth, but we can participate in the kingdom.

Thanks for posting. Much love and respect.

BTW–I’m about to do three weeks on heaven and hell so I’ll need grace too!

Melinda – I’ll take a stab.

I don’t think this is much ado about nothing because My observations lead me to believe that what we believe about the end (eschatology) can, and does, dramatically affect our actions in the now.

The NT never speaks clearly about escapism (leaving earth and going to another dimension or reality). Rather, it points to resurrection, dead bodies once again coming to life, and a world where all things are restored to God’s original intentions. Much of christian thought has been effected by Greek understanding which leads us to an idea of heaven being a place out there, and that things that are physical (right here) are bad. Therefore, when we read about a consuming fire, instead of thinking of a fire that purifies all that is broken, we think of destruction.

And when our view of the end is that the world will be destroyed rather than renewed and restored, it’s easy to fall into a neo Gnosticism, a rejection of all that is physical, even to the point of not standing up against the destruction of Gods creation (or the suffering of his people) because “it’s all going to burn anyway”.

That’s why I believe it’s important. Whether Gods ultimate intent to destroy the world or restore the world is important in understanding our role as disciples.

I can sing both of these songs. “This Is My Father’s World” because I believe it. It’s the story I believe in when I can’t believe in anything else. This is the one I always sing when I find myself alone on the trail.
“I’ll Fly Away” because it takes me to Sunday night worship services at the Terrell County Correctional Institute with my granddaddy preaching and serving communion to the men in white prison clothes. This was the favorite and most requested song and they belted it! “Like a bird from prison bars has flown…”
I’m almost as sad that we can’t sing “I’ll Fly Away” because the theology’s not perfect as I was when I was 8 and our church stopped singing my then favorite song “Have a Little Talk with Jesus” because everyone knows you talk to God not Jesus. (heehee)

Katie–thanks for sharing that story. Great insight. We’re singing it today!

Josh,
Interesting post, and an important one, learning about the meaning of songs-the history why it was written, the word play etc. One thing we must remember, the words used in the song change with time and we must learn what that means. You know, Ebenezer?
So, be careful before you judge.
I love to sing, and love song service. Songs need to encourage us, praise God, lift Him up, motivate us and pull us together in our journey.
One more thing, lots of opinion, but little words from God.
Try Psalms 55
God Bless!