Does rock-n-roll belong at church services?

[Jonathan Bailey]

There have been Christian rock groups. In the 1950's and 1960's, rock music was the "devil's choir".

Many churches, especially Negro, have long accepted the "gospel" form of popular music but nor hard rock. Reverend Martin Luther King, though progressive in the civil rights movement, still did not approve of rock for Christian worship. Elvis Presley, a christian, would only perform and record devotional music in gospel form. This was far from his wild pelvis-swinging rock and roll numbers. Even the King of Rock would not desecrate the faith with rock.

I prefer more conventional and solemn "white" church music myself.

Pipe organs, hymns, choir, classical music, chants and piano.

Thundering drums, screeching voices and blaring electric guitars don't seem pious in the Lord's house.
It's apt to wake up the dead at funerals. Cause them to rise from their coffins.

 

[SalixIncendium]

It belongs if you don’t want to exacerbate the decline in church attendance.

 

[Altfish]

I can't say that there has ever been a 'Christian' group that I've liked.
Gospel has its moments but R'n'R should be nasty and rebellious.

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

I can't say that there has ever been a 'Christian' group that I've liked.
Gospel has its moments but R'n'R should be nasty and rebellious.

I found this Catholic rock band. It doesn't seem too wild but maybe for a holy mass, no.

 

[sun rise]

To me, someone who is motivated by the style of music offered in worship, should take that into account.

I don't find any essential difference between styles of music that have a positive energy. Partly for me that comes from all the fusions we see: country rock for example.

I would draw the line on some songs, however, as the Simpson's illustrated:

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

When I was a Christian, most of the Christian music I listened to was emo, metalcore and punk, along with traditional Christian music you'd hear at a Catholic high Mass. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[syo]

the orthodox christians the only music they allow for god worshiping is the human voice. no instruments at all.

 

[Shiranui117]

No. It doesn't cultivate a sacred atmosphere. "With the fear of God, with faith and love draw near", as we say in the Liturgy. Christian music for liturgical worship should be timeless, able to convey that our worship is an eternal mystery that we participate in. When we worship, it's not just the people physically standing there in church. As St. Paul says, surrounding us is the great cloud of witnesses, the great cloud of angels and of those Saints who have gone before us. There's a tension between joy and sorrow, repentance and consolation, fear and love, as we catch a glimpse of what lies beyond this world and participate for a time in the eternal, heavenly Liturgy. Heaven and earth become one, and we who are on earth are worshiping and communing with God alongside the angels and all those who have died in the faith. "Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Sabaoth, Heaven and Earth are full of Your glory, hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest."

That is the spirit that liturgical music should capture. Our choice of instruments or manner of singing should be carefully considered in light of that.

 

[susanblange]

There have been Christian rock groups. In the 1950's and 1960's, rock music was the "devil's choir".

Many churches, especially Negro, have long accepted the "gospel" form of popular music but nor hard rock. Reverend Martin Luther King, though progressive in the civil rights movement, still did not approve of rock for Christian worship. Elvis Presley, a christian, would only perform and record devotional music in gospel form. This was far from his wild pelvis-swinging rock and roll numbers. Even the King of Rock would not desecrate the faith with rock.

I prefer more conventional and solemn "white" church music myself.

Pipe organs, hymns, choir, classical music, chants and piano.

Thundering drums, screeching voices and blaring electric guitars don't seem pious in the Lord's house.
It's apt to wake up the dead at funerals. Cause them to rise from their coffins.

"The Lord is my rock, my strength and my song". In the Messianic era, we are required to sing a "new song". Supertramp was the rock group that spiritually begat the Messiah. Deuteronomy 32:18. Music is an integral part of worship and the prophets prophesied with music. I Samuel 10:5. I like medium rock which I call "messianic rock". Hard rock is a Satanic counterfeit of the rock of God. John Lennon was the king of rock and roll. His final album was released by Yoko Ono in December, 1983, the same time when the Messiah first appeared. It was called "Milk and Honey". The greatest songs were, "Nobody told me" and "I'm stepping out". Lamentations 3:63. "Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their music".

 

[SomeRandom]

Jesus was a rebel. I’d like to think he would prefer something rebellious.
But I don’t care one way or the other.

That said, if my local church held a good rock concert, my attendance would certainly increase tenfold.

 

[Dan From Smithville]

I have always been rather fond of hard rock and heavy metal. I like these guys.

 

[Ellen Brown]

There have been Christian rock groups. In the 1950's and 1960's, rock music was the "devil's choir".

Many churches, especially Negro, have long accepted the "gospel" form of popular music but nor hard rock. Reverend Martin Luther King, though progressive in the civil rights movement, still did not approve of rock for Christian worship. Elvis Presley, a christian, would only perform and record devotional music in gospel form. This was far from his wild pelvis-swinging rock and roll numbers. Even the King of Rock would not desecrate the faith with rock.

I prefer more conventional and solemn "white" church music myself.

Pipe organs, hymns, choir, classical music, chants and piano.

Thundering drums, screeching voices and blaring electric guitars don't seem pious in the Lord's house.
It's apt to wake up the dead at funerals. Cause them to rise from their coffins.

My opinion... NO.

 

[Sand Dancer]

There have been Christian rock groups. In the 1950's and 1960's, rock music was the "devil's choir".

Many churches, especially Negro, have long accepted the "gospel" form of popular music but nor hard rock. Reverend Martin Luther King, though progressive in the civil rights movement, still did not approve of rock for Christian worship. Elvis Presley, a christian, would only perform and record devotional music in gospel form. This was far from his wild pelvis-swinging rock and roll numbers. Even the King of Rock would not desecrate the faith with rock.

I prefer more conventional and solemn "white" church music myself.

Pipe organs, hymns, choir, classical music, chants and piano.

Thundering drums, screeching voices and blaring electric guitars don't seem pious in the Lord's house.
It's apt to wake up the dead at funerals. Cause them to rise from their coffins.

It would be boring if all church music was the same.

 

[Riders]

There have been Christian rock groups. In the 1950's and 1960's, rock music was the "devil's choir".

Many churches, especially Negro, have long accepted the "gospel" form of popular music but nor hard rock. Reverend Martin Luther King, though progressive in the civil rights movement, still did not approve of rock for Christian worship. Elvis Presley, a christian, would only perform and record devotional music in gospel form. This was far from his wild pelvis-swinging rock and roll numbers. Even the King of Rock would not desecrate the faith with rock.

I prefer more conventional and solemn "white" church music myself.

Pipe organs, hymns, choir, classical music, chants and piano.

Thundering drums, screeching voices and blaring electric guitars don't seem pious in the Lord's house.
It's apt to wake up the dead at funerals. Cause them to rise from their coffins.

Some nondenominational churches and Pentecostal churches use Christian rock as a means to get people in. The Rodeo churches in the south in Tx out here, use Country Western Gospel which I consider the same thing. They go out and put on a rodeo show country western show for their folks.

It seems like this kind of shows do bring people in, they feel like if theirs a country western show or christian rock show they can come as they are, they think of it as a church that's more accepting of different kind of folks. But its usually a trick , rodeo churches beliefs are strict and hard like any fundamentalist church but they come off like they are layed back because of the show they put on.Christian rock churches are the same.

Pentecostal churches use Christian rock quite a bit. The night I got baptized in Jesus name and started speaking in tongues they were playing Awesome God by Rich Mullens at the UPC church I belonged to.

 

[David1967]

I play guitar in a Rock band and I attend church services. IMHO I don't like to mix the two. Don't ask me to justify my feelings about it because they are just that, my personal conviction.

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

To me, someone who is motivated by the style of music offered in worship, should take that into account.

I don't find any essential difference between styles of music that have a positive energy. Partly for me that comes from all the fusions we see: country rock for example.

I would draw the line on some songs, however, as the Simpson's illustrated:

Here is rocking the pipe organ to Queen:

 

[Jonathan Bailey]

Here is rocking the pipe organ to Queen:

But hold it...where's the GONG at the end of the number?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

What is the purpose of any music in a religious service? What is the purpose of anything at all -- words, rituals, gestures, costumes, incense, symbols, paraphernalia -- at any service? They are all about focussing attention on what message the service is about. So whatever does that would seem to me to be okay.

Instead of insisting that worshippers conform to religion's needs, why not let religion conform to worshipper's needs? Because after all, isn't it the worshipper's needs that are being attended to?

 

[Riders]

Some nondenominational churches and Pentecostal churches use Christian rock as a means to get people in. The Rodeo churches in the south in Tx out here, use Country Western Gospel which I consider the same thing. They go out and put on a rodeo show country western show for their folks.

It seems like this kind of shows do bring people in, they feel like if theirs a country western show or christian rock show they can come as they are, they think of it as a church that's more accepting of different kind of folks. But its usually a trick , rodeo churches beliefs are strict and hard like any fundamentalist church but they come off like they are layed back because of the show they put on.Christian rock churches are the same.

Pentecostal churches use Christian rock quite a bit. The night I got baptized in Jesus name and started speaking in tongues they were playing Awesome God by Rich Mullens at the UPC church I belonged to.

Let me rephrase that not all Pentecostal or Nondenominational churches who use Christian Rock are playing a trick they don't all pretend to be less strict then they are . Its just easier to get the idea that a church is accepting of everyone if they are playing a contemporary or rock type song service because more people are drawn in by it. I am not claiming its wrong at all.
I was referring to a few of the churches who tend to talk on and on about how accepting their churches are.

My sister criticized me on criticizing her rodeo churches she and her band perform at at times in the summer,talkng about how accepting they are and its a come as you are service. I'm just scratching my head as to why a group of them jumped onto me for playing rpg games, D and D game that's pretty religious and strict if you ask me.

 

[Twilight Hue]

There have been Christian rock groups. In the 1950's and 1960's, rock music was the "devil's choir".

Many churches, especially Negro, have long accepted the "gospel" form of popular music but nor hard rock. Reverend Martin Luther King, though progressive in the civil rights movement, still did not approve of rock for Christian worship. Elvis Presley, a christian, would only perform and record devotional music in gospel form. This was far from his wild pelvis-swinging rock and roll numbers. Even the King of Rock would not desecrate the faith with rock.

I prefer more conventional and solemn "white" church music myself.

Pipe organs, hymns, choir, classical music, chants and piano.

Thundering drums, screeching voices and blaring electric guitars don't seem pious in the Lord's house.
It's apt to wake up the dead at funerals. Cause them to rise from their coffins.

I think Catholics have the best 'holy' music but of course they had over 2000 years of refinement.

Christian rock has improved over the years from their canned cheesy sound to something that resembles a Rock n roll tune. I probably go for a Jesus Christ Superstar type sound there.

My favorite strangely enough is the old-time gospel sound. I used to hate it when I was young. Things change I guess.

The type you get from Abby the Spoon Lady for instance. One of my favorite buskers. Simple and down home.

I really like their version of the old-time gospel song, "Angels in Heaven".

It's a great song to listen to time to time while I'm on my Pittsburgh run.