#3 of 6: Why MVNU Students Go To Journey.
Many MVNU students have been attending the Sunday morning gathering of Christians who call themselves "Journey Church." Here is the third (3rd) of six (6) reasons why MVN(azarene)U students have been so highly attracted to the non-Nazarene gathering place that is Journey.
From post #2 of 6…
[v. TASTE. The cost of time and travel is worth it due to…]
3. The music. 
Music is more than sound particles waving through the air which then travel through the human ear to one’s brain and perceived as beats and tones. Music reflects the rhythms of life. It creates emotional connectivity to certain life events and seasons. Music moves. It flows. It creates mood and environment.
Journey’s musical worship leader, Les Claxon, performs music in a manner that connects with the generation of college students. His style is fresh and may be simultaneously or distinctly highly energetic and emotionally turning. At the core of his leadership is a person who authentically exposes his heart as he expresses his own love for God as he sings with the quality of a recording artist while playing the acoustic guitar supported by other guitars and the percussive beats of a cajon or drum set. Les’ musical worship style is one with authenticity that is desired by a relatively young congregation.
- What are the positive and negative attributes of emotionally charged music?
- Why do some define worship as the 20-minute period of music prior to a lecture at a Sunday morning gathering?
- Why does authenticity hold such high value?
- Is it worth ceasing musical worship in order for the church to understand the fullness of worship?
Les is not the only person who leads the church in worship. Students gravitate toward…
TO BE CONTINUED.
8 Responses to “#3 of 6: Why MVNU Students Go To Journey.”
Leave a Reply
It is worth ending musical productions that we call worship to realize what worship really is. If that is what we do, we must actively remember God’s working before us. The act of remembering is necessary if the church wants to not be apathetic. I feel it’s absent from the order of service. We are missing Doxology.
Worship is most definitely not the music we listen to/sing/ hear/ ignore (whichever you choose) at the gatherings. It is worth ceasing musical worship so that we can actually identify with the fullness of worship, if that is possible that is. When’s the last time you experienced an organized worship (such as the worship we see at church) in the form of silence?
And to be logistical and precise, I am pretty sure that sound travels in the form of waves, not particles, however particles do exist.
There are many aspects to emotionally charged musical worship that can both draw people to God, but it can also pull people into a sweep of ecstasy, clouding perceptions of what is really going on.
Which is taking place at the meeting at Journey?
I guess those that attend Journey would have to ask themselves that question. Are people worshipping God, or are they just worshipping songs themselves.
With my hyper-criticism of traditional church, I can honestly say that my experience at Journey has been genuine. I feel like Journey is a body that is trying ask questions many forget to ask while tending to their ecclesiastical planning:
Who is God?
What is He doing in our context?
And how can we be a part in His moving?
remove music? no. that’s not going to do anything. because all that will happen is what ever you replace music with, that will become “what worship is”. the solution isn’t removing music and replacing it with something else. worship should be our response and some singing is a very powerful/emotional way of worshiping. now i’m all about adding and teaching new ways to respond and listen. i just don’t think removing music makes sense.
yeah, I agree…removing music would take away from a tradition that has been around since the beginning of Israel.
I wonder if anyone ever sat around and critiqued the psalmists for being too emotional…
ok so maybe i posted that too quickly and didn’t finish my thoughts…
music can be a vital element to worship, just as service and the sacraments. it is a doxology, or a proclamation of God’s goodness and a remembrance of what He has done in history.
but…
music can also become an idol that is worshipped. and just like matt said, if you replace music with another “act” of worship, you will then run into the same issues as before.
anyway, les is an amazing musician and pours himself into the music he writes…great guy
I think music is one of the greatest expressions of music. For me, music is like air or water. I need it always. BUT, this is by no means anywhere near my main way of worshiping God. In fact, it I rarely sing at church when I attend. I just don’t get into it that much. I do enjoy a great deal praising God when I am alone playing music and singing to him. It gives me a chance to put my expressions of love into words. It allows me to go beyond just doing things, but then saying to God how I love him. I think often we sing first and then no action is followed, which then leaves us discouraged because we “didn’t back up our words with actions” (boo hoo. We obviously don’t care that much or we would DO SOMETHING).
I guess what I am trying to say is that music is a powerful tool. But like so much else in the church, it has been overused and abused to the point some extremists want to throw it out entirely. This is as ridiculous to me as overusing it. But we love our extremes don’t we? Oh well. Music can be used in a good way, and I think that it should be. Several people here have made comments and obviously get the point. It’s useful.
My question is this: Do the “worshipers” at Journey truly worship beyond the music that makes them feel so good? Or is the “different” music simply clouding their minds in a new and different way?
Hey there bro, it has been a while since I have been on here. I think this is the first time I have seen the new site. Looks good! Hope to be stopping by a lot more often. Much love!