Church for a changing culture: an introduction to alternative worship

12: Music

Alternative worship services generally use music as a continuous ambient not discontinuous songs.

Songs there may well be, but these usually arise from and punctuate the musical and liturgical flow rather than forming a 'time of worship' as in a modern evangelical church. The music works as a TV or movie-style soundtrack behind everything, or like having music on for background. One thing flowing naturally from another is more important than musical genre, but the DJ soundtrack approach allows a much wider range of music [latin jazz/famous pop anthem/film theme/symphony] than even the most versatile worship band can supply. The music can comment on what's going on, or change its mood.

A very large part of the music used is secular stuff brought in from home - because people have perceived spiritual content in it, or just because it works with whatever's going on. The result is that worship has the same soundtrack as the rest of people's lives, but the church context changes the perceived meaning. This can be revelatory, and can stunningly transform the way that the same music is heard in its usual secular context. Some would say that the use of secular music in church profanes church, but the experience of alternative worship is that the current flows the other way!

This musical approach does away with the dominance of the worship band.

The underlying model is no longer the rock concert, where the congregation becomes an audience, and the band struggle to deflect the focus from themselves to God! Nor is worship experienced largely as the singing of songs. The music becomes servant to prayer, liturgy, silence and activity.

Live music can still play a vital part, but careful thought needs to be given to the relationship between the musicians and [the rest of] the congregation.