tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post3234073567479977063..comments2024-03-21T12:32:16.065-05:00Comments on Frankly Speaking: The Beauty and Power of Congregational SongFrank Bellizzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07949066335378651585noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-40323211899958627862007-11-14T12:24:00.000-06:002007-11-14T12:24:00.000-06:00Frank, I appreciate your comments here on your blo...Frank, I appreciate your comments here on your blog. I'm preparing a talk for a short seminar up here in Portland, OR centered on some of the themes in Tippens' book. I'm a church planter in Salem and I'll be sharing some of our experiences in this area with thoroughly unchurched people (which, incidentally, don't really care one way or the other about instrumental vs. a cappella music; they are so weirded out by everything we do at church, this one hardly adds to the cultural shift). Good stuff, I appreciate the summaries.Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14865607115402870492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-16762654388930113622007-09-27T11:39:00.000-05:002007-09-27T11:39:00.000-05:00Frank, I see what you are saying. I think your re...Frank, I see what you are saying. I think your read on Tippens is correct. I just really wonder in a movement that's corporate worship experience is so defined by accapella congregatinal singing if we can seperate out singing and other worship elements. Or, should we?<BR/>This is interesting for me to wrestle with in my head because so many of my peers have had a negative response to this book.Arlene Kasselmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17215920805448767403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-63792714303382464952007-09-26T13:07:00.000-05:002007-09-26T13:07:00.000-05:00Arlene,Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate the in...Arlene,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate the input, different take, etc. A few thoughts in response.<BR/><BR/>Unless Tippens doesn't know himself, he's not arguing for congregational singing because he wants to maintain a heritage marker. I know, that may be exactly the motivation for others. But I really don't think so with him.<BR/><BR/>Isn't "what brings the most glory" highly subjective? I mean, what if one person thinks that it's silence when someone else is ready for worship on the drums? Also, I think that one could dispense with drums, silence, etc. in a way that one couldn't dispense with singing. I don't see them as being in the same categories.Frank Bellizzihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07949066335378651585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-65761424058034248182007-09-25T15:36:00.000-05:002007-09-25T15:36:00.000-05:00While some may have a deep appreciation for Accape...While some may have a deep appreciation for Accapella music as a heritage marker that we need to keep, for others of us it is just not so. It is so disconnected from all the other sphere's of our life and worship. It limits our ability to fully participate in the arts as worship. And often it narrows our vision and prevents us from drawing on the traditions of the ancient. It also becomes clumsy in the attempt for unity with the larger body of Christ.<BR/><BR/>In this discussion it is often noted that many who worship with instruments often comment on how beautiful it is to hear our singing. Anything different is engaging for a while. It is also interesting that few if any of those people are giving up their style to embrace ours.<BR/><BR/>My dream is for our worship to be conceived in such a way that the most appropriate elements are used to bring the most glory. Sometimes that may mean silence, sometimes that may mean chant, sometimes that may mean jamming out on the drums. Sometimes it may mean 728b.<BR/><BR/>I get tired thinking about the energy that is spent on issues like this that only matter to us - when the larger body of Christ looks at us in amazement and the unbelievers of the world need Christ.<BR/><BR/>I love Dr. Tippens but I think this book is very "modern" and institutional. Will it serve the next wave of leaders who are more post-modern in their makeup? I am not so sure.Arlene Kasselmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17215920805448767403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-68687316764759850902007-09-25T13:15:00.000-05:002007-09-25T13:15:00.000-05:00Trey, I couldn't agree more. I think churches bene...Trey, <BR/><BR/>I couldn't agree more. I think churches benefit from a good mix of classics and solid new music. I especially like the effect of singing a newer song and then going straight into an older hymn. For example, "Step By Step" followed by "Purer in Heart." I don't think those two are written in the same key; but they're close enough.<BR/><BR/>People who don't like any of the newer songs should be reminded: all of the classics were once new. <BR/><BR/>I have to say that I'm sympathetic to the complaint that many of the newer songs are thin on theology and long on mere repetition. But they're not ALL bad. We should see to it that the songs that are theologically-sound, musically-appropriate and "singable" are learned and sung in our congregations. One of Tippens' themes is that what I've described doesn't just happen. It requires some attention and effort.Frank Bellizzihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07949066335378651585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-26551745403844119462007-09-25T11:51:00.000-05:002007-09-25T11:51:00.000-05:00Frank,I enjoyed this post. I love singing and gre...Frank,<BR/><BR/>I enjoyed this post. I love singing and grew up singing songs sitting next to my mom. When I was small I thought everyone sang alto.<BR/><BR/>Some of my greatest memories are singing the "classics" in church services.<BR/><BR/>The last point in the post struck a nerve. I love singing "the classics" that everyone knows, but I get frustrated singing only the older songs. We need a good mix of old and new. I'm also a believer in singing the songs that make sense. I can't imagine the frustration of a new Christian or a young person trying to make sense of some of the terminology and words from the old songs. <BR/><BR/>Just my thoughts ...TREY MORGANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956688456753622296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-17331087609388246032007-09-25T06:42:00.000-05:002007-09-25T06:42:00.000-05:00Thank you, Deb. I appreciate the encouragement.I'...Thank you, Deb. I appreciate the encouragement.<BR/><BR/>I've spent a little time over at your blog. Looks interesting. I'll be sure to go back. Many blessings.Frank Bellizzihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07949066335378651585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10020592.post-31429664466072961412007-09-25T04:43:00.000-05:002007-09-25T04:43:00.000-05:00Frank, I have truly enjoyed getting acquainted wit...Frank, I have truly enjoyed getting acquainted with your blog through several of your posts.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your thoughts and your writing!Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10612178070371998696noreply@blogger.com