Music

Dave and I were at Sola this last Wednesday. It was quite full. The worship pastor spoke on a passage in Ephesians, with an intense on worship with the Holy Spirit through music. He had a lot of great points and ideas, but the main emphasis was that:
When we come together as a body of believers, the Holy Spirit moves us through Music.

He used the song "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong as an example. His point was that you can speak powerful words to someone:

Savior, He can move the mountains, my God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save.
Forever, author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grave, Jesus conquered the grave.

And they can just be like "Yeah, awesome! Totally!" But when it's set to moving music, the Holy Spirit moves in and tears people apart, exposing their sins to themselves in a way that they can't help but fall on the ground in brokenness and repentance.

Another example he used was a preview for the movie Earth. He was watching it, it was just a simple shot, the camera was panning up this massive tree in the forest very slowly; birds were flying out of it; the sun was shining. Nothing emotional about that right? But it was set to a song by Sigur Ros; there was this incredible symphony of heart-wrenching notes, and he was moved to tears. Tears. Over a tree. Because of the music.

At this point I was definitely agreeing. My heart-strings have definitely been jerked before over relatively small things-simply because of music.

But then he finished.

And we sang Mighty to Save.

I was already getting a little emotional, my eyes were slightly damp; it's an amazing song when it's played well.

Then out of the corner of my eye I saw someone move.
A young man, probably early 20's, was walking up to the front of the pews. He was walking quickly, determindly.
He knelt down on the ground and thrust both hands in the air as high as he could, face pointed up.

I nearly lost it. I had to stop singing. I had to look down. I glanced over again, and he was still there, this time his face was on the ground; he was hunched over.

I don't remember the last time there was so much emotion inside of me trying to burst it's way out. I sat down at took out my notebook-I had to write this down and remember.

That's when I realized;
it's really NOT about who you are with.
it's NOT about whether you are listening to a hymn or a modern song.
it's NOT about if it's fast or slow.
it's NOT about whether the leader is feeling it or not.
it's NOT about how many people in the congregation are being moved.
it's NOT about how well the leader can sing, or what the electric guitar is doing.
it's NOT about whether the songs are relevant to the sermon.
it IS about whether the Holy Spirit has entered you, and what you're are being shown inside yourself.

This is a subject that I have always been somewhat passionate about; our church is quite notorious for disagreeing about music, and honestly it drives me crazy.

The older people get upset when someone messes with a Hymn, the younger people get upset when they have to sing a Hymn even if it's been updated.
Some people would rather we didn't have a drum kit at all, some wish we played with louder electric guitars.
Some say "hardly anyone knows this song, no one will be moved by it" or "i don't like this song; we shouldn't play it"

IT DOESN'T MATTER. Everyone is moved in different ways; you can NEVER predict who is going to moved by what song and when and why.

"Music has charms to soothe the savage beast, soften rocks or bend a knotted oak."
William Congreve