[dane337]

Funny thing is, this isn't a new problem. C.S. Lewis referred to church music as '5th rate poetry set to 6th rate music,' or something like that. I'm abivalent about the mainstream popularity of worship music -- when I hear a great worship song sandwiched between pop Jesus boy-bands and teenaged wailers on Christian radio, I fear that 'worship' is becoming another consumer product -- and valid, meaningful expressions of worship quickly become 'dated' as the next new artist releases the next new song. A lot of worship music, imo, 'sucks' because it is written by people churning out the next big hit single (sorry, vineyard folks, but the vineyard usa stuff is pretty formulaic) and not focusing on things like reflection, scriptural depth, and musical texture. (I say this after playing an entire set last night and realizing halfway through that every song in the set was written for a cut capo in the key of 'e'. . . )

Done ranting -- it (leading worship) is still my greatest source of release and expression as a minister, and I'm probably the kingpin 'sucker,' so I have no room to talk. .