In a few weeks, I’m going to be leading worship songs at a regional conference for a para-church college ministry with a music team. It’s not a gig I was expecting, especially since I’m double the age of many of the attendees that will be attending. This team and I grew up in a different worship music era where there was a more stable repertoire of music across churches. When the team starting thinking about songs, we immediately ask, “What do kids sing these days?” There’s just SO MUCH music now. It’s wonderful to have such a diversity! But I feel so out of it, not sure what the new thing is in church worship spaces.
For fear that this reflection will turn into a type of old man, get-off-my-lawn! rant, I’ll just confess that I do not have the same drive for new things that I used to. In some ways, my faith development has left me tired of the perpetual church treadmill. I’m jaded by optimistic promises of the church. New songs more often than not feel gimmicky. Motivational speeches toward missions and evangelism — to “win the world for Christ” — ring hollow in my ears. What would I do at a college retreat/conference where the vibe would likely have all these things?
As the weekend approaches I’m continuing to consider that question. And I realize that there’s a reason why college retreats are full of these sentiments: college students have not been jaded by the world… yet. They are hopeful and driven to do things. I think, reflecting on my own time as a college student (and even as a young adult), I had aspirations and my peers wanted to do great things: fight injustice, feed the hungry, care for the poor… but also travel the world, financial success, excel in their craft. And there isn’t anything inherently bad about being driven, so at this conference I don’t need to snuff out their flame; I should want them to do great things. What I need to do as I feed their energy is to — in whatever way I can — shape their hearts to be attentive to the needs around them. That they would not ignore the world around them to serve their own drive. I can help highlight the false victory that comes with imperialistic evangelism.
As a worship (music) team, there will be limits on our influence. We can choose and limit the messages in the lyrics to move people towards compassion and a posture of humility to others. The majestic view of God is not a God who sides with us to overwhelm our enemies. The grandness of his character gives us confidence to love others without worry about “winning” or being successful.
Hyping up others does not come naturally to me — I’m probably more frequently a wet blanket on others’ aspirations. But I hope at this coming retreat I could temper myself and lean into what’s there in the students. Who knows, maybe college students are different now. Maybe they’re jaded about the church like the rest of us. I guess I need to remain open to what I’ll see and hear.
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