Not surprising. As South Park put it, “It’s easy to write Christian songs. Just take 20-year-old pop songs and substitute “Jesus” for “Oooooo Baby!”
Though what I heard the song was originally about a stripper doing a pole dance.
And the sock-spinning could have been worse. At least they didn’t spin them round round baby round round Jamaican-style. According to Maurice Broaddus’ blog, in Jamaica it’s common at open-air concerts to set your T-shirts on fire while spinning them around round baby round round over your head. “More Fire! More Fire!”
I was at a water park with my kids yesterday and the “real” (aka “secular”) version of this song was played over the loudspeakers. From the lyrics, it appears to be a song about a sex act.
Why don’t you guys actually step away from your computer and get up and DO something for God rather than sit here and judge everything that looks different than what you do. Your haughty stance is sickening to me.
Great! Worship can be fun and corny and most of all loud! The Lord allows fun to be had! Why not let loose!!! I’m still waiting for an all metal-hardcore worship team or church! iMonk you should start one!!!
Well, they do look to be getting a healthy work-out! Even when I used to go to rock concerts, I didn’t like being told what to do and I didn’t do it. So others would be jumping up and down and shouting and whatnot and I would just sit, watch, listen. My husband was the same way. We just were not the “active” type. Yet, now, I don’t mind sitting, standing, kneeling, professing faith on cue during the Mass.
I think many of us feel a need to belong to a “team” and to do “team” things. I go in and out of team mode myself. Sometimes, I want nothing to do with being a part of any team and I just go on by myself. But it can get lonely living that way…and unhealthy. The trick is to find a team that is healthy, supportive, loving. And to make sure that you know the Captain of the team very well!
Notice how he keeps trying to get everybody to join in the antics. If he sees someone not participating, he just shouts louder, “Everybody!” It’s as if the fact that someone isn’t joining in in the pep rally or following his every instruction, it must mean that they’re sitting in judgement on what happens and he has to stifle that immediately. Is that an overreaction on my part? As a teenager, a Christian rock band visited my church youth group and put on a concert. I didn’t much care for it, but I was there and when the band leader started shouting instructions sort of like this guy in the video to do various motions with the music, I chose not to participate. I wasn’t standing with my arms crossed with a smug or defiant look—I was just standing there observing and listening. The band leader actually came down off stage to the row I was in and indicated that he was going to make a scene with me if I didn’t start doing the motions. These “praise” leaders are nothing more than vain power seekers, thriving on the ability to manipulate people and hating anyone who has the audacity not to follow their lead or who oppose them in any way.
I agree with the Guy from Knoxville that this indicates the end is upon us. The problem with the church in America isn’t liberals. If the “conservatives” were actually full of light, light would be shining in and conquering the darkness. But alas, this country is full of churches that look like this and are welcoming the darkness of flesh-centered entertainment to the point of gross irreverence into “worship”. How can the church be a light that transforms and lifts up the world around it when videos like this show a church that wants to be like the world and can’t get enough of it? Persecution of the church is coming but not, as folks in this video would surely claim, because the world is getting more evil as a prelude to the rapture which will carry off these narcissistic “worshippers” into an eternal rock concert, but rather because the church itself has lost its salt and is good for nothing but throwing out.
This guy in the video (Rick Pino) is not the worship leader at Lakeland even though Pino did appear at Lakeland for a couple of nights to give the Lakeland Revival worship team a break. The main worship leader at Lakeland was Roy Fields and he appears to be trying to “re-create the magic” once again with a “worship Camp” in late September in all places, Lakeland, Fl
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another crazy and bizarre Rick Pino video similar to the one IM posted
it seems like this is a ‘routine’ that is used anytime a ‘dead crowd’ needs to be ‘awaken’ to feel like ‘God moved”.
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I can easily see why someone would want to become Lutheran, Anglican or Catholic over this. I can easily see why some would want to leave Christianity altogether after watching this video. Just think that they really believe that they are part of the “Joshua Generation” nonsense and that this is part of that lifestyle.
“Jesus whirled in worship – spun like a record.”
Say what?
There’s a world of difference between “reaching out to culture” and offering some sort of watered down, shallow worship “experience” that lacks any sort of substance or spiritual challenge. And the “culture” can tell the difference between the two.
Sorry, but I humbly disagree with all of you critics. The speaker begins by saying this is an act of honor. Yet all of the comments I read, dishonor him, those experiencing enthusiastic worship and God through your critical statements.
Sunday morning – no. Youth conference – yes. Outreach to club culture – absolutely.
Moses took off his sandals just as these kids got barefoot.
Jesus whirled in worship – spun like a record.
David said he would be more undignified in worship. Remember what happened to the one who was his critic.
What is worse? What happens in most churches in America, bored people singing songs they don’t understand. Unwilling and unable to bend down to reach their shoes, let alone remove them in the presence of worship.
I may not personally like what I see (which FYI I personally would not enjoy that worship time) but God forbid I would be a critic of someone getting people to dance wildly for Jesus.
I agree, Mike, that language like that could very well be indicative of perspective on worship that is fairly shallow. It sounds like you’ve heard it used that way a lot. It’s not what I meant, but I certainly believe you when you say you’ve heard it used that way. Frankly, I’m not married to that phrase at all. My only hope is that people’s hearts are truly focused on worshiping God in community when they come together, and I believe that a lot of outward expression and emotion can be either a help or a hindrance to that. As I said earlier, I worship in a liturgical church, and as much as I wasn’t fan of some things I saw in that video, I would be quite cautious about assuming that our hearts are more focused on God or our worship more pleasing to him. Thanks for the interesting discussion, Mike, and God bless you, my friend.
Anyone else find his reference to Moses being shoeless a little off the mark here? Moses removed his shoes because the Lord told him to, because he was standing on Holy Ground.
And I dont recall the Lord asking Moses to spin his shoes around and dance to some hit single in front of that burning bush either…
Maybe I’m not understanding what you’re trying to say here, but i recall scripture to say ” ‘When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.’ Jesus said this to indicate how he was going to die.” John 12:32-33
I take that to mean, he alone “leads people into authentic worship”. Its not about what we can do to rally everyone up, its about what the Lord did and how we REALLY Honor him for his death and ressurection by our hearts, with our words, and our actions… not by taking off our socks and shoes to spin them around.
I have to agree with you here. I’m all for enjoying worship and I sincerly believe you can have a good time and still be in worship (priavetly or corporately). But this! What is biblical about this? As Wolf Paul said, every denomination has its silly or screw up moments, but this is just embarassing.
What I can’t get past is the verge (if not flat out) mockery of God here. They speak of the Holy Spirit and trying to honor the Lord… is taking off your socks and shoes really honoring? Is this a new ritual that will call the Holy Spirit down on you?
I feel like this ‘worship leader’ is dancing (no pun intended) on a thin line here. He not only lacks cleverness as an artist, he lacks genuinality! The true heart of worship!
Not to mention… why are his shoes still on??? Hmmm….
I’m not crazy about the music. I’m not sure that matters as much as we all think it does. The psalmist did say to make joyful noise. One thing I do know is the Church in western culture seems to be reaching all of the same kinds of people with the same kinds of tastes in music. I’m probably a little more opened minded than some. I don’t think God makes cookie cutter people.
The thing that disturbs me more than the video is the way we are all judging this service. How many of us were there? What happened in the rest of the service? If this song helped these young people to be opened to a message about Jesus messing up their way of thinking and making a change, I say glory to God.
After all the disiples were not crazy about Jesus talking to the woman at the well.
I think it’s time for the Church to break the mold if there’s any hope for us really reaching all of the sub-culture’s in our society.
This is EXACTLY why I’m writing a book about restoring the humility and holiness of God back into the church! Worship plays a key role. And this clip? Well, it proves exactly why we miss the mark.
Not exactly surprised that the beginning and ending song is a rip off of a popular secular song about stripper pole dancing. Makes me CRINGE! Pretty “stinky” stuff!
Wasn’t necessarily reflecting on you, but the language you were using and the implication that what the video shows is people being “led into authentic worship” by a song leader. All I was saying is that in most instances when I hear people using language like that, they are betraying a pietistic perspective on worship, that it’s somehow not “authentic” unless I’m “caught up in it” in an emotional or even ecstatic way.
I don’t know you—what do you think? What does “leading people into authentic worship” mean?
Frankly, from another liturgical Christian’s perspective, I’m not sure what the giveaway is, Mike. Are you suggesting that my view is culture-bound, pietistic (in some cases superstitious or gnostic), and condones manipulating people’s emotions through music and spectacle?
After watching, no change of opinion here. Frankly, from a liturgical Christian’s perspective, the comment, he “draws many people into authentic worship” is a giveaway, Bill. What does that mean? In the culture-bound, pietistic (in some cases superstitious or gnostic) practices of “worship leaders” it amounts to little more than manipulating people’s emotions through music and spectacle. The Reformers called this “enthusiasm,” and condemned it roundly.
Your conditional “if” is so vital in the fourth line. All culture(s) are not equal; nor are all wholesome; nor do all reflect the influence of the Divine is equal measure. Some culture(s) cannot be used in the Christian walk. Even points of Hebrew (OT) culture which were, at the time, accepted by God, and even used to instruct us, have been deemed unacceptable; eg. lex talionis, “an eye for an eye.’
American (and all of Western) culture is entirely self centered, and is therefore low on the possibilities of being useful in the Christian Faith and Religion; music, art, attitudes, all included.
I find it interesting all the comments about not judging these people’s hearts. Of course we’re not judging their hearts! No one said these people don’t have good motives. It’s everything BEDSIDES the motivation that warrants condemnation.
Yeah, this kind of thing would have kept me in fortune telling/spell work.
(iMonk, if you go Lutheran, lets talk. You need a heads up on the Mauve, and the coffee is pretty bad. Plus the Norwegians. I will talk you through it, no worries man…)
It’s hard to see how a ‘false representation’ of genuine Biblical worship could not be wrong in moral terms (wrong itself is a moral term, and ‘falsity’ carries moral implications).
Folks, It’s a new low….. there are no words to describe this. It’s not worship and quite honestly it’s enough to make me not ever want to attend church ever again! Thankfully, I have a church that my wife and I are attending right now that has good decent and wholesome worship – very thankful for the church even with a flaw or two.
Folks, this has to stop – we are literally witnessing the end and it’s upon us unless we put a stop to it once and for all. One has to laugh…. the only other option is to cry – indeed weep over such irreverance disrespect of God in worship (which it’s not).
Where is the Biblical position of “worship leader” found? The contemporary worship leader is not just the product of the churches, but of the culture itself. I can’t recall too many band leaders in the NT. IMHO, the pastor should lead worship, with assistance from congregation members. It is part of the pastor’s leadership responsibility that many have abandoned.
Some of what you say is quite right. No one here is sticking up for any kind of worship that falls short of what God desires. And perhaps a bit too much snark has entered the conversation—but come on, doesn’t a performance like this invite some? Besides, the Biblical prophets weren’t above a little mocking now and then when it came to the silly and idolatrous practices of God’s people.
Please remember the point of this blog. The very reason many of us have been drawn into these discussions is because we have seen American evangelicalism go steadily downhill through a lack of leadership, abandonment of history and tradition, and an almost complete embrace of the core values of popular culture. Evangelicalism has become a vast wasteland of individuals and churches doing that which is right in their own eyes. This video is one spectacularly gory example of the train wreck that has taken place.
I think this is a tongue-in-cheek joke? If so, pretty funny.
From the Wikipedia entry on the Lakeland Revival and Todd Bentley
“During the revival, Bentley’s spokesperson said that Bentley continued “to draw his standard salary, set by his board, from his office in Canada.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeland_Revival
To be fair to this man (apparently his name is Rick Pino), I found a couple more clips of him on YouTube that might help us form a more balanced perspective of him:
That original clip of him may not have been his finest moment, but I’m willing to bet that he really loves the Lord and draws many people into authentic worship.
Absolutely pathetic. Only in the United States of America – no offence intended to my American friends.Glad this kind of blasphemous nonsense has very little chance of happening in Canada.
And now for something serious: There is a fine line between expressing preferences and expressing judgments, but a universe of difference. I can say for sure this isn’t my cup of tea; but is it wrong (i.e., ‘not good’ in some objective spiritual sense)? If faith can and must be expressed through the culture of the day, which in our historical time includes cheesy pop music, then why not this? Where do we draw the line? Who draws it, and by what criterion? Anyhow, don’t envy those Catholics too much. I once heard that back in the 70s there were priests singing Cumbaya on acoustic guitar.
On that thought do you thing he got permission from the copyright holders to chage the lyrics and preform their songs? I mean are churches exempt from copyright infringement?
That’s my favorite South Park episode EVER!!! Mostly ‘cuz I I grew up on Christian Metal & rock but eventually figured out how crappy most of it was (though, as far as thrash metal goes, no band was better than the Christian band Tournaquet… deep lyrics and amazing metal. Metallica, Slayer, Megadeath, and Anthrax weren’t even close).
This video made me guffaw when he went to “You Spin Me Round.” I’m just glad I was the only one in the office… it might have been embarrassing.
Out of curiosity, what happened at 4 minutes and 16 seconds? I didn’t (and couldn’t) last that long.
Why are evangelicals so unimaginative when it comes to aesthetics?
I used to joke about “Holy Spirit Lobotomies”. After this, I wonder if the joke was on me.
And it’s not just music. Take a look at the shelves of Christian (TM) Bookstores sometime, especially in what passes for Fantasy & Science Fiction. It’s all Bonnet Romances and Left Behind knockoffs, and my spies tell me the CBA/ECPA claims “Christian Paranormal Romances” (i.e. “Just like Twilight, except CHRISTIAN (TM)!”) is The Next Big Thing. I swam the Tiber and joined the Lost Genre Guild to get AWAY from that mentality re the imaginative arts.
YOU COULDN’T MAKE UP CRAP LIKE THIS!
I know I couldn’t, and I’ve been around a LOT of Weirdness!
And in a time where everybody goes to the extreme, as far as you can go for parody/satire, there’s going to be a True Believer out there who’ll go even farther and be Dead Serious About It.
“Mess us up” and “spin me like a record”. Reminds me of my youth (30 odd years ago) when it was not uncommon to hear something like “Jesus gives me a high like drugs never did!”
The idea behind that could be noble, i.e. “I used to take drugs to make me feel better emotionally, but my emotions have improved significantly since living as a Christian, and here is why I think that is …”
But it could also have given people an expectation of emotional bliss upon becoming born again that is not realistic. Which could raise a lot of questions for them later when it does not occur (which is not necessarily bad if the questions are then answered adequately.)
It does make me wonder what people in the Lakeland movement have in mind when asking God to “mess us up?” Maybe give me a strong experience in a meeting? Maybe inspire me to make a drastic or severe change in my life? I don’t really know because I’m not involved in that movement.
If “You Spin Me Round” was on the charts in 1985, that makes this filk 24 years later. This has repercussions:
1) It’s getting “Christianized” a full Strauss-Howe generation later, to where anyone under their mid-Twenties wouldn’t have heard it or remembered it. Not even if they’d played Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; this one isn’t on the in-game radio-station soundtracks. (And GTA: Vice City‘s soundtracks are a decent sampler of Eighties pop music. I recommend them to younger listeners as a representative sample of the period.)
2) And the timing falls right into the South Park paradigm on how to write CCM: “Take some TWENTY-YEAR-OLD pop song and substitute ‘Jesus’ for “Oooooo Baby!'” Again, probably because the generation you’re writing it for is too young to remember the original you’re ripping off. (This can go off on the tangent of “Why do Christians only copycat cheezy Christian(TM) ripoffs of the original trend instead of starting the trend themselves”?)
3) And a lot of Gen-Yers/Millenials really get to like Eighties pop music almost the first time they hear it. There are a lot of young fans of Eighties hits who got turned onto it from the aforementioned GTA: Vice City; one was quoted as saying “I’d forgotten how much I liked Eighties music and I wasn’t born until after the Eighties!” (This can go off on the tangent of why music of the Reagan Years is proving so appealing; perhaps it was that even factoring in nuclear war jitters and Punk, the music was more optimistic and less Nihilistic than today’s?)
4) And is this really any dumber than the traditional Christian Youth Group “Icebreaker”? What I remember of those (from my own wander through the Evangelical Wilderness) were really, really Dumb & Dumber.
I lasted about a minute longer. Just long enough for the first verse of “You Spin Me Round, Except CHRISTIAN (TM)!” I can hear better filks in the filk room of any SF con.
General warning: If what you are doing can be described as “Just like Fill-in-the-Blank, Except CHRISTIAN(TM)!”, kill it before it dies with maximum cruelty. You’ll be doing Christ a favor; I don’t think He likes being made to look stupid.
1) No, IMonk, if I become MUSLIM, it will be because I warched this too many times. Now I know why Mohammed forbade any music (except for vocals such as reciting the Koran) in mosques.
2) That’s a really awful filk of a pop song. Straight out of South Park (“Just take some twenty-year-old pop song and substitute ‘Jesus’ for ‘OOOOOO BABY!'” — Cartman)
3) Why am I not surprised this guy was connected to Tatted Todd of Lakeland? Maybe Todd should have kneed HIM one in the nuts — “SHEEKA-BOOM-BAH! BAM!!!!”
4) I think I’ll stick with Mass at St Boniface. I’ll even settle for that one Furry Fandom garage-band CD sampler I’ve got, the one where the garage band drops in “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent” in the middle of an otherwise-pop sampler and sings it completely solemn & straight. Yes, a Furvert realized the sanctity of such music, and this “Praise-and-Worship Band” didn’t…
I’m not disputing that, I’d take any of your sermons over that, as well — or I wouldn’t be reading your blog. Not sure what exactly you are disagreeng with me on.
My point was that overall this video and this clown are no more typical of the majority of Evangelicals than Schori & Co are of Anglicans, etc, even though they get more attention and press than the ordinary, faithful variety.
Or the opposite tack, I found on YouTube yesterday evening the “It’s All About Me” collection (parody). Popular praise and worship songs with “me” in place of “Jesus”. Very humorous!
Worship leaders need to be taught properly, but most worship leaders aren’t actually taught anything at all, its just mimicry and aping. So its not really their fault that they end up going in weird tangents. They are just products of their churches. Leading worship is tough because you have to handle all the musical aspects, and at the same time channel the holy spirit and lift everyone out of the depths. its too much to expect of any one. I think such high expectation contributes to the weirdness.
It isn’t so much that this is blasphemous (I don’t think so), or irreverent (not to the people participating). It’s just absurd to the point of parody.
I think the point of all of these posts is to question and challenge the prevailing Evangelical conception of worship–which is often equated to some type of singing (oddly, sans any written music). Certainly not every evangelical church is this bad–but I’d be willing to bet money that the majority of evangelical churches employ various manifestations of the praise band genre and all that it entails.
Hilarious–and sickening. It’s difficult to believe this “worship leader” thinks “You Spin Me Right Round” is the highest cultural expression that Western Civ. has to offer.
Reminded me of the South Park episode where Cartman becomes a CCM star by 1) Taking the lyrics of a pop song 2) Crossing out “baby” and 3) inserting “Jesus.” Very simple!
I would be with you if the song wasn’t prefaced by a solemn talk about giving honor to God by taking off your shoes, and then he pulls this nonsense. I spent my time in my teens singing fun & humorous Christian songs in camp & youth group settings, but then after we kids had a time for fun, the leader would then direct us more towards seriousness & we’d enter into real worship. He or she wouldn’t get all solemn with us & then pull out the cutesy stuff.
I have to disagree, friend. Everyone who has heard me preach for 18 years where I serve would trade every sermon I ever delivered for that kind of “worship.”
The worst part of this bit of nonsense is that most of the audience is probably just young enough not to have heard the original songs this ‘performer’ blatantly cribbed for his Hodgepodge of Worship cover medly. Some might actually be lead to believe this was somehow clever, original music.
After my more jesting comment a few hours ago (middle of the night, actually, where I am), having thought about it a bit more and having shown it to my wife (who comes from a “closed” Plymouth Brethren background), here are a few more comments, first hers then mine.
1. (Geraldine’s comment) This is obviously not worship, nor does it really have anything to do with Jesus. That aside, it looks like good, clean, harmless fun, good aerobic exercise, and I would be happier if our son (just turned 16) spent his time doing that rather than going down to the pub for a few beers and a smoke. The music certainly sounds very much like what he plays most of the time anyway.
2. (my comments) I am afraid, Michael, that if things like this ever DO prompt you to become Lutheran, Anglican, or Catholic, sooner or later you would be disappointed, too. ALL tradtitions, whether Evangelical, Lutheran, Anglican, Catholic, or even Orthodox, have their aberrations. If you don’t believe it, just look at what happend in San Diego and Minneapolis in the last couple of months for problems with the Anglicans and Lutherans in the US, and remember the headlines concerning the Catholic Church in the US a few years back or in Ireland only a couple of months ago. Of course I could give you many more examples about Lutherans and Catholics here on the European continent, but just think of Sweden where the Lutheran Church sides with the state in prosecuting preachers who insist on teaching biblical views on sex.
Those are not the Anglicans or Lutherans you are talking about? You’re thinking of the AMiA type Anglicans, for example? Fine, but then please don’t judge Evangelicals and Evangelicalism by the worst manifestations thereof either. You aren’t really trying to tell us that this kind of performance by a clown like Rick Pino would be welcome in most evangelical churches in the US, are you? It certainly would not be welcome in most evangelical churches in Europe. If this guy really is, as someone said in a comment, the “worship leader” for the Todd Bentley Show in Lakeland FL, then it is well to keep in mind that most Evangelicals consider that whole thing to be very much on the fringes of their movement, if it could even legitimately be considered part of it. No way does this define Evangelicalism, any more than Mrs Katherine “Squid” Jefferts-Schori defines Anglicanism.
I just found myself a little more sympathetic to the “ad orientem” position – couldn’t they just turn away?
But seriously folks – if you think “worship” means “praise music” then you’ve already lost the plot even if it’s J. S. Bach. Singing is a sort of corporate act of devotion that is a sort of add-on to Christian worship, not the thing itself. It’s not the cake, it’s the icing (maybe).
Now, as for this – what is it, toe-cheese flavored icing?
I agree. Although I think Mozart would have a hard time rapping as fast and syncopated as Flame did.
I looked you up Bill, I was wrong when I alluded to some hymns originating from bars.
You one smart guy. May the LORD use you richly for His glory and for your joy, and that your voice may be heard. https://internetmonk.com/archive/the-big-worship-goof/comment-page-4#comment-483209
The song you linked is a hybrid. The musical style is solidly situated in the pop culture slot, while the lyrics floating along on top are a traditional (folk) culture effort at preservation of a legacy. I saw no high culture here at all.
I don’t think the two-part division of culture presented here is accurate. A better analysis would be to divide culture into three parts: high culture, folk (traditional) culture, and pop (mass) culture.
Using this division we put Bach, Shakespeare, and a five-star restaurant into the high culture category; non-commercial bluegrass music, most 19th century hymns, bed-time stories, and mom’s potato salad into traditional culture; and pop/rock/hip hop/ commercial country, CCM, Wal-Mart pulp fiction, and McDonald’s into pop (mass) culture.
Using this three-part analysis yields different results from those posted above, especially as we find much common ground between Christianity and both high and folk culture, and little common ground between Christianity and pop culture. By not distinguishing between folk (traditional) culture and (pop) mass culture, Piper fails to distinguish how folk culture helps preserve a legacy while mass culture smashes everything not produced within the last month or so.
And my personal opinion–For this kind of genre I ask myself, is this the kind of music that angels dance to when one sinner repents? Are the lyrics something I can imagine us all singing and dancing in heaven one day? To answer the former question, this music does not remind me of the majesty of Christ, the sovereignty of God, the joy I have in a risen Saviour…it reminds me of anything but Jesus…that my friends is another definition of idolatry. To answer the latter question, I do commend all who take what culture gives and turn it around for Jesus. Some old classic hymns were born from bars way back when. However, the lyrics aren’t changed enough to make this a worthwhile worship song about Jesus. If an unbeliever comes into that scene and listens to the words, will he/she hear the gospel? Will he/she see their need to repent? or see their need for Jesus? I think not.
Why do we have to be kidding because we don’t fall into 100% agreement with everyone here? I never said I liked it, or would enjoy being in the crowd, but I don’t think it’s, as the title says, “The worst worship ever…”.
I would reserve that for self-righteous, older brother Luke 15, hating your brother and saying you love God worship. The kind where God says,”I hate your festivals and can’t stand your singing because you are cheating the poor” kind of worship.
It’s far easier to sit back and flame some guy who made did some weird stuff though. It amazes me how quickly people devour others. It doesn’t seem noble or the least bit Christ-like.
Did the guy in the video say weird stuff that we don’t agree with theologically and do a campy version of a bad song? Yes. But did he deserve the attacks and curses from a bunch of strangers all over the net? Is that how Christ’s church represents itself??
It looked like a couple of those guys were spinning their boxers around. Also what the heck was that drummer wearing on his head? He looked like a Monty Python character.
i haven’t seen anyone put this in context. This is the worship leader for the Todd Bentley “revival” in Lakeland, Florida. As a Baptist, I am relieved that this did not take place at a Baptist church, though I’m sure our denomination has produced some pretty low moments in worship.
I’m one of those Mo. Synod Lutherans who’d prefer a thunderous pipe organ leading with A Mighty Fortress is Our God, maybe followed by Onward Christian Soldiers, maybe Amazing Grace…is it too much to call these classics? I know they’re from the old school, but so is Mozart, Bach, Beethoven. And, lest I seem too frozen in time, I’d settle for a piano.
I’m sure there were great Christian people there. But the thing that stood out to me was the meaninglessness of it. Nothing that happened after they took off their shoes made any sense at all. What is the point of spinning a sock? What are we saying when we say that Jesus ‘spins us right round’? What is the theology of a love train? I can’t believe that there are any coherent answers to these questions. The only discernable point was that people should have fun. I would give a lot to be present at the meeting where this kind of worship experience is planned!
lol – ok there’s one Church I’m not attending, that’s all I can say. If you don’t like it don’t go there. It’s not like he’s hurting anybody, but it’s just gross and corny.
Bill, I completely understand. I got an undergrad degree in music (voice) and a master’s in music (conducting) and thought I’d “make a difference” as well in the church. Couldn’t get a job in church music: everyone wanted “blended” at the very least (which was, in every place I interviewed, a poor example of both pop and traditional music), and that “blend” was decidedly tipped toward pop. Ended up teaching Bible in a Christian school for a few years and now pastoring a church. And I’m not talking about non-denom or Charismatic churches. I’m talking about conservative, Reformed churches.
I played a game of chess against my computer while this played in the background. I blame my loss on the cranial meltdown of the background noise.
What I am surprised about is that no one has asked what the odor was after a bunch of people twirled dirty socks in the air for 10 minutes. It’s a fragrance, but I doubt it’s pleasing…
Episcopalians have contributed Clown Masses, Matthew Fox’s Rave Masses (completed with bikinied lasses), Raisin Cake worship, and liturgical vestments which when worn by the Presiding Bishop seem to be an homage to the Moon Goddess. So much for the beauty of holiness.
But Michael, thanks for the best liturgical laugh since the youtube video of the dancing deacon. (Or was it the celebrant?)
I think I’m largely with you on this, Jim. Yeah, I’ll admit that I did get a bit of a chuckle out of watching it. And after a few minutes in this place, I’d probably be running for the exit. However, I honestly don’t know where their hearts are at, or what other worship settings these people might also participate in. For all I know, they could much more devoted to Christ than I am, and they might also be involved in other forms of worship as well. I could also think of many worse things for these people to be involved in than this, and many worse places for them to be than this. Sure, there are some potential dangers in this kind of worship setting, but I can think of plenty of dangers to more traditional worship styles as well. Perhaps my only problem with this might be if someone from that setting was to think that this was the only way to do worship, or if they were to look down on those who worship more traditionally (example: calling more traditional worship “ritualistic”, “religious” or “stiff”). But I don’t believe I saw anything along those lines in my brief viewing of the video. Once again, I see potential for a both/and here.
If you guys like this there is a whole truckload of this type of church activity over at “The Museum of Idolatry.”
alittleleaven.com or something like that. Churches playing “Highway to Hell”, “Eruption” (yes, the Van Halen one), and the infamous “Jesus is a Friend of Mine” are all over that site. But this one certainly takes the cake. Especially considering what how the original song was actually pretty dirty. Won’t go into what it actually says…
While I don’t go for this stuff either, one thing is puzzling me: I don’t understand why you are all assuming this is their form of worship. It looks to me like it’s just some weird ‘Christian’ band’s concert for youth. I’m guessing that this kind of stuff happens at concerts all the time. Did I miss something (other than the abbreviated YouTube title) that indicates that this is indeed a worship service, and not just a concert or entertainment?
I think the “worst worship ever” probably has more to do with the condition of hearts, than the ascetics, professionalism, “coolness” or “uncoolness” or theological bent of a particular style of worship.
If the folks who participated in this service enjoyed themselves and left loving God and others more, How do we judge them for that?
“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” is a song by Dead or Alive on their 1985 album Youthquake. The original cut was over four minutes long and was edited for the album.
Pop culture couldn’t even take it for 4 minutes, and yet someone feels the need to extend it to 10? 😉
Is this my kind of worship? No. Was this Cheesy? Yes. Did the guy have a bad haircut? Yes.
What I don’t get is why people can’t let these people be. I see this video as people having fun, which can be glorifying and worshipful to the Lord. I have no idea where on earth people would get the idea that they know this isn’t pleasing to the Lord. At the worst, its silly, at the most its people who are worshipping. Is God only pleased with YOUR style of worship? I think thats pretty narrow.
When I became a Christian, if you took me to a Lutheran service and told me it was worship, well I wouldn’t have lasted long. Camp is where I very early learned the beginning of worshiping God and yes, it was often very cheesy, lame music with ridiculous actions. Over the course of my Journey, I realized how hallow and unsatisfying that kind of worship was and I am now Catholic.
Why can’t we celebrate that at least people are trying to worship God. If it is displeasing to the Lord, or really is pathetic worship, lets let the Lord take care of it and bring them to true worship.
There was a hip hop remake of “you spin me right round” that came out about 6 months ago. i’m sure this guy thought he was being super crafty by using this to “praise Jesus”… But… Man. This. is. Sad.
Okay, to throw a log on the fire from this side of the Tiber, there’s actually an Italian Capuchin monk who sings heavy metal.
Don’t ask me how I heard about it, I can’t remember, but if you Google “Brother Cesare Bonizzi”, his Wikipedia page tells you all about how Metallica influenced him and links to his homepage where you can get a sample of his singing 🙂
as a guitar- and synth-playing, 80s-music and techno-loving musician who was also a contemporary worship leader for many years, I can’t quite get myself to laugh at this….
what’s with the pastors out there who actually think this sort of thing is holy and God-honoring?
can’t guys with bleached fauxhawks be gently persuaded/admonished to go to any sort of training on Biblical worship?
did anyone on staff at that church have enough cans of Lysol to help disperse the smell after all those shoes came off and socks were wafted around?
Well, in the Ethiopian church, they remove their shoes when entering a church.
I don’t know their policy on sock-spinning 😉
“You Spin Me Right Round”? Man, I remember that first time around with Dead Or Alive back in the early 80s! So we see once again that Trendy Christianity is about twenty years behind the pop scene? Okay, Young Worship Leader Guy there probably only heard it on the 2006 re-release, but the fact remains: this is the music of your parents, guy.
This was very educational, Michael: I know now exactly what a worship leader is and what a worship band does 🙂
Michael, who sends you this stuff? As a person who is returning to school and having to learn how to do proper research citations, you should really credit your friends who send you this stuff. And include their email addresses. 🙂
I manage to involve my body extensively during corporate worship (standing, kneeling, genuflecting, signs of the cross (large and small), profound bows, simple bows, etc) without raving with clothing accesories.
“Take your shoes off” – interesting. Wonder where he goes with this.
“Spin it” – OK, he goes no where.
“You Spin Me” – Seriously? Seriously?
“Holy Spirit Hoe Down” – Sad. Really Sad.
“Start a Love Train” – He DIDN”T go there, did he? He did!
But I loved the shot of the girl who was there and looked like she didn’t believe this either.
I personally would not consider this quality worship. Not sure he would have gotten my shoes and socks off, much less going further.
But I will try not to judge. Perhaps God did in fact smile on this “joyful noise”.
I used to think the same thing about “we stand and lift up our my hands.” Then I realized the next stanza starts “We bow down” and I haven’t seen anyone do that either;-)
“We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He”
Well, Michael, one reason I don’t go for this type of worship is that I would have a heart attack from excertion within the first five minutes (that goes for Hillsong style song leading, too,btw)
I guess we should be glad he only asked them to remove shoes and wave their socks around, and that all the rest of their clothes stayed on. But, oh man, the pong of a room full of used socks being waved around!
After completing my master’s degree in music history I went to work at a small Christian school where I thought perhaps I could make a difference in the aesthetic sensibilities of young believers.
Fifteen years of full-time effort has taught me otherwise. The juggernaut of pop culture is swallowing everything in its path and, at this late date in its campaign of conquest, short of a complete melt down in contemporary culture like we see in post apocalyptic movies, I don’t think it’s stoppable.
I could not justify watching this beyond roughly 4 minutes and 16 seconds. I will not judge how God felt (nor will I quote Scripture to back up such assumptions), but I can say that it was lame worship and lame (musical) art. Why are evangelicals so unimaginative when it comes to aesthetics? There is such a thing as beautiful music, and even exciting and rhythmic and beautiful music, but this was not it. I also had some dreadful flashbacks to 1980s radio.
A Holy Ghost hodown? That’s pretty sick. And not in the good way. I’m reminded of Hosea 6:5-7:
“What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Pretty sure that this did not “delight” God. Also pretty sure God doesn’t want a big rock orgy to be done in His name. In fact, I think it just the opposite. I wish I could laugh at stuff like that, but it just makes me sad.
Oh, man. Oh, man. The opening scene was pretty typical pre-worshipsplosion patter and I was wondering where the meat was. Then he started with “You spin me right round…”
Oh, man.
The best part is where he was talking about “honoring God” right before he started.
The Internet Monk Archives
I can see it now:
Just like Metalocalypse, except CHRISTIAN (TM)!
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Not surprising. As South Park put it, “It’s easy to write Christian songs. Just take 20-year-old pop songs and substitute “Jesus” for “Oooooo Baby!”
Though what I heard the song was originally about a stripper doing a pole dance.
And the sock-spinning could have been worse. At least they didn’t spin them round round baby round round Jamaican-style. According to Maurice Broaddus’ blog, in Jamaica it’s common at open-air concerts to set your T-shirts on fire while spinning them around round baby round round over your head. “More Fire! More Fire!”
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I was at a water park with my kids yesterday and the “real” (aka “secular”) version of this song was played over the loudspeakers. From the lyrics, it appears to be a song about a sex act.
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The singing alone cracks me up.
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Why don’t you guys actually step away from your computer and get up and DO something for God rather than sit here and judge everything that looks different than what you do. Your haughty stance is sickening to me.
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Great! Worship can be fun and corny and most of all loud! The Lord allows fun to be had! Why not let loose!!! I’m still waiting for an all metal-hardcore worship team or church! iMonk you should start one!!!
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We love the “lordy”?
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That was repetitive nonsense. What a disgrace!!
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Well, they do look to be getting a healthy work-out! Even when I used to go to rock concerts, I didn’t like being told what to do and I didn’t do it. So others would be jumping up and down and shouting and whatnot and I would just sit, watch, listen. My husband was the same way. We just were not the “active” type. Yet, now, I don’t mind sitting, standing, kneeling, professing faith on cue during the Mass.
I think many of us feel a need to belong to a “team” and to do “team” things. I go in and out of team mode myself. Sometimes, I want nothing to do with being a part of any team and I just go on by myself. But it can get lonely living that way…and unhealthy. The trick is to find a team that is healthy, supportive, loving. And to make sure that you know the Captain of the team very well!
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I’m pretty sure you don’t have to have permission to perform someone’s song live. Broadcast rights and lyric projection are different.
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Notice how he keeps trying to get everybody to join in the antics. If he sees someone not participating, he just shouts louder, “Everybody!” It’s as if the fact that someone isn’t joining in in the pep rally or following his every instruction, it must mean that they’re sitting in judgement on what happens and he has to stifle that immediately. Is that an overreaction on my part? As a teenager, a Christian rock band visited my church youth group and put on a concert. I didn’t much care for it, but I was there and when the band leader started shouting instructions sort of like this guy in the video to do various motions with the music, I chose not to participate. I wasn’t standing with my arms crossed with a smug or defiant look—I was just standing there observing and listening. The band leader actually came down off stage to the row I was in and indicated that he was going to make a scene with me if I didn’t start doing the motions. These “praise” leaders are nothing more than vain power seekers, thriving on the ability to manipulate people and hating anyone who has the audacity not to follow their lead or who oppose them in any way.
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I agree with the Guy from Knoxville that this indicates the end is upon us. The problem with the church in America isn’t liberals. If the “conservatives” were actually full of light, light would be shining in and conquering the darkness. But alas, this country is full of churches that look like this and are welcoming the darkness of flesh-centered entertainment to the point of gross irreverence into “worship”. How can the church be a light that transforms and lifts up the world around it when videos like this show a church that wants to be like the world and can’t get enough of it? Persecution of the church is coming but not, as folks in this video would surely claim, because the world is getting more evil as a prelude to the rapture which will carry off these narcissistic “worshippers” into an eternal rock concert, but rather because the church itself has lost its salt and is good for nothing but throwing out.
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Dave Miller:
This guy in the video (Rick Pino) is not the worship leader at Lakeland even though Pino did appear at Lakeland for a couple of nights to give the Lakeland Revival worship team a break. The main worship leader at Lakeland was Roy Fields and he appears to be trying to “re-create the magic” once again with a “worship Camp” in late September in all places, Lakeland, Fl
—
another crazy and bizarre Rick Pino video similar to the one IM posted
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ape-7zbsx4A
it seems like this is a ‘routine’ that is used anytime a ‘dead crowd’ needs to be ‘awaken’ to feel like ‘God moved”.
—
I can easily see why someone would want to become Lutheran, Anglican or Catholic over this. I can easily see why some would want to leave Christianity altogether after watching this video. Just think that they really believe that they are part of the “Joshua Generation” nonsense and that this is part of that lifestyle.
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It’s not the ‘worst’ worship as it doesn’t register to me as worship at all. It’s blasphemy.
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“Jesus whirled in worship – spun like a record.”
Say what?
There’s a world of difference between “reaching out to culture” and offering some sort of watered down, shallow worship “experience” that lacks any sort of substance or spiritual challenge. And the “culture” can tell the difference between the two.
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>…Jesus whirled in worship – spun like a record.
OK. Where and when?
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This discussion has been picked up elsewhere for their layer of commentary. See the following link:
http://remonstrans.net/index.php/2009/08/28/deep_in_the_woods
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Sorry, but I humbly disagree with all of you critics. The speaker begins by saying this is an act of honor. Yet all of the comments I read, dishonor him, those experiencing enthusiastic worship and God through your critical statements.
Sunday morning – no. Youth conference – yes. Outreach to club culture – absolutely.
Moses took off his sandals just as these kids got barefoot.
Jesus whirled in worship – spun like a record.
David said he would be more undignified in worship. Remember what happened to the one who was his critic.
What is worse? What happens in most churches in America, bored people singing songs they don’t understand. Unwilling and unable to bend down to reach their shoes, let alone remove them in the presence of worship.
I may not personally like what I see (which FYI I personally would not enjoy that worship time) but God forbid I would be a critic of someone getting people to dance wildly for Jesus.
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I agree, Mike, that language like that could very well be indicative of perspective on worship that is fairly shallow. It sounds like you’ve heard it used that way a lot. It’s not what I meant, but I certainly believe you when you say you’ve heard it used that way. Frankly, I’m not married to that phrase at all. My only hope is that people’s hearts are truly focused on worshiping God in community when they come together, and I believe that a lot of outward expression and emotion can be either a help or a hindrance to that. As I said earlier, I worship in a liturgical church, and as much as I wasn’t fan of some things I saw in that video, I would be quite cautious about assuming that our hearts are more focused on God or our worship more pleasing to him. Thanks for the interesting discussion, Mike, and God bless you, my friend.
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Anyone else find his reference to Moses being shoeless a little off the mark here? Moses removed his shoes because the Lord told him to, because he was standing on Holy Ground.
And I dont recall the Lord asking Moses to spin his shoes around and dance to some hit single in front of that burning bush either…
Wow.
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Maybe I’m not understanding what you’re trying to say here, but i recall scripture to say ” ‘When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.’ Jesus said this to indicate how he was going to die.” John 12:32-33
I take that to mean, he alone “leads people into authentic worship”. Its not about what we can do to rally everyone up, its about what the Lord did and how we REALLY Honor him for his death and ressurection by our hearts, with our words, and our actions… not by taking off our socks and shoes to spin them around.
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I have to agree with you here. I’m all for enjoying worship and I sincerly believe you can have a good time and still be in worship (priavetly or corporately). But this! What is biblical about this? As Wolf Paul said, every denomination has its silly or screw up moments, but this is just embarassing.
What I can’t get past is the verge (if not flat out) mockery of God here. They speak of the Holy Spirit and trying to honor the Lord… is taking off your socks and shoes really honoring? Is this a new ritual that will call the Holy Spirit down on you?
I feel like this ‘worship leader’ is dancing (no pun intended) on a thin line here. He not only lacks cleverness as an artist, he lacks genuinality! The true heart of worship!
Not to mention… why are his shoes still on??? Hmmm….
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I’m not crazy about the music. I’m not sure that matters as much as we all think it does. The psalmist did say to make joyful noise. One thing I do know is the Church in western culture seems to be reaching all of the same kinds of people with the same kinds of tastes in music. I’m probably a little more opened minded than some. I don’t think God makes cookie cutter people.
The thing that disturbs me more than the video is the way we are all judging this service. How many of us were there? What happened in the rest of the service? If this song helped these young people to be opened to a message about Jesus messing up their way of thinking and making a change, I say glory to God.
After all the disiples were not crazy about Jesus talking to the woman at the well.
I think it’s time for the Church to break the mold if there’s any hope for us really reaching all of the sub-culture’s in our society.
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This is EXACTLY why I’m writing a book about restoring the humility and holiness of God back into the church! Worship plays a key role. And this clip? Well, it proves exactly why we miss the mark.
Not exactly surprised that the beginning and ending song is a rip off of a popular secular song about stripper pole dancing. Makes me CRINGE! Pretty “stinky” stuff!
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Dead or Alive would be so proud
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All this Spinning makes me puke!
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Wasn’t necessarily reflecting on you, but the language you were using and the implication that what the video shows is people being “led into authentic worship” by a song leader. All I was saying is that in most instances when I hear people using language like that, they are betraying a pietistic perspective on worship, that it’s somehow not “authentic” unless I’m “caught up in it” in an emotional or even ecstatic way.
I don’t know you—what do you think? What does “leading people into authentic worship” mean?
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It must’ve been all the spinning- I don’t feel well.
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Frankly, from another liturgical Christian’s perspective, I’m not sure what the giveaway is, Mike. Are you suggesting that my view is culture-bound, pietistic (in some cases superstitious or gnostic), and condones manipulating people’s emotions through music and spectacle?
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After watching, no change of opinion here. Frankly, from a liturgical Christian’s perspective, the comment, he “draws many people into authentic worship” is a giveaway, Bill. What does that mean? In the culture-bound, pietistic (in some cases superstitious or gnostic) practices of “worship leaders” it amounts to little more than manipulating people’s emotions through music and spectacle. The Reformers called this “enthusiasm,” and condemned it roundly.
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These are insightful thoughts. Thanks.
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This.
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Hee. Right, because otherwise, they’re bringing in da noise and da funk in a just too literal sense.
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And tell me, IMonk, that it’s really not you at the keyboard with that baseball cap off…
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Where do I mail my old evangelical membership card? And how do I join the Eastern Orthodox?
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Your conditional “if” is so vital in the fourth line. All culture(s) are not equal; nor are all wholesome; nor do all reflect the influence of the Divine is equal measure. Some culture(s) cannot be used in the Christian walk. Even points of Hebrew (OT) culture which were, at the time, accepted by God, and even used to instruct us, have been deemed unacceptable; eg. lex talionis, “an eye for an eye.’
American (and all of Western) culture is entirely self centered, and is therefore low on the possibilities of being useful in the Christian Faith and Religion; music, art, attitudes, all included.
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I find it interesting all the comments about not judging these people’s hearts. Of course we’re not judging their hearts! No one said these people don’t have good motives. It’s everything BEDSIDES the motivation that warrants condemnation.
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I need to go make Latin incantations of impreccatory Psalms and burn incense for a couple of hours after that.
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God doesn’t need to “mess up” the Lakelanders. They’re plenty messed up as it is.
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And this isn’t even a funny RickRoll, like that Looking for Group strip.
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Now this is a good comment. I need a new monitor now.
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Speaking for the Anglicans? Turn or burn, worship leader with bad haircut.
And we almost *never* say that.
:0)
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Yeah, this kind of thing would have kept me in fortune telling/spell work.
(iMonk, if you go Lutheran, lets talk. You need a heads up on the Mauve, and the coffee is pretty bad. Plus the Norwegians. I will talk you through it, no worries man…)
Love,
LuLu
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Incense could be the only way to redeem the moment … or at least the smell. 😛
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As Hank Hill would say, “You’re not making Jesus better…you’re making Rock & Roll worse.”
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I won’t split hairs with you over definitions. If this was designed as a worship experience, it’s wrong.
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It’s hard to see how a ‘false representation’ of genuine Biblical worship could not be wrong in moral terms (wrong itself is a moral term, and ‘falsity’ carries moral implications).
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Folks, It’s a new low….. there are no words to describe this. It’s not worship and quite honestly it’s enough to make me not ever want to attend church ever again! Thankfully, I have a church that my wife and I are attending right now that has good decent and wholesome worship – very thankful for the church even with a flaw or two.
Folks, this has to stop – we are literally witnessing the end and it’s upon us unless we put a stop to it once and for all. One has to laugh…. the only other option is to cry – indeed weep over such irreverance disrespect of God in worship (which it’s not).
Nothing further…….
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I have no problem saying it is “wrong,” not in absolute moral terms, but as a false representation of what genuinely Biblical worship is.
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Where is the Biblical position of “worship leader” found? The contemporary worship leader is not just the product of the churches, but of the culture itself. I can’t recall too many band leaders in the NT. IMHO, the pastor should lead worship, with assistance from congregation members. It is part of the pastor’s leadership responsibility that many have abandoned.
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Some of what you say is quite right. No one here is sticking up for any kind of worship that falls short of what God desires. And perhaps a bit too much snark has entered the conversation—but come on, doesn’t a performance like this invite some? Besides, the Biblical prophets weren’t above a little mocking now and then when it came to the silly and idolatrous practices of God’s people.
Please remember the point of this blog. The very reason many of us have been drawn into these discussions is because we have seen American evangelicalism go steadily downhill through a lack of leadership, abandonment of history and tradition, and an almost complete embrace of the core values of popular culture. Evangelicalism has become a vast wasteland of individuals and churches doing that which is right in their own eyes. This video is one spectacularly gory example of the train wreck that has taken place.
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I think this is a tongue-in-cheek joke? If so, pretty funny.
From the Wikipedia entry on the Lakeland Revival and Todd Bentley
“During the revival, Bentley’s spokesperson said that Bentley continued “to draw his standard salary, set by his board, from his office in Canada.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakeland_Revival
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To be fair to this man (apparently his name is Rick Pino), I found a couple more clips of him on YouTube that might help us form a more balanced perspective of him:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-rchUuRM0g
That original clip of him may not have been his finest moment, but I’m willing to bet that he really loves the Lord and draws many people into authentic worship.
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Absolutely pathetic. Only in the United States of America – no offence intended to my American friends.Glad this kind of blasphemous nonsense has very little chance of happening in Canada.
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Nothing special happened at 4:16. I just couldn’t bear it anymore!
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And now for something serious: There is a fine line between expressing preferences and expressing judgments, but a universe of difference. I can say for sure this isn’t my cup of tea; but is it wrong (i.e., ‘not good’ in some objective spiritual sense)? If faith can and must be expressed through the culture of the day, which in our historical time includes cheesy pop music, then why not this? Where do we draw the line? Who draws it, and by what criterion? Anyhow, don’t envy those Catholics too much. I once heard that back in the 70s there were priests singing Cumbaya on acoustic guitar.
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On that thought do you thing he got permission from the copyright holders to chage the lyrics and preform their songs? I mean are churches exempt from copyright infringement?
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I feel like I’ve been Rickrolled, christian style. Big laugh when the song came on, but then I had to turn it off. Yikes.
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That’s my favorite South Park episode EVER!!! Mostly ‘cuz I I grew up on Christian Metal & rock but eventually figured out how crappy most of it was (though, as far as thrash metal goes, no band was better than the Christian band Tournaquet… deep lyrics and amazing metal. Metallica, Slayer, Megadeath, and Anthrax weren’t even close).
This video made me guffaw when he went to “You Spin Me Round.” I’m just glad I was the only one in the office… it might have been embarrassing.
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Because Christ has more class than that on our side of the Tiber.
(Clown Masses in The Spirit of Vatican II (TM) notwithstanding…)
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Out of curiosity, what happened at 4 minutes and 16 seconds? I didn’t (and couldn’t) last that long.
Why are evangelicals so unimaginative when it comes to aesthetics?
I used to joke about “Holy Spirit Lobotomies”. After this, I wonder if the joke was on me.
And it’s not just music. Take a look at the shelves of Christian (TM) Bookstores sometime, especially in what passes for Fantasy & Science Fiction. It’s all Bonnet Romances and Left Behind knockoffs, and my spies tell me the CBA/ECPA claims “Christian Paranormal Romances” (i.e. “Just like Twilight, except CHRISTIAN (TM)!”) is The Next Big Thing. I swam the Tiber and joined the Lost Genre Guild to get AWAY from that mentality re the imaginative arts.
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It’s gotta be real, Pat.
YOU COULDN’T MAKE UP CRAP LIKE THIS!
I know I couldn’t, and I’ve been around a LOT of Weirdness!
And in a time where everybody goes to the extreme, as far as you can go for parody/satire, there’s going to be a True Believer out there who’ll go even farther and be Dead Serious About It.
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“Mess us up” and “spin me like a record”. Reminds me of my youth (30 odd years ago) when it was not uncommon to hear something like “Jesus gives me a high like drugs never did!”
The idea behind that could be noble, i.e. “I used to take drugs to make me feel better emotionally, but my emotions have improved significantly since living as a Christian, and here is why I think that is …”
But it could also have given people an expectation of emotional bliss upon becoming born again that is not realistic. Which could raise a lot of questions for them later when it does not occur (which is not necessarily bad if the questions are then answered adequately.)
It does make me wonder what people in the Lakeland movement have in mind when asking God to “mess us up?” Maybe give me a strong experience in a meeting? Maybe inspire me to make a drastic or severe change in my life? I don’t really know because I’m not involved in that movement.
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If “You Spin Me Round” was on the charts in 1985, that makes this filk 24 years later. This has repercussions:
1) It’s getting “Christianized” a full Strauss-Howe generation later, to where anyone under their mid-Twenties wouldn’t have heard it or remembered it. Not even if they’d played Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; this one isn’t on the in-game radio-station soundtracks. (And GTA: Vice City‘s soundtracks are a decent sampler of Eighties pop music. I recommend them to younger listeners as a representative sample of the period.)
2) And the timing falls right into the South Park paradigm on how to write CCM: “Take some TWENTY-YEAR-OLD pop song and substitute ‘Jesus’ for “Oooooo Baby!'” Again, probably because the generation you’re writing it for is too young to remember the original you’re ripping off. (This can go off on the tangent of “Why do Christians only copycat cheezy Christian(TM) ripoffs of the original trend instead of starting the trend themselves”?)
3) And a lot of Gen-Yers/Millenials really get to like Eighties pop music almost the first time they hear it. There are a lot of young fans of Eighties hits who got turned onto it from the aforementioned GTA: Vice City; one was quoted as saying “I’d forgotten how much I liked Eighties music and I wasn’t born until after the Eighties!” (This can go off on the tangent of why music of the Reagan Years is proving so appealing; perhaps it was that even factoring in nuclear war jitters and Punk, the music was more optimistic and less Nihilistic than today’s?)
4) And is this really any dumber than the traditional Christian Youth Group “Icebreaker”? What I remember of those (from my own wander through the Evangelical Wilderness) were really, really Dumb & Dumber.
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sorry H.U.G…..I…just ….cant’… WAIT………(hurls loudly)
send me the bill for your shirt, etc.
Greg R
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Take a number and stand in line after the rest of us Apostates and Heathen and Pharisees…
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I lasted about a minute longer. Just long enough for the first verse of “You Spin Me Round, Except CHRISTIAN (TM)!” I can hear better filks in the filk room of any SF con.
General warning: If what you are doing can be described as “Just like Fill-in-the-Blank, Except CHRISTIAN(TM)!”, kill it before it dies with maximum cruelty. You’ll be doing Christ a favor; I don’t think He likes being made to look stupid.
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I’ll take Disco over this any day. Meco’s “Star Wars” remix, “A Fifth of Beethoven”, or the classic “Do the Hustle!”
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I need to hug the porcelan bowl
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1) No, IMonk, if I become MUSLIM, it will be because I warched this too many times. Now I know why Mohammed forbade any music (except for vocals such as reciting the Koran) in mosques.
2) That’s a really awful filk of a pop song. Straight out of South Park (“Just take some twenty-year-old pop song and substitute ‘Jesus’ for ‘OOOOOO BABY!'” — Cartman)
3) Why am I not surprised this guy was connected to Tatted Todd of Lakeland? Maybe Todd should have kneed HIM one in the nuts — “SHEEKA-BOOM-BAH! BAM!!!!”
4) I think I’ll stick with Mass at St Boniface. I’ll even settle for that one Furry Fandom garage-band CD sampler I’ve got, the one where the garage band drops in “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent” in the middle of an otherwise-pop sampler and sings it completely solemn & straight. Yes, a Furvert realized the sanctity of such music, and this “Praise-and-Worship Band” didn’t…
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I’m not disputing that, I’d take any of your sermons over that, as well — or I wouldn’t be reading your blog. Not sure what exactly you are disagreeng with me on.
My point was that overall this video and this clown are no more typical of the majority of Evangelicals than Schori & Co are of Anglicans, etc, even though they get more attention and press than the ordinary, faithful variety.
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Or the opposite tack, I found on YouTube yesterday evening the “It’s All About Me” collection (parody). Popular praise and worship songs with “me” in place of “Jesus”. Very humorous!
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Worship leaders need to be taught properly, but most worship leaders aren’t actually taught anything at all, its just mimicry and aping. So its not really their fault that they end up going in weird tangents. They are just products of their churches. Leading worship is tough because you have to handle all the musical aspects, and at the same time channel the holy spirit and lift everyone out of the depths. its too much to expect of any one. I think such high expectation contributes to the weirdness.
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The leader’s prayer of “mess us up” has clearly already been answered. To cap it off, he had to add his little “we love the Lordy” at the end. Yikes.
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This cracked me up! I was thinking the same thing while watching it! 🙂
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It isn’t so much that this is blasphemous (I don’t think so), or irreverent (not to the people participating). It’s just absurd to the point of parody.
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Hahahahaha!
Now excuse me while I go bleach out my eyes and ears. And nostrils.
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“Squid”? San Diego???
I think the point of all of these posts is to question and challenge the prevailing Evangelical conception of worship–which is often equated to some type of singing (oddly, sans any written music). Certainly not every evangelical church is this bad–but I’d be willing to bet money that the majority of evangelical churches employ various manifestations of the praise band genre and all that it entails.
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Hilarious–and sickening. It’s difficult to believe this “worship leader” thinks “You Spin Me Right Round” is the highest cultural expression that Western Civ. has to offer.
Reminded me of the South Park episode where Cartman becomes a CCM star by 1) Taking the lyrics of a pop song 2) Crossing out “baby” and 3) inserting “Jesus.” Very simple!
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I would be with you if the song wasn’t prefaced by a solemn talk about giving honor to God by taking off your shoes, and then he pulls this nonsense. I spent my time in my teens singing fun & humorous Christian songs in camp & youth group settings, but then after we kids had a time for fun, the leader would then direct us more towards seriousness & we’d enter into real worship. He or she wouldn’t get all solemn with us & then pull out the cutesy stuff.
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Wow… just… wow.
Spinning socks? Seriously? I couldn’t even get past the first couple minutes. As soon as the dude broke into “You Spin Me Round” I tapped out.
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Why is it that I’m reminded of a scene from “You Don’t Mess With The Zohan” when watching this?
“DISCO! DISCO! GOOD GOOD!
DISCO! DISCO! GOOD GOOD!”
This was gold.
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My brain hurts now, thanks
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Can you imagine the smell in that place?!
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AMiA/ACNA. Not TEC.
I have to disagree, friend. Everyone who has heard me preach for 18 years where I serve would trade every sermon I ever delivered for that kind of “worship.”
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Awww, Wolf Paul…I don’t think there’s any judgement going on here, just laughing at the laughable.
Your caution is well taken, though.
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The worst part of this bit of nonsense is that most of the audience is probably just young enough not to have heard the original songs this ‘performer’ blatantly cribbed for his Hodgepodge of Worship cover medly. Some might actually be lead to believe this was somehow clever, original music.
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After my more jesting comment a few hours ago (middle of the night, actually, where I am), having thought about it a bit more and having shown it to my wife (who comes from a “closed” Plymouth Brethren background), here are a few more comments, first hers then mine.
1. (Geraldine’s comment) This is obviously not worship, nor does it really have anything to do with Jesus. That aside, it looks like good, clean, harmless fun, good aerobic exercise, and I would be happier if our son (just turned 16) spent his time doing that rather than going down to the pub for a few beers and a smoke. The music certainly sounds very much like what he plays most of the time anyway.
2. (my comments) I am afraid, Michael, that if things like this ever DO prompt you to become Lutheran, Anglican, or Catholic, sooner or later you would be disappointed, too. ALL tradtitions, whether Evangelical, Lutheran, Anglican, Catholic, or even Orthodox, have their aberrations. If you don’t believe it, just look at what happend in San Diego and Minneapolis in the last couple of months for problems with the Anglicans and Lutherans in the US, and remember the headlines concerning the Catholic Church in the US a few years back or in Ireland only a couple of months ago. Of course I could give you many more examples about Lutherans and Catholics here on the European continent, but just think of Sweden where the Lutheran Church sides with the state in prosecuting preachers who insist on teaching biblical views on sex.
Those are not the Anglicans or Lutherans you are talking about? You’re thinking of the AMiA type Anglicans, for example? Fine, but then please don’t judge Evangelicals and Evangelicalism by the worst manifestations thereof either. You aren’t really trying to tell us that this kind of performance by a clown like Rick Pino would be welcome in most evangelical churches in the US, are you? It certainly would not be welcome in most evangelical churches in Europe. If this guy really is, as someone said in a comment, the “worship leader” for the Todd Bentley Show in Lakeland FL, then it is well to keep in mind that most Evangelicals consider that whole thing to be very much on the fringes of their movement, if it could even legitimately be considered part of it. No way does this define Evangelicalism, any more than Mrs Katherine “Squid” Jefferts-Schori defines Anglicanism.
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Perhaps this video might be useful for the sake of contrast:
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I just found myself a little more sympathetic to the “ad orientem” position – couldn’t they just turn away?
But seriously folks – if you think “worship” means “praise music” then you’ve already lost the plot even if it’s J. S. Bach. Singing is a sort of corporate act of devotion that is a sort of add-on to Christian worship, not the thing itself. It’s not the cake, it’s the icing (maybe).
Now, as for this – what is it, toe-cheese flavored icing?
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I agree. Although I think Mozart would have a hard time rapping as fast and syncopated as Flame did.
I looked you up Bill, I was wrong when I alluded to some hymns originating from bars.
You one smart guy. May the LORD use you richly for His glory and for your joy, and that your voice may be heard.
https://internetmonk.com/archive/the-big-worship-goof/comment-page-4#comment-483209
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omg people having fun in jesus’ name! it must be the devil at work. what a bunch of blasphemers.
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The song you linked is a hybrid. The musical style is solidly situated in the pop culture slot, while the lyrics floating along on top are a traditional (folk) culture effort at preservation of a legacy. I saw no high culture here at all.
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Good point. I think we both agree this style of worship was horrible.
However, I’d be curious which of the 3 categories you would classify this song:
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“Some old classic hymns were born from bars way back when. ”
Please, please, please, can we stop perpetuating this Christian urban legend. It just ain’t so!
http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=2639&loc_id=17,627,628
http://home.comcast.net/~pjones25/articles/Luther.htm
http://ruberad.wordpress.com/2006/03/10/why-cant-ccm-have-any-good-tunes/
(I did my master’s thesis on a hymn-related topic, so I just have to say something when this urban legend rears its head.)
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I don’t think the two-part division of culture presented here is accurate. A better analysis would be to divide culture into three parts: high culture, folk (traditional) culture, and pop (mass) culture.
Using this division we put Bach, Shakespeare, and a five-star restaurant into the high culture category; non-commercial bluegrass music, most 19th century hymns, bed-time stories, and mom’s potato salad into traditional culture; and pop/rock/hip hop/ commercial country, CCM, Wal-Mart pulp fiction, and McDonald’s into pop (mass) culture.
Using this three-part analysis yields different results from those posted above, especially as we find much common ground between Christianity and both high and folk culture, and little common ground between Christianity and pop culture. By not distinguishing between folk (traditional) culture and (pop) mass culture, Piper fails to distinguish how folk culture helps preserve a legacy while mass culture smashes everything not produced within the last month or so.
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Well, in situations like this, I suggest a healthy dollop of incense, to be used at the time when the socks are being taken off to be flung around.
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[Mod edit. Post is too long]
The above article was written by John Piper
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Articles/ByTopic/60/1497_Thoughts_on_Worship_and_Culture/
And my personal opinion–For this kind of genre I ask myself, is this the kind of music that angels dance to when one sinner repents? Are the lyrics something I can imagine us all singing and dancing in heaven one day? To answer the former question, this music does not remind me of the majesty of Christ, the sovereignty of God, the joy I have in a risen Saviour…it reminds me of anything but Jesus…that my friends is another definition of idolatry. To answer the latter question, I do commend all who take what culture gives and turn it around for Jesus. Some old classic hymns were born from bars way back when. However, the lyrics aren’t changed enough to make this a worthwhile worship song about Jesus. If an unbeliever comes into that scene and listens to the words, will he/she hear the gospel? Will he/she see their need to repent? or see their need for Jesus? I think not.
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Why do we have to be kidding because we don’t fall into 100% agreement with everyone here? I never said I liked it, or would enjoy being in the crowd, but I don’t think it’s, as the title says, “The worst worship ever…”.
I would reserve that for self-righteous, older brother Luke 15, hating your brother and saying you love God worship. The kind where God says,”I hate your festivals and can’t stand your singing because you are cheating the poor” kind of worship.
It’s far easier to sit back and flame some guy who made did some weird stuff though. It amazes me how quickly people devour others. It doesn’t seem noble or the least bit Christ-like.
Did the guy in the video say weird stuff that we don’t agree with theologically and do a campy version of a bad song? Yes. But did he deserve the attacks and curses from a bunch of strangers all over the net? Is that how Christ’s church represents itself??
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This popped up as a “related video”. More fodder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di9-PebV634
Personally, I prefer this one:
Just make sure to read the “about” section on the right.
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Now where is that tornado when you need it????
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Wow.
i didn’t think it was possible to make that song worse than it naturally is.
that was embarrassing–and I only watched about 2 minutes.
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That was disgusting. I really wanted to throw up.
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It looked like a couple of those guys were spinning their boxers around. Also what the heck was that drummer wearing on his head? He looked like a Monty Python character.
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i haven’t seen anyone put this in context. This is the worship leader for the Todd Bentley “revival” in Lakeland, Florida. As a Baptist, I am relieved that this did not take place at a Baptist church, though I’m sure our denomination has produced some pretty low moments in worship.
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I’m still trying to get over a hymn that we sang on Sunday. It had never occurred to me that “Jesus” rhymes with “diseases”.
There’s not a Friend like the lowly Jesus:
No, not one! no, not one!
None else could heal all our souls’ diseases:
No, not one! no, not one!
But at least we kept our shoes and socks on.
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I don’t want to know what that place smelled like with all the sock spinning. ewwww.
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sorry – if you go there you can’t leave. It would be wrong.
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Oh dear…I had to turn it off. I could not handle it.
Is it bad that the part that annoyed me the most was that the people in the video were not do sa do-ing correctly?
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I’m one of those Mo. Synod Lutherans who’d prefer a thunderous pipe organ leading with A Mighty Fortress is Our God, maybe followed by Onward Christian Soldiers, maybe Amazing Grace…is it too much to call these classics? I know they’re from the old school, but so is Mozart, Bach, Beethoven. And, lest I seem too frozen in time, I’d settle for a piano.
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This was a good laugh, thanks.
I’m sure there were great Christian people there. But the thing that stood out to me was the meaninglessness of it. Nothing that happened after they took off their shoes made any sense at all. What is the point of spinning a sock? What are we saying when we say that Jesus ‘spins us right round’? What is the theology of a love train? I can’t believe that there are any coherent answers to these questions. The only discernable point was that people should have fun. I would give a lot to be present at the meeting where this kind of worship experience is planned!
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Wow. Just…wow.
Take song.
Insert the word “Jesus”.
Now go!
And everyone wave your smelly socks around while we’re at it.
Seriously?
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lol – ok there’s one Church I’m not attending, that’s all I can say. If you don’t like it don’t go there. It’s not like he’s hurting anybody, but it’s just gross and corny.
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Bill, I completely understand. I got an undergrad degree in music (voice) and a master’s in music (conducting) and thought I’d “make a difference” as well in the church. Couldn’t get a job in church music: everyone wanted “blended” at the very least (which was, in every place I interviewed, a poor example of both pop and traditional music), and that “blend” was decidedly tipped toward pop. Ended up teaching Bible in a Christian school for a few years and now pastoring a church. And I’m not talking about non-denom or Charismatic churches. I’m talking about conservative, Reformed churches.
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I played a game of chess against my computer while this played in the background. I blame my loss on the cranial meltdown of the background noise.
What I am surprised about is that no one has asked what the odor was after a bunch of people twirled dirty socks in the air for 10 minutes. It’s a fragrance, but I doubt it’s pleasing…
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Argument number 121 for Exclusive Psalmody.
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Episcopalians have contributed Clown Masses, Matthew Fox’s Rave Masses (completed with bikinied lasses), Raisin Cake worship, and liturgical vestments which when worn by the Presiding Bishop seem to be an homage to the Moon Goddess. So much for the beauty of holiness.
But Michael, thanks for the best liturgical laugh since the youtube video of the dancing deacon. (Or was it the celebrant?)
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Jim, Jason_73, you’re kidding, right?
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I think I’m largely with you on this, Jim. Yeah, I’ll admit that I did get a bit of a chuckle out of watching it. And after a few minutes in this place, I’d probably be running for the exit. However, I honestly don’t know where their hearts are at, or what other worship settings these people might also participate in. For all I know, they could much more devoted to Christ than I am, and they might also be involved in other forms of worship as well. I could also think of many worse things for these people to be involved in than this, and many worse places for them to be than this. Sure, there are some potential dangers in this kind of worship setting, but I can think of plenty of dangers to more traditional worship styles as well. Perhaps my only problem with this might be if someone from that setting was to think that this was the only way to do worship, or if they were to look down on those who worship more traditionally (example: calling more traditional worship “ritualistic”, “religious” or “stiff”). But I don’t believe I saw anything along those lines in my brief viewing of the video. Once again, I see potential for a both/and here.
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What?! — no Anglican option?!
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If you guys like this there is a whole truckload of this type of church activity over at “The Museum of Idolatry.”
alittleleaven.com or something like that. Churches playing “Highway to Hell”, “Eruption” (yes, the Van Halen one), and the infamous “Jesus is a Friend of Mine” are all over that site. But this one certainly takes the cake. Especially considering what how the original song was actually pretty dirty. Won’t go into what it actually says…
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See.. I actually think that’s cool. Well… if he’s good.
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While I don’t go for this stuff either, one thing is puzzling me: I don’t understand why you are all assuming this is their form of worship. It looks to me like it’s just some weird ‘Christian’ band’s concert for youth. I’m guessing that this kind of stuff happens at concerts all the time. Did I miss something (other than the abbreviated YouTube title) that indicates that this is indeed a worship service, and not just a concert or entertainment?
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I think the “worst worship ever” probably has more to do with the condition of hearts, than the ascetics, professionalism, “coolness” or “uncoolness” or theological bent of a particular style of worship.
If the folks who participated in this service enjoyed themselves and left loving God and others more, How do we judge them for that?
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The church lets people with no real talent become “rock stars” — a sad temptation for so-called “contemporary worship.” Lord, have mercy.
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Telling sign:
“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)” is a song by Dead or Alive on their 1985 album Youthquake. The original cut was over four minutes long and was edited for the album.
Pop culture couldn’t even take it for 4 minutes, and yet someone feels the need to extend it to 10? 😉
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I kept looking for that hip youth guy Ignatius but never saw him emerge.
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Hm.
Is this my kind of worship? No. Was this Cheesy? Yes. Did the guy have a bad haircut? Yes.
What I don’t get is why people can’t let these people be. I see this video as people having fun, which can be glorifying and worshipful to the Lord. I have no idea where on earth people would get the idea that they know this isn’t pleasing to the Lord. At the worst, its silly, at the most its people who are worshipping. Is God only pleased with YOUR style of worship? I think thats pretty narrow.
When I became a Christian, if you took me to a Lutheran service and told me it was worship, well I wouldn’t have lasted long. Camp is where I very early learned the beginning of worshiping God and yes, it was often very cheesy, lame music with ridiculous actions. Over the course of my Journey, I realized how hallow and unsatisfying that kind of worship was and I am now Catholic.
Why can’t we celebrate that at least people are trying to worship God. If it is displeasing to the Lord, or really is pathetic worship, lets let the Lord take care of it and bring them to true worship.
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I want the guy’s hair.
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We did in a service… once.
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This music/performance, whether Christian or secular is just really really awful.
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There was a hip hop remake of “you spin me right round” that came out about 6 months ago. i’m sure this guy thought he was being super crafty by using this to “praise Jesus”… But… Man. This. is. Sad.
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I grew up SBC. I made it all the way through the video while reading the comments here. I don’t have anything to add.
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yes. and a thousand other things.
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Somewhere in the seven-minute range, he begins singing, repeatedly, “mess us up,” and I believe someone answered his plea. Long ago.
I so preferred all of the originals he mangled, and I’m thinking it might be time for an ’80s marathon right now.
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It’s like they watched this South Park Episode and somehow thought it was a good idea to copy it:
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One minute and nineteen seconds. That is as far as this Anglican got. Heh – not really the “sweet fragrance” of the Lord, now is it?
I love the “rave with clothing” comment – LOL!
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Okay, to throw a log on the fire from this side of the Tiber, there’s actually an Italian Capuchin monk who sings heavy metal.
Don’t ask me how I heard about it, I can’t remember, but if you Google “Brother Cesare Bonizzi”, his Wikipedia page tells you all about how Metallica influenced him and links to his homepage where you can get a sample of his singing 🙂
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This makes me want to cry.
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John,
Agreed. I don’t consider the songs to be a game of Simon Says.
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So, is it the form of music (techno), the style of the worship leader, or the utter lack of content that is more objectionable?
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Whenever I see this I’m torn between hating it for the fact that this is passing as worship, or hating it because of what they do to this song.
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The really sad thing is that most of these “kids” will judge all worship by this for the rest of their lives.
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wow, just wow.
I tapped out when “You spin me right round Jesus” started.
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as a guitar- and synth-playing, 80s-music and techno-loving musician who was also a contemporary worship leader for many years, I can’t quite get myself to laugh at this….
what’s with the pastors out there who actually think this sort of thing is holy and God-honoring?
can’t guys with bleached fauxhawks be gently persuaded/admonished to go to any sort of training on Biblical worship?
did anyone on staff at that church have enough cans of Lysol to help disperse the smell after all those shoes came off and socks were wafted around?
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Well, in the Ethiopian church, they remove their shoes when entering a church.
I don’t know their policy on sock-spinning 😉
“You Spin Me Right Round”? Man, I remember that first time around with Dead Or Alive back in the early 80s! So we see once again that Trendy Christianity is about twenty years behind the pop scene? Okay, Young Worship Leader Guy there probably only heard it on the 2006 re-release, but the fact remains: this is the music of your parents, guy.
This was very educational, Michael: I know now exactly what a worship leader is and what a worship band does 🙂
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I think it’s so lame when Christians hijack songs, put “Jesus” in a few places, and think it’s a worship song. This one is particularly lame.
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Michael, who sends you this stuff? As a person who is returning to school and having to learn how to do proper research citations, you should really credit your friends who send you this stuff. And include their email addresses. 🙂
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I manage to involve my body extensively during corporate worship (standing, kneeling, genuflecting, signs of the cross (large and small), profound bows, simple bows, etc) without raving with clothing accesories.
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OK, my thoughts as this progressed:
“Take your shoes off” – interesting. Wonder where he goes with this.
“Spin it” – OK, he goes no where.
“You Spin Me” – Seriously? Seriously?
“Holy Spirit Hoe Down” – Sad. Really Sad.
“Start a Love Train” – He DIDN”T go there, did he? He did!
But I loved the shot of the girl who was there and looked like she didn’t believe this either.
I personally would not consider this quality worship. Not sure he would have gotten my shoes and socks off, much less going further.
But I will try not to judge. Perhaps God did in fact smile on this “joyful noise”.
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I used to think the same thing about “we stand and lift up our my hands.” Then I realized the next stanza starts “We bow down” and I haven’t seen anyone do that either;-)
“We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He”
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Well, Michael, one reason I don’t go for this type of worship is that I would have a heart attack from excertion within the first five minutes (that goes for Hillsong style song leading, too,btw)
I guess we should be glad he only asked them to remove shoes and wave their socks around, and that all the rest of their clothes stayed on. But, oh man, the pong of a room full of used socks being waved around!
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Worst worship ever? I must admit I am torn between this and the churches I have been in when they sing “I lift up my hands” and no one does.
Not sure God is overly happy with either extreme, and I think far too many of our churches fall into the opposite extreme.
How can we say that we love God with all our “heart, soul, mind, and strength” when we sit on our hands. Worship is a whole body experience.
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If I become protestant it will be because I read this too many times: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1433502399/
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After completing my master’s degree in music history I went to work at a small Christian school where I thought perhaps I could make a difference in the aesthetic sensibilities of young believers.
Fifteen years of full-time effort has taught me otherwise. The juggernaut of pop culture is swallowing everything in its path and, at this late date in its campaign of conquest, short of a complete melt down in contemporary culture like we see in post apocalyptic movies, I don’t think it’s stoppable.
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I’ve been torturing my friends with this for a while now. I’m glad that you’ve found it, too.
I catch myself sometimes questioning, randomly, at Mass, why it is that Jesus isn’t spinning me right round, too.
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Techno Techno Techno Techno!
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I could not justify watching this beyond roughly 4 minutes and 16 seconds. I will not judge how God felt (nor will I quote Scripture to back up such assumptions), but I can say that it was lame worship and lame (musical) art. Why are evangelicals so unimaginative when it comes to aesthetics? There is such a thing as beautiful music, and even exciting and rhythmic and beautiful music, but this was not it. I also had some dreadful flashbacks to 1980s radio.
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We Anglicans would love to have you, Mr. Monk! And, with regard to this particular area, the water really is good!
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This cannot be real. Please tell me it isn’t real. Please.
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A Holy Ghost hodown? That’s pretty sick. And not in the good way. I’m reminded of Hosea 6:5-7:
“What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears. Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you. For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Pretty sure that this did not “delight” God. Also pretty sure God doesn’t want a big rock orgy to be done in His name. In fact, I think it just the opposite. I wish I could laugh at stuff like that, but it just makes me sad.
Not to mention, it’s a horrible medley.
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Oh, man. Oh, man. The opening scene was pretty typical pre-worshipsplosion patter and I was wondering where the meat was. Then he started with “You spin me right round…”
Oh, man.
The best part is where he was talking about “honoring God” right before he started.
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I am just so confused….and it goes on and on!
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There went 10 minutes of my life that I will never get back.
The worst part? How this guy commands and bullies his “congregation.” I’m embarrassed for the young people that got pulled into that.
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