PRAISE AND WORSHIP MUSICIANS

Christian praise and worship musicians, who are also referred to as contemporary worship musicians or CWM’s, play a mix of  Christian music and contemporary worship music and they share many of the same attributes as pop songs.  

Christian worship and praise music is usually performed by Christian worship and praise musicians, usually referred to as a worship band, or praise team. 

Typical instruments from this genre include vocals, electric, bass and acoustic guitar, drums, keyboard and synthesisers. Christian worship and praise music is usually performed in church services and at youth groups.  

In the 1950’s, a French Christian monastic fraternity called the Taize Community combined Christian worship hymns with modern melodies, which in turn attracted a younger generation of church goers.

Then, across the world, Christian worship leaders realised that the younger generation preferred this more modern style of Christian worship and praise music over the ridged and dull feeling of church music at the time.

By combining modern styles of music with worship music, making the music of the church more accessible to younger generations, the Christian church was able to re-establish itself as important and relevant in modern society.  

Some of the most popular Christian worship and praise musicians and bands that have allowed the genre to gain significant popularity and become a part of mainstream music include Hillsong Worship, Elevation Worship, Bethel Music, Soul Survivor, Vineyard Music, and Jesus Culture.  

Although Christian praise and worship musicians have become a popular along with their Christian music, featuring on many Christian radio stations, in churches and at youth groups, there are many people opposed to it.

Some Christians argue that this modern take on Christian music is too ‘worldly’ to be considered true spiritual music.

What this means is that Christian worship and praise music does not separate artists and listeners of the genre from the holiness of God as most old Christian hymns did. Instead, more casual and familial words such as ‘I’ and ‘you’ are used, which connect God to the world and contradict His holiness.  

 Keith Getty, who wrote the song ‘In Christ Alone’, said in an interview that modern worship music was contributing to the ‘de-Christianising of God’s people’.

He said he believed this to be the case because almost all of the most known hymns speak of faith, heaven, hell, eternal life and our eventual peace with God; however, modern songs by Christian worship and praise musicians don’t follow this pattern and instead focus more on a Christian’s life on earth.

Getty continued on to say that the modernisation and difference on topic was ‘utterly dangerous’ for the church as the younger generations would not know and understand the old Christian hymns of faith.  

However, these viewpoints have been opposed by many younger audiences who prefer the new take on worship music. They believe that the more modern take on worship and praise music allows them to worship God whenever they want, not just when they are at church.

In an interview, a young Christian explained that although she enjoyed the songs, “It wasn’t the bands [that were great], it was God that was great,” and that through the music she had felt incredibly close to God.

 Many other young people found that when going to Christian praise and worship musicians concerts, they weren’t actually connecting with the band.

Instead, they felt as though they were connecting with God directly, a response that proves to be a common theme in younger fans of the genre. 

Christian worship and praise musicians of today continue to push boundaries considered solid by traditional Christian communities and as Getty feared, the danger is that these musicians themselves, will become the beacon of the message rather than a messenger for the Word of God.