It’s no secret to readers of this blog and my clergy colleagues that I really don’t like contemporary praise and worship music. But I do appreciate self-deprecating humor and ones that point out the tendency of praise music to praise one’s self or become performance rather than praise.
So here’s a video for you that if you know any P&W songs, or if you avoid P&W songs, you will totally get.
(h/t Missy Meyers on Facebook)
Hilarious!
This is a parody performance of some contemporary worship songs. Here’s the basic titles of the parodies so you can see which of your favorite worship songs they are satirizing.
- I could sing of your love on Sundays.
- I surrender some.
- I stand amazed at my hairdo.
- How Great is This Song.
- Savior, I don’t need a Savior. I’m busy livin’ my life.
- I sung this song for years. And I just go, go through the motions.
- I exalt me.
Thoughts?
I too love some self-deprecating humor as well. Guessing this was part of a sermon illustration. How does the saying go, “The most serious things are said in jest.” appropriate in many ways.
What a great way to point out that even though the music itself may be catchy or otherwise positive, that doesn’t mean that having problematic words is problematic. (*cough* I am reminded of the debates around changing words to “beloved” old hymns.)
I guess that I must be too simple to understand the humor in this. I don’t get it. Actually I am offended. I worship in both traditional worship settings as well as contemporary. The worship I experience is between me and God.
It’s too bad you are unable to laugh at yourself and at the musical tradition that speaks to you. Just because you have faith, that doesn’t mean you should lose your sense of humor. Everyone needs others to help them see the flaws in their own opinions and tastes. I like hymns and organ music, but I realize that there are plenty of hymns that are very popular, yet have bad theology or bad music. I don’t think hymns are perfect; I just happen to prefer them. And I’m not blinded by my preference: I know when using a hymn might be inappropriate and will choose a praise song instead. Don’t take yourself too seriously, because it’s easier to keep things in perspective.
Carolyn, you don’t know me, and I have not lost my sense of humor. I simply just did not get the jabs that were taken. . .that’s all.
I think it might help to observe that the leaders in this video were not criticising any of the songs; they were criticising the attitudes of many worshippers / themselves / ourselves when we sing them. Sure there is a place for such criticism but that’s what was going on here.
This is NOT a spoof of these songs, nor is it mocking people who worship in any particular style. This is very deftly and humorously pointing out that worship in recent decades has become more about “me” than about God. Worship has been swamped by a consumer mindset that results in people coming to church more for a “worship fix” than to truly lift up and glorify God. We need to jettison any semblance of narcissistic worship and return to a true, God-centered attitude.
I understand both sides to this discussion. It’s easy to get laughs when you change the words to songs and my immediate reaction is to laugh when I watched this, as it is a pretty clever play on satire. But at the same time, it’s heartbreaking to understand the reality of this, which is one I don’t think the Lord takes lightly or finds the least bit humorous- that people are getting a false sense of comfort as they’re worshipping and praising themselves all the way to hell. That absolutely breaks my heart and I can’t even imagine how it makes our precious Lord feel as He watches. There’s bringing light to a situation and making light of a situation. One is good, the other usually is not. This video does a bit of both.