CCM

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I'm interested in writing this post because of Adam Neely YouTube video about Contemporary Christian Music or CCM. Adam hated the CCM nowadays and he's not alone. Josh Keefe video already done that also and keep pointing the problem.

First of all, I kind of reluctant writing this. I'm a Church musician and have certain disagreements with few people from other denomination in the past. I'm afraid to desecrated music that being served as sacrifice to God.

These people condemns modern worship music. They said that Hymnal songs are the legit worship song and these modern fakes weren't. I'm afraid to write them off as my temper would draw me condemning the Hymns.

Fortunately, I recently found that these guys are a part of extreme Calvinist reformed. They are anti-Armenian and took a hard stance in pro-predetermination. Not just that, they recently take it too far by condemning other Church denominations.

Their chauvinistic behavior made me think they aren't worth it for discussion. I don't feel anymore obligation to answer them. Thus, I feel more comfort on writing this without slamming any particular worship style.

I love Hymn. I also love experimental music. I love the hard rock. I also love the old folk songs. Any genre to worship is a bless for me.

The History

After crossing the Red Sea, the Israelites sang from their hearts. Their women took timbrel and were dancing and singing the worship. In that time, it was okay for a woman to take position as Worship Leader. [See Exodus 15]

In the time of King David, there would be special teams (sub-tribe) of worship. In that time, the songs were arranged and sung by professionals. These teams were selected by King David and his commanders. [See 1 Chronicles 25]

The first church of Christ in the early AD were using Jewish liturgy to serve masses. The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox developed them into their own liturgy. They even developed the style of Gregorian chant.

Later on, classic musics from the European becomes the new music hymns. The Protestants (reformist) took these European classical music as their base for worship. The Calvinist even took it further by creating Regulative Principle of Worship. Gosh! I know now where these Indonesian Calvinist reformed took their inspiration from.

Oh, well, nobody's perfect.

Going on, in the era of modern Pentecost, black music becomes dominant in the US. Special music like Gospel invade the denominations. In the same modern era, Country music also becomes dominant on the US churches. These music spread into the world as the secular music also progress.

People also taking Rock music into worship. There are good fraction of people that hated the idea. They think the music is kind of satanic.

I myself not against it as I know that rock and roll was stemmed from one of the worship style. They secularized the meaning of Rock and Roll with rocking between couples and rolling in sex activity. Time to get them back to the holy purposes, right?

My Personal View

I don't believe there are particular part of music that fall into unholy. I believe that there are certain genres of music that might not good for most of people, including me. But, these music may touch certain kind of people and bring them to God.

My personal view is based on the way Bible describes every era with different kind of worship style. Each style was relevant with that era's culture and thinking. All were allowed by God as they were the medium to express worship to God.

You could argue dancing and singing of the Israelites as impolite. But, God enjoyed their tribal dance.

You could argue that David's army of professional is too machination. But, God  enjoyed their repertoire.

Don't judge as if you are God. Judge by its fruit! Don't judge by the styles. That's my principle.

My Distaste

I'm not perfect also. I'm not thoroughly open minded. I still find some things unacceptable.

I don't like a song which were designed as a sacrifice to God, i.e. worship song, parodied. Parodying a worship song feels desecrating to me. The song was created specifically for worshipping God. I don't feel it is right to parody such song.

I also don't like songs that have little to do with God and more like a nag. I mean, it's okay if a song about hardship and pleas. David sung his griefs. But, by the end of the day, there is a worship and acceptance to God's dominion. I don't like songs that center only around nagging!

I also don't like songs that not have evangelical spirit in it. Songs should have evangelical lyric about it. This is because Jesus' commanded us discipleship. Churches should focus on that not only on healing but also on preaching the Gospel.

I don't like repetitive songs. Talk about real experiences with traffic light as metaphor for instance. Don't rehash David's songs just because they aren't not copyrighted. I mean, some of us may need to watch Animal Planet just to know how eagle and deer behave.

Resolution in Distaste

All of these distastes made me I stopped listening to Hillsong at one point. I also stopped listening to my country's modern worship music. I became tired of them.

Fortunately, God is good.

Because Hillsong became boring, I searched for alternative artists. I found Koo Chung's "Better be You". I found Leeland's "Tears of the Saints". I found Downhere "The More". I found many interesting artists.

Yeah, the CCM industry have their own non-mainstreams. They put their heart into music. And at some point, they comes as mainstream.

Mainstream CCM

As Adam Neely said, the mainstream CCM is too safe nowadays in terms of chords. They play too perfect notes. This at some point I think explains how I become bored.

But, the CCM wasn't like that.

My family love to listen to Don Moen. But, what made me into Jesus is Abraham Laboriel bass in Ron Kenoly's concert. That was my jam!

This is true.

The bass progression by Abe really captivated my heart. At the time, I ditched secular music and so into CCM. I even learned chords and progression. And, I also took lessons in theology.

I found inspirations of my involvement in Youth Ministry in Delirious. I look up so much to Delirious' songs. Never in my slight mind that a band could make great songs about God. You see them live and you know their worship is real!

They were interesting! It wasn't just I VI V IV.

Local CCM

In Indonesia, I was also blessed with great artists. I looked on Symphony Music. I looked Robert & Lea. I looked Giving My Best.

One thing that I notice from them was that they have this fascinating formula:

Creating easy song where people can sing with the most progressive chord progression that you could think of.

I know this because in the past I had chords of Symphony Music songs. They never had the same chord progression on each lyric. They took different chords that sounded similar. Nevertheless, we sung the song in the same tone.

That simple song by Robert & Lea? Well, you bet! The chords weren't that simple.

Well, the GMB band is spectacular. Amos Cahyadi's drum, Rensis Wenas' bass, Pongky Prasetyo on arranger, and so on. They are the local Delirious for me. Oh, and their singer have the great songwriting also.

Ah, such were good days. Even we have the sad state of nowadays CCM, I still remember that there was an era where CCM could beat any on MTV/VH1. For now, just stick with the non-mainstream artists.

BTW...

Hillsong nowadays have great musics. I love "So Will I". I'm rediscovering their songs now.