Modern Worship

I kind of hate that label for a genre of music, but it's the best one I can come up with. It is honestly my favorite music, mainly because it is not for entertainment value only, it is participatory. A big part of why I like the church I go to right now is the music in worship, which is very high energy, very modern, and very uplifting. It can be loud too, which I think is great. I like my music loud, although not painfully so. And I sing at the top of my lungs too, in church, in the car, in the shower, with the kids...and especially at a concert like the one we went to last night.

So as I mentioned, the Fellowship at Cinco Ranch has a great worship team, led by pastor John Cordes. John is obviously a fan of Steve Fee's music, because we sing his songs a LOT. My husband jokes that Oh Happy Day is our church's official anthem, which I think is not a problem since it is a great song with an even better message. Well John somehow set up a fantastic 15th anniversary concert AT our church in our new building with Fee Band and the Robbie Seay Band, both awesome groups. I was really amped going to this concert, not only because it was my home church but because I knew it would be familiar songs played really well and really LOUD and that it would also be a worship experience.

Fee exceeded my expectations. They opened with their big hit All Because of Jesus, and followed with Oh Happy Day and Glorious One, all songs we sing in church regularly. And let me just say, they are good looking guys with style and their energy is infectious. But not just that, Steve Fee pushes forward the gospel and the glory of God first and foremost in a great way. I sat (stood actually) in the second row on the aisle where I could dance and sing away.

Robbie Seay Band was good too, but not quite as much my style of music. They were doing more performing and less leading worship than Fee. Their music is less heavy on the hooks and repetativeness, with more complex and well written lyrics. I noted a touch of reformed doctrine that I enjoyed.

Note for my mom, who doesn't like modern worship as much as old hymns...in this concert we sang at least four very old hymns...but in a way that made them very modern and terrific. How Great Thou Art, All Creatures of Our God and King, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing...I forget what else. They were extremely meaningful to someone like me who grew up with hymns and knew every word of every verse, yet I get a LOT out of soaring guitars and building rhythms and bass that you can feel in your chest.

So yeah, I love live music, rock and roll played loudly. But I left caring more about how I am free, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, and full of deeply satisfying joy.