If you’re a worship leader engaging in any way with the mainstream of the music of modern worship today, you are interacting with and encountering charismatic Christianity in some way, shape, or form. Lately, God has led me into a season of earnest listening to the Pentecostal and charismatic traditions (many understandably lump the two together, but the more I hear from them, the more I understand their distinctives). God has placed some pretty amazing friends and worship leaders in my life who are committed, Jesus-loving, Spirit-seeking charismatic brothers and sisters. We hang out, do lunch, talk shop, swap stories, and encourage one another.
The Reformed, liturgical, and evangelical tribes I tend to most regularly hover in are often critical and suspicious of Pentecostal and charismatic worship thought and practice. And though I share some of these concerns, I find that folks in my traditions can be quite knee-jerk, broad brushed, and under-informed. Our criticisms (as is often the case in any polemic) are caricatures based on either (a) second- or third-hand information, or (b) the worst representations of the traditions.
In the spirit of one of my new heroes, Chuck Fromm, head of Worship Leader Media, I’ve been trying to listen and converse more widely than my tradition often goes. Some might call it selling out. I just call it loving the Church. And in my desire to listen well, I’ve tried to hear from the different types of voices: theologians, authors, speakers, musicians, worship leaders, worshipers. The net effect has been hugely edifying. So, with just a little commentary, I’m happy to disclose to you some of the things I’m listening to, reading, and learning.
(I will encourage you, though, with one thing. As worship leaders and pastors, we should cast our social and theological nets wider than our immediate circles. Read widely, and, even better, socialize widely. Nothing beats actually conversing and building relationships with people outside your folds. From personal experience, I can testify that it’s just incredibly healthy. It also allows you to go back to your circles and better sniff out the Pharisaism, especially the self-righteousness in your own heart. Lord, have mercy.)
Worship leaders and thinker-practitioners:
Glenn Packiam, Pastor of New Life Downtown (Colorado Springs, CO), is one of my favorite charismatic dudes out there because he is exploring how the heart of charismatic worship (particularly in terms of the charismatic emphasis on “encounter” [see Pete Ward below]) intersects with the liturgical tradition. He just wrote a paper on worship and emotions that I can’t wait to tell everyone about whenever he makes it public. Great, integrative insights. Everyone should check out his blog. He most recently wrote an excellent booklet called Re-Forming Worship: A Futurology of Congregational Music for the Non-Denominational Church.
Andrew Ehrenzeller, a South Floridian Jesus Culture artist, has become a valuable conversation partner. He introduced me to Ray Hughes (see below), and I find in him a zeal and earnestness that makes me want to be a better worship leader. He and I have had some very meaningful conversations about spiritually interpreting the indigenous musical styles of cities and regions to hear how God is already at work in them to sow the seeds of the gospel. Deep stuff. Check out his beautiful, creative, Peter Gabriel-ish album, Children of Promise.
Justin Jarvis, another South Floridian connected with Jesus Culture is a guy I respect and admire. I’ve had a few great, inspiring conversations with him, and I’ve interacted with his latest album, Atmospheres, HERE.
Speakers
This was brand new for me and highly insightful. Pentecostal teacher Ray Hughes, whose ministry has evidently had not a small impact on many influential new charismatic movements (like Bethel and Jesus Culture), makes some fascinating connections between Old Testament worship, spiritual forces, music history, science, and ethnomusicology. For many, Hughes seems like he’s really “out there” in moments, and some will find him hard to follow. His speaking style is organized but feels a bit stream-of-consciousness. I recommend his Minstrel Series at least to open up your senses a bit.
One recurring itch for me, though, is how little the Gospel of Jesus is talked about. To me it gives credence to one outsider’s observation that some corners of the charismatic tradition can feel like they’re “pole-vaulting over Calvary to get to Pentecost.”*
Books/articles:
The Spirit in Worship – Worship in the Spirit, ed. Teresa Berger, Bryan D. Spinks
I particularly found the chapter, “The Spirit in Contemporary Charismatic Worship,” a helpful history of and view into the later charismatic movements in the UK.
Simon Chan’s chapter was a great featuring of how Nicene Christianity has always seen a close connection between pneumatology and ecclesiology…the relationship of Spirit to Church. I felt like there was some caricaturing of Western Christianity, though.
I had passed by this book many times in years past, because, based solely on the title, it looked like just another critique of worship’s consumerist tendencies. Boy was I wrong. Glenn Packiam turned me onto this gem of historical analysis. I’ve spent the most time digesting one of the final chapters on “encounter,” which gave me important insights into one of the hallmark distinctives of charismatic worship music.
Don Williams, “Charismatic Worship,” in Exploring the Worship Spectrum, ed. Paul Basden
This Presbyterian-turned-Vineyard pastor helpfully and generously articulates the charismatic perspective. I think his vantage point as a former Presbyterian was helpful for folks like me reading his insights. He knew that there would be some concerns, and he addressed them.