Worship Music and the 21st century

Having been a musician and having led worship in church, I certainly have my own opinion about what constitutes good or bad worship music. I have been coming to the conclusion lately that worship music can become dangerously close to being a "performance."

In my own experience, I also state that traditional worship music (i.e. piano, organ, etc) is the worst lot of performance based worship styles. Clearly it doesn't have to be but since I don't enjoy that traditional sound, it becomes merely a thing to be observed and not participated in.

Like a recital.

I grew up in a fairly traditional Southern Baptist church in west Texas. We had the whole, traditional thing, an organ, piano, (no drums or guitar, never) a choir and a sweaty, 3-piece suit wearing music. That was in the 1970's and 80's and I am certain that those people still employ the same style today. It just seems like that would be their mindset. But that experience really taints my experience my church’s traditional service. It seems to me that the people who prefer the traditional style of worship are clinging on to some sort of nostalgic sensation. Recapturing some early experience in the past with no regard for modern musical tastes and trends.

People are not clamoring for choir and orchestra music in the secular world, so if the church wants to be relevant, why aren't all churches creating music that matches what modern culture creates. I believe that I am worshiping God more authentically with music that moves me personally.

For me, that happens to be introspective guitar-led music with crunchy guitars thrown in occasionally. If I liked country, rap or rap core, I suppose I would prefer something flavored that way but I can't imagine a modern worship service wrapped in 1950's doo-wop or Gregorian chant. A traditional worship set seems to be a throwback to that sort of mindset and recently, I was sitting in a traditional worship service asking, “does this please God?”

Is this (traditional style worship music) just another manifestation of mediocrity? If so, it’s something that needs to be fixed. Now