Complaint of a Lover - What?

I'm disappointed with the music we are using to worship the Lord in many (most?) of our Nazarene churches-- the music at General Assembly this past weekend was a great disappointment to me as I watched and participated reverently and sincerely to the streaming services on the web. Oh, it was good music, well done, and harmonic for the most part.

But I didn't know any of the so-called congregational music-- and had I been there to view the screens it wouldn't have helped me know the tunes.

What would it have been to have heard 21,000 Nazarenes singing "All Hail the Pow'r of Jesus' Name"-- in four/four time-- or "It is Well with My Soul" ?? After a powerful, artless, deeply moving message on healing Saturday evening Dr Jim Diehl finally brought the congregation into participation with Gaither's "He Touched Me" as people streamed forward.

I know it is the new political correct thing to talk about "leaving our comfort zone" to sing these new choruses and leave the Wesleyan hymns in the name of winning the new generations. But we don't have to throw away the rich heritage of our own hymnody to embrace other sincere forms of worship. We don't have to reject simple congregational singing. I wonder sincerely what influences have shaped the worship-team, Pentecostal style music that dominates Nazarene worship.

I'm sure that mentioning this in public like this will be construed as carping, negativism, and poor spirit. I cannot describe to you the depth of anguish I feel in my heart. But I do not feel that I have left my faith; but my church has left me. I love the Lord; I have been a Nazarene all my 78 years; I have prayed and am praying for a spiritual awakening in our time that will transcend any selfish purpose on my part or anyone else's.

This may well be like writing my obituary so far as being used in writing for the denomination, I don't know. I appreciate every opportunity I'vre had to write lessons and articles- and they have come from a loyal son's loving heart. But Oh how Iwant my children and their children to know the transcendent joy of the Presence in worship, and for my part the hymnody, the classic singing of the great hymns, is a part of our rich heritage that we cannot afford to throw away.