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Alpha Mail: Gamma in Popular American Church Worship Music

VD
February 12, 2016
This analysis of Christian music is a guest post by a reader.

"Heart of Worship" by Michael W. Smith is an extremely common contemporary evangelical Christian praise song. I have heard it sung with regularity by white Anglo Christians on both sides of the Earth. In fact, I'd argue that frequency of this pop hymn is a key classificatory indicator for American evangelicalism.

Listen to a few bars and see whether you don't recognize it. Released in 2001, the song shows no sign of declining in popularity. It's always a crowd pleaser: the congregants slowly swaying with hands uplifted beneath dimmed lights, caught up in deep emotional catharsis.

 It's also entirely gamma. Examine the lyrics below.
When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart
I'll
bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

This song is ostensibly about Jesus. However, the actual narrative focus is solipsistically upon the singer's internal emotional experience. It is a trance induction.

I'm
coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

The song is actually all about how sincere the singer is in telling Jesus that the singer's worship is all about Jesus. This is self-refuting.

I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You,
It's all about You, Jesus

Well, at least Michael had the decency to include an apology.

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath
I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

The focus is squarely on the internal trance induction experience of the singer. Jesus is merely a convenient psychological boyfriend prop.

First the environment is acknowledged, then internal focus is commanded, and the exterior world fades away. Once introspection is firmly established, self-flagellation commences, producing suitable generalized feelings of contrition for nothing in particular. Here the natural gamma insecurity is expressed. This is then followed by cathartic holiness-posturing as the singer is redeemed, basking in the attention paid by a non-judgmental deity to the singer's individual internal state.

Such are the pleasures of the gamma male. Michael even looks gamma.

Should an honest Christian need to wash that foul taste from his mouth, here are some outward-focused, courageous lyrics of praise from another, better era:

"A Mighty Fortress is our God" by Martin Luther
A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

This song offers far fewer opportunities for "praise 'n worship" leaders to glory in the power of their charismatic prowess as they bare their perfectly attuned souls to the audience. However, it does actually praise God rather than the celebrant.

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Post Information
Title Alpha Mail: Gamma in Popular American Church Worship Music
Author VD
Date February 12, 2016 8:48 AM UTC (8 years ago)
Blog Alpha Game
Archive Link https://theredarchive.com/blog/Alpha-Game/alpha-mail-gamma-in-popular-american-church.5013
https://theredarchive.com/blog/5013
Original Link http://alphagameplan.blogspot.com/2016/02/gamma-in-popular-american-church.html
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