Sacred cows

… are layers of institutionalism impeding our mission?

It has recently been brought to my attention, on pretty good authority (although not first-hand), that a territory in the Western world has mandated that, in the future, 75% of all music used at youth councils must be “Salvation Army music,” excluding even contemporary Salvationist compositions; only traditional stuff from the red Song Book.

I hope I heard this wrong, or that there is something missing in the translation, but even the fact that this issue has raised its ugly head again is problematic from many different perspectives. It is, in fact, another in a series of “déjà vu all over again” moments for me, personally.

The question isn’t even, “What is Salvation Army music?” although it’s an interesting one. I haven’t taken time to go through the Song Book (nor am I going to) and tabulate the origin of each song, but I can assure you that many of them were borrowed, begged and… well maybe not stolen, who knows? William Booth is purported to have said, “Why should the devil have all the good music,” or something to that effect. I wonder, would Barry Gott’s brass arrangement of songs from the musical, Godspell, count in the 75% or should it be tallied as part of the 25%? Who’s counting anyway? I hope another line isn’t going to be added to the statistical report.

The bigger and broader question should be, “What is our mission (raison d’être)?” If this is answered correctly then all of our Sacred Cows, be they a particular kind of musical expression or whatever, will fall into place… or out of place, wherever? Or to put the question another way, “Are the ever-increasing, ubiquitous layers of institutionalism beginning to impede our mission?”

Institutions are, in part, defined by their Sacred Cows - “What was once mobile and fluid has now become static, ingrown, methodological and institutionalized.” I’ve covered this subject thoroughly with a series titled, Rediscovering the Mission (Feb. 1, 2008) over at Slightly Irregular.

Or put another way (following up on the last post), “What is Salvationism?“  Commissioner Harry Reid defines it this way:

“Salvationism is an engine-room kind of word, for within its robust, energy-exuding frame pulsates the heart of the Army. Here, the essential beliefs of the Movement, its active, maturing and progressive concepts, its love and service-centred ministries, all reside in a living, quick-to-respond balance for the benefit of mankind.”

Several sacred cowless-type phrases jump out at me: “…within its robust, energy-exuding frame pulsates… active, maturing and progressive concepts… living, quick to respond…”

Salvationism: Genesis in motion - Noland.

Read this in context with the following quote from, Orbiting the Giant Hairball:

“…obsessing over the history represented by… statistics… being culturally appropriate… but functionally inappropriate… and creating something new is genesis, which comes before history.”

Now, replace the word, “statistics,” with music or one of the many other Sacred Cows now mooing in our vineyard. ” Yes, the devil is in the details, milking them for all they’re worth.

Writer: Commissioner Joe Noland’s ministry can be summed up in three words: chaos, creativity and controversy - three elements implicit in any successful innovative endeavor. Cecil B. DeMille, renowned producer of Biblical epics, once wrote, “Creativity is a drug I cannot live without.” Joe’s mantra reads, “Creativity is my drug of choice.”  Access Joe Noland’s complete bio, among other things, by clicking into his website.

7 Comments to Sacred cows

1. I did wonder if this was a late April Fool’s joke!
Johnny Laird on April 6th, 2009

2. Why don’t people get that a particular way of doing things does not equate with being more spiritual than another? All that matters is the mission and surely we should do whatever is required (within Kingdom centred constraints of course) to fulfil our part in that mission!

   Oh and Johnny, I’m still praying it is!
Graeme Smith on April 6th, 2009

3. If that’s true and not an urban myth or joke than I find it both hilarious and extremely pathetic. As for arguments regarding music used in worship, It’s about time they were tied to a large milstone and thrown into the sea.
Craig on April 6th, 2009

4. The rumor is probably just that… a rumor. I don’t think we need a ban, per se, on all music that is not in the Salvation Army Song Book, but I do understand the desire to make sure that the music being used (and the message being proclaimed through that music) is consistent with the theology and doctrinal positions of the Army.

   This is one more example of how we are going to have to adapt moving forward. The structures that have been in place for decades (such as Territorial Music Committees/Councils) have been in place for good reason. Technology and communications have greatly evolved since the Army’s inception, enabling more and more content-providers to spread that content more and more easily.

   For example, I (or any Salvationist for that matter) can write a song, sit down with my guitar in front of my computer to record it, post the video and lyrics to youtube with a link to a downloadable PDF chord chart (or lead sheet). THAT doesn’t mean that those lyrics are in line with the Army’s theology OR, for that matter, that the song is constructed well and appropriate for congregational use.

   YET, we have a ton of Salvation Army “worship teams” around the world (especially in the “West”) that rock up to the corps on a Sunday morning with little or no practice and not much in the way of planning. I know. I’ve been a part of some. They (we) choose songs that are the latest hit from Hillsongs or Vineyard or Planetshakers or Israel Houghton, some of which only “work” on the recording because you have professional musicians with a massive choir in an arena setting - and they (we) attempt to bring them, unchanged, to the 100 people at our corps, accompanied by a slightly out of tune piano and ill-rehearsed “rhythm section”.

   So, the effort to bring some structure and - shock and horror, dare I use the word?? - CONTROL to some of the processes by which your average teams choose songs at a youth councils….. Well, it may seem a very MODERN way of handling things, but even in postmodernity there is a need for some measures to ensure quality.

   We haven’t found the balance yet, but that doesn’t mean we need to keep the floodgates of worship songs open with no filters in place. God is speaking through the new songs coming out of places OUTSIDE of the Army, as well as WITHIN. Still, we have a responsibility to make sure we’re not preaching one message and singing another.

   For what it’s worth.

   Grace,
   Phil
Phil on April 6th, 2009

5. Regarding all Sacred cows, William Booth, in a letter to the little Band of Salvationists about to invade India for the first time, wrote -
   “You are not to be bound by any stereotyped or antiquated notions. What is being done in Europe or America, or what has been done in India in the past, or what is being done in the present, need not be any rule to you, unless you can see it is calculated to gain the end you have in view”

   Perhaps we need to return to the original spirit of Salvationism!
Charles Durman on April 7th, 2009

6. The strength of the Army has always been the ability to adapt to the “present age”. As recent as forty-five years ago a young group of Salvationist took to the streets of San Francisco with a guitar and message that Jesus Saves. Oh did I mention that they were not in regulation uniform, nor did they sing stuff from the red song book, but adapted modern day sounds and tunes to Christian words that touched the hearts of many in the coffee shops and strip joints.
   We have a new generation of Salvationist! If we are to move forward to a second century and a third, if the Army has a future at all, we must allow this generation to be creative and exerise their talents to reach a new generation more complex and disfunctional then some forty-five years ago. Let’s get over ourselves and be what God has called us to be an Army on the move!
C World on April 10th, 2009

7. So, a new song book is coming. I wonder if a command for 75% use in all Army meetings will accompany its release?

   Sadly, by the time it is published the “new songs” will likely be out of date and for the next 20 years we will be expected to sing songs not of our own generation.
James on February 8th, 2010

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