I recently started working for a Methodist church’s administrative office. The other staff person I work with is a very gung-ho Christian, and I recently suggested that we should play some music in the office (sometimes when it gets quiet, it gets QUIET). I suggested I’d bring in some CDs, just some classical music, and she said, “You don’t think we should play SECULAR music in here, do you??”
So, since she is technically my senior, and I want to listen to music without rocking th boat, can anyone recommend some good christian music? I haven’t listened to any at all since I was a wee teen and liked Amy Grant. The only stuff I’ve heard in the last 10 years or so is sort of grating to my ears in its screeching earnestness. Ideally, I’d like to hear stuff that’s pretty low-key and appropriate to a small office (with lots of visiting old people).
Find a local Christain radio station to listen to. there is quite a variety of Christain music, Air 1 is my favorite starion, but it can be a little too loud and contemporary for Methodists. :dubious:
If she wants Christian music, then give her both barrels. Tune your radio to one of the nationwide K-LOVE affiliates, and blare Top 40s CCM around the office. I’m sure she’ll appreciate dc Talk and that country-twangy “I am thankful” song.
Well, disregarding the fact that much classical music IS religious in nature…
I would suggest the late Rich Mullins, Chris Rice, Andrew Peterson, Point of Grace, Steven Curtis Chapman, Nichole Nordeman, Mark Schultz, or Scott Krippayne, if you’re looking for artists to buy.
If you’re looking for something to start exploring contemporary Christian music, I’d suggest one of the Wow! Samplers. They have a wide range of material, from the more “pop-ish” stuff, to some rock (not hard rock or rap, in my experience), to some softer singer-songwriter stuff, to worship music. Depending on the sampler, of course.
My personal favorites are Chris Rice, Andrew Peterson, and Ruch Mullins, though I also like Relient K (rock), the World Wide Message Tribe (techno/house/whatever they’re calling it these days), and the W’s (swing/ska). I own several of the samplers as well, and really enjoy them for finding new artists.
You ever listen to Ben Harper? He does a lot of very Christian songs, such as “Two Hands of Prayer,” “In the Lord’s Arms,” “Power of the Gospel,” or “God Fearing Man.”
Of course, he also has songs about smoking pot (“Burn One Down”) and gay parents (“Momma’s Got a Girlfriend Now”). Mix in a couple of these with a bunch of the former, and you just might be able to make your co-worker’s head explode.
Granted that I have some contempt for contemporary music in general, I think there’s a case to be made for the poverty of contemporary Christian music in particular. Christian Rock is especially intollerable. South Park acutely lampooned it when Cartman said, “You just take regular songs, cross out ‘baby’ and write in ‘Jesus.’” With decades of gorgeous inspirational music on record, I don’t see why people continue to futz around with the kind of crap produced today. Again, I feel this way about most genres of music, so don’t take my word for it. Check out some Mahalia Jackson, Blind Willie Johnson or Five Blind Boys of Alabama. I would also suggest looking into country and bluegrass gospel.
The most beautiful sounds I have ever heard produced by human beings* are contained in Mozart’s Solemn Vespers. (Vespers are the evening prayers in monasteries) If you can get a CD with his Coronation Mass as well, that would be a great combination…
I don’t know if you can get the Naxos label where you are, but they have also released compilations of sacred choral classical music by parts of the mass, eg, an album of all Glorias, or all Santus’s (Sancti?) or all Agnus Dei’s etc. The gloria one is quire rousing…
Of course, this is assuming your co-worker doesn’t also have a hissy-fit with *Catholic *music…
*before I heard of the happy laughter of my new son.
[lump-in-throat] Nothing comes close to that now… [/lump-in-throat]
Deliriou5?
Paul Jones(yes he of Manfred Mann)
Or get a compilation-WOW!That’s What I Call Worship! Stonebridge,Soul Survivor,Grapevine.
inserts small rant
You are lucky to have Christian radio. The UK will not permit religious organizations to even apply for a licence for national radio-it must be local or via satellite. The only other countries to forbid this are Afghanistan,Iraq and Iran. Make of that whatcha will
Premier is now broadcasting on one of the FreeView Channels, isn’t it? (Freeview is a national, non-satellite, non-subscription digital broadcast system) - sure, you have to buy a freeview box (thirty quid) to pick it up, but then you have to buy a radio to listen to ordinary broadcasts.
