I was fascinated the version of All Creatures of Our God and King from the Elevation Church worship team.
This video has prompted some response in the blogosphere, including:
I find myself back and forth between the perspectives outlined in the two posts above. I would be interested in the context for the song as part of worship.
Will you please share your thoughts, feelings or opinions about this version of an old hymn?
Rev. Andrew Conard 
7 replies on “Auto-Tune Assisi”
I have to say that I find the “worship” song quite annoying. I have no problem with modern music as worship music. I don’t even have a problem with that music leaning towards rock. Ever heard Third Day lead worship? Hold on to your hats, folks, it can get loud and wild.
But even when Third Day gets loud during a worship service, they are still there to facilitate the worship of the congregation. Utilizing exotic arrangements, fancy lighting and staging, and vocal enhancers/modifiers tends to make the “worship” more about performance than facilitation of congregational worship.
If this worship team wants to have a concert or release an album, this version of the song is appropriate. But this wasn’t performed to help others worship the Lord. It was about self-expression and self-adoration. They admit they did it to “get creative.” That’s fine if you are worshiping alone. But a worship leader is there to bring others to Christ, not wow people with personal creativity.
And I think that is what a lot of worship leaders forget. The goal isn’t to get the leader closer to Christ, but to get the congregation closer to Christ. A flat-out performance doesn’t do that.
I agree about the lighting making it more like a concert performance. The music itself, though, is very worshipful with a possible loss with a few notes near the end. The first half particularly was very moving for me.
[…] with another post focused on “audience” and worship; The Screaming Room and Andrew Conard at Thoughts of Resurrection both posted on my column and drew some interesting comments as […]
I loved it! Many of us take issue with shallow theology in today’s “praise and worship” music, This is an old song done in a new way. Is it a performance? Perhaps. However, it looks like the words were projected for the congregation to see (and to sing?). While I’ve never attended a service at Elevation Church, I do know that they draw HUGE crowds. They do good work in the community, and I have friends who once attended more traditional churches who have found something special there.
I think it was great. It’s art. Probably not everyone like religious works by some of the great masters, but many did.
Very true, thanks for adding that perspective
I enjoyed it as a performance – possibly an anthem. It sounds as if there is a lot of Journey influence there. Great rock band.