Changing the Lyrics on Sunday – Right or Wrong?
Comments(4)
My good friend and fellow Slight blogger, Cliff Ames, has recently posted on differences in the churches that he attends – Copperhill Community (Sun. morning) & Grace Community (Sun. evening). He made an interesting comment about the service at Grace.
Those in leadership at Grace have decided to change the lyrics in some of the songs that they sing. I don’t know their reasoning for it, but it happens ever so often. Recently, we have sung Chris Tomlin’s Holy Is The Lord a couple of times. In this song, they have altered the first line:
Original version: We stand and lift up our hands . . .
Altered version: We stand and offer our praise . . .
I have definitely chuckled to myself each time we have sung those lines because it’s funny how much that reflects the tone at Grace. I don’t think it is wrong to change the lyrics, as long as the new lyrics are not heretical. And that is where I think this issue should rise or fall – whether or not the original lyrics and the new lyrics are biblical.
I would have trouble believing that the music staff changed the lyrics because they thought that lifting up your hands was wrong and against Scripture. In fact if that was the case, I would stand on the other side of the line because Scripture no where forbids raising hands. But I also agree that the new lyrics do not contradict the Bible and thus I am just as happy to sing it. My guess is that they wanted to steer away from encouraging that in the service.
While singing in church, my responsibility is to watch over my heart with diligence to see that I am giving the Lord all the worship that I can, no matter how they have changed song.
[Thanks Cliff for the update!]
Micah-
Actually the name of the song is called, “Holy Is The Lord” not “Indescribable.” I don’t think Grace Community would ever do “Indescribable”!
I’m with you Micah – I appreciate the change One28 has in some of the songs – sometimes I like to change lyrics while I sing (is that being selfish?). Like – instead of, “I will never know how much it cost to see my sin upon that cross,” I sing, “to bear my sin upon that cross,” or in Innocent – instead of “I am innocent” at the end of the Chorus, “You’ve made me innocent.” I suppose I’m a nerd.
I have always wondered about some of the modifications that Grace makes to some songs. One of the best lyric changes that I think they have made is in “Knowing You” where they changed, “You’re my all, You’re the best” to, “You’re my all, You’re my rest.” I absolutely love that song, but that part was so cheesy that it was distracting. Kudos to whoever made the call on that song.
I attended a church where they sang the song “I stand in awe of You.” At least, I think that is the name. Every time the sang the phrase “I stand in awe…”, if they were seated they would stand up. It seemed nice the first time, but grew increasingly cheesier each time. Looking back, I wonder if they planned to have us sitting down when the started. Then there was the “wave offering” in a different church, but that is another story.