The territory of contemporary church music has been the stomping grounds of Evangelical gospel and pop artists for decades. From the early days of Larry Norman and John Wimber to mainstay leaders such as Kirk Franklin, Michael W. Smith and Rebecca St. James and hot new names like Chris Tomlin, contemporary gospel music has blossomed into a multi-million dollar industry. Despite long-standing criticism of the marriage of church music with the rhythms of culture, creative connections between genres of popular music and the church only seem to multiply, with Christian hip-hop and hardcore among others gaining a broader audience. Worship music, too, has taken a significant leap forward in prominence emerging from such as well-known churches as Hillsong and Vineyard.

Lutherans, despite being primarily known for liturgy, organ and choral music, have not been asleep during this culture shift. As lively testimony to this rich vein of alternative songs, Lutheran Songs Today Live! held a wonderful concert last night at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. This gathering included leaders of contemporary Lutheran music over the last four decades, and was intended to highlight the publication of Vol. 2 of Lutheran Songs Today, a one-stop resource compiling the work of many of the artists present and making it available for congregational use.  Organized by Eric Wefeld, founder of Lutheran Songs Today, the evening bill ranged from long-time hymn writers John Ylvisaker and Ray Makeever and youth gathering mainstays Lost and Found to the latest generation of wonderfully creative singer-songwriters like Nate Houge, Rachel Kurtz and Jonathan Rundman.

Dakota Road, a popular composing and worship leading band, led off with all the preformers onstage for a rousing opening version of their song, “All Are Welcome.” Rundman, Hauge, and Makeever played from their deep liturgical repertoire while Kurtz offered a moving cover of David “Agape” Scherer’s “Lamb of God”.  If the first half of the concert was any indication, one interesting contribution of the Lutheran contemporary music scene seems to be a middle place between the piano and guitar contemporary Catholic songwriting of a David Haas or Marty Haugen and the full-out “love song to God” praise music of the Contemporary Christian Music variety. Not that the concert was entirely in this sweet-spot with a number of songs echoing the Haas/Haugen style and a few others landing squarely on the “holy love song” style. But something fresh and important happened during the powerful and fresh versions of classical liturgical texts like Rachel Kurtz’s gutsy version of Agape’s “Lamb of God” or the Jonathan Rundman’s foot-tapping folksy “Glory in the Highest”.

Admittedly, these contemporary liturgical settings lean the direction of contemporary Catholic liturgical music, but they seem to have a greater musical range to inhabit these ancient texts.  There is another sort of middle place these song-writers inhabit. It is, in one way or another, the habit of singing out of the Lutheran theological bedrock of “salvation by Grace alone, and not by works”. A personal favorite in this regard from the concert last night: in the midst of a rollicking version of Jonathan Rundman and Nate Houge’s “By Grace,” Houge broke into a snippet of 1959 Sonny Curtis song, “I Fought the Law” made famous in the late 1970s by the British punk band The Clash.  Bringing the audience into a call and response, “I fought the law,” “and the law won,” he then deftly pulled the song back to “By Grace” neatly transposing the punk anthem into clever theological commentary on law and gospel as found, for instance, in Paul’s letter to the Romans.

The intrusion of the spirit of iconic rock band The Clash gives me the opportunity to offer a brief critical digression.  It does seem to me if Lutherans only sing churchy songs with a foot-tapping beat we’ve missed the possibility of our tradition’s core theology, the theology of the cross, that finds God present in and at work under opposites, in surprising places, even in the cry of a English punk band. We actually don’t need to be so explicit about it all, but rather could--rather like Dietrich Bonhoeffer--imagine a “religionless” Christian music that doesn’t have some message to deliver but invites the hearer into a world where certain things--like grace--are possible to imagine. I have in mind songs, for instance, that do what a Flannery O’Connor short story does.

I also wonder if, in singing as and for a largely white middle class Lutheran church (the case for nearly 100% of performers and audience), tends to downplay the minor key of the world’s cries, and the proper laments that ought to be sung from those places. Having gone to “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Thursday night, I had the rawness of Ma’s blues lament in my ears. That voice made it harder to feel that pop beats could get us near Jesus, whose own proximity to those who are being crucified in the world today makes him at some distance from the comforts and cushion of privilege. This is not to say the songs don’t raise prophetic questions of justice and peace; they did, over and over. But when you listen to gospel hip-hop artist Agape’s new song, “Tears”, you’ll know the power of hope born at the foot of the cross.  This is also not to say we ought not celebrate. Yet somehow drinking a cup of bitter suffering, as minority peoples have so often been forced to do, also yields some of the most authentic and heartfelt songs of joy.

A highlight of the evening came in the second half of the concert when Jay Beech, himself a well-known song writer and worship leader from Moorhead, MN, offered a moving tribute to the 74-year-old Ylvisaker. Ylvisaker, famous for such hymns as “Borning Cry,” then offered a soulful and strong two-song set explicitly channeling, he  laughingly admitted, the energy and sound of “The Boss,” Bruce Springsteen! Continuing his long experience mentoring younger musicians, he welcomed a trio of current Luther Seminary students as his backing band. A standing ovation concluded his short set, and many performers, including Peder Eide as the closing act, gave thanks to God for the great gifts these musicians have offered and continue to offer church and world. Indeed.  While many of these musicians noted their craft was honed at church camps and youth gatherings, these songs are increasingly going to lead congregational song in the largest attended services in churches across the country. That doesn’t mean the end for the classical musical traditions of the Lutheran church; rather, such vitality means the tradition is by the Spirit’s presence, gaining fresh breath, complexity and strength for a new place and time. Organ and choir will continue, and likely remain central, but they will not remain unchanged.  For more infomation, check out www.lutheransongstoday.com.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America [and Lutheran Church Missouri Synod] has its own music scene, with a wealth of artists in many styles.  This 16 track disc features several of the most prominent, including vocalist Peder Eide (with Bob Stromberg on the gentle "Abba, I Belong to You"); Jonathan Rundman (getting grungy on "Hey Hey Samuel"); and Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (poppy and perky on "God's Love Endures Forever").  The first of five discs in a series, this collection is well suited for youth-group gatherings and upbeat retreat worship.

Louis R. Carlozo is a music producer in Chicago.

Worcester Magazine, June 3, 2010

Lutheran Songs Today

In the 16th century, Johann Sebastian Bach devoted an entire career to writing organ-based compositions for the Lutheran church. In the 21st century, a small group of ministers are devoting their own careers to incorporating contemporary music into alternative Lutheran worship services. One of these ministers is Eric Wefald, a Boylston native and the creative editor of Lutheran Songs Today. The songs included on this compilation aren’t simply remakes of old Bach cantatas, each is an original composition with themes centered around Lutheran scripture. New York Christian rockers Lost and Found draw upon Ezekiel 37:1-14 to tell the story of God “gonna make these dry bones walk” over piano-driven pop, and Minneapolis Americana rocker Jonathan Rundman plays banjo-and-fiddle bluegrass on “Glory In The Highest,” where he pleads for “peace to all the earth” and for “our sins to be washed away.” As Wefald’s own “You Sing In My Soul” advises, Lutheran Songs Today is a one-of-a-kind guide helping Lutherans clear their “head of all the noise to hear what’s right.”     

        Read the Worcester Magazine article

Lutheran Mission    Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Lutheran Songs Today is a great collection of songs for congregations with reaching people with contemporary music.

All the muso's are Lutheran and Lutheran Songs Today says it has attempted to collect the very best alternative & contemporary worship songs by Lutheran singer-songwriters and bands. There are music books and cds available. They also offer a lectionary based worship leader planning for each song, appropriate to scripture and theme references for the church year.

Some of the artists and groups include Lost And Found, Peder Eide, Dakota Road, Echelon, Jonathan Rundman, Cathy Pino, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan.

         Read Lutheran Mission blogspot

    WiredJesus.com article