Comments on: Patriotic Songs in Gospel Concerts

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:35:27 +0000

#21: About the secular Christmas song – I would have been.

#22: I agree with you, Gloria is just amazing. I don’t really mind OT posts so long as they’re not too far from the original topic.

By: Janet

Janet — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:23:52 +0000

Inquirer (#19) –

Of course I’m not going to disagree with that! My favorite thing in the world is an inspired lyric married to a beautiful melody. And SG is filled with people who can pull that off – without peers, IMHO. I’m just particularly taken with Gloria’s ability to weave words, that’s all.

Sorry to go slightly OT on you there, Daniel!

By: David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:43:01 +0000

In comment #16, I asked, “Do you draw any distinctions between a ticketed Gospel concert’s purpose and a non-ticketed Gospel concert’s purpose?”

In #18, Daniel responded, “No, not really.”

Here’s why I asked.

Any time you pay cash for a ticket, the artist/promoter owes you a product. That product is entertainment. If it’s a free concert, I don’t have a problem with the fact that a group isn’t particularly professional. But if I buy a ticket, I expect certain standards to be met.

Now, that doesn’t mean the Gospel message should be watered down or compromised. It merely means the artist shouldn’t do amateurish things…like talking more than he sings or never making eye contact with the audience or being so unprepared as to not learn the words to the song.

I think the second paragraph in the original blog post more or less states the obvious. You could also say that the purpose of being a Christian is to carry out the Great Commission, which is true. That’s the fundamental reason for anything we do as Christians.

The purpose of a Gospel concert goes further than that, though.

I can’t see how a single patriotic song in the middle of an otherwise 100% Gospel concert distracts from the Gospel message any more than singing with a focus on quality and making the audience laugh and feel the songs distracts from the Gospel message.

I just got home from an Ivan Parker concert where he not only sang a patriotic song, he also sang a secular Christmas song. Guess what? No one was so distracted that they forgot to praise God when he got to “Midnight Cry.”

By: Quaid

Quaid — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:30:05 +0000

“I Love This Land” starts out wholly patriotic with this line: “There’s a man who lives beside me who fought in World War Two.” who salutes the flag everyday.
The chorus includes the phrase “one nation under God”
The second verse mentions a “typical” patriotic, church-going American family preparing to join a worship service where they are “free to worship Jesus and they are free to pray”.

By: Inquirer

Inquirer — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:46:33 +0000

Yes, Janet(#15), you’re correct that Gloria did write the lyrics to “Let Freedom Ring”.

But surely you won’t disagree that both Bill AND Gloria(as former English teachers)are BOTH superlative wordsmiths, as is Neil Enloe(“Statue of Liberty” composer).

By: Daniel J. Mount

Daniel J. Mount — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:06:55 +0000

#16 – No, not really.

By: Donna

Donna — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:39:08 +0000

The reason I like Patriotic songs at a gospel concert is that it reminds me to be grateful that I live in a country where I can worship as I please. In fact, I went to a Triumphant Quartet concert last night, and they ended with a patriotic song. It was very appropriate.

By: David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:29:36 +0000

“I believe the purpose of a Gospel concert is to present Gospel truth through song, to draw the listeners closer to the Lord—the unsaved to salvation and the saved to a deeper, closer walk with the Lord.”

Do you draw any distinctions between a ticketed Gospel concert’s purpose and a non-ticketed Gospel concert’s purpose?

By: Janet

Janet — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 04:50:34 +0000

To Inquirer #8:

I do believe that Gloria, not Bill, penned the words to “Let Freedom Ring.” And, yes, she is quite the poet. I still get goosebumps every time I listen to that song.

As to Daniel’s original question…conversely, does the singing of “God Bless America” during the 7th inning stretch – every night – diminish the song? Just a thought…

By: John the cynic

John the cynic — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 01:00:34 +0000

I don’t care for patriotic songs in a gospel concert. There are a few exceptions such as the aforementioned “Statue of Liberty”, but generally I don’t care for them. I got so tired of the Florida Boys “Declaration of Dependence” . . . almost as much as OWAS.

If a promoter chooses to open a concert with a simple version of the Star Spangled Banner or perhaps the Pledge of Allegiance, I’m fine with that. That’s the prerogative of the promoter.

However, I am quite cynical when a group begins an overtly patriotic song which all but demands that the audience stand in appreciation. If I don’t want to stand, then I’m branded as unpatriotic. It’s the gospel music equivilent of the question “Are you still beating your wife?”

I equate it with the words “Give Jesus a hand!” Is the group being truly patriotic, or are they looking for a way to work the crowd?