Don’t Be Quick To Criticise Church Music!
October 25th, 2025
Its not uncommon for Pastors to receive nasty letters from time to time from disgruntled members of the Church.
Usually pointing out things they disagree with from their cultural perspective.
Here are two letters that caused me to pause in my cultural criticism of Modern Church Music.
1. “What’s wrong with the inspiring hymns which we grew up with? When I go to church, it is to worship God, not to be distracted by learning new songs.
Last Sunday was particularly unnerving. While the text was good, the tune was un-singable and the new harmonies were quite discordant.”
2. “I am no music scholar, but I feel I know appropriate church music when I hear it. Last Sunday’s new hymn, if you call it that, sounded like a sentimental love Ballard one might expect to hear crooned in a saloon.
If you persist in exposing us to rubbish like this in God’s house, don’t be surprised if many of the faithful look for another place of worship. The hymns we grew up with are all we need.”
The first letter was written in 1890 and was complaining about the Hymn “What a friend we have in Jesus”.
The second letter, dated 1865, was criticising the use of “Just as I am”.
Which incidentally is the most popular and listened to hymn on my Youtube Church Channel, with over 9,916 views in the last 28 days.
Perhaps because I was singing in the choir. 
…..just joking
So next time you are tempted to give the pastor a piece of your mind, give it some prayerful thought and express your feelings with kindness.