Good morning Rev.Croucher.

Having been a leader in the Body of Christ for some 20 years I have now come to the point that my voice has seemingly no value anymore amongst other leaders. I am a widow now which seems to make it even worse. (Praise God that He is not a respecter of persons).

I see many people from 60 years and over, being pushed out of church because of the loudness of music. Especially due to the damage that is being done to aging and painful ears. The drums and bass guitar in my church have become so loud that I cannot attend my church anymore. I have written to the oversight (in a nice way), had them visit me and received a judgment that I don’t understand that most of the people being catered for like it loud. I only asked for the possibility of decreasing the sound of the drums and the bass guitar. I am not talking about the choice of songs or the difference in tempo etc. There are youth services and seniors services, but are we not allowed to have a Sunday morning service where the whole “family” may enjoy the worship. I cannot even hear others sing anymore as the pounding has become so loud.

My joy in worship is being killed off and I am now forced to make a decision to either go back to a formal and “dead” church or not go to church anymore at all. I am aching for myself but also for the many others who already were forced to leave and for those who want to keep going because of a variety of motivations but who are hating the times of worship because of the sound. I have read the article of Dr Barry Chant “Retuning the Church”, which you will have undoubtedly read as well. My senior Pastor has read this and though he agreed with some parts of the article he laughingly said that it was easy for him to write such an article as he (Barry Chant) was no longer a Pastor. I hope this does not sound too condemnatory, but I am hurting for the whole Body.

Have you written any articles concerning the sound of music and its distructive effect in the church? I have read many of your articles which cover the choice of music and songs but I could not find anything about the effects of the very loud music in the Church. How do you feel about the music? Is there anything that can be done about this influence? And how can we encourage mature aged people to be courageous and to speak up? There seems to be so much fear of man.

I thank you for listening to me and I would appreciate it very much to receive a response from you. My Pastor reads your material regularly and you would know him if I told you his name. I write in confidence to you and trusting you I feel free to sign with my full name and address. Yours in the Lord Jesus Christ,

[Name Withheld: reproduced here with her permission].

A couple of notes (from a 64-year-old):

1. I carry in my glasses-case some ear-plugs for just such occasions (I put them in surreptitiously if I need to).

2. As a former pastor of several churches, with thriving ministries to young people, I had the habit of telling people in advance if the music was going to cater for ‘fringe’ or ‘outside’ young people.

3. I personally don’t like loud rock music – Christian or other – so I have to be careful when I am critical of it. But I have been known to turn up the volume when my favourite classical composers (Rossini, Beethoven) are playing!

4. Yes, I have noticed that when young people mature in their faith – and in other ways – there’s less of an inclination to appreciate loud volumed music. I don’t want to go into the ‘Satanic’ dimension of it all at this point – maybe another time.

5. And yes, if something’s painful to a small minority, the church has to make some tough choices. In my wife’s congregation (she’s a pastor there)

they’re facing the issue of some women who have a serious reaction to perfume. Solutions aren’t easy…

6. Let’s keep talking, sensitively…

Shalom!

Rowland Croucher