1470 people attended the second Sunday of NewSpring Greenville (last week the total was 1710) and I'll guess that's where attendance will hover for awhile.
A funny anecdote: as the countdown video reached zero, an old man approached the edge of the stage. Meghan, a vocalist, knelt down to see what he wanted, thinking he was a tech volunteer. Turns out he was just a random old man who thought the music was too loud and wanted it lowered.
I find that hilarious. Some old man goes berserk over the volume (as old people tend to do - you would think old people, who typically lose their hearing with age, would appreciate louder music) and targets a background singer mere seconds before the service starts. Those tactics might work at 1st Baptist but not at NewSpring.
Before you accuse me of making fun of old people, I'm not. I'm just making fun of cranky, controlling old people. My mid 70s parents sit in the audience and think the music's fine. My dad can't get over how well the sound is mixed.
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4 comments:
I found this story hysterical! I'm the music director in a small mainstream church and the comments I've heard on this subject through the years have me believing that people must hear differently. Yes, it is the older people who complain that the pipe organ when playing great Bach works is too loud. Or the praise band has too much bass and the drums are too loud and on and on and on.... I actually have an old lady sitting in the front row that will very dramatically plug her ears. When I've asked her why she doesn't move to a different spot, she replies, "I like sitting there". Go figure...
As pianist, I understand this conversation. But well a caution should be offered here. Using the term "old xxxx". Remember, its how long since you were 18.... and as Christians in leadership, we must present our issues above and below our own ages respectfully. Sarcasism's meaning is to rip or tear-away. What I really want is to help the elders to see how God has moved me and obviously you and many, many others outside the walls to show his love. HIS LOVE!!! Blessings, from a soon to be "oldie-goldie"
I found the article to be mean spirited. The older man wanted to make a comment about the volume. Maybe he was confused about the best way to offer his comment/suggestion. That doesn't make him cranky and controlling. We are supposed to respect our elders as I recall. Sometimes that requires us to be a little bit patient with them. "Some old man goes berserk over the volume.." Really. Can't imagine Jesus saying that.
Richard Morris
Meridian MS
I must agree with richard. To many churches have lost spiritual direction because they have dissregarded the wisdom or instruction of older persons in the faith. As a worship leader of a small mainly middle aged church and as a young person my self I often have trouble relating to older persons. I will be the first to say that many people of all ages are stuck in tradition and are missing some of God's direction the way that I see it. But that doesn't mean that they don't have things to teach me.
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