Peace and quiet

Do you like noisy or do you like peace and quiet.

Ive noticed lots of churches now encourage eveyone to be noisy, especially in worship time. And chatter. And background muzak, even if its christian.
I dont understand this, I much prefer having quiet time.

I get very out of sorts if theres too much noise..,its sounds like clanging cymbals and noisy gongs to me. What about you, and why the trend for noisy churches?

I cant even stand when theres noisy radio blaring all the time or traffic or lawnmowers. How can one hear the birds sing when theres so much noise?!
 
One church i visited recently was very noisy before Mass started. I couldnt believe the chatter. Felt like a shopping mall.
Quiet before Mass equals reverence. In my view anyway. Fellowship is after and outside.
 
I don't like noisy, chaotic anything. If a restaurant has alot of loud chatter, blasting music, or screaming children, it just drives me crazy. All that noise just makes my brain go into meltdown. I find piano / music playing in the background at church to be very distracting & a hindrance to prayer time... I just can't tune it out and focus! I don't really understand how it doesn't seem bother anyone else around me...lol
 
Depends on the music. One old lady does Bach's Jesu Man Desiring during Communion. It really helps with the reverence.And much easier to focus. Usually the folk style guitar hymns are annoying for me. But Im easily annoyed. ☺
 
I like the piano/keyboard melodies but just find bass guitar and drums, which are basically sounding brass and clanging cymbals, distracting and noisy! Whoever decides that makes great background music in church must be reading a warped version of the Bible?!
 
I like the piano/keyboard melodies but just find bass guitar and drums, which are basically sounding brass and clanging cymbals, distracting and noisy! Whoever decides that makes great background music in church must be reading a warped version of the Bible?!

Hey Lanolin;

Great thread Peace and quiet. I know you have a background of good listening music.

When we read
Psalm 150 it includes the trumpet, timbrel, strings, cymbals, a whole music team. It is a hymn, a song of praise. Music and song were an integral part of Old Testament as well as New Testament worship.

Worship is a structured, disciplined balance of joyous praise. An undisciplined, structure and imbalance of sound can hinder (warp) the
breath of praise to the Lord.

When we walk in the church we tend to forget that we're not in a social hall but His sanctuary. God is already there waiting to inhabit our worship of Him.

But because most of our Christian churches are
autonomous, many worshipers will not always see it the same way, and feel raised voices and sound is a form of excitment and praise.

One of the biggest challenges in church is the lack of balance and experience with operating a sound system for a live praise team. One instrument can drown out another. The singers are KEY in leading praise and worship and they can get drowned out as well.


Many churches do have experienced operators of the sound system, which is the media, powerpoint and sound ministry. But the ones who don't are encouraged to attend workshops that help improve the overall balance in a church setting.

The media and sound system ministry is just as important as the Praise team, Bible study cirriculum, the ushers and hospitality, the children's, women's, men's and pastoral ministries. All are a work in progress for God's church because God is continously forward thinking.

God bless you and your family, Lanolin.
 
Do you like noisy or do you like peace and quiet.

Ive noticed lots of churches now encourage eveyone to be noisy, especially in worship time. And chatter. And background muzak, even if its christian.
I dont understand this, I much prefer having quiet time.

I get very out of sorts if theres too much noise..,its sounds like clanging cymbals and noisy gongs to me. What about you, and why the trend for noisy churches?

I cant even stand when theres noisy radio blaring all the time or traffic or lawnmowers. How can one hear the birds sing when theres so much noise?!

Well, from a personal perspective, I am all about the noise and chaos. We have five kids (now adults), so they always had other kids in the house and the insanity just became the norm. The wife and I were “empty nesters” for a while, but we now have two grand-kids (and their parents) in the house, so it is back to chaos.

Church . . . I like both. At my church, the first 20 or so minutes are all about the music and it is “concern like." Usually 3 – 5 vocals, drums, piano/organ, electric guitars, base, and strings. Once the service starts, it is pretty quiet, with the occasional applause or in response to something the pastor might say. Towards the end, usually the last 5 mins of so, the organists comes back in and plays background to the pastor’s final message for the day (most times includes a community prayer or something like that).

I think my church uses music (and volume) for the emotional enhancement. The first 20 minutes is all about volume and, in my opinion, does have an impact on a person’s emotion. The last 5 minutes just allows for reflection with a musical backdrop.

Very few people complain about the music, but, when they do, it is about the volume. There was one person that had negative comments about how “sensual” the women vocalists sang. Not sure I know what that was all about.

rtm3039
 
I wonder when music stops being music and it just becomes noise.
I suppose if theres lack of harmony, it becomes noise?

As well as chatter. Maybe two or more people are gathered and they are having a deep discussion about one topic or they all praying in Jesus name. But if someone comes along and interrupts the flow and starts talking about something else, then it becomes chatter. Then others break up and talk about what concerns them, and nobody can follow anything anymore. This happens in forum threads too!

As for family chaos, had a family of six in my household at one time. Now its down to three. Most of the noise actually came from dad drowning everyone else out with his records he would play at top volume. He would also do this in the car and I could never speak as my voice couldnt be heard above the din of the car stereo. Maybe thats why i cant stand noise and prefer quiet. When i was younger i would try to counter this by playing MY stereo even louder. But it didnt seem to work I would get in trouble.
 
I wonder when music stops being music and it just becomes noise.
I suppose if theres lack of harmony, it becomes noise?

As well as chatter. Maybe two or more people are gathered and they are having a deep discussion about one topic or they all praying in Jesus name. But if someone comes along and interrupts the flow and starts talking about something else, then it becomes chatter. Then others break up and talk about what concerns them, and nobody can follow anything anymore. This happens in forum threads too!

As for family chaos, had a family of six in my household at one time. Now its down to three. Most of the noise actually came from dad drowning everyone else out with his records he would play at top volume. He would also do this in the car and I could never speak as my voice couldnt be heard above the din of the car stereo. Maybe thats why i cant stand noise and prefer quiet. When i was younger i would try to counter this by playing MY stereo even louder. But it didnt seem to work I would get in trouble.
Lanolin, I guess we all need quiet time. Right now, I am the only person at home; as the wife, daughter, and grand kids are out for a while. I have been home for almost 1.5 hours and have not spoken a word. I can handle that, but not for too long. Wait, I did talk to he god for a moment, but that does not count.

I guess that, with the insanity that has been my household, I have learned to focus noise out. My wife can vouch for that, as I sometimes watch her speak, but hear nothing. Hm...wounder if that can be considered a gift?

rtm3039
 
I keep saying this like a broken record! Having kids have changed my perspective on so many spiritual beliefs. These are not doctrinal things. I would say these are preferences. Nothing wrong to have preferences. But that's how it should be - just preferences. Does not make another person having a different preference to be incorrect

I used to enjoy quietness and my preference was to worship with just hymns and little music. I thought modern songs and lot of instruments were a distraction. I would only sleep when there was absolute silence. Now I have 3 kids. The only goes quiet after around 11PM at night! I would never sleep if I wait for that silence. Now I enjoy sleeping in the couch with 3 kids running around, screaming, poking my eyes, climbing on me, constantly calling me in my ears. I would rather have this than quietness. When we go to watch sports, we would rather enjoy the crowd cheering for the teams rather than being very quiet. yes, the loud cheers would distract us from watching the game. But without that excitement, it would be quite boring!

I realized it is the same with worship. People raising their voices and praising God is out of excitement. You see people praising in absolute joy. You see people crying out their hearts and putting their needs at His feet. David was not quite when he worshiped. What I have realized is, when I am focused on God, nothing else matters.

So, coming back to what I said earlier. It is a preference. Even in the "noisy" churches, the music and everything is structured. As long as there is structure to worship, there is nothing wrong. God does not see them as noise, that's the bottom line.
 
I dont think its structure so much its more order and harmony with a focus.
But its nothing to do with doctrine, I dont think I ever said that. JUst what you prefer. Every needs a quiet time.

I used to have insomnia because of all the noise around, and I dont understand why people leave the tv on when nobodys there to watch it, or have radio on all day. Listening to God is important too.

Many children are either oversimulated because people feed them way too much sugar, then they crash and are totally lethargic. I now look after over 400 of them...I know what noise is lol! And when they all come to the library. I just have a few rules though. First one is quiet in the library, cos people want to read. They can be noisy outside, but in the library, its meant to be quiet.

I dont have a problem with raised voices because people use their voices to worship, and they are doing it in unison but the noise of the instruments can drown out the voices, or the hum of the sound system with feedback and echo, its can be really hard on peoples hearing. I often wonder why churches dont have their noisy services OUTSIDE. Wouldnt the praise and worship reach the heavens more if it was outside? David was dancing out in the streets. He did play a harp, he wasnt drumming or needing to use amplification.

JEsus preached his sermon on the mount totally without the use of a microphone or loud hailer. But the last trump is going to be loud to get our attention I suppose!
 
I dont think its structure so much its more order and harmony with a focus.
But its nothing to do with doctrine, I dont think I ever said that. JUst what you prefer. Every needs a quiet time.

I used to have insomnia because of all the noise around, and I dont understand why people leave the tv on when nobodys there to watch it, or have radio on all day. Listening to God is important too.

Many children are either oversimulated because people feed them way too much sugar, then they crash and are totally lethargic. I now look after over 400 of them...I know what noise is lol! And when they all come to the library. I just have a few rules though. First one is quiet in the library, cos people want to read. They can be noisy outside, but in the library, its meant to be quiet.

I dont have a problem with raised voices because people use their voices to worship, and they are doing it in unison but the noise of the instruments can drown out the voices, or the hum of the sound system with feedback and echo, its can be really hard on peoples hearing. I often wonder why churches dont have their noisy services OUTSIDE. Wouldnt the praise and worship reach the heavens more if it was outside? David was dancing out in the streets. He did play a harp, he wasnt drumming or needing to use amplification.

JEsus preached his sermon on the mount totally without the use of a microphone or loud hailer. But the last trump is going to be loud to get our attention I suppose!
You all need to do some time in the military. I have gone to sleep, on top of a "Hummer" and in the rain. Once in a while, I have even been known to take a nap right here in front of my PC. Actually, not a bad idea. I have an hour before bible study. Hm . . . . .
 
You all need to do some time in the military. I have gone to sleep, on top of a "Hummer" and in the rain. Once in a while, I have even been known to take a nap right here in front of my PC. Actually, not a bad idea. I have an hour before bible study. Hm . . . . .
No thanks. Ive fallen asleep in a nightclub, does that count. I dont recommend them , sure way to damage ones hearing if you spend too much time in them.
But then they are dark. Ive also fallen asleep when people give power point presentations. And in staff meetings.
 
I neeed to think of creative ways to make a quiet space because yesterday it was so noisy in the library, that the principal came in and told all the children off, and I had to close the library. Arrgh!

Im thinking of removing all the group tables and chairs, putting books on some of them and having reading tents and cushions on the floor. Please pray because lunchtime if they come into the library they meant to be reading not yelling, running round and giving me a headache....! They can do that outside.

Church I reckon could be the same. We ought to have little cosy reading nooks so we can read our Bibles in peace.
 
You all need to do some time in the military. I have gone to sleep, on top of a "Hummer" and in the rain. Once in a while, I have even been known to take a nap right here in front of my PC. Actually, not a bad idea. I have an hour before bible study. Hm . . . . .

Amen!

There is nothing like a claymore mine going off to wake you up!
 
Major

Probably the reason I have a hearing loss and need to be checked for possible mechanical enhancements.

rtm3039
Oh dear. I had hearing loss and I think it was from dad playing loud music in the car. I am way too sensitive. Then I got a job where much of it was mowing lawns which was really bad for me. And those earmuff things didnt work, i had to have ear plugs as well. I quit mowing lawns. The boss got us to do hearing tests but I reckon he cheated on his test. He got an A and I got like a D. The hearing specialist asked me what I did before I was doing gardening annd I said I worked in libraries.
He couldnt firgure out why my hearing was so bad and my bosses was perfect who had been in the business 30 years. Well my boss said he cheated on his eye test too.

Why would you cheat on these tests?! I kind of lost respect for my boss. Plus he cluldnt hear me speak and would always tell me to speak up or yell. One time he played really loud rock music in the ute all the way home and I was like tuning out. No wonder I couldnt even listen to his instructions he was making me deaf. I think some people dont realise all the damage they do with all the noise they make, and its so unnecessary.
 
Good news last week the classes were actually quiet. And the reading tents seems to be working. I hope this week is even better.

I made a big sign saying LIBRARY QUIET PLEASE we're reading!
 
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