Recently, my choir sang a two-song set in chapel. The first one was an upbeat arrangement of a popular worship song, and the second a traditional hymn modernized with some new rhythm. I liked them both, but if you asked me to pick my favorite, I would have said the former, not the latter.
However, based on the comments I received, many preferred the hymn. This surprised me, as the worship song was more popular. Although the hymn had some contemporary elements, I found it more musically boring. Perhaps a good word to describe it would be “vanilla.”
As I considered these preferences, I was reminded that many people like vanilla. In fact, it is the most popular flavor in the world. If you take me to Baskin-Robbins or Cold Stone Creamery, I’m probably going for the peanut butter chocolate triple-fudge moose tracks deluxe and would probably make fun of you for getting vanilla.
Yet vanilla persists as the most popular flavor. As a kid, I thought vanilla was blank, like the color white. As I grew up and even started making ice cream, I realized that vanilla is a flavor and that there are multiple types of vanilla: French vanilla, vanilla bean, and homemade vanilla (if not really homemade, get BlueBell “Homemade Vanilla”). Vanilla need not be boring.
So, vanilla in our worship services may be what people want sometimes. Simple need not be boring, and may be the thing that helps us focus on God the most. Try serving some vanilla from time to time.
Dr. O,
I really enjoyed reading this post and found the analogy of vanilla to be very helpful and grasping and explaining this concept. I think you hit the nail on the head with your comment on people often needing some “vanilla” in the service. Even though a song may be more musically simplistic the lyrical depth of the hymn may resound more deeply with the souls of the congregation despite it’s vanilla sound. I’ve experienced the same situation at my church where the congregation responded very enthusiastically to a simple song than the musically “big” one in the same set. It’s great advice to include some vanilla in the service, because ultimately our souls long for Christ, regardless of musical arrangement.
I love the analogy of “vanilla”. As a small confession I was almost always one of those people who would pick vanilla. But when it comes to worship and music, I have also noticed that musicians tend to gravitate past vanilla and towards more exotic flavors and embellishments. I think this is because as more “artsy” people we are constantly looking for new and exciting things to learn and to hone our craft. I don’t think that there is anything wrong with this inherently. Developing gifts and talents from God is glorifying to Him. That being said, we need to be careful of the application of this truth. If we assume that doing all the “fun” stuff because we can is glorifying to God all the time, we will negate the beauty of simplicity in worship.
Yes, the sprinkles and the caramel are amazing. But when placed before a congregational setting, sometimes they take away from the true purpose. We want people to worship, and that means we want people to be able to participate. Vanilla could be painted as “boring”, or we can appreciate the fact that simple means people can pick it up quickly and confidently join along.
I also used to feel the same way about “vanilla” worship songs. They just always seemed so boring and repetitive to me. However, the older i get, I have found an appreciation for the more vanilla songs. Most hymns that we sing, tend to be straight scripture. I would rather sing God’s word than an interesting harmony any day. Musical interest doesn’t always equal spiritual impact. Sometimes the simplicity of the vanilla songs lyrics are what make them profound and impactful.
This post really caught my attention. Growing up, I used to think that traditional worship, often referred to as “vanilla worship,” was bland and boring. When I was first adopted, I attended a church with a contemporary style that featured upbeat songs, and I went there for a year. After that, I moved to a church affiliated with the Evangelical Free denomination, where they sang both traditional and contemporary hymns. At that time, I didn’t enjoy or appreciate the hymns; I only liked the upbeat songs.
However, I attended a music camp where we sang hymns for an entire week. It was during this camp that I began to value hymns, as I learned that they are directly inspired by Scripture. In contrast, contemporary songs are not always based on Scripture; while they often have scriptural themes, they can sometimes be vague.
Now that I’m in college, I really appreciate the Chapel’s song selection. They give equal acknowledgment to hymns, contemporary hymns, and modern worship songs.
I agree and have found that “vanilla” worship songs tend to be the most popular in my church’s Sunday service and youth group. It seems that all ages love and admire the staple hymns and more simple songs (what may seem to me as “overplayed”).
I believe that these songs are so requested and beloved ultimately because of their words and the gospel truths they hold. Though they may be more melodically simple and bland, they are preferred by the people. I really admire that and think it shows that the truths and real worship of
God are more valued than songs that maybe “sound better” and are more melodically and instrumentally complex and beautiful.
I think both “vanilla” and contemporary/popular worship songs (whatever we call the rest) are useful and have their beauty and place. A mix of both in a service is a good idea.
The hymns we know and love have stood the test of time and generations for a reason.
Its also good to remember that these type of worship songs are usually known by the majority because of their age or timeless popularity/nostalgia. It is safe to use them in a service because most people will know them and be able to sing them.
I really enjoyed reading through this post! I would also think that the first upbeat song would have been the favorite, but there is still beauty in simplicity (vanilla). We can often overlook what we think isn’t popular anymore, but it could still be what people want. It is true what was said at the end, that simple might help us focus on God the most.
I agree. I think there can be so much beauty in simplicity. Even in secular pop music I sometimes find myself gravitating towards more vanilla sounding songs. Common chord progressions, simple vocals, and instrumentation can be nice to listen to because our ears love familiarity. Similarly, in worship music these aspects can also be nice from time to time because it helps us to reflect on the lyrics more.