Music events. Just a emotional high??

[Will Hill]

ATF or Acquire the Fire was an event i went to sometime ago. When there you want to do things and jump up and down crazily. Coming back from it i felt like i wanted to do service yet i was also a emotional jumping idiot. My youth group wanted to do this and that but the feeling faded and nothing happened. my preacher says that these events are only emotional highs and come close to NonChristian music. What do you think??

[LynD]

Well, I haven't been a teen for a long time, however I do enjoy most contemporary christian music. IMO< if we are worshipping the Lord, and have a right heart, does it really matter what kind of music it is? He gave us music, and there are many examples of music worship in the Bible. We can change the method over time, as long as we don't change the message. I'd like to know why he thinks its "unchristian." I think anything that can get thousands of kids together to worship God is pleasing to Him, compared to what else they could be doing.

[Axxman]

I'd ask your pastor why the feeling "faded" once you started going to chruch.

DO you really wanna attend a church that doesn't keep you motivated? Your whole youth group was motivated and on fire to do something...then they went back to church and it died off. Your pastor is deflecting the blame for this by saying the event is flawed...when in reality the event awakened something in you (and yes emotion is a part of it) that your pastor didn't.

[exrockstar]

ATF or Acquire the Fire was an event i went to sometime ago. When there you want to do things and jump up and down crazily. Coming back from it i felt like i wanted to do service yet i was also a emotional jumping idiot. My youth group wanted to do this and that but the feeling faded and nothing happened. my preacher says that these events are only emotional highs and come close to NonChristian music. What do you think??

they are emotional highs. i hit the dancefloor when i hear my favorite song. ... 3xR0c|<stAr

[Kabowd]

ATF or Acquire the Fire was an event i went to sometime ago. When there you want to do things and jump up and down crazily. Coming back from it i felt like i wanted to do service yet i was also a emotional jumping idiot. My youth group wanted to do this and that but the feeling faded and nothing happened.

This is existential faith, thriving on "experience" instead of being founded on truth. I don't think these events are necessarily wrong...but there needs to be BALANCE. Leaders need to be careful that they aren't manipulating people's emotions in order to produce a response. People need to hear TRUTH, and have their MINDS renewed...not merely have their emotions stirred. When people don't love God with their Minds (along with their hearts and souls), you end up with people who move from one experience to the next ...often gauging their entire spiritual journey based on these "highs".

my preacher says that these events are only emotional highs and come close to NonChristian music. What do you think??

I'd ask your preacher two things:

1. How does he define "nonChristian music"?

2. What is wrong with "nonChristian music"?

[nebula]

ATF or Acquire the Fire was an event i went to sometime ago. When there you want to do things and jump up and down crazily.

I'm like that too! Getting excited about Jesus is awesome. Don't let anyone tell you it's a bad thing, or a debase thing. Look at King David. He knew how to rejoice before the Lord unashamedly with all his might (physical and emotional). Some of us are just wired to react vibrantly for things that stimulate us. And that's OK.

So if you want to dance for Jesus, go ahead. It's Scriptural. Just read the Psalms.

Coming back from it i felt like i wanted to do service yet i was also a emotional jumping idiot. My youth group wanted to do this and that

As you should.

but the feeling faded and nothing happened.

I agree with what Axxman said - why didn't your church do anything to carry the momentum? What opportunities does your church give your youth group to serve? Having the motivation and desire to serving the Lord is a good thing. Going to an event that stimulates that desire is also a good thing. Not having the opportunity to fulfill that desire is a bad thing. It's like the event supercharged your battery, but then you had nothing keep the motor revving, and so the battery just drained.

my preacher says that these events are only emotional highs

Of course they are emotional highs. But let me ask you, what is wrong with emotional highs? Do you suppose Jesus was holy because He sucked lemons all day? "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Now I know "joy" does not always mean "happy", but if there is no excitement in joy, then what is it? Why would God have created us with a limbic system (the system in your brain in charge of emotions) if He didn't want us to get "emotional"?

and come close to NonChristian music.

That's a whole other debate. A fair number of Christians believe that modern music is of the devil - the music style that is. I disagree with that. If I had more time, I'd do a search that would take you to other threads where this topic had been debated previously so you can see all the varied opinions that have been expressed on this topic alone.

The Lord bless you as you continue to seek Him!

[nebula]

OK - if you go to the Spiritual Warfare forum, there are two topics up at the top right now dealing with music - if that will help you.

[Marnie]

ATF or Acquire the Fire was an event i went to sometime ago. When there you want to do things and jump up and down crazily. Coming back from it i felt like i wanted to do service yet i was also a emotional jumping idiot. My youth group wanted to do this and that but the feeling faded and nothing happened. my preacher says that these events are only emotional highs and come close to NonChristian music. What do you think??

You are very perceptive! My pastor dealt with this last year. We had a concert in Vegas, a Christian band was there. I did not go, but those who came back were totally on fire and excited...for maybe a month. He made the point that sometimes, yes concerts and every intense and heavy evangelistic services are merely "emotional highs," and nothing more. BUT, sometimes they are like "high water" marks that the Lord allows us to experience, as if to give us a taste of what it could be like and will be like forever, one day. We need to keep those "high water marks" in perspective as we live our everyday lives; cherish the memories, but press on in the faith.

[Axxman]

sometimes they are like "high water" marks that the Lord allows us to experience, as if to give us a taste of what it could be like and will be like forever, one day.

I like that Marnie. It puts perspective on the emotional aspect without condemning it.

[Iryssa]

Well said, Marnie.

I think these events are good for the simple reason that they do highlight the joys the Christian life can bring. Yes, it may seem short-lived...but I still find it so helpful to hold onto the memories of those things when I'm in a tough spot. I remember a youth conference I went to in 2000...Deliriou5?, Newsboys, Michael W. Smith, and Sonicflood...they all put on amazing concerts...but it was more than that. Just the sight of so many Christian youth coming together and singing praises to God was SO uplifting. I'll often call to mind the scenes in the stadium: uplifted hands and hearts. loud shouts and quite murmurs of praise all around.

Cherish those things in your heart. Use them for good; don't discount them just because the feeling isn't there all the time.