CCM: A Bankrupt Genre?
Tree63 frontman John Ellis says the modern worship movement has sucked the creative life out of contemporary Christian music. Ironically, the band's biggest hit is a modern worship cover song.
by Christa Banister | posted 2/27/2006
 1 of 3
Even though the band's been successful, particularly with its rendition of the Matt Redman worship song "Blessed Be Your Name," the past few years haven't been easy for Tree63. With a number of personnel changes, frontman John Ellis and Co. considered calling it quits. But, convinced of God's calling, they've pressed on, recently releasing Worship Volume One: I Stand For You, featuring some of their best worship fare. Ironically, the modern worship music is getting under Ellis's skin these days, and that was one of the things we discussed as he checked in from his native South Africa.
Tree63 has seen some changes in the past four years—changing lineups, changing styles (from pop/rock to more modern worship), and expanding families. How has it all affected you?
John Ellis These last few years have definitely been trying ones. I've felt most tempted to resign and just throw in the towel more than ever during this time, and yet God keeps insisting that this is still what he would have me do. Who am I to argue? On one hand, the changes he's wrought have been dizzying and comprehensive, but on the other hand, I sense him refining and narrowing his call on my life to a clearly defined place. I still can't quite put it in words, but the bottom line for me is, when you're called, you're called. There's no getting out of it. I don't want to be Jonah.
I've heard recently that your founding drummer is back in the fold.
Ellis Yes, and that's a profound relief. Darryl [Swart] was with me from day one, and he finally got to the point where he needed to go out and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. The two-year hiatus did him a world of good. I missed him, we all did, and it's just great having our brother back in the fold.
After all the changes for your band, was the success of "Blessed Be Your Name" even more exciting?
Ellis Yes, it was exciting in many ways, and we're grateful for what the song achieved for us. But it was also a double-edged sword. Recording the song was a record-company decision, not ours. We love Matt Redman—he's been a friend and mentor for years—but Tree63 just isn't a cover band. If our biggest hit to date is somebody else's song, then we still have work to do.
With the success of the song, do you find that people prefer your worship songs to your other songs? And as a follow-up, do you think that the popularity of modern worship ultimately dampens creativity in Christian music?
Ellis Yes yes yes! I absolutely believe that the modern phenomenon of "modern worship" dampens creativity amongst music-making Christians. Congregational worship music is an exact science, and only a few people are very good at it—and I don't believe I'm one of them.
Modern worship has become a unit-shifting genre of contemporary Christian music, and now everyone's in on it. As a result, that worship music becomes diluted. Funny enough, some of the best at it can hardly even sell their own product in the U.S.—Matt Redman and Delirious being two immediate examples. They're almost ignored, and yet they virtually invented the idea!
So what's wrong with modern worship songs?
Ellis Worship songs have to appeal immediately to a cross-section of people that make up your average Sunday-morning church service. They can't be too innovative or sophisticated or artsy or moody, and they have to get an important point across very simply. There's little space for art or innovation—unless, again, you're Matt Redman. Or Charles Wesley.
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Try 3 Issues of Christianity Today Free!
|
 |
|
Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required.
Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.
If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
| |
|
