Am I Adding to the Noise?

I have been struck by the recent article in the Washington Post about a presentation that they arranged for Joshua Bell.  First off, if you haven’t read it yet, then you definitely should.  I’ve been struggling with what sort of conclusions I could draw from it.  It seems such a harsh reality that so many people would not stop to hear him play.  I am also torn, because I would like to think that I would have stopped to listen… but really, I probably wouldn’t have.  I’m sure I would have had my ipod on, or that I would have done all I could to try to avoid him so that I wouldn’t feel obliged to leave him any money.

Second, I knew that it applied to the ministry God has given me to do.  I sometimes wish that the people in the congregation watching a video or intro that I have created realized how hard it actually was to come up with or create.  I am always worried about the fact that a large percentage of our congregation shows up after the sermon has already started, and that even more leave before it is over (so they can be out of the parking lot as fast as possible).  That means that somehow we are not captivating people enough to make them want to come to the entire service.  We could be doing the best job possible at a certain style of music, or at showing a snazzy video, or even with a really cool message, but if it doesn’t make them stop and listen, what’s the point?
Tony Morgan’s recent post on this topic finally gave me a little  bit more clarity.  He gives “a handful of parallels” that jumped out to him in regard to this article.  Here are a few:

• If America’s best classical musician can use one of the finest instruments ever crafted and play some of the greatest music ever written and not be heard, there’s a chance even the best communicators in ideal venues sharing the greatest message also will not be heard.
• For some people, it doesn’t matter if it’s “one the most difficult violin pieces to master.” If the message doesn’t relate to their world, they probably won’t hear it…no matter how “deep” it is.
• The violinist didn’t connect with his crowd. “He seems so apart from his audience–unseen, unheard, otherworldly–that you find yourself thinking that he’s not really there.” Similarly, it’s possible to preach a biblical message and not be heard.

You can read the rest of the article here (and you should).

Adding the the Noise by Switchfoot

What’s it gonna take to slow us down
To let the silence spin us around?
What’s it gonna take to drop this town?
We’ve been spinning at the speed of sound.

Stepping out of those convenience stores,
what could we want but more more more?
From the third world to the corporate core
we are the symphony of modern humanity.

If we’re adding to the noise turn off this song.
If we’re adding to the noise turn off your stereo, radio, video…

I don’t know what they’re gonna think of next
genetic engineers of the most high tech.
A couple new ways to fall in debt.
I’m a nervous wreck but I’ll bet that that T.V. set
tells us what we wanted to hear
But none of these sound bites are coming in clear.
From the third world to the corporate ear
we are the symphony of modern humanity

If we’re adding to the noise
If we’re adding to the noise
If we’re adding to the noise
turn off this song.