Worship Songs/Sycophantic Nature

[SycophantsUnite]

I'm a relatively new 'Christian', in the sense that I have a faith in something, I'm exploring what that something looks like, but I've started to attend two different churches to explore my faith and engage further in what it means to me.

I'm having a hard times with the hymns/worship songs!

In the C of E Church I attend, they're hymns and they're generally quite traditional, and I would describe them as being mostly God/Holy Spirit focused.

In the Baptist Church I attend, songs are much more pop like and whilst there are some I really like and listen to outside of church, I'm really put off by how sycophantic some of the songs feel. There seems to be a heavy Jesus focus rather than God more generally. I find all the 'I will love you Lord!' with hands flung high in the air really overwhelming. Last week a lady threw herself on the floor and wailed 'thank you Jesus!' over and over again through all the songs, almost egged on by others around her?

I don't entirely know what I believe, but I do believe that any love a God has for me would be unconditional and not dependant on me declaring passionately my love over and over. I value the songs that feel like prayers to music - e.g. 'I won't be overwhelmed, you're where my help comes from, give me vision, to see things like you do'.

Am I just attending the wrong church for me? I generally much prefer the Baptist church but I'm wondering if I align better with C of E.

I also notice a big difference in the style of prayers. C of E: give us strength to get us through xyz. Baptist: God has told me during that song that someone's knee hurts and you need to ask for prayer for him to fix it. It hurts as someone with multiple loses to feel that God isn't giving that person a message about me, and all the things that have hurt me are because I haven't sought prayer.

I am agnostic, but a keen choral singer. Some of the CofE songs are wonderful - great tunes, great composers. I used to sing in a church choir, whilst letting everything but the music wash by me.

Worship styles vary a lot within denominations, OP.

I know some Anglican churches that are much closer to the Baptist church you describe in the op, and vice versa.

I used to love charismatic worship but as I’ve got older my tastes have changed and I prefer something quieter and more contemplative these days.

I’ve never really liked a lot of ‘I’ songs though, it always feels like too much pressure. The old hymns I used to consider boring I now realise have very little focus on ME / I and are therefore easier for me to access, if that makes sense.

Ha yes I remember the Cutting Edge events with some fondness.

The one that makes me laugh is a song I used to love (bloody hell I'm old - I think of it as modern but it's now over 20 yrs old...)

The vineyard "Come now is the time to worship" emphasis each line on Come..

https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/music/worship-songs-definitely-started-love-songs/

Ah yes. "And IIIIIIIIIII...am desperate for you....."

@Lamelie yes to 'worthy'! I'll definitely notice that more now but can already list quite a few!

@Tuilpmouse never heard that one but can only imagine the chaos it would cause in the service I currently attend!!

I'm not religious anymore.

But I was really taken with "the blessing" song doing the rounds over covid. It sort of transports me back to that era of my life. Or maybe there's magic in the style of music...

Typical Jesus is my Boyfriend styleeee song....

I've been to c of w/c of e services, calvinistic methodist and more recently church without wall, which is a mix of more traditional and less traditional songs/hymns, which I quite like.

I wish there was a quaker meeting nearby though, of all the denominations of Christianity that I am most drawn to, Quaker is the one I really feel like I would fit with

Hungry I come to you... for I know you satisfy...

Waiting in expectancy - longing for true intimacy...

Is this the right place to point out

Go West! with a grateful heart
Go West! to the holy one

IGMC

Our chaplain coined the phrase "jellyfish praise"

If I were a jellyfish
I'd thank you lord for making me squish

I think you just need to keep visiting Churches until you find the one where you enjoy the services, and agree wit the theology the most.
It isn't "CofE vs Baptist" . As a pp said, many CofE services have the kind of worship songs that you describe at the Baptist Church you have tried. I can tell you that my local Baptist Church has very traditional hymns sung from a pretty old hymn book. I think you need to take time to visit other CofE and other Baptist Churches.
Then don't forget there are other denominations. Have you been to any Methodist services?
There are so many different components to finding the right Church for you - yes, the music, but also the preaching, the prayers, the action behind the prayer, but (I think very important) you also need to consider the people. The welcome (or not), the willingness to accept everyone as they are, the friendliness, the activities and opportunities. The action in the Community. The pastoral care.
There probably isn't "the perfect Church" - you have to find the one that fits you best.

A lot of praise workshop songs are very predictable.

I’m not Christian but love singing, both hymns and P&W songs and anything else melodic really. I was a High Anglican chorister for years, and then for a time went to happy clappy (phone wants to correct that to flappy which I suppose would be pretty accurate too!) church for the music, and find I can now sing pretty much any of the JiMB stuff even if not heard it before because they are all so formulaic and musically similar

(My Alexa soundtrack is very weird mix of religious / folk / rock / choral / showtunes / metal / protest songs! 😆)

tinselvestsparklepants I know someone who goes to a Quaker meeting just because they don't have any singing. She can't abide all that happy clappy "I love Jesus" stuff.