Recently Tim Kuhl (youtube video has since been pulled) used a recording of the abominable O Holy Night (Listen to audio here) in his church. Kuhl lipsynced the silly version... and not sure why. People (like Todd Friel, Ingrid Schueter, and others) were very offended and rightly so, that this was used in church.
However my contention has always been that the original recording was a parody of show off singers who think that by adding all this "emotionality" and ornamentation. I did some research and found I was spot on.
Back story on the abominable O Holy Night
There is an interview with the original recording artist here
The Abominable O Holy Night - Revealed
So Sunday morning we were on our way to church and managed to flip by AM 1050 from Pipestone MN on the dial. We heard Bill Vanderbush, son of Frank Vanderbush, a local "you can do it" man centered pastor who started Vandenbush ministries or Faith Mountain Ministries.
The sermon was from Dec 14 although the message from Dec 7 is even more offensive and it came from papa Vandenbush. But what really got me was the rendition on Dec 14 of O Holy Night which they played toward the end of the broadcast. It is by David Phelps, performed with the Gaither Vocal Band in 2000 or 2001 according to some youtubers who put it up.
I see our friend Ray Boltz is there in the background... hmm...
And I see ladies in the audience are moved to worshipful poses. Body Prayer anyone? I guess if the audience members look like that it MUST be worshipful music!
But does this equal worship? And worship of whom??
Some people may be blessed by what he is doing up there, but it sure seems to me that that is like saying "some people in a cult may still be saved!" -- they are saved in SPITE of the cult, not because of it. In the same way, if anyone is blessed by this extremely ostentatious showmanship, it is in SPITE of it, not because of it.
For those of you who think it's just a matter of style, I think Renee Fleming is fantastic, but I still don't like her rendition of O Holy Night.
Here are the four Celtic Women singing a better rendition. Less distracting, far simpler.
Josh Groban
However both fairly simple renditions above do not use the line "Truly He taught us to love one another;: His law is love and His gospel is peace." I wonder why.
Nat King Cole
I would love a version of the song by Julie Andrews, but I don't think she made one.
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