Silent Night, (Un) Holy Night?
No doubt you're familiar with the Christmas classic, "Silent Night", but did you know it debuted in an Austrian chapel after the worship service?
That's because it wasn't written for an organ, the Roman Catholic approved instrument for worship, it was written for guitar.
A commoner's instrument, the guitar accompanied folk songs and bar songs and anything but holy songs.
Yet on Christmas Eve in a small Austrian town in 1818 a guitar led two voices in what the English world knows as, Silent night, holy night...
Like most cultural norms, the instruments of worship have drastically changed today to the point that you're more likely to find guitars and drums in an American worship service than an organ.
But there is a principle here that, in the hustle and hurry of our culture, can easily be missed.
And that is this - just because something is new doesn't make it bad.
No one had played a guitar in worship up until the 19th century. It was unheard of and yet gave birth to one of the most popular songs in the world.
Christmas is an incredible time to try new things, things you may have never tried before, and that's okay!
So don't worry about what if or when it or anything else!
Pick up a guitar and get to jamming!
I'd love to help This Monday evening at 8pm where I'll be teaching the beloved "Auld Lang Syne" and explaining what sets our method apart as the easiest and fastest guitar method on the planet.
Hope to see you there & merry Christmas!
JB
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