Spring Havest: Dave Lynch talks about an album with a radical approach to youth worship

Wednesday 1st October 1997

The annual Spring Harvest Bible Week has made a huge impact in profiling new worship songs and ministries. Steve Cox spoke to DAVE LYNCH.



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The reality is that these artificial barriers still exist across the whole spectrum of church tradition regardless of church denomination about what is and is not acceptable in worship. Churches continue to unwittingly stifle, and frustrate, talented young musicians like Dave. Dave is remarkably philosophical about this lack of church recognition.

"At Soul Survivor, someone climbed onto the platform and threw hot water over Kevin Prosch because he was playing ethnic instruments and some religious chap didn't like it. Basically, Kevin said to the people 'just worship', but because he was using ethnic instruments that in the past have been used in pagan worship, the religious sensibilities of some older people couldn't handle it. It's the same with using grunge guitars that people associate with Nirvana or house rhythms and their association with clubs full of kids on "E". Many religious people, even those who say they want contemporary worship, aren't prepared to acknowledge that God is redeeming all things and that all musical styles can be used to glorify God and worship him." Dave also struggles with today's unimaginative use of the worship leader model.

"In the local church, I don't think there should be so much emphasis upon the whole leading thing," continued Dave. "People need to be able to worship without music as well. I'm into music, it's what I do but getting back to this whole Christian industry, pumping out worship album after worship album, what is it really doing? They're great for resources, but we need albums with something real to say."

The reaction of Dave's non-Christian friend to this praise and worship album may challenge some Christian preconceptions, but this could be the most appropriate target audience for culturally relevant worship music with powerful, non-cheesy lyrics: a proposition that soon found favour with Dave's attitude toward music and today's culture.

"Yeah, I just want to fit everyone really," said Dave. "Sometimes when I listen to the worship stuff, the words are so patronising or hard to understand. The lyrics on the 'Praise Mix' album were not offensive. I think it was the way they were sung and the music. God can reach people through a variety of music. I was talking to Kevin Prosch at Soul Survivor and he was telling me that God can use sounds to save and heal. Now, that sounds controversial, but I could really relate to that. I would use a sitar to worship God. It's not the instrument, but the heart and spirit behind it that matters."

Dave's passion for music and sound was the key to his earlier conversion. At college, his friends were Christians and Dave was part of the local Christian youth group. Here, he met a young man by the name of Martin Smith, who asked Dave if he would go on tour with the worship band, Vinesong. At this time, Dave had a nominal belief and very little knowledge of PA sound systems. He soon learned the hard way, and God clearly had other reasons for bringing him along. After a couple of concerts, Dave went forward for ministry and the rest, as they say, is history.

His musical tastes haven't changed too much since his conversion. He enjoys a variety of different sounds and includes Radiohead and Acid Attack among his favourites. When I finally caught up with this hard working music freak, he'd just finished a hugely busy period recording R&B gospel's David and Carrie Grant, Irish band Halcyon Days, a Christmas album with worship leader Dave Hadden, Irish singer Iain Archer and was about to embark upon a finished cut of the live Soul Survivor album. An eclectic list if ever there was one. So, after 'Spring Harvest Praise Mix' is Dave still intent on pushing the boundaries of different musical styles?

"I suppose so, but I don't really like the word boundary. There shouldn't be any boundaries, nor should we be striving to be on the cutting edge. I'm not sure what this cutting edge thing is anyway. We should just be ourselves, and do what we enjoy doing."

One person eager to trumpet the emerging talents of this brand new CCM producer is Doug Walker, a member of the Manchester-based Message To Schools team who sang, in spite of a bad cold, on three 'Praise Mix' tracks.

"There's been a lot of cheesy Christian music," commented Doug, "which young people find off putting. The music stops them listening to really good lyrics. I love the track 'More'. In fact, I prefer it to the one with the melody on. I sang on the track 'Can A Nation Be Changed' and I had a whale of a time just worshipping.

"I think Dave Lynch is fantastic," enthused Doug. "When I was there, I think he had been up for about 48 hours. There's a tendency in the Christian scene to use the same musicians all the time and it's hard for anyone else to get a chance. I think we should have more Daves please."

At the risk of embarrassing Dave, several people I talked to who knew him expressed enthusiasm and a genuine desire to work with this amazing talent. The familiar rock tones of veteran Split Level lead vocalist, Adrian Thompson, appear on two tracks on the album. Adrian is also label manager and A&R boss at ICC. "We were asked to link the album with this year's Spring Harvest youth project," commented Adrian. "We've tried to bring today's music culture right into the heart of a praise and worship album. It's always difficult to get the balance right between performance and worship, but I think Dave has done a great job on the album."

The key to pushing, if not destroying, the artificial boundaries imposed upon expressions of worship is our security in God. Worship leaders, music companies, studio owners, record producers and all of us in local churches need to discover that real freedom. Then we need to release a whole generation of young Christian musos into a new realm of God-centred worship.

"Trevor and I are considered the new boys," admitted Dave. "I suppose that hasn't changed, but I've noticed a general change down here at ICC. For two years, I did mastering in the studio. I literally sat in a room for seven hours a day listening to music and I never heard anything I want to go out and buy. Then, I went to Greenbelt and saw a few things I liked. I think people are taking things more seriously and really trying to produce some really good stuff."

Perhaps Dave and other young, aspiring record producers will be the real trailblazers for revival in this land. Let's hope so. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.
About Steve Cox
Steve Cox lives in Cornwall, is married to a wonderful wife, Annette, is father of two daughters and a member of the Cross Rhythms family.


 
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