Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsIncredible Talent, but One Confusing Song
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2018
All right. I know this review is going to get criticism, and I understand. I'm torn about writing it, but here goes: Lauren Daigle's voice and songs sound just as good as in the past. Her style has developed, and I still love her sound. Her songs absolutely have the power to move me, and most of them help me focus on and worship God. Thank you for that, Lauren!
There's one song on here that itches at my mind. It's "Losing My Religion." I understand that losing religion is not the same as losing the Lord, and that Lauren is striving to clearly delineate that difference. I think that many Christians have felt insincerity in their churches, and have been troubled by hypocrisy in other Christians, and in church leaders. I've been there, and have stepped away from church for periods of time. It can be frustrating to be a part of an organization that doesn't always act out its faith in consistently loving ways.
As a follower of Christ, my goal is to live the way Christ asks: As the salt and light to the world. He didn’t just mean for us to be salt and light to non-Christians, but also to other Christians. Because as humans, every one of us struggles. This past year, I have felt convicted about my hard-hearted view of church. There are people in our churches who are losing their faith because of things they’re going through, and people who are contemplating suicide and dealing with divorce; who are struggling with all sorts of addictions, and trying to heal after adultery. How can we just abandon them to the people who we see as hypocrites within the church? Doesn’t it seem more likely that Jesus would want us to help get things in our churches on the right track, so that they can continue to be a gathering of people who actually help others and one another, and who share Christ’s healing within our communities?
Losing one’s religion is the easiest answer. It’s just a matter of walking away from something messy. I get the appeal of that, especially if one has been hurt by the sometimes pervasive and unhealthy views within a church. And if a congregation is rife with issues, then I definitely think it’s time to look to another church. If the leaders aren’t honestly seeking God’s guidance, then we likely can’t positively affect them, and hopefully others will look elsewhere, too.
But Lauren, the perspective and insight God has given you could be the salt and light He wants you to share with other Christians within your church, to remind them that Christianity (as a religion of people who congregate to support one another in properly following Christ) is broad, because humanity is broad. We are a celebration of God’s creativity through our richly diverse personalities. Let’s support one another, instead of advocating for walking away from the “mess” of humanity, even (or maybe especially) when it’s in our churches.
When I walked away from church, and tried to seek Christ on my own, I wasn’t very effective at it. It was hard for me to remain disciplined about actually seeking God daily, or even weekly, through Bible study. At church, I don’t always agree with others or the pastor, but I learn compassion for the people around me who also love God, but who are struggling to make him an intrinsic part of their overwhelming, distracting lives in today’s world. And being at church for weekly Bible studies, and for sermons, helps me to keep my focus on Christ, which helps me to more properly represent His love to the people in my community. I need the constant reminders about who Christ is that my church provides to me; I am not good at seeking those reminders on my own. And I think it’s something that many people in these busy times struggle with. So I cannot advocate that the answer to one’s frustrations with other Christians is to “lose” their religion.
My vote is that we strive to enrich our churches with diversity of thought and perspective, rather than walking away from something that has been, and can continue to be, a blessing to so many people.
(On a side note, this song confused the heck out of my 6-year-old ;) Yes, we’ll have conversations about how some things in the church community do not properly represent Christ when he’s a bit older, but now is not the time. And when we DO have these conversations, I would prefer that he be able to look towards a strong Christ-follower who is willing to stick around through the criticisms, slings and arrows within the Christian world to help heal things, rather than openly declaring that she’s turned her back on an organization that has helped a lot of people turn their lives around.)
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