"Koiné - The Church Band"

I've been spending a good part of the morning listening to some great Christian Contemporary music. Really good stuff; one of my favorite groups in fact. But, the odds are, you've probably never even heard of them. Why? Because they're the "worship band" at my home church here in Milwaukee -- St. Marcus Lutheran Church.

Formed in 1993, the band, called "Koiné", took its name from an ancient Greek term for the language of the common people -- the language the Biblical New Testement was written in. They're a contemporary Christian band, bringing a new vibrant sound and feel to traditional Lutheran and Christian songs. All of the songs come from the old hymnal songs within the Lutheran tradition, and others. The goal is to give new life to some of these old hymns, while keeping the beautifully written lyrics, and giving the music a blues, pop, folk, or rock 'n' roll setting.

Now, I should probably note, such contemporary sounds aren't common in Lutheran churches yet. In fact, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) -- of which my church is affiliated -- has usually been known for it's staunch theological conservatism. But that trend is slowly changing. New ways to deliver God's message have been evolving, and more modern times present new opportunities for creative outreach.

Exploration of modern musical forms and instrumentation has been happening for years in other branches of Lutheranism, and in other denominations -- sometimes sparking great debate over contemporary and traditional approaches to music and worship. But, St. Marcus, with it's diverse urban congregation, it's younger congregant base, and it's forward-thinking leadership, has been one of the main churches embracing a more contemporary approach to Lutheran worship.

In fact, my church even happens to be the congregation that broadcasts "Time of Grace" -- the weekly worldwide media ministry that shares the Good News of Jesus Christ on television and radio in more than 15 markets throughout the country in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Time of Grace is also aired in Grenada, on the American Forces Network, and streamed worldwide on the Web.

But, enough about that. Back to Koiné....

While they may be the local church band here at St. Marcus, they're also gaining a worldwide following. They've released two self-titled CD's, and have toured to churches and other shows in eight different states over the last year. They even made an appearance at Lifest, one of the largest gatherings of Christian bands in the country. This past Spring, they were asked to travel to Ontario and North Carolina, and this summer they're planning a tour of the Western United States.

They're a great musical group. If you haven't had a chance to get to know them, feel free to check out their website, Koiné, The Church Band, to hear a few songs. You can also hear a few more on their MySpace page.

Yes, overall, Lutheranism might still be more traditional than most Protestant Christian denominations, but St. Marcus is certainly succeeding in stepping outside that mold. They've set foot into contemporary waters, they broadcast the weekly WELS worldwide media ministry, AND, they're the home to Koiné. If you ask me, I go to a pretty cool Lutheran church!

And just like Koiné of the 4th and 5th centuries in Macedonia was the common language of the people, in which the New Testement was written, today's "Koiné - The Church Band" is once again a voice for the common people, and once again the format for an extraordinary message.

Check 'em out. You might enjoy their sound!

MEDIA: "Old time rock 'n' roll" (JSOnline.com news article)

Have a great Monday all, and until next time,

Your happily blogging friend,
-Jon
posted by Jon at 10:58 AM  I   I  0 comments