September 14 2009
John Mark McMillan discusses David Crowder and “Sloppy Wet Kiss”
Tagged Under : David Crowder, John Mark McMillan, songwriting
Now that David Crowder covered “How He Loves” pretty much everyone in the Christian music scene knows the song, which is great because it’s an incredible song that needs to be heard and sung. Fewer are probably aware that John Mark McMillan wrote the song (not Kim Walker) and that David Crowder changed a lyric that some in the church viewed as somewhat inappropriate. Out of that a silly little Christian controversy over the lyric was created. Here is the original lyric:
“So heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss and my heart turns violently inside of my chest”
David Crowder changed the lyric after consulting with John Mark (which was a really cool thing to do by the way) to this:
“So heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss and my heart…”
I personally appreciate the original line in its correct context. The people that have issues with it typically take it out of context and that’s too bad. I’ve had numerous exchanges on this blog explaining the context of this lyric and why I do not change it when I sing it.
It’s unfortunate John Mark needed to come out and clarify but I think it was an incredibly humble and mature thing for him to do and he did it very well. You should go read for yourself what John Mark has to say about the “sloppy wet kiss” but here it is simply and succinctly:
The idea behind the lyric is that the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth converge in a way that is both beautiful and awkwardly messy. Think about the birth of a child, or even the death of Jesus himself. These miracles are both incredibly beautiful and incredibly sloppy (“gory” may be more realistic, but “Heaven meets earth like a gory mess” didn’t seem to have the same ring).
I think it’s a brilliant line that attempts to illustrate the love in God’s sovereignty though many times we fail to see his love in tragedy, it’s there. I love John Mark’s heart for Jesus, I love that he makes us uncomfortable with his lyrics, his songs are a gift to the kingdom but more importantly HE is a gift to the Kingdom.
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I understand the context of the lyric and I think it is brilliant. However for some, "sloppy wet kiss" evokes an image that I am not sure I want to evoke during our congregational worship times. I love the song and enjoy John Mark McMilan's song writing.
One of the 1st times i came to visit LCC we sang this song with its original text and I appreciated the reality of it. Being raised in the church you get a little desensitized. I was in a place in my life where I was extremely prideful and thought i had worship @ this church all figured out. I was singing and reading the next line that said “Sloppy wet Kiss” I snapped back to the moment. I had to double check what I was singing and ponder on why that was even there! I loved it! I loved that worship in this place was not so glossed over that it didnt feel real. It made me really evaluate what was going on in my head. repentance didnt come right from that moment but I know that line was used as a seed in my heart.
I think in today's culture "sloppy wet kiss" just brings to mind or has the potential with most people to bring to mind an image or thought not usually Godly. Whether right or wrong, the risk to lose the whole song or moment over a line that can be easily said differently and have the same effect is not worth it. The song is so good. That is really from a corporate worship standpoint.
That being said, I feel I wholly understand John Mark McMillan's point in using those words, and I feel this song and even that line is probably very personal to him and it's a great line in a song.
That said, DCB plays to the masses, and in my parents church or where I lead worship in my church, that line won't go over corporately. I would even say most church's aren't "deep" enough in their understanding of worship and the arts to really go there. That is not meant to sound critical, you just have to know your audience/worship environment. The song nor its power and beauty is not lost because of this change.
Brenton Brown suggests (and I agree with him) that we shape our congregation's theologies more by the songs that we sing than the messages that we preach. They will remember a worship song far longer than they will remember a sermon. If this is the case, then we as worship leaders have an enormous responsibility to make sure that the songs we sing reflect the theologies we wish to teach.
I don't believe that the fact that our "church's aren't "deep" enough in their understanding of worship and the arts" should make it necessary to to change the words of a great line – which I think we can agree is wonderful imagery. Perhaps all that is needed is some simple context.
Just an opinion! Thanks though. This is very thought provoking.
I look forward to the day when we aren't even phased by lyrics like this. If anyone knows the Hebrew translation of what it means to "know" God, you're not going to bat an eye at stuff like this. The thing is God is more real and natural and organic than our whitewashed American religion can handle. Remember the priests of the old testament with blood on their hands from slaughtering heifers who were holy and consecrated for God, and they smelled like a barbecue gone bad. And these were those who went before the Father so that ordinary men would not die in God's presence. Some people like John Mark have gone there too, but God has rent the veil so there is no reason why we all shouldn't go there too. God made us messy organic creations in His likeness and said it was good. If you still have issues with how God made you, take a number to talk to the great Designer.
Oh, and I have lead the song several times before I knew there was another option, thanks David. The song was mysteriously banned from my list every week I put it on there. Absolutely hilarious to me because of the beauty, anointing, and purity of this song. God help us as artists to have grace on his family and still bring the good stuff.
[...] battles, and it grieves me, and at the same time it makes me angry. The articles are from Our Rising Sound blog and John Mark McMillan’s blog. You see, John Mark wrote a song named “How He [...]
[...] [...]
I think what David Crowder did in toning down the sloppy wet kiss part was helpful because the song, overall, was really nice and brilliantly poetic, but with this phrase, I see at least two problems if it is OK to belabor it a little just for the sake of songwriting. My wife was offended by the song actually. The element that came across as a turn off was that it seemed to reduce the love of Jesus Christ from an infinite agape love beyond human comprehension down to a cheap form of Eros, and part of the problem with society today is our lack of restraint sexually before marriage, and frankly, also within marriage. With all the people going to church and pretending to be Christians while playing the liar and the harlot on their marriages and with all the young people shacking up or doing the friends with benefits thing, I don't think we need to be raising the worship of Eros to the level of a standard we would hope to bring Jesus Christ up to. I know that is a really hard way to say it, and I don't mean to be harsh, critical, and unloving, but rather to pour out some light not as though to accuse or blame anyone for bad intentions, and I most certainly do not want to discourage singers and song writers who in my opinion are awesomely talented and gifted by God. I just feel it is vital to remember when we are dealing with the love of God, it is a love that cannot be compared to an unexpected or a sloppy wet kiss, but rather is told by the suffering Jesus went through on the cross to pay for our sin while we were still yet unfaithful to Him betraying Him with hearts deeply selfish. His love is so much greater than we could ever imagine.
My most favorite line in the song…brings to my mind a loving Father playing around with his children…in the purest sense…with laughter and joy and a 'sloppy wet kiss.' Jesus did say come as a little child…if we keep our thoughts pure, there is no offense.
its such a powerful lyric 'sloppy wet kiss' I even used it in a theology lecture for describing santificacion of sin, went down really well. I think its a beautiful expression of Gods grace.
Bless You all =D
Aaron
I visualize the father running out to meet the prodical son at his return. The tears of joy and sobbing emotion that took place in that embrace would have been a sloppy kiss indeed.
you are an idiot. the song shouldnt be offensive to any Christian. It's people like you that turn Christianity into politics.