Berglund 'critiques' draw indepth reply

To the editor:

Dr. Berglund's recent "indepth critiques"  of the New Folk and Ylvisakers' concerts and concert reviews was a well-written and even sometimes logical argument.  However, there were several points that I would personally take issue with.  Perhaps the best way for me to do this is to draw parallels between the New Folk and the Bethel College Choir.

The New Folk's purpose as a group is to win people to Christ through the medium of folk music.  The choir's purpose (along with training young people musically), I would imagine, is to honor and worship God through the medium of sacred music.

The individuals in both groups become polished performers in their particular areas of music and the style of performance that relates to it.  Who is to say that the New Folk, by being used of God to win people with Christ's good news, are not honoring and worshiping God just as much as the choir?

Dr. Berglund asks why "the performers themselves seemed compelled to inform us that they do not present their 'program' in churches" and goes on to suggest that this is because they think it all right to use a medium of entertainment in college auditoriums but not in the church.

He seems to have forgotten that Dennis of New Folk East said that they quit bringing this program into the church because of too much criticism; not because they themselves thought it wrong, but because others were judging their program out of context and not realizing its purpose or seeing its results.

I saw the New Folk East at Richfield High School on Thursday of the same week they were in chapel.  The students responded enthusiastically to the music and the message both.  To see each of the N.F. members talking to small groups of interested students after the concert, explaining the claims of Jesus Christ, should convince anyone that God is using them in a very real way to change lives with His message.

I had the privilege of seeing New Folk West in concert six times last school year.  Four of these were at secular institutions:  one at Northwestern University, one at the high school from which I graduated, and two at Great Lakes Naval Training Center.

At all these concerts the audience responded with thundering applause, at three of them standing ovations.I would like to think that this applause was not only for their musical performance, but was also a way of showing the respect the audience had for a group of sharp Christian young people who were not ashamed to tell others about something they deeply believed in.

My assumption is held up by the response--at one Great Lakes concert over 500 sailors were counseled with by the N.F. and other Christians present.  400 of these sailors accepted Christ.  Some of these have since been killed in Vietnam.

Dr. Berglund would argue, however, that the end does not justify the means.  In part, I agree.  I disagree, however, that the New Folk's program is sensual and relies on "aesthetic gratification" to glorify God.  With the possible exception of one girl, who many people thought overdid it on the "dancing," I thought their choreography was done in good taste and fit their music well.

I don't think, though, that we should be overly critical of newer Christians in the group who are not yet to that level of Christian behavior which we would consider "proper."  Let God and other members of the group deal with them in real Christian love, changing them through His power.

Dr. Berglund misquotes the New Folk concert review by Chuck Myrbo as saying, "Their voices weren't the best, but they were outstanding showmen."  The article said, "Their voices didn't always match up, but they had good enough voices to make them an exciting group."  I've heard New Folk East in practice--they have fine voices and a full, well-balanced sound when they're relaxed.

The concert at Bethel was this group's third concert together, and they were nervous and not yet used to doing their program in front of a large crowd.  Add to that the fact that one of their original girls (who had practiced with them all summer), came down with mononucleosis and had to be replaced just a few weeks before starting the tour, and this is a pretty good explanation for any lack of blend or musical coordination that was evident.  That Thursday at Richfield H.S. they already sounded better, with only a few more concerts behind them.

The New Folk will be ministering to hundreds of thousands of young people on military installations and college and high school campuses this school year.  They will be telling this world unashamedly of the message of Jesus Christ-- something that we often have too little time for or are afraid to do.  They will see thousands respond.
 

I sincerely believe that criticism like Dr. Berglund's can be of great use to them, and promise that it will be.  Even more than this, however, they need the support of Christians in general through prayer.

Bill Van Wambeke
Freshman