Thought for the Day-Music’s Meaning- Part 5

Thought for the Day-Music’s Meaning- Part 5
 
For centuries Christian musicians very carefully made church music choices based on the philosophical concepts of sacred vs. profane music.  Somewhere in the twentieth century profane music disappeared in the minds of some Christian musicians..

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 5

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 5

The musical discourse in Exodus 32:17-20 is a discussion between Joshua and Moses about the musical sounds that they heard coming from the camp of the Israelites.  Although I will not be able to thoroughly consider this Bible example of musicing in the middle of this discussion of the formal properties of music, I simply wish to point out that the sounds produced from the formal properties of this “worship” music greatly disturbed both Joshua and Moses.  Remember that they “heard” before they “saw” the people musicing. These men of God were aware from the sounds they heard that there was something wrong with the worship music they were hearing as they approached the camp of the Israelites. When they saw the people musicing Moses was convinced that it was certainly a very carnal form of worship.  It is evident to me that if this musicing had been a representation of “the joyful sound” that Joshua and Moses would not have been so upset by what they heard. 

One more observation of this musical discourse in the thirty second chapter of Exodus is that Moses had just spent time on Mount Sinai in the presence of Jehovah.  When he left the presence of God, where he received the Ten Commandments, and no doubt spent time worshiping in the presence of the giver of the Decalogue, he was in a position to recognize the genuine from the false i.e. sacred from profane musical sounds of worship.  Twenty-first century Christian worship leaders should learn from this example that it will be the presence of God that will keep us in tune with “the joyful sound” and that there is a difference in sacred and profane musical sounds.

Thought for the Day-Music’s Meaning- Part 4

Thought for the Day-Music’s Meaning- Part 4

One of the reasons I believe that a musician is what he or she listens to and performs is because I also believe that musical direction determines destiny.

 

 

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 4

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 4

I know that I am a lonely philosophical voice crying in the twenty-first century “wilderness”.  However, I have this Scripture, and more, to back up my philosophical hypothesis that the formal properties of every piece of music do have the potential to affect the whole-life of the performer and the auditor. Therefore, I believe it is philosophically and morally dangerous for a person to fill his or her mind with the formal properties of a piece of music without having a thorough understanding of what this music genre is capable of doing to the whole life of an individual.

We are constantly warned that we should not eat anything without having knowledge of what it has the potential to do to our body, because there is such a strong belief that “we are what we eat”.  I contend that we are not only “what we eat” but also “what we listen to and perform musically”. Since sound communicates meaning, Christian musicians have the responsibility to be aware of how sound affects their “whole life”.

Thought for the day-Music's Meaning-Part 3

Thought for the Day-Music’s Meaning- Part 3

There is a difference in a listener who does not understand the meaning of something he or she hears and not being able to understand a music’s meaning simply because it is has none.

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning-Part 3

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 3

Based on the authority and import of this Scripture, I am drawn to the philosophical conclusion that it is the responsibility of each Christian musician to gain the knowledge necessary to ascertain what “the joyful sound” is.  In order to accomplish this difficult task one must gain understanding of the internal formal properties of each selection of music that he or she listens to or performs.  I have contended for years that the formal properties of music communicate a message to everyone who performs or listens or performs them. 

I also believe that no one is capable of musicing actively or passively in a “bubble”.  Music is not in its own little world with its meaning being “its own” with no relationship to life.  I also reject the lack-luster music philosophy that music is not capable of saying or communicating anything at all.  Music is not a meaningless benign art.  From the time of Plato and Aristotle, many music philosophers have believed that music is a powerful art.  These music philosophers have believed over past centuries that music can and does have an emotional and moral affect on the performer and auditor.  In fairness I must admit that a host of twentieth century music philosophers believed that, although music did have meaning, that its meaning was its own and was in no way related to life.

Thought for the day-Music's Meaning-Part 2

Thought for the Day-Music’s Meaning-Part 2

Post-modern philosophy of the late twentieth and very early twenty-first century purported that the one thing that a musician could “know” was that he or she could not “know” anything of a surety when it came to musicing unto God.

 

Musical Sounds Communicate Meaning Part 2

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 2

Psalm 89:15 states, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”  First let us look at the meaning of the word “know”.  It is translated from the Hebrew word yada (3045) which means ascertain, comprehend or literally recognize something.  I contend that it stands to reason that if one is able to recognize proper sounds, then it is possible that there are improper sounds that a Christian should be able to recognize. Also, as I said before, because the Bible teaches that there is “joyful sound” then it stands to reason that there are also sounds that musicians may use in musical worship that do not qualify as “joyful sound”.   

Second, we should consider the words “joyful sound”. They are derived from the Hebrew word teruah (7321) which means a sound of acclamation.  (We know that teruah means acclamation rather than the noise because it is used here in a positive sense.)  From the context of this verse, those who recognize the sound that brings acclamation and praise to God are “blessed” (esher 1835). This Scripture connotes that only those who ascertain which sounds  are truly “sounds of acclamation” are blessed or are filled with true happiness.

Thought for the day-Sound's Meaning-Part 1

Thought for the Day-Sound’s Meaning-Part 1

If Christian Musicians are going to successfully face the challenge of twenty-first century church music, they need to have spiritual discernment which will include musical discernment.

 

Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 1

 Musical Sound Communicates Meaning Part 1

This series of twenty philosophical posts will be a discussion of musical sound and its relationship to the Christian musician.  If you are new to my blog you will need to know that I will make no attempt to draw final conclusions at the end of each short daily post.  Therefore, you will need to read any daily posts that you may have missed before continuing to read the series

           First let us consider musical sound in as mentioned in Psalm 89:15 which states, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of his countenance.”  There has been heated discussion, disagreement and confusion over musical sound for over a half century.  Although we will not settle the issue once and for all in this short series of posts, I hope that this discussing musical sound will be valuable to you as a Christian musician.   Although these posts will be full of my beliefs concerning musical sound, I will try to support them not only by logic but also with God’s infallible inspired Word. Since both qualities or kinds of sounds exist, the onus is placed on the Christian’s ability to discern which sounds are and are not “joyful sounds”

It is important to note that Psalm 89:15 teaches that those who are able to discern which sounds are appropriate to use are able to do so because they walk in the light of God’s countenance.  The Hebrew word translated “walk” (halak 1980) in this verse means “to behave” or “be conversant”. The words “in the light” are translated from the word owr (216) which means, among other things, “continually” or “perpetually” in Jehovah’s countenance (paniyn 6440) i.e. face or favor.  There are several conclusions that could be drawn from this verse.  It most probably means that those who are able to discern which sounds qualify as “joyful sounds” must continually or perpetually be living in God’s favor or presence. If this is correct exegesis, it is no wonder that worldly musicians call evil good and good evil when it comes to the sounds they music unto God. 

Thought for the day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 4

Thought for the Day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 4 

I have never understood why some Christians believe that our  musical worship should be almost totally without outward emotion, yet they scream their heads off at a ball game.

 

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength Part 4

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength Part 4

We have been discussing how the Christian can have joy during times of difficulty.  So far, we have mentioned several Scriptures that remind us that God will take care of us and give us true joy if we will praise Him.  You may ask, how often should I praise God?  Psalm 34:1-3 tells us:

Vs. 1    I will praise the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Now listen to verse two:

Vs. 2    My soul shall make her boast [1984, halal, to be clear, to shine, hence to make a show, to boast, and thus be clamorously foolish, to celebrate, sing praise.] in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

            Vs. 3    O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

Some of you are probably already thinking, “Oh no, I couldn’t do that.  I’m just not that way.”  On the authority of God’s word I tell you that you can boast in the Lord.  You can be so clear, so clean, so filled with the joy of the LORD that you may act a little foolish to others.  Christians have the right to celebrate God to be clamorously foolish so to speak, to sing the high praises of God until the humble [6041, the depressed in mind the needy, the afflicted] will see and hear you and as the Scripture says shall be glad.

            If you will obey God, with His help you can turn the Sunday morning sad hour into a glad hour.  You can be the catalyst to admonish the congregation, “O Magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.”  If you feel like you just are not that way then I say to you – Get that way, because it is taught in the Bible.

Thought for the Day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 3

Thought for the Day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 3 

The Hebrew word ruwa (7321),although sometimes translated “joyful noise” never refers to noise but always means “with great strength” or to” shout praise” to the Lord.

 

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength-Part 3

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength-Part 3

             When we look at the Hebrew word ruwa and understand it means that in the time of trouble David declared he would not merely sing the praises of God, but that he would SHOUT the praises of God.  You probably are thinking now,” I’m just not like that.  I don’t shout even when I’m happy.”  Well, I say to you, get like that because it is taught in the Bible.  If you pucker up in choir like you have just eaten a green persimmon when you are going through heaviness, you are not acting like a Bible believing Christian.

            On the authority of God’s Word he has promised to see you through your heartache, sorrow, and depression if you will shout his praises whether you feel like it or not.

Psalm 28:7 states:

Vs. 7    The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalm 30: 4&5 tells us:

Vs. 4    Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Vs. 5    For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

God’s word has promised us that if we hold on and praise God, joy will come in the morning.  The psalmist tells us that we should sing unto the LORD.  God will hear us and our joy will return.

Thought for the Day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 2

Thought for the Day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 2

During Old Testament times singing caused the people to understand the scrolls distinctly.  Christian musicians in the twenty-first century should be very careful to follow this Bible principle of musicing.

The Joy Of the Lord is Our Strength Part 2

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength Part 2

Psalm 27:5 & 6 tells us, “ For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion [5520, cok (soke) a tabernacle, a protected place] in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock.  And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifice of joy; [8643, teruah, acclamation of joy, jubile, rejoicing, shouting] I will sing, yea I will sing praises unto the LORD.” 

            In the time of trouble David prayed that God would hide him in a protected place.  He further stated that God would lift up his head.  Did David feel like praising God?  Probably not, but in verse six David declared that in the midst of trouble he would give God the sacrifice of joy.  Although he probably did not feel like it, he declared I will sing, yea I will sing praises unto the LORD.

            Church musicians are probably the must emotional, moody people on the face of the earth.  We go from the highest joy to the slew of despond in a matter of moments.  When we hit bottom emotionally then it is time to give God the sacrifice of praise. 

            We know that a sacrifice costs us something or it wouldn’t be called a sacrifice now would it?  When we are in our highest moment of joy our musical offering doesn’t cost us nearly as much as it does when we come to Sunday morning worship so low emotionally that we believe that we could walk under a closed door without bending over at all.

Thought for the Day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 1

Thought for the Day-The Joy of the Lord-Part 1 

Perhaps Christian musicians would much more happy if they really believed that “The joy of the LORD is our strength”.

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength-Part 1

The Joy of the Lord is our Strength-Part 1 

In Nehemiah 8:7 – 12, it states: "Also Jeshua, and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hadijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand [995, biyn, to separate or distinguish mentally] the law; and the people stood in their place.  So they read [7121, qara, call out, proclaim] the book in the law of God distinctly, [6567, parash, to separate, to specify, to declare, show] and gave the sense [7922, sekel, success, discretion, understanding], and caused them to understand [995, see above] the reading.  [4744, miqra, something called out, a rehearsal].  And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha (governor), and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites that taught [995 see above] the people said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep.  For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength." 

In these verses we see that the Levite musicians who taught the people distinctly the sense of the Torah caused the people to understand God’s word.  I believe that all this elaborate use of words like understand, reading, distinctly giving the sense, causing the people to understand, teaching the people, refers to more than a mere talking or saying of Scripture.  I believe the Levite musicians sang or cantilated the Scripture to the people.  The people left the meeting with great joy because they understood the Torah.  The Levite musicians taught, sang, cantilated the word of God to the congregation with Joy for the joy of the LORD was their strength.

            I believe that one of the greatest things about joyful singing of the word of Jehovah is that it causes the congregation to remember and understand God’s precepts. Joyful singing and playing of  God's word is therefore one of the most valuable and profound forms of sacred music.

 

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 8

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 8

Why would a Christian musician connect God’s character and reputation with the music of this present godless world system?

      

Musical Congruency Part 8

Musical  Congruency Part 8

         If you are a conservative Christian you will be considered a fool by non-believers and most of the church world at large.  I Peter 4:4 states, “Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the excess of riot, speaking evil of you.”   The words excess and riot are translated from anachusis (401) which means which means “license” and asotia (810) which means among other things, “unsavedness”   unsavory, or debauched.  You will be considered strange and foolish if you refuse to take license or to debauch sacred music in an effort to be trendy in your music ministry.

       As I see it, you have to make a choice to conform your musicing to the spirit of this age or to the scrutiny of the demands of Bible principles musicing.   If you choose to conform to worldly musical trends that follow the philosophical spirit of this age, your musicing will not be congruent with the moral nature of God or to Bible principles of musicing.  (For more on Bible principles of musicing see my book, Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective}.  I am convinced that philosophically a Christian musician cannot “have his cake and eat it too”. 

        All of a Christian musician’s musicing should be congruent with a separated and Christ filled life.  I do not understand Christians who are conservative in lifestyle yet their musical performances are representative of the music of unbelievers.  Why would a separated Christian want to sound like a secular rock musician who has no regard for God or what the Bible has to say about music? Many Christian musicians give verbal ascent to the belief that Christian musicians are in the world (kosmos) but that they are not in agreement with the “system of this present age” (aion).  However, these musicians’ musicing is representative of the very system they say they do not identify with philosophically.

      

 

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 7

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 7

Have you ever wondered why so many 21^st century Christian musicians want their musicing to sound exactly like the music that they say they disagree with philosophically?

 

Musical Congruency-Part 7

Musical Congruency-Part 7

        The Christian musician is commanded to be transformed (metamorphoo 3339) which means when applied to music to make a complete, thorough and dramatic change in the form, appearance and character.  This is extremely difficult for many Christian musicians to accomplish because he or she has not had a complete (anakanoisis 342) renovation of mind.  The People’s New Testament Commentary explains, “Two things we learned from this chapter [Romans 12] (1) There is a divine wisdom or mystery or philosophy.  (2) This divine wisdom, or mystery, is an absurdity or perplexity to the world, but the wisdom of God to the saints.” (Quoted in Power Bible CD, under Romans 12:2) 

       If a Christian musician chooses to only music in those styles that are philosophically congruent with the mind of Christ, this kind of musical restraint will be considered foolish by non-believers and Christian musicians who have not had a complete anakanosis of mind.  Worldly musicians will consider it foolish that the conservative Christian musician is constantly “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” Ephesians 5:10).  Furthermore, they will not understand that the careful musician proves every composition and acknowledges the command in verse eleven, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

Thought for the day-Congruency-Part 6

 Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 6

Those who do not know the Lord, who are watching our lives and listening to our musical offerings, are judging God’s character by our actions.

Musical Congruency-Part 6

Musical  Congruency-Part 6

       The significance of this discussion so far is that that there is a philosophical influence exuding from “the prince of the power of the air” and that this terminology is a reference to Satan’s matrix.  There is not a single philosophical argument that would successfully refute my hypothesis, based on Scripture, that Satan’s system or matrix includes music.  I have contended for years that if Satan permeated every area of life except music, he would be less than Satan.   It has never made sense to me that Satan worked very hard to permeate every area of life until it came to music he took the day off. 

       Now let us consider congruency in a Christian’s music, music performance and music listening.  Earlier in this discussion congruency was defined as the following:  agreement, harmony, correspondence or conformity.  Romans 12:2 warns Christian musicians, ”And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may  prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”  (It is referring to Christian musician unless they have, somehow, received an exclusion from this Bible requirement.”)  The English word conformed is translated from the word suschematizo (4964) which means to conform or fashion to the same pattern of the world (aion 165) system.

        How could Scripture be any clearer?  I contend that this requirement extends to every area of a Christian musician’s life.  Unless a Christian musician has received a music indulgence, he or she is commanded to not be in agreement, harmony, correspondence, or conformity with the music of the world’s “system”.  If our music conforms to the “world system” it is not congruent with the Bible commandment to not be “conformed”.

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 5

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 5

The fact that much of music’s meaning is expressed in its formal properties, does not mean that they are the only part of the music that expresses meaning.

 

Musical Congruency-Part 5

Musical Congruency-Part 5

       Much of music’s meaning is expressed through these formal properties, but they are not the only part of a music that expresses meaning.  Other factors like context, community, previous musical experiences, aesthetic qualities, text, and associations all have an effect on the music’s communicated meaning which is both embodied and designated. 

       What these factors mentioned above represent and communicate will definitely affect the whole-life of the performer and the auditor.  Therefore, understanding music’s communicated meaning becomes a very complex phenomenon.  Ephesians 2:2 reminds us that, “Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course [aion 165] of this world [kosmos 2889], according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.”  Based on the import of this Scripture a Christian music philosopher does not need to build his or her own conspiracy theory because the bible has already constructed one for us.  The system of this present evil universe in which we live has its own course and this course includes music! 

       This Scripture passage is a plea to Christians, who once followed the course [aion] of the system of this world [kosmos], to no longer follow the system of the “prince of the power of the air” who is without doubt Satan.  The system of Satan in this present age is circumambient—it is everywhere.  To deny the circumambiency of Satan’s system and to deny that it include music, and its designated and embodied meaning, is certainly short sighted on the part of Christian musicians.  If the Christian musician believes this Scripture that states emphatically that Satan’s system is circumambient and therefore encompasses the air [aer 109], then that musician should also believe that it permeates every area of life around us that is not protected by the Holy Spirit.  I find no logical argument that religious music escapes this influence.

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 4

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 4

Simply written music may have valuable aesthetic  qualities that make it worthwhile music.

Musical Congruency-Part 4

Musical Congruency-Part 4

       Now let us return to the belief of the MEAE enthusiasts that all music should be understood in terms of its aesthetic qualities.  One of the problems of this thesis is that a concomitant of this belief is aesthetic qualities control music’s meaning (or value if one does not believe that music has meaning.)  A concomitant of the “aesthetic qualities” theory is the belief that the more aesthetic qualities a piece of music possesses, the more value or import it contains. 

     One of the apparent anomies in this philosophical praxis is that a very simple genre can communicate much meaning and thereby may possess great value.  It should be pointed out at this point in this discussion that the aesthetic qualities in a piece of music are capable of effecting its nature and value.  Music that is well composed or arranged will possess aesthetic qualities that are valuable to the listener and performer, but that does not mean that aesthetic qualities are the only qualities with which one should evaluate or esteem a music genre.

       On one of the other sides of this multi-sided musical coin displays the formal propertied of the music.  To the strict formalist, these formal properties are the only side of the musical coin that matters.  To these strict formalists, all music should be perceived and understood strictly from this viewpoint.  I will very willingly concede that the formal properties of any music are very important to one’s understanding of what any music offers to the listener or performer. 

Thought for the Day- Congruency-Part 3

Thought for the Day- Congruency-Part 3

If only the formal properties of music mattered, then music might communicate meaning to the performer and the auditor.  However, every part of our musicing matters.

 

Musical Congruency-Part 3

Musical Congruency-Part 3

       The fact that more than the formal properties of the music are involved in all music performance or listening has been glossed over by a host of Christian musicians.  Christian community does and should affect all of a Christian’s musical experiences—the influences of this present age or system also affect us.   Although many Christian musicians deny it, all of us are affected by the influences of the world.  By the term world I mean the aion (165) not the kosmos (2889).  Aion is defined as the system of this age and kosmos the physical world in which we all live. 

        So, how we perceive music is partially influenced by community.  I am often reminded or Romans 14:7 which states, “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.”  I know that the writer of the letter to the Romans was referring to the eating of meats, but the same is true of our performing and listening to music.  What we believe and bring to a musical experience will influence how we perceive and respond to it.  So, there is no doubt about it, community does influence a music’s meaning and thereby its influence on the performer or listener. 

       The previous experiences that a person has had with a particular genre of music will cause it to exert meaning on a religious performance in that genre.  The former context that one associates with a particular style of music will of necessity cause it to communicate meaning.  I contend that it will convey both musical and spiritually related meaning. 

       The music part of music, as a result of the intent of the composer, the meaning produced by the arrangement of its formal properties,  and the context or community within which it is performed or heard, will communicate meaning to the performer and the listener.  So, music performed or heard in the context of community does matter.  Music matters because the combination of these factors contributes greatly to the communicated meaning of all music performed and heard.

Thought for the Day-Part 2

Thought for the Day-Part 2

Praxial music education places the emphasis on “doing’ rather than listening.

 

Musical Congruency-Part 2

Musical Congruency-Part 2

        To Dr. Elliott musicing should take place through a praxial philosophy of music education.  Elliott states, “The noun praxis derives from the verb prasso, meaning (among other things) ‘to do’ or ‘to act purposefully.’  But when we use prasso intransitively [i.e. a verb not taking a direct object] its meaning shifts from action alone to the idea of action in a situation.” Music Matters, A New Philosophy of Music Education by David Elliott, page 14. 

         To Elliott, music is always performed in community.  Below are some of his beliefs concerning praxial music philosophy which is in “community”.

                            By calling this a praxial philosophy I intend to highlight the importance it places on music

                                As a particular form of action that is purposeful and situated and, therefore, revealing of

   one’s self and one’s relationship with others in a community.  The term praxial emphasizes

   that music ought to be understood in relationship to the meaning and values evidenced in

   actual music making and music listening in specific cultural contexts. Music Matters, p. 14. 

         Those of us who know the philosophical tenants of MEAE (music education as aesthetic education), are aware that MEAE purports that music should be understood in terms of the aesthetic qualities of the music without regard for the context in which one is listening or performing it.  I have contended for years that no one can perform or listen to music in a bubble or vacuum.  All active musicing or music listening is done in the context of community.  In other words every performer or listener brings something to the performing or listening experience—something he or she contributes and something that is derived from community.   Therefore no one listens or performs without both internal  and external influences.

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 1

Thought for the Day-Congruency-Part 1
 
Music Praxis connotes a specific, on purpose way of musicing or approaching music education

Musical Congruency-Part 1

Musical Congruency-Part 1

       Today we are beginning a series of posts on musical congruency.  If you are new to my blog you will need to know that I make no attempt to draw specific conclusions at the end of each day’s post.  Therefore if you miss any of the posts in the series, you will need to read them before continuing. 

       Perhaps the place to start this philosophical discussion is with some definitions of terms.  The term congruent is generally defined as meaning agreement, harmony, correspondence or conformity. Although the word music needs no general definition, technically it is a series of organized sounds and silences formed into a congruent whole.  Musicing is a word coined by the music philosopher David Elliott in the late twentieth century.  Musicing is the act of making music as opposed to aesthetic music education which is a listening based music education praxis. [He has taught at the University of Toronto, Indiana University, and Northwest University as a visiting professor.  He joined the New York University graduate faculty in 2002.  He is the author of the book Music Matters: A New Philosophy of Music Education and other valuable publications on music education philosophy.

       Also, before we continue, the word praxis needs to be defined.  David Elliott stated, “As Aristotle used the word in his Poetics, praxis connotes action that is imbedded in, responsive to, and reflective of a specific context of effort.”  Music Matters, by David Elliott, page 14-quoting Aristotle.  So, when the word praxis is used in this discussion it will refer to a specific way of “doing” or “musicing” that reflects the context in which one performs or listens to it. .

Prayer, Song and Thought for the Day-Part 2

Prayer for the Day

Lord I am asking You to help me to be the kind of Christian musician that will be able to minister to those who are in spiritual trouble.  Help to work on the musical areas in which I am weak.  Also please help me to keep honing my musical skills until you return or until You call me home to be with You.  These things I am praying in your strong name.  Amen.

Song for the Day “Your Love Compels Me” by Doug Holck

Thought for the Day

It is not how talented you are that matters; it is how you use your talent.

There is No Substitute for Musical Skill-Part 2

There is No Substitute for Musical Skill-Part 2

I Samuel 16:23, “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God [allowed by God] was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

       David was very well prepared musically.  This scripture tells us that he nagan im yad (5059, 5973, 3027) i.e. he played with his open hand as opposed to playing with a pick in the closed hand.  It is believed that the kinnor (3658) was usually played with a pick bur David played with his fingers indicating that he could play skillfully.  Also, in I Samuel 16:18 states that one of Saul’s servants had seen David play the kinnor and reported that he was a cunning player (yada, 3045-nagan 5059). Nagan means to thrum with the fingers thus supporting the belief that David was a skillful player and yada connotes knowledgeable playing.

   So with all of this in mind we can understand that one of the main reasons that David was given the opportunity to minister musically to King Saul was that David was prepared musically.  As I mentioned earlier in our discussion, God allows musicians to serve Him in as great a capacity as we are capable to do based on our musical preparation.  Therefore, we should plan for life-long continued music preparation in order for us to give Him the best that we are capable of giving musically.

Thought for the Day-Musical Skill-Part 1

Thought for the Day

When I think of “open doors” which God opens for a Christian enter musically, I think of
Revelation 3:8a, “I know thy works: I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it…”

 

There is no Substitute for Musical Skill-Part 1

There is no Substitute for Skill –Part 1

I Samuel 16:17, “And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.”

       King Saul had disobeyed until god had rejected him as king.  God then allowed an evil spirit to greatly trouble him.  Saul’s servants said in verse sixteen, “Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man who is a cunni9ng player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God [i.e. allowed by God] is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.”

       God opened a door of ministry to David because he was an accomplished musician.  Today god still opens doors of music ministry to those who have prepared musically to be “cunning players”.  The words cunning (yada 3045) and player (nagan 5059) mean that David was yada nagan i.e. accomplished or was aware of how to perform on his musical instrument.

        God uses musician who have practiced until they have become skillfully aware on their instrument.  There is no substitute for a thorough broad study of music.  Those who apply themselves to musical study have greater doors of musical opportunity opened to them than those who struggle when they perform on their musical instrument.

Thought for the Day-Love in Action

Thought for the Day

Without God’s love in a musician’s heart, musicing is neither natural nor efficacious.  This is the reason that Matthew 6:23 admonishes a musician “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

Is Your Musicing Love in Action?

Is Your Musicing Love in Action?   

I Corinthians 13:1, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angles, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling symbol.”

       Christian musicians many times are gregarious people who love to talk.  However, this passage of scripture gets to the heart of what really matters in one’s music ministry.  Agape (26) love is a love that is in action.  It is truly charitable love.  This kind of love is essential to a Christian musician’s music ministry.  Without this kind of love a musician’s musicing is little more than mere performance.

       The ancient Greek theorist and acoustician Vitruvius believed that the words sounding brass translated from the Greek words echo (2278) and chalkos (5475) refer to the chromatically tuned metal sounding vases which were placed in niches around the Greek outdoor theaters.  According to Vitruvius, these chromatically tuned metal vases amplified the sounds produced in the theatre, but the sounds were somewhat hollow and incapable of producing accurate authentic sounds. [For more on this see my book Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective]  Therefore, the sounds produced were not an accurate representation of the actor or singer’s voice.

       The import of the the words  translated “sounding brass” is that if one speaks  or musics without agape love, then what he or she says or sings will not be efficacious because it is mere hollow and un-authentic performance.  The Corinthian writer further explains that mere performance without agape love is like a tinkling (alalazo 214) or even better put a clanging symbol (kumbalon 2950).

 

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part-9

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 9

Since music is mentioned over 600 times in the Bible, pastors need to consider that music has and always matter to God.

 

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 9

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 9

Since music is mentioned over 600 times in the Bible, pastors need to consider that music has and always matter to God.

 

Music Matters to Pastors-Part-9

Music Matters to Pastors-Part-9 

            The topic and text of the pastor’s sermon should not be “classified information”. If the pastor does not want the service to be a one man show he must share the responsibility and authority of the service with the musicians who work under his direction.  Any pastor who does not share the burden of the service with the music staff tends to operate as more of a dictator than a skillful leader.

            As I stated earlier, I am surprised that so few pastors pray with the musicians before the worship service.  The fact that the pastor and the musicians are busy is no excuse for failing to invoke God’s leadership and anointing on the church musicians and their musicing.  If there is not time for prayer before the service, then change the time that the worship service begins.

             If music ministry is going to be efficacious the musicians must have the power (dunamis 2975) of the Spirit on their musicing.  In my opinion, it is the responsibility of the pastor to personally pray with and for the musicians since he is the spiritual leader.  Praying with the musical staff sends the message to everyone involved the Church Music Matters to the pastor and that Church Music Matters to God. 

 

 

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 8

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part-8

Pastors usually do what they consider to be really important to their ministry.  Conversely they omit the things that are not necessary or considered necessary. 

Music Matters to Pastors-Part-8

Music Matters to Pastors-Part-8

            Pastors should assist the musicians in their selection of proper music for the service by first of all telling the worship team leader where the service is intended to go.  What are the immediate goals of the service?  What is the topic and text of the sermon?  Should the organist player or not play during prayer?  What atmosphere and mood should be set by the instrumental prelude?  Should the choir sing before or after the message or both times?  Do you plan to invite people to pray at the altar after the message?  Will the call to prayer be aimed at saints or the unsaved?  Will the appeal be to sinners to come to repentance or to Christians to greater Christian’s commitment?  Do you have a particular song that you wish to be sung at the end of the service?  Do you want the minister of music to sing an invitation hymn?  Do you want the congregation to sing with the minister of music or stand quietly while he or she sings alone?  Would you prefer that the musicians play softly with no singing at all?

            The musicians including the song leader, minister of music, organist, pianist, praise team leader, keyboard player and perhaps some key instrumentalists should be called together with the pastor for a face to face meeting before the service begins.   All of the musical personnel need to know the pastor’s goals for the service in question before it begins.

 

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 7

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 7

In I Chronicles chapter twenty-five the Temple musicians were said to be “under the Hands of” the Chief musicians at the order of King David.  This Old Testament saying does connote that king David mane all the decisions.  He, however, was philosophically a leader over these Temple musicians.

 

Music Matteras to Pastors-Part 7

Music Matters to Pastors-Part 7

               The pastor of the small church will usually not have a full-time minister of music and a paid staff of supporting musicians. Therefore, the pastor will have to be the resident church music philosopher along with a myriad of other pastoral tasks.  Also, he or she may have to act as the music worship leader.  Furthermore, the pastor may, of necessity, have to be the church choir director, the instrumental conductor, organizer of all special music, and whatever else happens musically in the small church.

                As I said earlier in our discussions of “Music Matters to Pastors”, a regular part of a pastor’s “life-long learning” and continuing education should include continued training in music and music philosophy.  Understanding problems of developing and administering a Christocentric biblically based music philosophy must be a preferred claim of the pastor’s continuing education.  Churches should support Bible Colleges and Seminaries that provide an opportunity for continuing education in church music for their pastor. 

              Pastors must take a” hand- on” approach to church music.  This does not mean destroying all initiative of the novice church musicians who give selflessly of their time and energies.  Many pastors who are strong leaders make the deadly mistake of choosing all the music for the worship and evangelistic services.  This is demeaning to a church musician.  Although it may be easier to pick all the selections and push the musicians around like they were pawns on a chessboard, it is the wrong decision to make.

            This style of leadership is not “pastoring” or “mentoring” but rather the work of dictator.  Pastors with strong personalities often treat professional church musicians the same way they do novices.  Rather than defining exact style and sequence of worship they desire they become silently frustrated with what is happening in the worship and evangelistic services and blame most of the problems on the musicians and the music.

 

Thought for the Day-Music matters-Part 6

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 6

Part of the preparation of a pastor must be educating him or her musically. If educational curricular requirements do not include Bible based music education, then the pastors will have to include it as a part of their life-long learning.

 

Music Matters to Pastors-Part 6

Music Matters to Pastors-Part 6.
            So far in our discussions of “Music Matters to Pastors” we have considered the larger church that has a regular music staff including a minister of music, pianist, organist, keyboards, and instrumentalists.  These professional musicians need mentoring and personal attention of the pastor.  The church musicians of a small congregation, who are most often volunteers, need even more pastoral attention.  They need musical and spiritual mentoring.  If a pastor is going to mentor these volunteer church musicians who are in many situations also amateur musicians, he is going to need to know more about music than the names of the lines and spaces on a musical score. 
             Pastors of a small church will find that their two to four hours of music taken in Bible College or Seminary will grow thin under such conditions.  The fact that most Bible College and Seminary degree programs include so few hours of music sets the pastor of the small church up for failure.  Sacred music is not a priority in the minds of most Department chair persons who develop these programs.                         Also, I wish to add that the few hours of music and or church music classes that formerly were required in degree programs are now often being replaced with fine arts credits like art, drama, and music appreciation.  Although these classes contain nice-to-know information, they are now precluding Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective, Music in the Bible, and many other church music classes which are much more germane to what these pastoral graduates will be doing on the job than the aforementioned fine arts classes.   Would you rather have a pastor who had a deep understanding of music in the Bible and music philosophy in Christian perspective or one who understood sculpture and the history of visual art?  
           What these chair persons fail to realize is that the majority of their ministerial graduates will not pastor a super church or even a large church.  If one were to look at twenty-first century church statistics, most churches now fall in the small to medium size class.  It is also my belief that they fail to recognize that that a Christian university or Bible college education needs to be different than a secular University education.  Although a Christian higher education should have high educational standards, it should be different in that it is permeated with Christian educational thought that is especially relevant to the church.

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 5

Thought for the Day-Part 5

Many of us who attend worship services enter the sanctuary in a hurry and carry that nervousness with us into the time of public worship.  Therefore, the pastor should encourage the Christians to pray, during the call to worship, that God would help them to slow down and let go of our nervousness and hurry so that they may concentrate on Him instead of themselves.

 

Music Matters to Pastors-Part 5

Music Matters to Pastors-Part 5  

            If music is going to help accomplish the purpose of public worship, it must be a valuable concomitant of preaching and it must be carefully coordinated with the rest of the service.  Many pastors are so busy making sure that public worship does not become formal that, in an attempt to be folksy and familiar and thereby supposedly attractive to the audience, they allow a worship experience that has little or no structural form or direction. If a ministry staff does not coordinate all that takes place in the worship service, their attempts at achieving free worship turn in to haphazard worship experiences. I believe that pastor’s who hope for something spontaneous to light a fire under a sleepy worship experience, normally receive what a lack of careful planning usually brings to worship—little or nothing of lasting value at all.

             At this point, I want to make it very clear that the pastor and the music ministry team must be willing to give place to the moving of the blessed Holy Spirit.  However, it doesn’t have to be either or when it comes to the moving of the Holy Spirit.  The worship service that is well thought out and has structure in no way inhibits or prevents the moving of the Spirit.  The key too Spirit filled worship is, in my opinion, a willingness on the part of the pastor, music ministry team, and the congregation to get out of the way when the Holy Spirit begins to move in the worship service.

             As I have said before, the senior pastor is the key person in the development of a concept of worship that gives preeminence to the Holy Spirit.  Although the pastor in many situations may not be the one who is on his feet leading the worship experience, he is the one who must philosophically be the leader of organization and structure and the leader in letting the Holy Spirit have right of way at any place in the planned worship experience.

 

Thought for the Day-Music Matters-Part 4

Thought for the Day Part 4

I believe that there is much truth in the age old belief that “The Lord helps those who help themselves.”

 

Music Matters to Pastors-Part 4

Music Matters to Pastors Part 4
            It is amazing to me that although pastors are well aware of church music’s capability to cause complete chaos in the church community; many senior pastors ignore pastoring the music minister and the volunteer music staff.  Many pastors that I have worked with failed to even have prayer with the musicians before, during or after the worship or evangelistic service.  This blatant ignoring of the church music ministry staff sends the clear message that church music doesn’t matter or at least that it doesn’t matter to the senior pastor. Any part of the church’s ministry that doesn’t warrant prayer is certainly not very important.
            There are many philosophical principles that surround the use of music in the Church. Is church music only a “getting started” task or a vehicle used to pick up the offering?  Does the effectual fervent musicing of a righteous man or woman avail much?  It is my belief that Spirit led musicing can and should be efficacious in the 21st century church.  Music ministry can be a very effective vehicle for the Word of God to ride into the hearts of the worshiping body.  Music can and should be a means of preparing people’s hearts in the worship or evangelistic service.

             Another philosophical issue it that of whether church music should be an end in itself, or whether it should be a concomitant of preaching of the Word of God.  Sometimes a minister of music and the pastor thinks of a song service and a preaching service as two separate entities.  In my opinion two distinct things are not happening on Sunday morning or at least there shouldn’t be two distinct things happening in the worship service.  It is useless to say that a church service is unified merely because the musicians sing and play about God and the pastor preaches about God.

             Philosophically, what should be happening is a worship service.  The pastor should work with the minister of music in developing a direction for that service.  So, what is needed is “songs for the service” rather than a “song service”.  The pastor must take the initiative to communicate directly with the worship leader.  It is certainly not the responsibility of the minister of music to corner his boss and try to squeeze out of him or her what the intended tenor of an upcoming church service is.

            I believe that it is a mistake for a pastor to teach the music staff that everyone should pray and let the Lord lead by giving separate esoteric direction to everyone who will be participating in the upcoming worship service.  Prayer is, of course, necessary but we should never ask the Lord to do for us what we are capable of doing for ourselves.  Never has communication capabilities been as available as they are in this century.  Almost everyone has available to them a cell phone and or an email account.  So we are left, in most cases, totally without communication excuse!

Thought for the Day-Music Matters Part 3

Thought for the Day-Music Matters Part 3

We should remember that musical direction determines musical destiny, and the end does not justify the means.