The Role of Music in Worship-part 1

The Role of Music in Worship-part 1  

       The topic that I am going to discuss today is not just for pastors or ministers of music or song leaders or church pianists, organists, those who sing in the church choir or those who play in the church orchestra, but rather for all Christians who go to church to worship God.  This discussion of the role music plays in worship is for young and old alike. It is a discussion about worshipping God with music.  

       Philosophically, what is music worship? Before we answer that question perhaps the first order of business should be to define worship. The word worship is derived from the Anglo-Saxon noun “worthship”. It is a joyful giving of reverence, honor, respect, and adoration to God.  Worship is a wonderful reverential communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In the worship experience we communicate our adoration and love to God.  We honor Him, we acknowledge Him, we confess His name, we bow before Him, and we celebrate God for who he is, for what he has done, and for what he will do, (Webster says that worship connotes, "to perform a religious ceremony publicly”.) To the Christian, it has much deeper meaning than a mere ceremonial act. 

       One can ask the legitimate question, “What is the purpose of worship music?” It is to give honor—i.e. worship music should take place for the primary purpose of giving honor to God. It also exists to edify the believer.  Edify means "to improve spiritually or morally by instruction or example".  It should be a means of grace to bring the believer closer to God.  God desires to have fellowship with mankind so when we take the spiritual journey from the natural to the supernatural and individually and corporately lavish praise on God with our musicing unto Him, God is pleased, honored and glorified. Worship should strengthen and sustain spiritual life.  Worship should be a means of grace to the believer since it is capable of administering God's grace to the Christian. However, music worship is not ultimately about the believer but rather about God.  Therefore, the worshiper does not approach musical worship for what he or she can get out of it, but rather as his or her response to God.