Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 3

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 3 

            All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.  II Timothy 3:16

            If the Bible is accurate and inspired, and it most certainly is, all of the six hundred plus Scriptures referring to music are profitable to us today. This truth is attested to in II Timothy 3:16.  The problem is gaining a knowledge how they are profitable.  They teach us generally about musicing and especially the doctrine of how to make music unto God.  It will help us to avoid unwise choices in both sacred and secular music by providing us with reproof, correction and instruction.  It is not only negative with definite reproofs and corrections, but also positive with its instructions in righteousness.  No pastor, parent, Christian music minister or music educator is properly equipped to pass on our Christian music values to the next generation without a thorough knowledge of Bible music.

            An often much overlooked necessity is studying music seriously.  It is no joke that “knowing is doing”.  A Christian cannot teach what he or she does not know.  In our highly educated world today it is ludicrous for one to try to instruct others in how to music and how to develop a music philosophy without as much as knowing the names of the lines and spaces.  Being a music consumer does not qualify one to instruct others in music.

            Christians must consider the whole of music.  This includes a long broad study or music which includes both sacred and secular music.  Everyone should have knowledge of classical, folk, pop, jazz, rock, country and a host of other types of music in order to converse intelligently with the generations to follow us as pastors, parents, and church musicians.  Anything less than music literacy and a general understanding of the performance practice of these styles will dwarf our possibilities of reaching our young people with a logical, reasonable, explainable, discussible, and practical philosophy of music.