Saturday, April 30, 2016

Merely Sounding Brass—part 2

Merely Sounding Brass—part 2
            There are a host of opinions about what the Greek words echo chalkos (2278 5475) which were translated sounding brass mean. The best explanation that I have found of the Greek words <echeo> <chalkos>, (sounding brass) comes from the writings of Marcus Vitruvius Pollio who lived in the 1st century b. c.  He was a Roman architect, engineer, and author of the celebrated treatise De architectura (On Architecture), a handbook for Roman architects.
            Vitruvius explained that the echo chalkos were tuned acoustic brass or bronze vases that were strategically placed around the Roman out-door theaters.  Each vase was tuned chromatically and when a particular pitch was produced by the human voice, that particular vase would amplify the actor’s voice.  However, these metal sounding vases produced a hollow sound that was not a true representation of the actor’s voice quality.
            So, when one reads “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity i.e. love that acts, I am become as sounding brass” with the knowledge of what we learned from Vitruvius, we understand that if a person says that he loves his or her neighbor but does not really care for them—this person’s speech is hollow like the sound produced by the Roman hollow sounding vases that amplified sound in the roman theaters.

 

Friday, April 29, 2016

Merely Sounding Brass—part 1


Merely Sounding Brass—part 1
            1 Corinthians 13:1, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”  There are a couple of thoughts that I would like to leave with you today.  The word charity which is used repeatedly in this chapter is translated from the Greek word agape (26). Albert Barnes, in his Commentary on the New Testament gives the following comments: The words ‘And have not charity’ mean and have not love. This is the proper and usual meaning of the Greek word. The English word charity that is used in many translations of this passage of the New Testament, has, according to how it is used I a great variety of meanings; and some of them cannot be included in the meaning of the word here.”    It is believed by many bible exegetes that agape connotes love in action or love that acts.

 

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 4


Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 4 

            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.

 

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Thought for the Day


           Thought for the Day

            Why is it that many Christians both young and old believe that II Timothy 3:16, but have never considered that its truth extends to the whole of music?  It is over simplistic to pick and choose which verses on music to believe.  The fact that the Holy Writ and what it teaches is many times difficult to understand and interpret in the light of modern twenty fist century post-postmodern culture does not give a  musician the right to ignore the Bible’s teachings on music and musicing.  1Cointhians 13:12 explains very vividly, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”  The fact that, as 1Corinthians 13:9, “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” does not give us the right to ignore the truths taught in the Holy Writ about music.
 



          

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 6

Tracing Music’s Origin-part 6

            So, after much confusion, musicologists are now face to face with the fact that the notation of Bible music is authentic and that it is very ancient.  Music historians now realize that the Ugaritic notation is 1400 to 1500 years older than the Greek fragments and that the precise Bible music notation is at least 3000 years old.  Depending on when the te’amim were developed (See Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective, chapter eight.), written Bible music may be much older than the 3000 years date given by Stolba.
            Why all this fuss about music history?  The import of this discussion is simply that in the beginning God created music.  It is my belief that it is possible God revealed the te’amim to the ancient Bible authors who wrote both music and words as a unit.  It is possible that God revealed the te’amim to Moses on Mt. Sinai or that he acquired this knowledge from the Egyptians i.e. Acts 7:22, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”

 

Monday, April 25, 2016

Thought for the Day


Thought for the Day

I read a book about worship the other day.  As usual, every writer has some opinion about what the Bible says about music and musicing.  This author solved all the problems about what the Bible teaches about music.  He simply stated that when the Bible mentions music that mention is never about the music.  Wow!  He summarily dismissed what the Bible says about the music part of music with one easy statement.  The only problem with what he asserted is that it is just not accurate!  So, if you are having trouble with understanding what the Bible says about music—just deny that any of its statements are meaningful.  You will be wrong, but it will give you an easy way out!

Sunday, April 24, 2016

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.

 

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Thought for the Day


Thought for the Day

            A cultural blind spot in music is not being aware of the import one’s own musical behavior and practices. Many Christian musicians so not seem to realize that we all have cultural and spiritual blind spots.  It is not as easy as it may seem for a musician to recognize just what these blind spots are.  They are very similar to spiritual blind spots.  If we knew what they are they would not be blind spots.  For his reason we all need a musical mentor who has a personal relationship with Christ and has had a long broad study of music. 

 

Friday, April 22, 2016

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 2

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 2 

Unwise choices in music and cultural blind spots in the fine arts should not be equated with a person’s relationship to Christ.  Parents should not make statements like, “If you ever really come to know the Lord, you would not even like that music”.  Knowledge of biblical principles concerning music choices and likes and dislikes of styles of music are acquired skills not instantaneous gifts of the Spirit to the born-again Christian.  Christian purity and maturity are not one in the same.  A Christian musician may make unwise choices concerning music ministry as well as secular music selections and still be honestly trying to bring his or her life under the Lordship of Christ.  It seems that we are much more able to accept the fact that a Christian has made some very unwise credit card decisions than we are able to accept unwise music decisions.

How should Christians catechize young people concerning music?  First of all pastors, parents, music ministers, and Christian music educators should study music in the Bible thoroughly.  Since there are over 600 references to music in the Bible, there is much to be gained from a study of Bible music.  Remember that II Timothy 3:16-18 reminds us that:
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.

 

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 1


Teaching the Next Generation to Music--Part 1 

 I have often mentioned in my writing that pastors, parents, and music educators have a responsibility to pass our music values on to the next generation.  This process of attempting to instill the conservative music values in the lives of our children is many times a painful and unsuccessful endeavor.  Although we have a responsibility to share our values with the next generation, we must be sure that we do the right thing in the right way.

It is one thing for pastors, parents, music ministers, and Christian music educators to have strong beliefs concerning music but the passing of the baton to the next generation must be a “civil” process.  Long heated discussions ending in anger and tears seldom get the job done successfully.  Name calling and equating a young person’s musical tastes with their relationship to Jesus Christ is most regrettable. 

 

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

The Beginnings of Musical Knowledge

The Beginnings of Musical Knowledge
             It is possible that the beginnings of musical knowledge could be traced to Genesis 1:26 where Adam is commanded to “...have dominion (7287) over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth (776), and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”  Also in verse twenty-eight he is admonished to “replenish the earth (776) and subdue (3533) it.”  The words dominion (radah 7287) and subdue (kabash 3533) mean to subjugate or to conquer and the word earth (erets 776) is the broad term used for the world as opposed to the word adamah (127) which means the soil.  So, Adam was given the command to conquer and bring under his control the world around him which included music.  We know from Genesis 2:19-20 that Adam was given tremendous insight and knowledge.  Although these passages say absolutely nothing about music, it is possible that he also had unusual insight in music.  However, the pursuit of such an exotic hypothesis would be nothing more than exegetical gymnastics.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Tracing Music’s Origin


Tracing Music’s Origin
            Music theorists and historians have stubbornly resisted the fact that the ancient Hebrew Scripture helps us to identify the beginnings of music.  Scholarly sources like The New Oxford History of Music report, “It is very difficult to say anything definite about the origin of music, because the phenomenon is quite outside the range of our observation.  Even in those primitive civilizations that still exist there is no race so primitive that it can be considered a relic of the beginning of human culture.”   The New Oxford History of Music, Vol. I Egon Wellesz p.5   It is a mistake to look for the origin of music in any existing remnant of early civilization but rather in the Old Testament Scriptures.  It is true that the Pentateuch is relatively silent as to the specifics of the beginnings of music.  However, we do know that God imparted musical knowledge to man before the flood.  Genesis 4:21 states that Lamech’s son Jubal, “was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.”

Monday, April 18, 2016

Music is Not Amoral

Music is Not Amoral
           Those who conclude that music is amoral have to incorrectly assume that in the beginning God did not create music in a personal real way.  They believe that God sees music from a distance through rose-tinted glasses.  Since they believe that God does not have an ultimate opinion concerning music ministry, He is not “there” when it comes to music.  The very fact that music “is” is proof to a Christian that it is a part of God’s infinite creation.  A thesis thinking Christian who believes in a real creation rather than some kind of theistic-evolution is led to the systematic conclusion that because music “is” and is a part of God’s real creation, God is “there” concerning music.  If God is “there” concerning church music in the 21st century, then it stands to reason that he cares about it in a most personal way.
            Since we are drawn to the logical conclusion that God created the great art of music, then the physical creation of music as music (not just the words) matters to God.  We do not have one shred of evidence that God created anything (moral or amoral) that does not matter to Him.  Certainly it is only logical to conclude that the music part of Church Music Matters very, very much to God.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

God Cares about Music

God Cares about Music
            Christian musicians need to remember that in the beginning music was created by God and for Him not “us” alone.  Since He cares about “us” in a personal way, He created it for our education, edification and our enjoyment as a part of His very excellent creation.  He created music so that we might worship Him in a very personal way.
           On this Sunday morning it is necessary to believe that music is not personal to God if we are to believe that God does not have an opinion  about how we music unto Him. If music is not personal to God, then it isn’t important to Him, evidently, so church music doesn’t matter very much.  If music does not matter to God, then what we do today probably does not matter to God.  If music doesn’t matter to God then it could most likely be quite benign and therefore it ip probable that our musicing is not a valuable part of Christian worship. 
            If church music doesn’t matter then perhaps He did not objectively create music.  If He did not create music then it is possible that music is not objectively real to God then there is no real or true cause and effect from performing this neutral amoral art form.  If God did not care about music in the beginning, then it is highly possible that He does not care about it this Sunday morning.  You should be justifiably angry at this point because you know that music does matter to God and that it matters how we music unto Him today.  You know this because His Word declares over and over again that music does matter to God!

Saturday, April 16, 2016

SERVRNG GOOD CAUSES WITH MUSIC

SERVRNG GOOD CAUSES WITH MUSIC
I believe that there are absolutes concerning music ministry.  I believe in profundity, appropriateness and standards of correctness in church music.  I believe that CHURCH MUSIC MATTERS and that CHURCH MUSIC MATTERS to God.  I believe that although there is room for taste in church music ministry, it is not all a matter of personal taste.  I believe God created music and that He thought it into being.  I believe that since God thinks about music it behooves us to study his Word to ascertain what He thinks about music.
I believe that good causes in music may be served.  I believe that even though we live in this present evil world, we are not of this present world.  I believe that conservative Spirit filled musicians can effect positive changes in church music.  I believe that churches, Christian schools and Bible colleges who have a Christocentric music philosophy can catechize the next generation of music educators and church musicians to put on the “whole armor of God” that they may resist the stratagems of Satan that surround us.  I believe that conservative Christian musicians may be renewed in the spirit of their mind in such a way as to affect positive change in Bible believing church music ministries.  I believe that under the anointing of the blessed Holy Spirit, conservative Bible believing ministers of music may fulfill the Bible mandate in Genesis 1:26 that man made in God’s image should have dominion over all the earth which includes music.  


 

Friday, April 15, 2016

CHURCH MUSIC MATTERS

CHURCH MUSIC MATTERS
I believe that the more than 600 references to music in the Bible are given by inspiration of God and are profitable doctrine for reproof, correction, and instruction today.  I believe that the Bible provides us with timeless, relevant, usable, practical and spiritual guidance in the 21st century.  I believe that the only completely safe teacher of church music philosophy is the Holy Spirit who is capable and willing to guide us into all truth concerning music ministry in this century. 
I believe that there are absolutes concerning music ministry.  I believe in profundity, appropriateness and standards of correctness in church music.  I believe that CHURCH MUSIC MATTERS and that CHURCH MUSIC MATTERS to God.  I believe that although there is room for taste in church music ministry, it is not all a matter of personal taste.  I believe God created music and that He thought it into being.  I believe that since God thinks about music it behooves us to study his Word to ascertain what He thinks about music.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Thought for Today


Thought for Today
What is the cause of a lack of communication about music between one generation and another?  Why do young people and their parents often experience a musical generation gap which is often brought about by differences in musical tastes, values, and outlook?   Those of you who are ministering with the great art of sacred music today must remember that the greatest way to bridge the music gap is with genuine heart-felt musicing.  Every generation engages more quickly when they can see and feel that you care deeply about the music.

 

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

The Importance of Music Education (USA)—part 4

The Importance of Music Education  (USA)—part 4
       We must not take off ourbiblical worldview glasses” in the area of music. It is not a neutral, ineffective, autonomous area, but on the contrary, it greatly affects our lives and we must surrender our musical tastes to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  There is a reason we must guard what we listen to.   K. Marie Stolba put it well when she said, “Music was peculiar among the arts in that it alone had the ability to influence character.”  (Stolba, K.M., The Development of Western Music, 1998 P. 13) When we are making wise musical choices, we are able to enjoy the beauty of music as it infiltrates our lives. “The result of aesthetic experiences is a richer and more meaningful life…The antonym of ‘aesthetic’…can best be thought of as ‘anesthetic’- nothingness, no life, no feeling, no humanness.” (Abeles, Hoffer, Klotman, Foundations of Music Education, 1994 p. 63)  How much should we thank our heavenly Father for giving us so many aesthetics that our lives may be full and enriched! And how important it is that we honor that privilege and take advantage of what He has given us courts with Praise, (Ibid., Webber, 1997 p.78) 
                The author of this philosophical excerpt is Ms. Rachelle Wolf.  She holds a BA degree in Christian music ed. with a performance emphasis in applied violin from God’s Bible College and a MM degree in violin performance at Miami University at Oxford Ohio.  She currently teaches music at Aldersgate Christian Academy, teaches violin privately, and is active in her church. Material used by permission of author.

 

 

 

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

The Importance of Music Education (USA)—part 3

The Importance of Music Education  (USA)—part 3
            Even as we discover truth and discern wisdom, our finite minds cannot cover everything. “No philosophy can be comprehensive in the omnipotent sense of providing the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” says Garen Wolf.  “A philosophy can never say all there is to say about something. However, a philosophy can and should explain what something is all about.” (Wolf, Garen, Church Music Matters, 2005 p. 18)  Not everyone will have exactly the same lines of demarcation, but we all must filter our philosophies through the gridlines of the Bible.
       A musician’s philosophy is not established to make other people happy, but to set guidelines for living a Christ centered, God honoring life.  Christ must have preeminence in our lives; He must have lordship over all of our choices and decisions, including music.  Francis Schaeffer says, “There is nothing autonomous- nothing apart from the lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Scriptures. God made the whole man is interested in the whole man, and the result is a unity.” (Schaeffer, 1968 p. 29) Part of submitting to His lordship is considering what God thinks about music.  God loves beautiful things, and we bring to Him our best offerings and abilities, but we do not perform art for the glorification of art itself. Webber says that the arts are “vehicles for communication. The arts are not venerated or worshipped. Rather they are used to communicate truth about God.” (Webber, R, E. Enter his Courts with Praise, 1997, p. 78)
                The author of this philosophical excerpt is Ms. Rachelle Wolf.  She holds a BA degree in Christian music ed. with a performance emphasis in applied violin from God’s Bible College and a MM degree in violin performance at Miami University at Oxford Ohio.  She currently teaches music at Aldersgate Christian Academy, teaches violin privately, and is active in her church. Material used by permission of author.

 

 

Monday, April 11, 2016

The Importance of Music Education (USA)—part 2

The Importance of Music Education  (USA)—part 2 
       The first step in developing a music philosophy is to go to the Word of God.  We cannot find wisdom and discernment in ourselves or in the world around us.  It must come from our Heavenly Father first and foremost.  I Corinthians 2:12-16 says, “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
        “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.  The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (NIV)
            The author of this philosophical excerpt is Ms. Rachelle Wolf.  She holds a BA degree in Christian music ed. with a performance emphasis in applied violin from God’s Bible College and a MM degree in violin performance at Miami University at Oxford Ohio.  She currently teaches music at Aldersgate Christian Academy, teaches violin privately, and is active in her church. Material used by permission of author.

 

 

Sunday, April 10, 2016

The Importance of Music Education (USA)—part 1

                                               The Importance of Music Education  (USA)—part 1
       This philosophical excerpt is presented here as a part of our series of articles on music education philosophy presented by selected Christian musicians in various countries.  The author of this philosophical excerpt is Ms. Rachelle Wolf.  She holds a BA degree in Christian music ed. with a performance emphasis in applied violin from God’s Bible College and a MM degree in violin performance at Miami University at Oxford Ohio.  She currently teaches music at Aldersgate Christian Academy, teaches violin privately, and is active in her church. Material used by permission of author.
                                    Finding Truth in a World of Musical Deception
       What is music? Does it have value in the life of a Christian?  What does God think about music?  Are there specific kinds of music that are appropriate for a Christian musician?  Is there a place for secular music?  It doesn’t take long to find answers to these questions, many answers. It is not in finding answers that we have difficulty; ask anyone you meet.  Every musician has a music philosophy, regardless of how well it is developed.  The real challenge comes in wading through the stream of answers and philosophies to find the gold nuggets of truth. 

Saturday, April 9, 2016

The 21st. Century Music Synthesis-part 2


The 21st. Century Music Synthesis-part 2

Yesterday we discussed amalgamating music styles into an appropriate *synthesis.   Ingenious isn’t it?  Now when a minister of music inappropriately combines music styles that are inappropriate for use with worship of a high and Holy God, Satan has successfully squeezed church music into the world’s mold.  The result is religious rock music which is the perfect style for them to use to trick the world into becoming lovers of Christ.  Before sinners know it the church will deceive them into becoming Christians.  Of course, synthesis thinkers want them to be saved in their sins, not from their sins, so this autonomous music doesn’t have to preach a life changing relationship with Christ.  Rather, this autonomous non-rational, non-logical, leap of faith will bring a non-rational faith to these new autonomous worldly Christians.  Sounds dangerous, doesn’t it?  The reason it sounds dangerous is that it is the result of synthesis musical thinking. 

*Synthesis-- Combining musical style ideas to form a music system. It is a mixture of traditional Christian and worldly popular styles of music.  This amalgamation is often called contemporary Christian (?) music.

 

Friday, April 8, 2016

The 21st. Century Music Synthesis-part 1


The 21st. Century Music Synthesis-part 1

Now in the twenty-first century, somewhere between music that is best suited to fit the awesomeness and solemnity of public worship and music that is not suited for Christian worship are styles of music that is now inappropriately appropriate.  Since the answer must be a *synthesis answer, the answer must be taking music that was created to fulfill the lust of the flesh and squeezing this music into a worship mode.  To accomplish this, synthesis thinking Christian musicians have to find a style of music that is basically created anti-Christ, anti-worship (of God), anti-trust, anti-purity, anti-beauty, anti-rest, anti-authority, anti-family, and amalgamate it with the gospel message and when this is accomplished, “presto-chango” they have the perfect worship style.

*Synthesis-- Combining musical style ideas to form a music system. It is a mixture of traditional Christian and worldly popular styles of music.  This amalgamation is often called contemporary Christian (?) music.

 

 

Thursday, April 7, 2016

The Nitty-gritty of Making Musical Choices-part 2

The Nitty-gritty of Making Musical Choices-part 2  
            The nitty-gritty of making musical choices will many times be difficult for teenagers.  They will explore and they push the limits set by the home, church, and the Christian school.  The lines of communication between parents and teenagers must be kept open.  There must be no name-calling, no unwarranted accusations, no anger, and no rancor in parent-teenager musical discussions.  Parents should remember that if a young person’s musical choices do not involve extreme musical styles that are associated with anti-Christ living and if the music is clean morally, teenagers have a right to likes and dislikes in music.  Just because a parent doesn’t like a particular style of music is not sufficient reason to deny a child or teenager access to that music.  I want to make it very clear that I am not referring to rock music or popular music that is of an offensive nature.

 

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

The Nitty-gritty of Making Musical Choices-part 1

The Nitty-gritty of Making Musical Choices-part 1 
            Where should the process of shaping children’s music philosophy begin?  First, start by providing good quality music in your home.  If parents provide many good choices of both secular and sacred music in their home, children will develop enriched musical tastes at an early age.  Second, parents should get involved by taking their children to music concerts and discussing what went on at those concerts including the performers, and the styles of music performed.  Third, get your children involved in music lessons at an early age.  Positive involvement in music making is a very valuable influence in a child’s development of likes and dislikes in music.  The more musical knowledge and music skill a young person acquires, the more equipped he or she will be to make educated, mature decisions about music.
           

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day
            I am a Christian today because of the care and prayers and involvement of those who cared for me musically and spiritually.  Have you ever thought about those who really made a difference in your spiritual life?   There were several people who refused to give up on me!  Where would I be today if they had written me off their prayer list?  You have more influence over young people than you may believe that you have.  Praying for them regularly is very important, but so is the way you treat them.

 

 

 

Monday, April 4, 2016

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day
            Parent who get involved with their children’s musical activities find it easier to give musical advise to their teenagers later.  Many times parents are so involved with their careers that, when their children are little, they do not take time to help their children with music lessons on a daily basis. Think about it, many adults who are studying applied music heed help more often than once per week.  If this the case with many adults, what about little children?  Children learn in small increments.  Therefore, almost all of them need daily parental music guidance.

 

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Memories of Going to Church

Memories of Going to Church
            My first memories of going to church include my mother practicing songs with me and praying with me, and the preacher lifting me up on a chair behind the pulpit to sing special music about Jesus.  I have told you all this to remind all of you Christian parents that your children’s musical training really matters.  No matter what you have or do not have, the things that matter are not “things”.  Whatever it takes, make sure that your children receive a quality music education and that you provide them opportunities to give their musical talents back to the God who gave them to your children. 
         I am grateful that Dr. John I. Page and his wife Virginia took me to church fellowship meetings and to retirement communities to sing the gospel as a little child.  I was extremely blessed to have a pastor and his wife that cared about a little boy who had some musical talent.  I am also grateful that in July of 1967 Dr. Page invited me to an altar of prayer where I confessed my sins and wept my way into the loving arms of my forgiving Savior Jesus Christ.  I will forever be thankful that I was given a Christian upbringing and that as a child I was given musical training and many opportunities to give my musical talents back to God.

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Thought for the Day


Thought for the Day

            What Christian musicians often fail to realize is that we can trust Satan.  We can trust him to always be Satan.  Furthermore, we can trust him to always try to influence us to pervert church music in such a way that it will no longer be efficacious.  I do not like to ever be negative in any of my writings.  However, It is a fact that Satan is not a friend of grace.  Revelations 12:9, “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.  Satan is constantly working to deceive Christian musicians because he knows that his time is limited.