Considering Anti-Music-part-part 3

Considering Anti-Music-part-3       
              I believe it is a mistake for a Christian minister of music to refer to refer to sacred music as “noise” or “organized noise”.  I admit readily that some of the compositions that have been pawned off on the church in the last century and in today’s church may well be considered noise.  When it is justifiably considered to be noise it should not be considered sacred music.  

            The composer, arranger and the musicer must make a choice of either producing “noise music” i.e. anti-music or music that is worthy to be considered for sacred use.  Psalm 89:15 teaches that in the eyes of Almighty God who is here referred to as YHVH the self-existent, independent, eternal God who is ,when it states, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.”    Sound may not matter to millennials who are post postmoderns, but it does to God.  Certainly it should not take much musical discernment to distinguish noise music from music styles that are suited to the purpose of worshiping a high and holy God.  

Scripture Thought for the Day  
Ezekiel 26:13, “And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound of thy harps shall be no more heard.”

Considering Anti-Music-part 2

Considering Anti-Music-part 2

            Noise-music is a form of so-called music that some would consider to be the “expressive” use of noise or distortion within the context of what the composer or arranger considers to be “music” or “anti-music” music. This type of composition challenges the distinction between musical and non-musical sound. It is directly related to the 20^th century philosophy off the destruction of music absolutes.

            Where am I heading with this discussion?  The purpose is not to get entangled in the controversy over whether some secular music that is rightly considered to be anti-music is music or merely noise.  The purpose of this very brief mention of anti-music it to point out that it was not developed by God fearing Christian musicians who were desiring to worship God with a genera of music that negated the elements of traditional Western music.  Therefore, it is misguided for a Church musician to entangle public worship with such styles of music.  Such entanglement is one of Satan’s stratagems for squeezing religious music into the world’s mold. 

Scripture Thought for the Day   

Isaiah 14:11, “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.”

Considering Anti-Music-part 1

Considering Anti-Music-part 1

            I believe that this name anti-music was originally a term tending to use irony or mockery to represent the negativism of some musical compositions of the 20th century. It was also a term discussed in a music web site called antimusic. As far as I can tell the name originally came from a coined term in the book Broken Record: The Inside Story of the Grammy Awards by Henry Schipper.  Schipper recounts in this book that the Academy and their awards program were initially set up as the old-line music biz’s answer to the growth of Rock n’ Roll, a form of music they considered “Anti-Music”. 

             Perhaps another way to look at the meaning of this word is to consider it any form of music that defies convention to such a degree that some people would not recognize it as musical or a legitimate music genre.  Perhaps a better understanding of this term would be any form of music intended to overthrow traditional conventions and expectations.   Some other related considerations of anti-music could possibly be anti-genre music or noise-music.  

Scripture Thought  for the Day

Amos 5:23, “Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.”

Good and Perfect Gifts--part 2

Good and Perfect Musical Gifts--part 2  

             No Christian musician is self-sufficient and autonomous.  All of the special gifts that musicians possess are given to them by our wise and all-knowing heavenly Father. In St. John 3:27, “John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.  Romans 11:29 teaches, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”  1 Corinthians 4:7 asks, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?”  1 Peter 4:10 also teaches that, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”  Romans 12:6-8 explains, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

             The aforementioned Scriptures iterate the fact that no musician is “self- made”.  The beneficial and perfect gifts that Christian musicians exhibit in their professional endeavors are given individually to them by our heavenly Father who never makes a mistake.  Therefore, it is no wonder that God’s Word declares that they are “without repentance”.  I have told my college classes over the years that when we face Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, we will give an account of what we did with the musical gifts which God has given to us.  (See Romans 11:29, Revelation 19:12 and 20:12)

Good and Perfect Musical Gifts-part 1

Good and Perfect Musical Gifts--part 1

           James 1:17 explains that,” Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”  At first reading of the first chapter of James, it seems that this verse was merely dropped into this passage of Scripture without direct connection to the rest of what James was teaching.  However, as one studies this chapter it becomes apparent that James is teaching that all good gifts emanate from God.

           One of the perplexities centers on the apostle’s use of the words agathos dosis (18, 1394) and teleios dorema (5046, 1434) which were translated good gifts and perfect gifts in the AV.  What is the significance of the apostle’s use of the Greek words dosis and dorema?   What is the significance of good gifts and perfect gifts?  Finally, what does this verse teach us about gifts given to us from God? 

            Agathos dosis means a beneficial giving [of God] and telios dorema means a perfect bestowment [of God] in the context of completeness.  The words translated good and perfect in the AV reflect gifts [given to us by God] that are beneficial and complete. This application given in the Book of James extends to Christian musicians. 

Aesthetic Philosophy and Representation

Aesthetic Philosophy and Representation

            Aesthetics originally dealt with the mathematical and cosmological aspects of music. Later in the 18^th century it turned to the study of beauty in art forms rather than to the more practical or useful aspects of art. A dictionary definition explained that this branch of philosophy traditional aesthetics, “…assumed the existence of universal and timeless criteria of artistic value." Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. All rights reserved.  Now, in the 21^st century, there are many ways that critics, define, construct and develop a philosophy of aesthetics.

            As with many fields of study, there is a lack of any certainty about aesthetic philosophy of music.  Generally speaking, music aesthetics deals with the area of philosophic thought that deals with the principles that govern artistic taste and beauty.  Aesthetic philosophy has morphed into a set of notions about music styles that make them desirable, enjoyable, attractive and a host of other terms that professionals and neophytes now use to explain why they do or do not like a certain type of music.

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 4

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 4

             By Bible standards, church music is not all a matter of taste.  The Bible teaches that there are principles that do govern all music practice including both secular and sacred.  It only makes sense that when the Holy Spirit admonishes us in the musical discourse of Ephesians 5 to prove “what is acceptable unto the Lord” that He would also provide from the Word of God principles that would enable us to go about the process of “proving” what is or is not acceptable unto the Lord.

            So, twenty-first century Christian musicians do not need to be “programmed” or “caught in the wheel” since they may choose to retain God in their musical knowledge and be renewed in the spirit of their mind.  Church musicians do not have to accept the world’s music matrix but rather they may elect to believe the principles set forth in the Bible and base a Christocentric music philosophy on these eternal principles.

             

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 3

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 3

            If God said in the Book of Amos that He would not hear the melody of their viols because of the noise then what causes a contemporary Christian musician to conclude that God will accept noise in church music today?  If God said take this musical noise “away from me”, what makes a twenty-first century church musician believe that he has changed His mind today? (See Chapter 11 on Aesthetics and the Christian Musician)

            This discussion of Bible principles concerning music could continue here for pages and pages.  However, I will leave that discussion to those mentioned above.  If you are interested, I suggest you read my book, Music of the Bible in Christian Perspective, which treats this subject thoroughly.  We know that there are Bible principles that make a prescriptive approach to music philosophy biblically sound.

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 2

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 2

            Not all music was considered appropriate for public worship.  There were many instruments mentioned in the Bible but only some of them were used in Temple worship.  Some music was no doubt used for sensual purposes including harlotry.  Loud music was played at funerals by the hired professional mourners.  A word by word study of dance in the Bible reveals that most of the references do not refer to any type of religious dancing.  Some of the dancing was used specifically for idol worship and some of it was possible used for human sacrifices.  Dancing and furious drum beating was certainly never used in the Temple in the worship of Jehovah and dancing or rhythmic movement is nowhere traceable in the first or second Temple.  Although some secular music was used for improper purposes, not all references to secular music in the Bible were considered improper.  The term “joyful noise” of the Authorized Version is most unfortunate since the Hebrew word translated “joyful noise” meant with power, acclamation and great joy, NOT NOISE.  However, the Bible does say in Ezekiel 26:13, “And I will cause the noise (hamown 1995) of thy songs to cease...” and Amos 5:23, “Take thou away from me the noise (hamown 1995) of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.”  The word hamown used in the aforementioned Scripture does not mean strength or joy or acclamation but rather NOISE.

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 1

Bible Principles of Musicing-part 1

            What are some principles of music found in the Bible?  Vocal music was most important since it was a vehicle for the word of Jehovah to ride into the hearts of the worshiper.  The instruments used to accompany vocal music were mostly string instruments that would not cover up the words.  Percussion was used but it was used to mark beginning and pauses and never used as a continuous driving beat.  Instrumental music was used for music therapy purposes.  We have every reason to believe that this instrumental music was melody oriented and produced a pleasing beautiful, restful effect on the listener.  We have absolutely no reason to believe that it was ugly, raucous or harsh sounding.  There were two species of music mentioned in the Bible, men’s music, which was controlled by melody and words, and women’s music, which was controlled by rhythm.  The use of women’s music is nowhere traceable in either the first or second Temple.

Musicians Set Apart to Music unto God

Musicians Set Apart to Music unto God

1Chronicles 6:31,  “And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.  And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according to their order.”

            King David was in charge of designating musicians who were ministering musicians.  They weren’t mere performers or just professionals who were hirelings.  They were “set over the service of song in the house of the LORD”.  The word amad (5975) was used with several shade of meaning in the OT. As used here it meant to stand, remain with the idea of permanency.  It was God’s will to have ministering musicians in the house of the LORD that would have permanency and purpose.  It is a Bible principle of musicing that God’s ministering musicians should be stable and have a continuing influence on worship.

            It seems to me that there is no reason to abandon this ancient landmark of music ministry taught in the OT.  There are those who do not acknowledge that there are Bible principles of music and musicing and that there is therefore no such thing as ancient landmarks of music ministry.  It appears to me that there are many principles of music taught in the //bible that have not been superseded or canceled by the perfect covenant.  Therefore, if you are a music minister you should give serious thought to being faithful to the music post where God has placed you.

Such as Taught to Sing Praise

Such as Taught to Sing Praise

            There is a very interesting Scripture verse in 2Chronicles 23:13, “And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise….”  I do I not know how many times I have read this verse, but it stood out to me the other day as I was carefully reading the twenty-third chapter.

            Among those who were worshiping was a classification of Levite musicians whose occupational specialty was teaching others to sing praise to YHVH.  Maybe the reason that there are so many musicians who present God with musical offerings that are less than excellent and certainly not appropriate for public worship is that no one in their church fellowship has ever bothered to teach them how to sing praises unto our awesome and holy heavenly Father.  Those of you who are teaching little children to sing praise songs and choruses are doing the future church a great service.  Others may not understand the importance of what you are doing, but God thought it was important to make specific mention of it in His inspired Word.

Thought for the Day

Christian fellowships need many more Christian musicians who will take the time and effort to teach young Christians how to music unto God.

Song for the Day “Praise Him, all ye Little Children” anonymous

Prayer for the day

Precious Lord, I am asking you to pour out a special blessing on all of Your musical servants who teach little children to praise You.  Where ever these special music servants are today, please surround them with Your love and grace and help them to reach out to You and receive your anointing and power for this special musical service to You.  Lift them up before you and make them aware of your understanding and love for the musical ministry they perform.  Help them to raise up generations of Christians who will “know the joyful sound” and will know how to music unto you in this century.  This I am asking in Your Great and awesome name.  Amen.  

The LORD Gives True Wisdom

The LORD Gives True Wisdom

Proverbs 2:6-7, “For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.  He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.”

            Solomon mentions three important things that god provides for the righteous.  They are   knowledge, understanding and wisdom.  Every Christian musician must gain knowledge about music and musicing.  Knowledge of music is the solid foundation for being able to understand music’s meaning.  Without understanding of music and musicing the Christian musician is a “loose cannon”.

            Solomon explains that the self-existent, independent eternal God who “is”, “layeth up sound wisdom” for the musician who is righteous.  The Hebrew word tuwshiyah (8454) means the ability to possess intellectual understanding which gives the Christian musician wisdom.   The English word buckler is derived from magen (4043) connotes a protection and defense.  God will provide the Christian musician with protection as tough as an alligator’s hide.  So, Christian musicians fear God and walk uprightly as they study music, are promised that God will make complete provision for them.

Sound the Battle Cry!

Sound the Battle Cry!

William F. Sherman

Sound the battle cry! See, the foe is nigh;

Raise the standard high for the Lord;

Gird your armor on, stand firm every one;

Rest your cause upon His holy Word.

Refrain:

Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner,

Ready, steady, pass the word along;

Onward, forward, shout aloud, “Hosanna!”

Christ is Captain of the mighty throng.

Strong to meet the foe, marching on we go,

While our cause we know must prevail;

Shield and banner bright, gleaming in the light,

Battling for the right we ne’er can fail.

O Thou God of all, hear us when we call,

Help us one and all by Thy grace;

When the battle’s done, and the vict’ry’s won,

May we wear the crown before Thy face.

            I used to lead this gospel song in congregational for many years as a camp meeting rally song. It is loaded with meaning for evangelical Christians.  “Sound the battle cry” often can serve as a mental awakening for Christians.  It is a reality that when a fellowship of evangelical Christians plan an evangelist campaign, Our foe who is Satan will presence himself.

            If Christians are going to do battle with the enemy of our soul, they must, as Ephesians 6:11 admonishes, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  Only then can they rest their cause upon God’s holy Word.  Without Christ our Captain, Christians are not able to win spiritual battles over Satan.

            This song contains some blessed assurances for Christians who are doing battle in God’s great army: “Strong to meet the foe, marching on we go, While our cause we know must prevail; Shield and banner bright, gleaming in the light, Battling for the right we ne’er can fail.”  If you are doing battle with the devil, remember that Christ is your Captain.  Also, do not forget to pray, O Thou God of all, hear us when we call,

Help us one and all by Thy grace; When the battle’s done, and the vict’ry’s won, May we wear the crown before Thy face.”

Thought for the Day 

Christians must raise God’s battle flag high, but we should be reminded that what Jahaziel declared in 2Ch 20:15b is still true today, “Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's”.

What Does Understandable Music Meaning Mean?

What Does Understandable Music Meaning Mean?

Since I discuss music’s meaning so often my wife Sheila says that I need to explain exactly what I mean by the terminology “understandable musical meaning”.  When I use the terminology “understandable meaning” I mean that the information, insights, and understandings that may be received from the music part of the music (the arrangement of the formal properties of the music, i.e. the rhythm, melody, harmony, sounds, silences) as considered as a congruent whole have real life meaning.  They arouse emotional mental states; they arouse passions; they trigger cognitions that cause us to muse (think). 

My philosophical view is different than many music philosophers who believe that music has meaning but that its meaning is music’s alone and is in no related to real life outside of the formal properties of the music.  Others believe that music’s meaning evokes a “garden variety” of emotions but that these emotions are or are not triggered by the music part of the music per se.  Still others believe that the formal properties of the music contain symbols but that these symbols only give information and or understanding into a person’s “true humanness”.  Others believe that all of music’s meaning is referential and therefore only gives insights that are extra musical.

Considering Anti-Music-part 2

Considering Anti-Music-part 2

            Noise-music is a form of so-called music that some would consider to be the “expressive” use of noise or distortion within the context of what the composer or arranger considers to be “music” or “anti-music” music. This type of composition challenges the distinction between musical and non-musical sound. It is directly related to the 20^th century philosophy off the destruction of music absolutes.

            Where am I heading with this discussion?  The purpose is not to get entangled in the controversy over whether some secular music that is rightly considered to be anti-music is music or merely noise.  The purpose of this very brief mention of anti-music it to point out that it was not developed by God fearing Christian musicians who were desiring to worship God with a genera of music that negated the elements of traditional Western music.  Therefore, it is misguided for a Church musician to entangle public worship with such styles of music.  Such entanglement is one of Satan’s stratagems for squeezing religious music into the world’s mold. 

Scripture Thought for the Day 

Isaiah 14:11, “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.”

Selecting Appropriate Musical Art Forms for Worship

Selecting Appropriate Musical Art Forms for Worship

Every music worship leader must be sure that the music being used in worship is, as Tolstoy put it, “Christian art”.  Art forms that the world considers “great art forms” are not necessarily appropriate vehicles for worshiping the blessed Triune God.  Some religious music that is currently being used by Christian musicians is religious music but it is not always sacred music or Christian music, because some worship leaders use music that has previously been clearly associated with situations that were anti-Christian and adverse to “universal principles” that are congruent with the separated life of a born-again Christian which are taught in the Bible. When the formal properties of a piece of music form a congruent whole that is not an appropriate concomitant to the awesomeness and solemnity of worshiping a high and holy God and is clearly antagonistic to the purposes of worship it is not Christian music. When religious music is no longer distinctly Christian it has been fashioned or squeezed into the world’s mold.

Some religious music being performed today in the context of worship has been squeezed into the world’s mold because it has been fashioned so closely to the way that the world organizes its music that is no longer a Christian art form. Is may or may not be great art when evaluated in terms of what the world considers greatness.  However, when the music part of music is so closely identified to music that is clearly anti-Christ by its construction and enactment, it loses its Christian identify.  As a matter of fact, much of the music that is now used in public worship is more antagonist to the principles of the changed life of a Christian taught in the Bible than it is favorable, congruent or identifiable with biblical Christianity.

Religious Music as Quality Art

Religious Music as Quality Art

                Most Christian musicians would consider that sacred music is in fact an art form.   Donald Hodges stated that Leo Tolstoy believed that great art had two qualifiers.  “It must be Christian art that (a) expresses a union of man to God and to on another, or (b)  expresses universal feelings of common life accessible to all.”  Hodges quoting Leo Tolstoy in A Concise Survey of Music Philosophy by Donald Hodges, p. 153.  When I recently read Tolstoy’s beliefs about great art I began to think about the fact that religious music used in the context of Christian worship must be Christian in the completeness of its nature.  Also, its value as an acceptable art form to be used in the context of Christian worship should be judged by how well it “expresses a union of man with God”.

  Before we continue this discussion, I want to make it completely clear that I do not believe that art music is the doorway to the kingdom of God or that the ultimate purpose of worship is about great art music or any music for that matter.  Furthermore, some simple, straight forward, and even somewhat predictable sacred music is sometimes the best vehicle of praise and worship at a particular moment in the public worship service.  Never-the-less sacred music is an art from, and for that reason alone, its nature and value should be partially understood in that light.

Gospel Songs under Fire—part 2

Gospel Songs under Fire—part 2

Praise is the Christian’s response to God, i.e. thanks, adoration, and love for the trinity—it is what a worshiper “does” in response for what God Has done him.  Gospel songs explain very vividly what God has done and what He is “doing”.  My soul is blessed when I think about the difference between Christianity and the other world religions.  Christianity’s God is alive and is “doing” because He is not merely a god who “was”, but on the authority of His Word, He declares, “I AM THAT I AM”.  It is no wonder that Christians want to sing gospel songs as a way to brag on this God who is alive and well and is “doing”.  

 Lyric poems that expresses the pronouns “I” and “my” are not a passing novelty of the 19^th and 20^th centuries.  Psalm 34:2 states “My soul shall make her boast (halal-1984) in the LORD: the humble (anav 6035) i.e. the depressed in mind) shall hear thereof, and be glad.”  Some of the best sacred lyric poetry that has been written in the last two hundred years has been used in gospel music.  Gospel songs of the last two centuries are some of the most descriptive and well-written poems that Christians have used to make their boast in the LORD. 

Thought for the Day

Religion is “mere religion” until a musician has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  If there is no “I” and “my” to your musicing unto God, religious music will never be much more than an art form to you.

Gospel Songs under Fire—part 1

Gospel Songs under Fire—part 1

            Regardless of what some Christian musicians who are millennials say the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is “good news”.  That means frankly that gospel songs whether new or old are relevant and apropos in this century. All Christians desire to share this good news through their musicing.  The gospel of our triune God is much broader in scope than what we are able to express in our praise music.  Gospel songs allow a fellowship of believers to share many diverse aspects of full salvation by faith.  These songs are very positive songs that tell not only who God is but what He has done for sinful men and women in the past and what He will do for them now and what he can do for the seeker now and in the future.

            I will be the first to acknowledge that there are gospel songs that are not high quality poems and that furthermore that their musical content and structure are not shining examples of musical and compositional excellence.   Certainly there is some gospel music that should be allowed to sink into a state of well-earned oblivion.   We all are aware that there are gospel songs that were the work of a musical hack who was not a knowledgeable composer or arranger.  However, that is not proof that all gospel music is not usable or appropriate for public worship or evangelism.  

Thought for the Day

Be careful before you categorically write off all public singing of gospel songs in an attempt to be current and trendy.

Songs for The Service

         It is a mystery to me why many pastors do not share (in advance of the service) the sermon topic and the general direction or each service with the minister of music.  The object of public worship is edification and understanding.  Wouldn't the congregation be more edified and leave more understanding if the worship was unified.
        I have heard some say that the singers should pray and find the will of God.  I agree that the musicians should soak their musicing in prayer, but god is responsible to do for us what we are capable of doing for our selves.  Why should we expect God to reveal the pastor's text to the musicians when the pastor could simply text message his Scripture and topic to them?  I suppose the Lord really doe help those who help themselves.

What Do We Do Now that Rock Won't Go Away?

What do We Do Now that Rock Won’t Go Away?

        When a vocal soloists performance style allows scooping up to pitches, breathy unvocal sounds, purposefully delayed vibrato (or purposefully no vibrato), the result is without doubt “uncertain” sound.  As Dr. Frank Garlock has often taught in his Symphony of Life Seminar, breathing heavily into a microphone immediately places the musician in the listener’s “intimate zone”—a place that the Christian vocalist does not belong!.  I have said for years that scooping up to pitches is not a compatible vocal technique with the truth and constantness of the gospel. What I am saying is that the way we music unto God sends messages to our audience.

        When a vocalist initiates pitches without the use of vibrato, the sound produced creates two illusions.  First, the sound will either be or seem to be under or above the pitch.  The initial sound produced will leave the impression on the mind that the sound is not “true”, constant, or certain.  Second, this initialized sound creates undue tension in the sound, because the listener does not have to have an earned doctorate in vocal pedagogy to hear that the sound produced is too tense and not exactly on pitch.

        As a voice instructor of many years, I find it hard to concentrate on the spiritual message when I know that the vocalist has placed great tension on the arytenoid and cricoid cartilages that control the vocal folds. (This vocal technique is one of the chief reasons for the development of vocal nodes that often require laser surgery.)  It is my strong philosophical belief that the comfort and rest of the message of the gospel should be certain, constant good news and should sound like “good news”, and that any musical technique that distracts from this message should be avoided by Christian musicians.

Musical Congruency

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.

Musical Congruency

Musical Congruency    

        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.”

Who Can You Trust Philosophically?

Who Can You Trust Philosophically? 

            One thing for sure, public education will not directly teach the next generation of church musicians wrong things about God because they are not allowed to include God or biblical principles of musicing in their music knowledge.  Federal law in the USA has mandated that public education can no longer retain God in educational knowledge.  However, the fact that public schools and universities will not directly teach false concepts of God does not indicate that no false “God-education” will take place in the music classrooms of these educational institutions.
           By eliminating God as the Creator and Lord of all music education, public education relays strong false messages about the nature and value of music to our young people.  Public education can no longer recognize God in the development of a philosophical basis for music education.  As a matter of fact, teaching God as the basis of all philosophical musical thought is forbidden.  The only safe path in public education is to omit the authority of God in any philosophical discussion of music.  
          In public education, no sacred music concerts are legal and the sacred classics may only be taught or performed as music literature.  It is also most often mandated that there be no Christmas or Easter concerts.  The only time that it is totally legal to mention God in the music classroom is when the music instructor stubs his or her toe on the desk leg.
          Contemporary music educators are now so squeezed into the world’s mold that they do not seem to realize that the whole belief-system that music is amoral is the result of humanistic autonomous music philosophy.  It is no wonder that you can trust a humanist to conclude that all music endeavors begin and end with man.  The philosophical bias of a humanist will always be that all meaning in life (if they even admit that there is meaning in life) will be the result of self-actualization and the act of authentication of a person’s free will.

Preparing To Sound

Preparing To Sound   

Revelation 8:6 states, “And the seven angels which had seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.”  In the Book of Revelation at the time of the opening of the seventh seal, seven angles were given seven trumpets.  The opening of the seventh seal was serious business.  When the seventh seal was opened “there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (Revelation 8:1B).
     Musicing unto our heavenly Father is serious business today.  If the angels in heaven needed to prepare themselves to music in the presence of God, surely Christian musicians need to prepare themselves each time they minister in God’s house.  
     The ministering servants in heaven were quiet before God for about a half hour as part of their preparation for “sounding” in His presence.  Likewise, we as ministering musicians must have a time of quietness in the presence of God before “sounding’ i.e. musicing unto our heavenly Father.  It is my opinion that public music ministering should be somewhat like an ice berg.  By that I mean that there is much more hidden beneath the surface than the part that the church attendee witnesses during the worship or evangelistic service.
       Christian musicians spend years “tuning their harps’ but many times, because they are so busy, spend little time “tuning their heart” before ministering publically.   How much time do you spend “tuning your heart” before musicing unto God?  It is very important to prepare our music before we minister, but it is just as important to prepare our hearts, by practicing the Presence of God, before we come before His presence with musicing.  

Prayer and Thought for the Day 
Heavenly Father, I approach Your throne today through our mediator Jesus Christ who is my Savior, Sanctifier, and elder brother.  Thank you for giving Your Son to suffer and die on a cruel cross to pay the price for my awful sins.  Thank You Jesus for declaring my name in the midst of the congregation and for musicing with me to my heavenly Father.  I love You Lord and wish to serve you throughout this life and eternal life to come.  These things I am praying in The name of the Father.  Amen.  

Song for the Day “I’ll Tell the World that I’m A Christian” by B.C. Fox   

Thought for the Day  My two older brothers David Wolf and Nathan Wolf were always willing to defend me when I needed help.  I think Jesus is like my two older brothers in that He is always willing to help me.   

Parents Must Get Involved

           Parents have the responsibility to set limits concerning both the secular and sacred music that their children purchase, perform and listen to in and out of the home.  However, an overbearing parental approach that makes all the decisions all the time for children thwarts a child’s ability to make wise choices of sacred and secular music.  The ultimate musical wish of parents for children should be that as adults the next generation will make wise choices of both sacred and secular music.  In order for this to happen, our children must be catechized, educated, mentored and prepared to accept the role of adulthood.  If they develop a Christocentric music philosophy, it will largely be the result of parental guidance that was also Christ-centered and Bible based.

            Next to the Christian home in influence is the Christian school.  Music education must be a preferred claim on our Christian school budgets.  The fine arts always cost.  In the history of the Christian schools, Christian liberal arts and Bible colleges they have not completely paid for themselves.  Many times music is included in Christian school and college curriculums for public relations efforts, student recruitment and money raising purposes only.  

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 5

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 5  

            Christian musicians, who are only involved with performing religious music, sometimes choose to ignore the whole of music which includes secular music and musicing.  Ignoring secular music in one’s philosophical basis is short sighted and is also an incomplete view.  Sooner or later the church musician will be faced with secular music.  Wedding music is only one example of the use of secular music in the context of sacred ceremonies.  Although the use of secular music for such an occasion is not inherently in conflict with the principles of Christian living, some music that a Christian artist may be asked to perform is definitely in conflict with Christian beliefs. 

            At this point in this discussion you may be waiting for a list of songs which are currently used in weddings which are not amenable to the Lordship of Christ.  You are going to be disappointed if this is the answer to your approved repertoire.  There are several problems with this over simplistic approach.  First, this blog is designed to make the reader think.  Second, song literature changes very rapidly in this century.  If I gave a list, you probably would not think and my list would soon be outdated and obsolescent. 

            Although it is never easy, the Christian musician must continually struggle with the content and musical styles of both sacred and secular literature.  With secular literature, the problem is most often not only style but also the situations and contexts surrounding the music.  When a Christian performs music he or she is unable to keep from being associated with its style and content.  As I have often said no musician musics unto himself. All the music that a Christian performs reflects on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, because every Christian is a representative of Him.        

Thought for the Day  

Wedding music is only the tip of the iceberg musically speaking.  There are a host of secular genres that are not appropriate for a Christian to perform.  However there are also many secular music genres that are not in conflict with the reality of being a born again Christian who lives a changed life.

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 4

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 4

            All music that a Christian allows in his or her repertoire should pass certain musical standards whether it is of a sacred or secular nature. I see no reason for a Christian to become involved with either substandard secular or sacred music.  This very limited discussion is not the proper place to thoroughly discuss what makes any type of music a quality art form.  Also, this abbreviated discussion is not suited to thoroughly discuss the fact that quality musical art forms are not the entire basis for their inclusion or exclusion by a Christian musician.

            The place to begin is not with a musical and historical study of quality musical art forms. A Christian’s world view will affect that musician’s musical paradigm and consequently affect the development of that Christian musician’s music philosophy.  A Christian musician without a well-defined Bible based music philosophy is like a ship in the middle of the sea without a compass.  Since a Christian music philosophy must transcend regional cultural boundaries, it cannot be base totally on environment and traditions, but rather on the Word of God. Furthermore, it cannot be bases on musical likes and dislikes.  If they are going to be successful in the 21^st century, church musicians, performing artists and Christian school musicians must carefully identify the Bible principles that serve as the foundation of music philosophy.  These standards must cover the nature and value of the whole of music.

Thought for the Day

Musical paradigm is the window through which a Christian musician philosophically views music and musicing.  Every Christian musician must be sure that he or she views the nature and value of the whole of music through that window.

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 3

 Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 3

            There is no biblical conflict created by a Christian including clean secular music, as well as sacred music.  The two do not oppose each other.  There is not anything inherently opposing about music that addresses itself to religious matters and music that does not address itself to religious matters.  One gospel song writer said, “My raptured soul can only sing of Calvary.”  He certainly had the right to exclude all secular music but such a philosophy and praxis in not a Bible mandate.

            One of the unfortunate philosophical positions of some Christian musicians is that all religious music is appropriate in the life of a Christian and conversely that all non-religious music is inappropriate in the life of a Christian.  On the surface it would seem that including only religious music would greatly simplify music philosophy.  This faulty praxis only complicates matters since it removes all need and responsibility of the Christian to prove what is “acceptable unto the Lord”.  This paradigm has spawned a generation of Christian musicians that believe that there are no absolutes, rules, or standards of sacred music.  There is only one guideline – the music has to be religious in nature.  Under this mindset, sacred music is a standardless art that does not have to pass any tests of suitability and appropriateness or correctness or incorrectness.   

Thought for the Day

Sometimes Christian musicians ignore the genres of music that deal with temporal things.  At other times they look on love songs as being substandard or beneath the dignity of a Christian performer.  However, these types of music have a valuable place in the life of Christians.  Therefore, they must be included in a Christian’s worldview of the whole of music.

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 2

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 2

            When it comes to the matter of secular and sacred music and musicing it is not either or but rather wise and appropriate choices of both.  Although it would appear to be simpler philosophically for the Christian to only include the use of sacred music, there is no valid biblically sound reason not to include secular music that is amenable to the Lordship of Christ. One of the major fallacies of some Christian musician’s music philosophy and praxis has been the exclusion of secular music as though it was not a worthy use of the fine art of music.  

           When a Christian encounters secular music he or she must be prepared to make choices about whether or not to get involved with the performance of the particular musical work at hand.  As I have often told the students in my college classes, a Christian musician is first a Christian and second, a musician.  Many Christian musicians forget this principle of Christian living when they encounter music that is not appropriate for a Christian to perform. 

Thought for the Day

Sometimes musician’s worldview of music only deals directly with the part of music that they are regularly involved with in the context of that person’s profession.

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 1

Secular Music Comes under Christ’s Lordship-part 1

            A Christian musician’s responsibility doesn’t end with sacred music but it also extends to secular music.  It does not seem to occur to some Christians that the whole of music must come under the Lordship of Christ.  Perhaps we should define “secular” as that which pertains to temporal matters rather than with religion.  So, secular music is music that is not religious in nature.  Sacred music is that which is hallowed by religious association and also meets the requirements of being a proper concomitant to the purposes of worshiping a high and holy God. Mere association with worship or having religious words does not automatically qualify a type of music as being sacred music.         Secular music that is anti-Christ, blasphemous, irreverent, or risqué does not belong in the life of the Christian.  However, music that is not religious but is clean and wholesome in nature does belong in the life of a Christian.  Secular music that is concerned with life in general is many times of a wholesome nature.  If it is of a morally sound nature it is amenable to the Lordship of Christ.  Christians may include all music that passes the tests and conditions of Christ-centered living.  It doesn’t take much wisdom to immediately exclude some secular music, but at other times the decision is not as easy to make.

Thought for the Day

A Christian’s music philosophy must deal with nature and value of the whole of music—both religious and secular.