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.”

An Unbroken Chain of Teaching-part 3

An Unbroken Chain of Teaching-part 3

After years and years of being taught that church music doesn’t matter and that the music part of music doesn’t matter, we are shocked and chagrined when our children look, act and sound like Philistines when they music unto a high and Holy God.  What we have failed to understand is that when much musical and spiritual garbage goes into the minds of our children some or most of that garbage will come out in our children’s musicing.  When they have received their musical instruction from music professors who do not love and serve Jesus Christ, our children will music like the world when they reach adulthood. 

          The reason that Christian parents are often forced to place their children under those who are often antagonistic toward what committed Christians believe about music and musicing unto a high and holy triune God, is because there are so many Christian musicians that refuse to follow St .Paul’s advice given to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1-2.  Many talented Christian musicians refuse to commit their musical knowledge to the next generation of Christian musicians who will “be able to teach others also”.  Instead of giving their musical gifts back to God by teaching our Christian youth, these Christian musicians consume their musical gifts on their own artistic lust.  By this refusal they break the continuous chain of teaching our Children to music “the songs of the LORD” that is taught o clearly in both the Old and New Testament. 

An Unbroken Chain of Teaching-part 2

An Unbroken Chain of Teaching-part 2

Have you ever tried praying that God would anoint your rehearsal conducting methods?  Christians often talk about receiving God’s help but sometimes prayer comes after failure or the presence of disruptive behavior rather than before the rehearsal takes place.  I believe that the Holy Spirit desires to anoint the Spirit filled conductor’s efforts.  I know that this is possible because I have been the recipient of the Holy Spirit’s anointing upon my choral and instrumental rehearsals.

          Note that 2Timothy 2:1 admonishes the Christian teacher to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus”.  Being filled with the Spirit requires a continuous life in the Spirit.  This fact must be established before we discuss an unbroken chain of Christian teaching.  I believe the reason that church music is in such a condition of disarray is because Christian music educators have often failed to educate their students “in the songs of the LORD”   Can you imagine the ancient Jewish people sending their Levite sons to the Jebusites, Amalekites, Hivites, or Philistines to receive their music education?  They would not because they realized that it was their responsibility to train their own.  Often Christians do not recognize that their children will grow up to be Philistines if they are trained by the Philistines. 

An Unbroken Chain of Teaching art part-1

An Unbroken Chain of Teaching art  part-1

2Timothy 2:1-2, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 

        ST. Paul admonished Timothy to invest his energies in faithful teachers who would in turn teach others so that there would be an unbroken chain of teaching and learning take place after he was gone.  As I look at this wise advice I am reminded that the chain of music education that the chronicler recorded in 1 Chronicles 25:1—31 was broken when the temple was destroyed in 70AD.  Because of this tragedy, the advanced condition of sacred music and musicing in ancient Israel the positive influence of music worship was silenced.

        It is one thing for music teachers to be faithful but it is another for them to “be able to teach others also”.  I do not ever want to make light of those who are faithful in the music classroom, but I must stress that every music instructor must accept the responsibility to continue to hone his or her teaching skills.  Being knowledgeable in the field of music is absolutely necessary but so is the ability to get the job done effectively with young people.  Every Christian music educator must continually search for more effective ways to facilitate leaning in the music classroom and rehearsal room.

“Able Music Ministers”

“Able Music Ministers”

2 Corinthians 3:6, “Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

            Hikanoo (2427), which has been translated able in this verse, means that God qualifies or enables the Christian to minister. We know tht talent and education makes it possible to perform and direct music, but it is God who makes a Christian musician an able minister of music. 

          There is much more than a subtle difference between a musician being able to go through the routines of public musicing in church and the touch of the Divine on the human that makes one an “able minister”. Every Christian musician should seek God’s touch i.e. anointing on his or her music ministry.  Only the touch of the divine upon the human enables a musician’s ministry to be efficacious.

Prayer for the Day

Our dear precious and holy Heavenly Father I am asking You to touch my music ministry until Your anointing changes the way I music unto You in the presence of others.  Lord, I am asking you to empower my music ministry so that it will bring honor and glory to Your worthy and wonderful name.  Help my musicing to be effective because it is empowered and enabled by the Blessed Holy Spirit.  This I am asking in Your strong name.  Amen

God Protects His Musicians. 

Psalm 32:7, “Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.”

          Natsar (5341) that is translated preserve in the AV. Has several shades of meaning but in this case it means protect continually or over a long period of time. This Psalm was given “to the chief musician” so we may conclude with certainty that this promise pertains to God’s “Chief musicians”. 

          A second thought that we should consider is “thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance.”  It is interesting to note that the word songs which was translated from ron (7338) is derived from ranan (7442) which means to emit stridulous sound thus connoting the playing of a string instrument.  So, the psalmist says that God delivers and protects him with instrumental music.

Thought for the Day

The Bible mentions music therapy centuries before E Thayer Curry made music therapy a medical and psychological practice in the 20^th century.

A Song of Higher Renovated Character

 A Song of Higher Renovated Character

Revelation 5:9-10, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

          It is interesting to note that the saints gathered around God’s throne in heaven sang.  They did not pray because there was no longer a need for prayer because as Revelation 7:17b explains, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”  As Revelation 21:4 further explains, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

          When I was a college choir director I often reminded the students that serving Jesus Christ is not always “hippity-hop over the top”.  We have tears, disappointments and sorrows in this life but the saints around the throne will not have these sadness’s—so they sing “a new song”.  Although we sing “new song” in this life, this song (kainos 2537) which is a song or renovated character, the new song of these saints whose names are found in the Book of Life is sung most triumphantly because God has made them “kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”  I want to sing the new song which is of a higher renovated character in this life and I want to sing it most triumphantly with the saints around god’s throne.

Thought for the Day

Those who pattern their religious music after the manner of those in this world who do not love the Lord will have to learn a new song when they get to heaven.  I want to get my practicing all done before I get to heaven.

Singing in Public Worship

            Singing in Public Worship

Singing was without doubt the most important part of the music of the early church. For many centuries posterior to the time of the early church, singing was the most important aspect of church music. That is not to say that instruments were not sometimes utilized or that their use was not important. Although there was almost universal agreement among the church fathers about singing,  the early church fathers disagreed about the use of instruments in worship. There were also some who did not allow any music in worship, but they were by far in the minority. A great majority of those who allowed music in the context of Christian worship believed sacred music should be Word driven and that melody was the next most important aspect of sacred musicing. However, choirs singing parts, responsorial singing, and antiphonal singing are also a part of historical Christian worship.

         As was just mentioned, the review of extant writings of the early church fathers reveals  that among those who admitted any music in worship, there was significant disagreement about the use of instruments.  Those who allowed the use of instruments in worship, considered the Word to be most important, melody second, and instrument accompaniment to be third in the taxonomy of importance.  Those who would care to check out the assertions that I have made should study what the early church fathers have written.  Since this book is not primarily a study of early Christian worship, I will not cover this topic thoroughly in this chapter about the music and the musicer.  (See An Analysis of the Ancient Church Fathers on Instrumental Music

https://biblicalspirituality.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/ancient-fathers-on-instrumental-music-by-david-vanbrugge.pdf ,  and Essays on Martin Luther’s Theology of Music, Chapter 1, Ancient Views on Music and Religion)

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 4

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 4

St. Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae (1:20-23) states, “And through Him having made peace through the blood of His cross, it pleased the Father to reconcile all things to Himself through Him, whether the things on earth or the things in Heaven. And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and without blame, and without charge in His sight, if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard and which was proclaimed in all the creation under Heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister, (MKJV) has relevance to 21^st century Christian musicians.  If Christian musicians are going to  “…continue in the faith grounded and settled, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel…”, then they must not be alienated and enemies in their minds by the works of those who do not love and serve Jesus Christ.

Becoming a follower of Jesus Christ must include a parting of ways with the world.  Why do Christian musicians struggle with separation with the spirit of this age when it comes to how Christians and those who do not love and serve Christ music? How a Christian community musics is partially cultural, but all aspects of culture that are included in the way Christians music unto God must come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ or they are not thoroughly Christian.

 Our hope is found in Christ and in the true truth found in God’s Word.  The truth of the gospel brings hope to musicians in this century.  Our hope is not found in philosophy, sociology, psychology, but they do help us to understand many areas of life including music and musicing.  Remember that St. Paul said under inspiration of God that “…And you, who were once alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and without blame, and without charge in His sight, if indeed you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel…”  They had been alienated from God by “wicked works”.  They were alienated from God in their minds.  Strong’s dictionary identified dianoia (1271) as the faulty exercise of their minds.  Christian musicians must guard against faulty beliefs that can be implanted in their minds through the spurious beliefs of others or by one’s own faulty beliefs about music and musicing.

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 3

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 3

It is of little wonder that Christian musicians in this century are many times convinced that the way that the world musics is more attractive than musicing in traditional conservative ways.  Most of those who have written in the past century and now in the 21^st century who have written about music philosophy and psychology have not been committed Christians whose life purpose has been to bring honor and glory to God by their life endeavors. The Colossians 1:18 statement “And He is the Head of the body, the church, who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things” (MKJV) has not been central in the minds of many of these scholars works and writings.  Bible teachings and faith-based philosophy have not been evident, or even remotely suggested, in their conclusions about music and musicing.

Most of us who have spent many years of our lives studying the Bible, philosophy, and psychology as they relate to sacred and secular musicing, have all gleaned valuable information from secular writers in these fields of study.  As a matter of fact, we have all more or less been influenced by these writer’s conclusions.  The reason being that these writers were and are scholars, and they have shared with us many valuable insights about how performers and listeners respond to music.  However, every thing that secular writers have concluded must be filtered through the true truth of God’s Word. Because the way that the world many times musics is based on the philosophical, psychological, and sociological reasoning that is often at loggerheads with what the Bible clearly teaches, there must many times come a parting of the ways between the way that committed Christian musicians and secular musicians music.  Separation from the world is much larger than just matters of lifestyle.  This separation must of necessity include how a Christian musics in and out of church.

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 2

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 2

Psychology of Music is the study of the psychological and emotional processes of humans responses to: listening, playing, composing, arranging, and improvising music.  This discipline often utilizes empirical, computational, as well as theoretical methods to derive an understanding of how a person responds to music.  “Psychologists, computer scientists and musicologists all make contributions to this highly interdisciplinary research domain, and their research encompasses experimental work on music perception and cognition, computer modelling of human musical capacities, the social psychology of music, emotion and meaning in music, psychological processes in music therapy, the developmental psychology of music, music and consciousness, music and embodiment, and the neuroscience of music.” https://www.music.ox.ac.uk/research/disciplines/psychology-of-music/

          Although there is much disagreement about there being a connection between theology, philosophy, and psychology, these three disciplines do have connections to the study of how people respond to music that can assist the Christian musician in his or her quest for understanding secular sacred musicing.  The problem with all three of these three ways of studying music is that all of them can be so easily secularized.  Christians who write in all three of these disciplines are all susceptible to being squeezed into the world’s mold.  The way that the world thinks is many times convincing when the Christian musician forgets that the spirit of this age is not a friend of grace. 

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 1

Theology, Philosophy, Psychology, and Music-part 1

A literal definition of theology is “the study of God," but it is generally now understood to mean the study of religion. It is also understood to mean man’s relationship to God and God’s relationship to man. “[Theology is] the field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe; study of divine things or religious truth; divinity.”  https://www.dictionary.com/browse/theology Understanding the God whom we love, and worship is largely made possible by a knowledge of theology.

  The classic definition of philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom. Music philosophy is the study of the theoretical basis of knowing and experiencing music. Many of the doctrines that are germane to the study  and understanding of Christianity have important philosophical implications.  Therefore, there is a strong connections between theology, philosophy, and wisdom of how Christians should music unto God.  These connections help the Christian musician to understand how humans experience and music and musicing.  

Good and Faithful Musical Servants

Good and Faithful Musical Servants

       The word “spiritual” is so much a connotation word that it may refer to an experience that is deeply biblical or a powerful secular experience when one perceives the deep import  of the music. Because of the ambiguity of this term, Christian writers need to be very cautious of how it is used in philosophical writings. The term “spiritual” developed a more broad  meaning during the late 20^th century and even more so now in this century. The word spiritual is often used by those who do not mean to connote any moral connection to God. Secular performers who feel a  sense of power when they music, sometimes refer  to that power as a “spiritual” experience. Furthermore, some musicers experience of connection with an audience is perceived by them as “spirituality.”

       Christian musicians think of the word spiritual as being related to religious matters.  Secular musicians often think of this term as being related deep feelings and beliefs about the intensity of the way a performer musics.  Spiritual musical performance is associated with charismatic attraction of a powerful musical performance. This  kind of power is  often thought of by secular performers as the ability to hold emotional power over an audience for the purpose of arousing a desired emotional state in those who experience it. 

The young Christian musician should concentrate on being good and faithful as the parable of Jesus teaches in Matthew 25:23, “ His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”  Jesus taught servanthood which is in direct opposition to the 21^st century concept of striving to become a musical “idol”.

Thought for the Day

Sacred musicing is about the Savior rather than being about "self".  As “self”   decreases, the Savior increases in the minds of those who experience religious musicing.

The World Often thinks Against Godly Musicing

The World Often thinks Against Godly Musicing

1Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.  Timothy was a young minister and St. Paul knew the various pitfalls that plagued young people.  Certainly, St. Paul’s admonitions are of value to young musicians who minister with their musicing.  Kataphroneo (2706) means “to think against”.  Young musicians are never too young to be pure and to be an “example of the believers.” 

          Worldly musicians who are music philosophers “think against” many of the time-honored ways of musicing. Colossians 2:8 warns, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”  Sulagogeo (4812) which has been translated spoil in the above verse means “to lead away” as one who is lead into philosophical deception.  Proverbs 14:12 warns that, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”  Young musicians must remember that the spurious insipid arguments of worldly musicians seem to make sense but when one goes down the slippery musical slope of following the way that those who do not love and serve Jesus Christ, “the end thereof are the ways of death.”   A young Christian musician must remember that when it comes to music and musicing, direction determines destiny.

Choose a Music Mentor Wisely

Choose a Music Mentor Wisely

The process of developing a Bible based Christocentric music philosophy in this century is very complex since there have been major changes in church music based on what Christian musicians do as opposed to what has for centuries been the guiding principles that have governed all sacred musicing.  For this reason, the Christian musician must only allow himself or herself to be mentored by a musician whose musical  praxis is congruent with Bible principles of music and musicing, and whose musical life actions are congruent with the changed life of a Christian.  The young Christian musician must remember that what a music mentor does is just as important as what that musician says about music and musicing.  When it comes to those whom one trusts, the Christian musician must choose wisely.  Musical actions speak much more loudly than words. 

A large number of Christian musicians have grown silent about music and musicing because they have been so squeezed into the world’s mold of musicing that this conformation has caused them to order their musicing in the same manner that the world musics.  When a Christian performs the same music (with a religious text) in exactly in the same manner as the world performs secular music that is designed to appeal to “”the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (St. John 2:16), without regard for it whether it is appropriate to be a concomitant to Christian worship, that musician is failing to make any difference between the sacred and the profane. This lack of distinction has caused much confusion about the purpose of what should actually happen in public worship. 

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs?

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs?

          The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is “good news”.   Christians desire to share this good news of the gospel 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.      

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”. 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.”

Philosophical Justifications for “Doing”

Philosophical Justifications for “Doing”

A Christian musician often musics in a certain manner simply because of personal musical and spiritual instincts or because he or she follows musical traditions established by others.  However, musicing by accident can be a risky policy. A worship leader and a music educator must be able to articulate reasons for performance and teaching choices.  It is better for one not to teach others than to teach them in a willy-nilly manner because the *onus probandi falls on the one who attempts to teach.

 Although the Bible gives us principles of musicing unto God, it does not cover every aspect of music that concerns the twenty-first century Christian musician.  So, every performer, music director, and music educator must, in the fear of God, interpret and apply principles taught in Scripture.  Furthermore, performers, directors, worship leaders, and music educators must also come to philosophical conclusions about aspects of music that do not appear to be covered by Scripture.  With this in mind, I have covered several aspects of music which I believe are vital to a Christian’s musicing in the twenty-first century.  The NIV translates Isaiah 28:10 as, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, a little here, a little there.”  The translation above makes sense to me in the context of understanding how we music.  We “do” over and over again until we are conditioned to do what we do musically.