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.

 

Strengthening Evangelical Church Music Review

 

Strengthening Evangelical Church Music  Review

Not surprisingly, the reviewer, who referred to Johansen’s book as, “Prooftexting [sic] My Opinion on CCM in the Church.”  did not have the courage to give his or her name,  on one of the web sites that sells Calvin  Johansen’s Strengthening Evangelical Church Music, had some harsh things to say about Johansen’s treatise on evangelical church music.  This reviewer complains about Johansen’s use of Biblical references, but does not specifically quote any verse in the Bible.

The reviewer makes the statement, “… he [Johansen] condemns percussion while leaving out references to the verses in the Psalms concerning prescribed use of cymbals, high-sounding cymbals, tambourines, and other loud instruments.”  It will suffice that an historic and Bible study of these words will shed much doubt on the reviewer’s unfounded notions on these word meanings.  Also a fair review of what Johansen says about the use of instruments in evangelical church music certainly does not substantiate what the anonymous reviewer asserted.

 

 The anonymous reviewer’s mention of instruments probably was referring to Psalm 149:3 and Psalm 150:4 which both used the Hebrew word toph (8596)  Which was definitely not a tambourine but a very small breast drum (without any jangling contrivances).  The existence of the tambourine was not substantiated until 1000 years later.  The shofar (trumpet) was not a melodic musical instrument played by the Levite musicians but rather a signaling instrument played by the priests in ancient Israel.  Signaling by the shofar was used on festal occasions in conjunction with Temple on special occasions but is not listed in the Bible or in extra-biblical references as a musical instrument. The psaltery (nebel,5035) and the harp (kinnor,3658) were soft pleasing musical instruments that would not cover up the voice.

The nameless reviewer leaves the reader with the implication that only conservative Christian operate from a personal bias when it comes to religious music and musicing.  The statement “Prooftexting My Opinion on CCM in the Church” is far from a reliable statement.  Johansen is careful to make statements that are fairly and kindly given.  Johansen quotes the Bible extensively, but they are always given to help Christian musicians to strengthen the music they use in the context of evangelical worship.  The statement, “…in his zeal to preserve the classical aspects of church music, the author employs the same progressive villainizing, even demonizing tactics of those he would condemn” is not an accurate analysis of what Calvin Johansen was saying when he admonished evangelical Christian musicians to utilize music that would strengthen the music utilized in the context of worship.

To make the inference that the sacred music Bach composed did not support the sacred texts he used is certainly without scholarly basis.  A reviewer who tackles one of the greatest composer of sacred music owes it to the reader to give careful explanation and analysis of why he or she is hypothesizing that Bach failed to accomplish his purpose when he composed the music part of the music thereby failing to support the meaning of the text.  Certainly, I will have to agree with Johansen’s conclusions!

Calvin Johansen’s work is truly a treatise of dignity and length.  If you are wondering about whether or not to purchase this book, my opinion is that it is a “must read” for all evangelical church musicians.  Calvin Johansen, as the nameless reviewer states, is writing from a “perspective of erudition” because he is a learned scholar with years of experience as a church musician and an academician.  This experience and knowledge has Made it possible to write this treatise.   Garen L. Wolf I

 

Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective by Garen L

 

Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective by Garen L. Wolf considers how to determine what music is acceptable to use in worshiping God. Since God created all things, including the formal properties of music (the nuts and bolts of music that make it what it is capable of being), what a musician does with these properties of music makes him responsible to the Creator.  This source is a Christian response to many of the major topics that secular music philosophers are currently considering.

The author studies the original meanings of ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek musical terms to address the modern-day evangelical church music.  He examines artistic underpinnings to modern music movements and consider multiple hot topics: ·Is all music equal? ·Does being “seeker sensitive” trump all other considerations? ·Does God have an opinion on what music is used to worship Him? ·Is it enough for music to be beautiful? ·What makes for acceptable and unacceptable worship music? ·Is all modern music to be rejected, or endorsed? ·What is the proper priority for hymns, gospel songs, praise choruses and other sacred music? This is not a simple judgment of what is right or wrong, but rather a finely-honed tool to assess how one chooses music, and why.

A signed copy of this book may be purchased directly from the author at garenlwolf@gmail.com

 

Review of Tim Fisher’s The Battle for Christian Music

Review of Tim Fisher’s The Battle for Christian Music

          This book is an excellent discussion about Cristian music.  Although his work has been wrongly accused by Mitch Nichols of being biased eisegesis, this accusation was made without scholarly basis.   The main argument presented has been that Fisher considers classical music to be God honoring and that such an argument is unfounded since such music was completely “completely foreign” to the Old and New Testament eras. 

          Although musicologists are aware that classical music was not yet developed in ancient Israel, recent deciphering of the te’amim above and below the Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the entire OT have proven that the six and seven note diatonic scale did exist.  Furthermore, the deciphering of the ancient Hurrian song found in the ruins of Ugarit has been deciphered by Dr. Anne Kilmer et.al. has revealed a seven-note diatonic scale with half steps between 3^rd an4th and 7^th and 8^th degrees of the scale. This music also had a harmony part and a sound quite like what we have in our hymn books. So, Fisher’s accusers, being evidently unaware of current scholarship, are incorrect in considering Fischer’s conclusions to be eisegesis. 

          Every author writes from some philosophical viewpoint and from personal music perspective and preference. After all this is Fisher’s work so one should expect his work to be written from a personal perspective. I suggest that you give Fisher’s The Battle for Christian music a fair read rather than taking his accuser’s word which was given without scholarly support.   Garen L Wolf

Music’s Historic Place in Education

 

Music’s Historic Place in Education

          Music had an important place in education in the ancient civilizations

of Sumer, Akkad, and Egypt. It was also important in ancient

Israel since the time when the first and second books of Chronicles

were written. 1 Chronicles 25 states, “Moreover David and the captains

of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of

Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries,

and with cymbals… So the number of them, with their brethren

that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were

cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight” (verses 1 and 7).

Music education in ancient Israel was the responsibility of the Chief

musicians Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (and their sons and brethren).

          The Hebrew phrase yad ab shiyr (3027 ,01,7892), translated in

verse six as “under the hands of their father for song” in the AV,

means literally that the Levite musical sons studied sacred music under

the hands of their God-fearing fathers who were chief Levite

music directors and music educators. Music education in Israel was

uniquely different than in the cultures of its neighbors. In verse seven

in the AV, the Hebrew phrase lamad shiyr JHVH (3925, 7892, 3068),

translated “were instructed in songs of the LORD,” speaks directly to

the fact that the Levite sons received training specifically in sacred

music. It is important to note that the essence of music education in

ancient Israel was preparation for music ministry.

 

Thought for the Day

 

The ancient Jews accepted the responsibility to train their own church musicians. They considered that it was their responsibility to train their own so that music in the Temple would remain efficacious.  Christians would do well to follow their example in the 21^st century.

 

Utilizing Great Music in Worship

Utilizing Great Music in Worship  

               More and more Christian musicians seem to not make much distinction between mediocre and great religious music.  Although a Christian does not worship the greatness in music, most of the time great music is a greater vehicle to represent the message of our great Savior. However, philosophically speaking, the Earnest Christian musician values the use of excellent music with the excellent message of the gospel. It is one thing to give lip service to the appropriateness of the sacred classics but it is another to actually utilize them in public worship. The Christian musician who never includes the sacred classics in his or her repertoire is making a philosophical statement about the awesomeness and solemnity of worshiping the high and lifted up triune God. 

              As I have often said, the music part of music does not always have to be complicated or esoteric in order to be a proper vehicle to use in our musicing unto God.  However, there are auspicious religious occasions when great sacred music is without doubt a better choice than some trite, predictable, and mundane musical composition that is obviously the work of a musical hack.

              There is a reason why some sacred music is great and other music is either mediocre or actually so poorly constructed that it is not a good vehicle for musical worship.  The best sacred music throughout the centuries has been produced by composers and arrangers who were able to skillfully organize melody, harmony and rhythm into a composition that would properly represent the awesomeness and solemnity of worshiping the triune God.  This has been accomplished by utilizing a number of appropriate musical styles that were and are “better vehicles” to represent the moral nature of God.

Direction Determines Destiny Philosophically. Part 2

Direction Determines Destiny Philosophically. Part 2

            A logical thinking Christian musician who believes in a real music creation rather than some kind of musical evolution is led to the systematic conclusion that because music “is” it is a part of God’s real creation.  Therefore, God is “there” concerning music.  If God is “there” concerning music in the 21st century, then it stands to reason that He cares about it in a most objective way.  I repeat, God is "there" concerning music!  Never forget that because God is actually “there” concerning music He is more than willing to guide us musically in this century!  James 1:5 contains a wonderful philosophical promise, "If any of you lack wisdom, (sophia, 4678) let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him."

If it is necessary to develop a Bible based congruent philosophy of music, and it most certainly is, then one must know what it is. Many musicians that claim they do not have a music philosophy are very outspoken about what should or should not happen in music education and church music.  Although they declare that they do not have a philosophy of music, they do have one; it just is not systematic, thorough or written.

         

 

  

Direction Determines Destiny Philosophically. Part 1

 

Direction Determines Destiny Philosophically. Part 1

One of the most unfortunate twenty-first century dilemmas involving Christian music philosophy is that many Christian musicians have not developed a series of systematic written beliefs concerning the nature and value of the whole of music.  Many Christian musicians believe that music philosophy is somewhat like Jell-O gelatin with too much water mixed in it and therefore it is not capable of *solidifying into a *cohesive whole.

          These musicians fail to realize how important it is to know where they are going musically. Remember direction determines destiny.  These musicians want to go west to Kansas City Missouri musically but fail to realize they are going east on Interstate 70 musically.  No matter how sincere they are about going to Kansas City musically, they will never get there going east from Indianapolis Indiana.  Once a Christian musician starts with a faulty premise it will take him or her in the wrong philosophical direction so that the rest of that musician’s faulty conclusions topple like dominos all lined up in a row. 

          Those who conclude that music is amoral have to incorrectly assume that in the beginning God did not create music in a personal real objective 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, He is not “there” when it comes to music.

Constantly Abiding

 

Constantly Abiding

There’s a peace in my heart that the world never gave,

A peace it cannot take away;

Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud,

I’ve a peace that has come here to stay!

 

All the world seemed to sing of a Savior and King,

When peace sweetly came to my heart;

Troubles all fled away and my night turned to day,

Blessed Jesus, how glorious Thou art!

 

This treasure I have in a temple of clay,

While here on His footstool I roam;

But He’s coming to take me some glorious day,

Over there to my heavenly home!

Refrain:

Constantly abiding, Jesus is mine;

Constantly abiding, rapture divine;

He never leaves me lonely, whispers, oh, so kind:

“I will never leave thee”—Jesus is mine.

 

          I was saved in July of 1967 at the Eastern Kansas Camp.  The camp was held each year in an open-air tabernacle with a sawdust floor.  The tabernacle had wooden doors that were hinged from the top and were held open with two wooden stakes.  In front of the platform was an old wooden mourner’s bench with carpet runners paced on top of the sawdust floor in front of the tough wooden alters.  It wasn’t a very fancy place but it was good enough for an awful sinner like me to find his way to God. 

          I do not remember the text from which Dr. C.E. Cowen preached  or specifically what he said that night, but I do know that I passed from death unto life that Saturday night when God, for Christ’s sake, forgave me of all my sins and removed them “as far as the East is from the west” that night in July.

          The next morning as I drove from our farm to Mid America Business Forms where I was working that summer, God brought the gospel song written by Anne S. Murphy which is written above.  The thought that forcibly came to mind that July morning was, “There’s a peace in my heart that the world never gave”.  Also that morning I became strangely aware that “All the world seemed to sing of a Savior and King”.  I was blessed that morning as I realized that “This treasure I have in a temple of clay” and furthermore that the blessed Holy Spirit was whispering to me, “I will never leave thee”.  Christian musician take heart when you remember,"...he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."  (Hebrews 13:5)

 

Thought for the Day

God not only gave me a peace in my heart the evening when I was saved but He has proven to me over and over again that “Though the trials of life may surround like a cloud, I’ve a peace that has come here to stay!”

Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 3

 

Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 3

          There are many practicing Christian musicians that find out in the midst of their music ministry that that they are incapable of “understanding (noeo 3539) neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm (diabebaioomai 1226).” This phrase connotes that it is possible for a Christian to follow a ministry (music) praxis and not be able to confirm thoroughly, with any logical biblical understanding, why they believe (affirm constantly)   what they believe.

          Third, “rightly dividing the word of truth” is a must to any Christian ministry.  This is most certainly the truth in the case of music ministry. Portions of 2Co 6:4-7 teach us that, “… in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses… By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left…”  Remember that the onus of approval falls on the Christian musician “Eph 5:8-10 speaks to this fact when it states, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth ;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord…”

 

Scripture for the Day

 1Corinthians 14:15, “What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

 

Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 2

 

Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 2

          It is a fair question to ask why I purport that all ministering musicians.  The answers to this hypothesis are found first in the statement in 2Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved (dokimos 1384) unto God”. Dokimos means, in this situation, that the musician’s serious and accurate study will cause that musician to music in a way that will render this music and musicing acceptable in the sight of God.  This phrase would also connote that the musician has, by study, has “tried” the music and the way he or she plans to musics so that it will be acceptable unto God.

          Second, the statement “a workman that needeth not to be ashamed” is self- explanatory—those who study music and music in the Bible are a lot less apt to later be ashamed of how thy musiced unto God, than those who rush in like a bull in a china shop and find themselves in the unfortunate situation mentioned in 1Timothy 1:5-7,. “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.” 

 

Scripture for the Day

2Corinthians 10:18, “For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”

Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 1

 

Should All Christian Musicians Study? Part 1

          2Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”   Study requires the devotion to acquiring knowledge on an academic subject. This most often requires reading and the dedicated study and detailed investigation of books.  In this case St Paul was doubtlessly referring to devoting time and attention to the acquisition of knowledge of the “Book of Books” in order to acquire knowledge of what it teaches.

          It stands to reason that all Christian musicians must study music and that this study must involve a long broad study or the whole of music.  The verse quoted above does not directly mention the study of music, but I believe that the Bible principle taught here logically extends to the study of music for the Christian who is a ministering musician.  I also believe that it is essential for all ministering musicians to study what the Bible teaches about music and musicing.

 

Scripture for the Day

Ecclesiastes 12:9, “And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.”

And Can It Be?

 

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

And Can It Be?

I am amazed that the mighty love of God reached a farm boy in Eastern Kansas.  I know that the wages of sin is death.  I understand that the law and justice of God demands penalty for sin.  Even when I was a bitter young man that did not love and serve Jesus Christ, I never doubted the existence of God or that I would have to someday pay for my sin.  I never doubted that God new and saw my rebellion against Him.

          As I look back on those rebellious years, I understood God to be stern more than loving.  I did not understand the infinite grace of God that sent His Son to die for me.  I did not fully understand that Christ “Emptied Himself of all but love”.  It still amazes me that “He left His Father’s throne above, So free , so infinite His grace!” 

          “And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood?  Charles Wesley explained my sinful depraved condition very well when he wrote, “Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature’s night.”  However, praise be to God, “Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke; the dungeon flamed with light!  My chains fell off; my heart was free.  I rose, went forth and followed Thee.” 

          Wesley caught the reality of the born-again experience when he penned the words, “No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine!  Alive in Him, my living Head,  And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach the eternal throne and claim the crown, through Christ, my own.”  Praise God for His love that made it possible for this Kansas farmer to be forgiven and freed from a life or rebellion and sin.

 

Song for the Day  And Can it Be? By Charles Wesley

Prayer for the Day

My dear Heavenly Father I want to thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ into this sin cursed world to die for me.  Thank You that Christ really died to pay the penalty for my sins.  I am not worthy to have an interest in my Savior’s love.   Thank You that Christ emptied Himself of all but love for me.  Thank You that instead of wrath, I received mercy.  Thank You for amazing love that reached a sinner like me.  This I am thankfully praying.  Amen.