Musicing in Christ—part 2

 

Musicing in Christ—part 2

In St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans (12:1-2)  he gives a strong admonishment to those who are Christians,  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [logikos 3050-rational] service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  The words not conformed (me suschematizo 3361, 4964) teach us that, in the process of presenting ourselves to God, we must not let ourselves be fashioned into the pattern of the world’s paradigm*.  It is interesting to note that the original meaning of the word paradigm first appeared in English sometime during the 15th century and meant "an example or pattern".  However, since the 1960’s the word paradigm has developed the meaning of a framework containing a person’s basic assumptions and ways and limits of thinking and knowing, i.e., that person’s epistemology. 

Why all the fuss about a Christian parent’s musical paradigm and music philosophy?  Over the many years that I taught music, I have experienced numerous problems with students that were a result of their parents musical paradigm.  For instance, one of my female voice students broke into tears in the middle of a voice lesson.  Naturally, I inquired of the problem and found that her mother had counseled her, “do not let them teach you to sing with vibrato.” 

 

Thought for the Day—Whether or not a Christian parent considers himself or herself to be a musician, that persons musical paradigm will  affect how his or her children view music and musicing.  Therefore, no Christian parent can escape the responsibility to study music.

 

Musicing in Christ—part 1

 

Musicing in Christ—part 1

2 Corinthians 5:17 speaks of what it is like to be “in Christ”, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, in 1:9-11 he explains his desire for those who are in Christ, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge [epignosis 1922-full discernment] and in all judgment [aisthesis 144- perception]; That ye may approve [dokimazo 1381-test or examine] things that are excellent [diaphero 1308- surpass, or more excellent]; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.”

“The Biblical view of the arts, specifically music, is radically different from our culture’s view which sometime seeps into the church.  Music making is neither a frill nor a status symbol.  It is the core of a right relationship with God.”1 Hopefully, the Christian parent, being a new creature in Christ Jesus, will not be convinced by those who are not Christians to view the world and music and musicing as they do.  By the term musicing I mean the act of performing or “doing” music. The way that Christian parents view the world will strongly influence how they view music and musicing in this world, and that view will strongly influence how their children view music.

1.    Froehlich, Mary Ann. Music Education in the Christian Home.  Brentwood,

Tennessee: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Publishers, Inc. 1990, p. 8.

 

Thought for the Day—A broad study of music and what the Bible teaches about sacred and secular musicing is necessary if a Christian musician is ever going to be qualified to make quality decisions about music and musicing.

 

More about Training our Own Musicians-part 2

 

More about Training our Own Musicians-part 2

            The Twenty-fifth chapter of I Chronicles is a musical discourse on ancient Levite musical training.  This wonderful chapter gives us vivid insights into the philosophical musical practice of the Chief Levite musicians.  Verse one states: “Moreover David and the captains of the host separated (badal 914) to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals...”  Notice that King David and his captains decreed that the sons of the three Chief Levite musicians should be separated (badal 914-to divide, select, or make a difference) to serve God through music making.  They were separated to prophesy or deliver the different message from God to the congregation through music performance.

Now let’s look specifically at what the chief Levite musician’s considered important in preparing their sons and brethren for music ministry.  They were separated to serve.  Each was a workman who ministered according to his talent and ability to serve.  Furthermore, they were all under the leadership or hands of their father.  They had a mentor, someone who was carrying out the order of the King who was a spiritual leader.  They were separated (consecrated) to prophesy.  This Hebrew word naba (5012) was translated prophesy in the AV means to speak or sing by inspiration.  It is the same word used of the major prophets of the Bible (see Jeremiah 25:30 and Ezekiel 21:24).  These men were prophesying  i.e. they were carrying the message of the king.  They were not entertaining, they were prophesying.  They were mentored to prophesy.  However, that was not enough.  They were successful because the sons actually prophesied.  They sang and played under the inspiration of YHVH.

 

More about Training our Own Musicians-part 1

 

More about Training our Own Musicians-part 1

A portion of 2Chronicles 23:13  makes a statement that recently caught my attention as I was reading the twenty third chapter.  A particular distinction of Levite teachers was pointed out as “…such as taught to sing praise”.  I am intrigued by these teachers who yada halal (3045,1984).  There are almost as many opinions about the correct rendering of yada halal as there are translators.  Although some translators render this as leaders of praise, I see no reason to rule out the concept of instructors or teachers of praise.  Hence, it appears that the AV translators were accurate in their rendering this classification of Levite musicians as “such as taught to sing praise”.

I am particularly interested with this rendering because it is in line with what other passages in the OT which indicate that The Levite musicians were sacred music teachers.  In ancient Israel the Levite musicians did not leave sacred musicing to random chance or to the traditions of their godless neighbors.  They were proactive by teaching the people (and particularly the young Levite musicians) how to music unto the LORD.  The Chief Levite musicians recognized that if music in future corporate worship in the Temple was going to be accomplished properly instruction was necessary.  They were expert in doing what many church fellowships have failed to do.  1Chronicles 25:7 states very clearly, “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.”  These astute Levite musicians were aware that although performing the songs of the LORD was important, so was instructing the next generation of musicians how to perform the songs of the LORD.  

The Power of The Music Part of Music-part 3

 

The Power of The Music Part of Music-part 3

Also worthy of note that as Colossians 1:16-18 states, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…”  Since God created “all things” (pas kitzo 3956 2936) “were created by him”  God owns music.  Since He ,by virtue of creating it, has proper ownership of music, He has the right to always receive preeminence over  a Christians musicing.  We know with certainty from the inspired letter to the Christians at Colossae that God created the visible (horatos 3707) and invisible (aoratos 517) part of music.  The aoratos is, of course, sound.  Therefore, God has ownership not only over the part of music that we can see but also over sound.  So, no artist has authority over the sounds that he or she produces in the context of Christian worship.

So, Christian musicians should get rid of the sense of ownership of music.  Christian musical artists including music worship leaders are not owners with rights but rather musical servants with responsibilities.  As we learned in part 1 of this discussion, music has the propensity to exert great power over all who experience it in or outside of corporate worship.  The use of music in Christian worship should never be a platform for personal preference or personal aggrandizement.  That being said, the performer or worship leader should music with passion.  Without passion musicing in the context of worship is like salt mentioned in Luke 14:34, “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned?”  If a Christian’s musicing is going to be efficacious it must be done with believability.  Like salt that has lost its saltiness,  musicing without passion fails to accomplish its mission. 

The Power of The Music Part of Music-part 2

 

The Power of The Music Part of Music-part 2

          Pleasurable artistic experiences with the music used in the context of Christian worship, are necessary if the worshiping body of Christ is going to regularly engage in the music that is used in worship.  Mundane music is not going to be the answer to engagement, however, worshiping music is also not the answer.  When it comes to  worships the created (music) rather than the Creator (God).  Christians must constantly remember that although pleasurable musicing is not in and of itself wrong, pleasurable musicing is not the ultimate goal of Christian worship.  It is the responsibility of the Christian musician to keep musicing in the context of worship Christian.

 Colossians 1:16-18 reminds us all, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”  In order for music to be truly Christian, Christ must always have preeminence.  Art, pleasure, style, genre, must all be always subservient to worshiping God.

The Power of The Music Part of Music-part 1

 

The Power of The Music Part of Music-part 1

Vivian Morsch stated, “Over and over again it has been proved that music can speak, with meaning and power, of a spiritual experience too deep for verbal expression.”  The Use of Music in Christian Education, P. 11.  She was speaking, of course, about the power of the music part of music being more powerful than words.  Since music has great power that is capable of eclipsing, or at least partially eclipsing the message of religious words, worship leaders must constantly consider what the music part of music will do to the intended message of the music used in the worship experience.

          Christian musicians sometimes weary of constant consideration of congruency of words and the formal properties of music used in the context of Christian worship.   There is a constant tug of war between artistic freedom and worship responsibilities.  Perhaps Christian musicians need to remember that a train runs best when it stays on the tracks.  Freedom, can destroy a train and unrestrained artistic freedom can destroy Christian worship.  That being said, there is a constant need for fresh new musical expression in the context of worship.  The answer is found in balance and restraint in the way that a musical artist expresses the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Faith Based Musicing

 

Faith Based Musicing

A plethora of conflicting books either partially or entirely written about music philosophy from a secular perspective have been written in the last 100 years. It is unfortunate that so little has been written about music philosophy from a Bible basis or a faith basis. Most of the books written by Christian musicians that discuss music philosophy have only devoted a portion of their works to a serious study of music philosophy. It is also most regrettable that Christian authors have for the most part not struggled with many of the major concepts of music philosophy that the secular music philosophers have and are still dealing with in this century. So, there is much need for current philosophical writings about music from a Bible and faith basis.

What does faith basis actually mean to a musician? Acts 20:21 states, “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”  So, St. Paul testified that faith basis is  grounded in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.  Faith based music philosophy of necessity requires true repentance of the musician’s sins and faith in Jesus Christ.  Without a life in Christ Jesus, a musician’s musical praxis i.e. his or her purposeful musical actions, which exude from that musician’s music philosophy, are “…as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…” (1 Corinthians 13:1, 2 Timothy 3:5)  When a musician’s musical doing is done without having a relationship with Jesus Christ, that musician’s musicing is not truly faith based.

God Created the Building Blocks of Music-part 2

 

God Created the Building Blocks of Music-part 2

 

A non-descript and fuzzy music philosophy derived from a misunderstanding of the significance of Gen 1:1 will give rise to a faulty musical ministry praxis which is one’s  purposeful way of using music as a secular art form or in one’s church music ministry.  This means that if God, by virtue of ownership, does not become Lord over all of a Christian’s musicing, as an art form and as a musical offering to God in that musician’s music ministry, it will not be very long until God will not be Lord at all over that Christian musician’s musicing.   Because of the causality resulting from faulty music praxis, it will not take very much time until a musician’s music ministry will all become anthropocentric rather than Christocentric.

When Christian’s realize that they do not own music, it is much easier to recognize that they are musical servants with responsibilities rather than rights.  Music was created because God willed that it should exist. Therefore, it is reasonable to come to the logical hypothesis that He still has a will concerning music.  We should remember that God created the formal properties of music i.e. the nuts and bolts of music that make it what it is capable of being.

 

Scripture Thought for the Day

Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

God Created the Building Blocks of Music-part 1

 

God Created the Building Blocks of Music-part 1

 

Was music made as a part of God’s objective acts of creation?  Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God created…”  We know from the words Elohiym bara eth (430,1254, 853)  in verse one that the supreme exceeding God absolutely made or created music from or of Himself.   God took nothing and made music out of this “nothingness”.  Psalm 146:6 clearly states that it was God “Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth forever”?  Strong says that asah (6213) means “to do or make” something.  Is there any logical reason why music is not a part of this “all” which is mentioned here?    St. John 1:3&10, Ephesians 3:9, and Revelation 4:11all attest to the belief of a complete creation and especially, Colossians 1:16, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.” 

So, I am drawn to the logical conclusion that out of the chaos, emptiness, confusion, and nothingness reported in Genesis 1:2, God created and an brought His creation into proper form—these acts of creation included music.  God chose to create music because, in his perfect will He desired that it should be a part of His perfect creation. In his objective acts of creation, God created the mathematical ratios that are the basis of what music is and what it is capable of being like when a musician astutely arranges the music part of music (the building blocks of music) unto artistic musical patterns.  Because of  God’s ownership and Lordship, HE has authority over how we arrange and use His musical building blocks.   When Christian musicians get rid of the sense of music ownership many problems that surround religious music and musicing disappear.  

 

Scripture Thought for the Day

St. John 1:3, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”

Worship Leaders-part 3

 

Worship Leaders-part 3

          We have discussed the requirements of a congregational song leader. Today we will continue our discussion.  I can understand a song leader who is not knowledgeable of good standard conducting techniques and I understand that many of them are sincerely trying to lead musical worship. However, I have a hard time understanding a song leader who stands before the congregation with facial expressions that accurately represent the “Great stone face.” When I watch song leaders I often see no smile, no joy, no enthusiasm, no excitement, no outward facial expression that represents all the joy and grandeur of corporate singing about our Savior "who taketh away the sins of the world". Great joy should exude from the song leader as the congregation sings the great hymns, gospel songs and worship choruses. These songs and choruses are capable of being vehicles to express the awesomeness and solemnity of the worship of a triune God.

          Jesus, quoting from Isaiah 55:7 stated in St. John 7:38: stated, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Is it too far-fetched to suppose that the song leader, who really believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, can be capable of letting his or her love show through conducting techniques?  I contend that out of the song leader’s belly (heart, or inner being) should flow effusions of love and praise!  They come forth like gushing water from an artisan well.  These “living waters” cannot be contained because the director believes what Jesus said.  It is amazing to me that a minister of music can stand in front of an  assembly of worshipers and fail to let this "living water" be effectually expressed through his or conducting gestures, facial expressions, and deeply passionate body language.

Therefore, the song leader’s love, joy, belief, understanding, praise, adoration and blessing should all show on his or her face.  The song leader’s body language, facial expression and conducting gestures should all passionately express the glorious praise of our God!  If this happens,  musical worship will be changed dramatically.  Not every member of the congregation  will  have a degree in music or necessarily deeply understand music, but they will all  understand when a song leader is overflowing with deep and meaningful compassion for what he or she is doing and expresses this understanding through performance conducting  and body language that is expressive of his or deep love for the Lord!

Quote for the Day

"Worship is the single most important event that happens weekly (and sometimes weakly ) in the local church." Church Music in the Real World, by Bob Burroughs p. 86.  It is our responsibility as song leaders to make sure that it does not happen weakly.

Worship Leaders? part 2

 

Worship Leaders? part 2

          Second, I seldom see a song leader who actually  leads the people in singing. The congregational song leader should direct the music with passion.  The character of the song leader’s conducting gestures should reflect the essence and character of the song he or she is trying to represent with conducting gestures. The conductor should remember that he or  she is leading the congregation in presenting a musical offering unto God, and that it should be a meaningful musical offering which is, as much as is possible, without blemish.  The director is not leading the congregation in singing songs for fun, but rather, he or she is  leading them as they  are responding to God through singing!

          Third, the facial expressions of the song leader should mirror the message of the text. Believe it or not, the conductor’s visage should change as the meaning of the text changes.  The body language of the song leader should be a non-verbal effusion of the director’s inner desire to express the meaning of the text and the music part of the music.  When the music "weeps, the conductor should obviously be moved with great compassion.  When the music rejoices, he or she should almost burst with enthusiasm and obvious joyful, passionate expression   through both  conducting and facial expression!  I believe that Church Music Matters and that a strong philosophy of worship conducting also matters and will effectively change the worship experience!  Remember, every music choice we make exudes from our music philosophy.

Thought for the Day

Sometimes I think we should sing J.S. Bach's "Sleepers Awake" after some directors lead congregational singing.

 

Worship Leaders? part 1

 

           My earliest memories of going to church include standing with a hymnbook in my hands, singing vigorously while trying to see over the pew in front of me.  It never entered my mind that the day would come when the hymnbook would begin to disappear in the sanctuary.  It also never occurred to me that effective song leaders who are passionate music directors with obvious effective conducting skills would also ,little by little, begin to disappear.

          First, even more disappointing than the disappearance of the hymn book has been the vanishing of the effective song leader. By "effective song leader", I mean someone who is knowledgeable in conducting skills and expresses the essence of the worship music while utilizing these skills. I am fortunate, where I attend church to have a minister of music who understands conducting, but as I travel to a variety of churches, I experience fewer and fewer song leaders who use both arms in the process of conducting patterns and gestures, (remembering that there are worshipers on both sides of the conductor) .

       There seems to be a lack of understanding among directors that there are performance conducting techniques  that are a non-verbal method of  "drawing" the congregation into the experience of musical worship. Those who do not understand the function of conducting patterns seem to not understand how conducting gestures should visually express the essence of the text and the music part of the music they are trying to lead. Directors seem to forget that conducting is not merely a rehearsal function.

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 5

 

       Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 5

Under this lack-luster philosophy mentioned in the four previous posts, religious music no longer has to be aesthetically beautiful.  Although almost all Christian musicians who perform rock-based music would deny it, they do not believe in a music aesthetic based on any definable traditional standards of beauty.  If they do believe in a Christian music aesthetic, it is most certainly a redefined beauty based on a synthesis somewhere in between beauty and ugliness.  How did music degenerate in its aesthetic beauty from the music of J.S. Bach to the anti-music of composers like John Cage? 

I believe that Achille-Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was one of the early composers who started in the direction of despair music.  He became interested in the literary works of the symbolist writers of the 19^th century.  These writers addressed their writings to a system of symbols and symbolic meaning as a negative reaction to naturalism and realism in literature.  This school which was nonliteral and figurative began to develop a network of vague images.   These vague images found their way in to the music compositions of this off-shoot of the romantic period that became known as impressionism.

 

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 4

 

Aesthetics and the Christian Musician- part 4

 

What does all this mean to church musicians in the 21^st century?  Why should we care what “serious academic music” composers do?  The reason we care is that in order for us to know how contemporary Christian music derived its philosophical basis, we must understand the history of music.  With these basic understandings of 20^th century philosophical despair in music philosophy, we are able to know how 21^st century church musicians derive their synthesis music philosophy which is a mixture of good and bad and beauty and ugliness.

Many contemporary Christian musicians have accepted the elements of the anti-music despair of the 20^th century.  They believe, somewhat like Stravinsky, that the music part of music is not efficacious i.e. it is incapable of expressing anything at all.  Furthermore, these Christian musicians believe, somewhat like John Cage, that nothing is “sacred” or “profound” about the music part of music.  Finally, like the religious music of Pierre Henry, these contemporary Christian’s religious music is grotesque and dissonant but the words are clear and clean!  To them this sanctifies the deed! To them, if the words are clean, nothing else matters.