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.