More on How a Musician Should Use the Tongue

More on How a Musician Should Use the Tongue

Psalm 30:12 “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.” The word kabowd (3519) which has been translated “my glory” in this verse in the AV has been a source of much conjecture among Bible exegetes.  Some translators have rendered kabowd heart and others have used the word soul while others have used the word heart.  Yong’s Literal Translation renders the verse, “So that honour doth praise Thee, and is not silent, O Jehovah, my God, to the age I thank Thee!”  Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, John Wesley, and Matthew Poole all believed that “my glory” refers to the tongue.

          So this is another verse in the Bible that instructs the musician in how to use his or her tongue.  The Bible principle of musicing is clear that the singer is to use the tongue to bring glory to God.  Although the English wording in this verse could be misunderstood as giving the singer the right to bring glory to self, this is far from what this verse means.  The tongue is the singer’s greatest tool of praise.  So Chief musician are you using your tongue to bring praise and glory to YHVH elohim?  You must remember that He is the self-existent, independent, eternal God who is the supreme God.

 

Prayer for the Day

 

Thank You Lord that You have made it possible for mw to use my tongue to sing praises to you.  You are more than worthy of any song that I could sing to You.  I want to ask You to help me as I sing Your praises in and out of Your house of worship.  May the words of my mouth truly be acceptable in your sight.  These things I am praying in Your matchless name.  Amen.

 

Song for the Day All Glory, Laud, and Honor by Theodulph of Orleans

 

Thought for the Day

 

If you wish to use your tongue to brag or boast, us it to boast and brag on God.

 

Philosophy and the Lordship of Christ-part 2

 

Philosophy and the Lordship of Christ-part 2

  We cannot trust public education to produce Christ-centered musicians who have a Christocentric music philosophy.  Christians never should have trusted the world to formulate music philosophy for Christian young people.  It has always been the responsibility of Christians to train their own. Although many Christian parents have ignored it, the world has never been a friend of grace.  Could you imagine the ancient Hebrews calling in the Philistines to train their Levite sons?  The 20^th century church did just that--they called in the worldly musicians who outwardly profaned the name of Christ to train church musicians.  The result was generation after generation of Christian musicians filled with Philistine philosophy. 

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 teach God in their music knowledge.  Although federal law has mandated that public education can no longer retain God in our educational knowledge, the fact that they will not directly teach false concepts of God does not indicate that no “God-education” will take place in public schools and universities.  By eliminating God as the Creator and Lord of 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 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 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 toe on the desk leg. 

 

Philosophy and the Lordship of Christ-part 1

 

Philosophy and the Lordship of Christ-part 1

Christian musicians often question the necessity of developing a series of systematic beliefs concerning the nature and value of the whole of music.  Furthermore, they often seem to believe that those values set forth by major public colleges and universities are adequate for Christian musicians.  After all, aren’t the elements of music the same for Christians and non-Christians?  The philosophy of a musician who does not bring all his musical endeavor under the Lordship of Christ should never be trusted. You can trust an unregenerate musician to be worldly in his or her philosophical basis.  Remember, direction determines destiny!  Any musician who believes the end of all human endeavor is the gratification of self will ultimately come to different philosophical conclusions than a musician whose life is sold out to Christ.

 For the committed Christian, music begins and ends with God.  To the humanist, music begins and ends with self.  The musician who has submitted his or her music to the Lordship of Christ believes that all church music is sung and played to glorify God since God owns music.  Conversely, the secular humanists (and the religious humanist) believes that music belongs to man’s true humanness since all music is about self-actualization.  This type of thinker owns his or her music.

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 3

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 3 

There are many factors which will affect how a writer will arrive at a musical conclusion.  Factors that will affect a writer’s musical interpretation include musical worldview, general academic knowledge of music history and theory, knowledge or lack of knowledge of: ancient musical instruments, ancient species of music mentioned in the Bible, music worship practices in the first and second ancient Jewish Temples, the meaning of  musical terms used in the Bible, the ancient Jewish sociological and cultural limitations of the use of women in Temple music, the meaning of the biblical accents (te’amim) found below and above the OT texts, secular music and musicing mentioned in the Bible, ancient biblical principles of sacred music and musicing mentioned in the Bible, and an understanding of the music of the nations and cultures that surrounded ancient Israel.

So, why does a Christian music educator care whether or not ancient cultures utilized harmony?  Furthermore, why does it matter whether or not Bible music includes harmony?  There are several reasons why a music educator should know about the music of ancient Israel and their neighbors.  One reason is that a great host of educators who still believe that the music of ancient Israel and their neighbors was written only in the pentatonic scale, or worse yet some weird synthetic scale, and that it could not have possibly been heptatonic, diatonic or have exhibited any characteristics like half steps between the third and fourth and seventh and eighth degrees of the scale.  Even the well-known fact that some of this music exhibited the use of octaves, harmony, and ornamentation is still sometime adamantly denied by writers.

With these glaring misconceptions about ancient music still being believed and taught by multitudes of Christian music educators, it is of little wonder that they do not consider Bible music to be relevant to the process of music education.  Certainly such music educators will not teach that Bible music is an authentic source of truth concerning music and musicing.  Christian music education needs to get rid of the notion that information about music found in the Bible and other ancient extra-biblical sources is strictly dispensational and outdated.

 

 

Thought for the Day 

 

Christian music educators need to treat what the Bible has to say with much respect if they expect their students to develop a Christocentric Bible based philosophy of music.

 

 

 

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 2

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 2 

  “Proof texting is the method by which a person appeals to a biblical text to prove or justify a theological position without regard for the context of the passage they are citing. Proof texting is the method by which a person appeals to a biblical text to prove or justify a theological position without regard for the context of the passage they are citing.”  http://www.theopedia.com/Proof_texting It stands to reason that such use of Scripture does not result in biblical accuracy or what Schaeffer called true truth.  However, one should be careful to not contend that quoting Scripture connotes that the one who quoted it is using it without regard to how it was used by the original author.  We should also remember that New Testament authors quoted verses from the OT to support their arguments.  Those who quoted OT passages of Scripture included Jesus who quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 when he was being tempted by Satan (see Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4).  So, it isn’t quoting Scripture that constitutes proof texting but rather mis-representing the original intent of Scripture or the principle that the original Scripture represented.

What I am contending, for example, is that an author stating that a Christian musician should not music unto God with carnal songs, based on the use of pneumatikos  oide (4152 5603) in Ephesians 5:19, does not constitute the unwarranted use of Scripture which is called proof texting because lexicographers generally agree that pneumatikos oide means spiritual i.e. non-carnal songs. As we know, indiscriminate quoting of Scripture to try to prove a point will many times result in incorrect conclusions, but so will taking the usual meaning of an English word or words used in a Bible translation without regard to the meaning of the word or words used by the original author.  Words have meaning but their meaning is greatly influenced by how they are used in sentences.  However, how an author interprets what words mean in context is many times a matter of opinion. 

 

Thought for the Day

 

Even though some Christian musicians misquote and misinterpret Scriptures that mention music, Christian music educators can and should treat what the Bible has to say about music as authoritative.

  

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 1

 

Musical “Truth” Found in the Bible part 1

          All Christian music educators should be concerned about the authenticity of   what they use in the instructional process.  Should a Christian music educator refer to Scripture as an historical and philosophical basis for what he or she believes about music?  At least two concepts are important to the process of Christian music education.  First, what the Bible has to say about music and musicing is relevant to music education in the twenty first century.  Second, the music educator should quote Scripture and treat it as authoritative truth concerning music. Many music educators are overly concerned about whether or not they are qualified in the process of music education to quote both Old and New Testament Scriptures that mention music.  It is true that the Bible does not deal with every aspect of music that twenty first century Christian musicians encounter.

 Although the Bible does not provide us with exhaustive truth concerning music, what it does tell us is always true. As Francis Schaeffer wrote, “It is an important principle to remember, in the contemporary interest in communication and in language study, that the biblical presentation is that, though although we do not have exhaustive truth, we have from the Bible what I term ‘true truth’.  In this way we know true truth about God, true truth about man and something truly about nature, thus on the basis of the Scriptures, while we do not have exhaustive knowledge, we have true and unified knowledge.” Escape from Reason, by Francis Schaeffer, p. 21  Every reference to music mentioned in the Bible, as II Timothy 3:16 states, is “… given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”  Ephesians 5:18 commands the Christian musician to “be filled with the Spirit”. 

 

Thought for the Day

 

Christian musicians must not fall into the philosophical trap of believing that the truth concerning music which is found in the Bible is relative.

 

Evidences That You May be Called to Music Ministry

 

                                      Evidences That You May be Called to Music Ministry

 Below is a list of strengths that a musician who is called to music ministry often has.  They are not proofs of a calling to music ministry, but God often gives them to musicians who are called to be ministers of music.  Over the many years that I was a Bible College music professor, young musicians often mistook these gifts as a proofs that they were called to preach.  Here is the list that I have written for your consideration.

                         A passionate love for Scripture

                        An understanding of God’s Word

                        A desire to study music in the Bible

                        The ability to find spiritual meanings in sacred music

                        A desire to share those meanings with others

                        A spiritual burden for people

                        A desire to worship God with music

                        A gentleness and love for those with whom you music

                        A passion to music effectively

                        You have a dissatisfaction with mere artistic rendering of sacred music

                        A desire to seek and have the Holy Spirit’s anointing on your musicing

                        A recognition of the dangers of worshiping the creature(music) rather than its

                           Creator (God)

                        A sincere desire to music unto God rather than to consume music on

                           Your own desires

                        You consider your musicing a confession of faith

                        You consider your music ministry a sacred trust

 

 

                                       Thought for the day-Called to Music Ministry

 

God gives musicians gifts and graces for a reason and that reason is never so that they can consume music on their own desires and personal satisfaction. 

 

 

Blended Music Before “Blending” Was Cool-Part 2

 

 

                                   Blended Music Before “Blending” Was Cool-Part 2

       With the introduction, given in yesterday’s discussion, I want to explain why gospel hymns like “What a Wonderful Savior” by E.A. Hoffman are appropriate for 21^st century public worship.  Each verse of this song is a clear confession of faith taken from the fundamental doctrines of the Bible.                        

                                    Christ has for sin atonement made,

                                    We are redeemed: the price is paid.

 

                                    I praise Him for the cleansing blood-

                                    That reconciled my soul to God.

 

                                    He cleansed my heart from all its sin-

                                    And now He reigns and rules there-in.

 

                                    He gives me overcoming power-

                                    And triumph in each trying hour!

 

                                    To him I’ve given all my heart.

                                    The world shall never share a part.

Each thought of each line is followed by the corporate (choral) response: “What a wonderful Savior!”  Each complete verse is then followed by the strong chorus:

                                    What a wonderful Savior is Jesus, my Jesus!

                                    What a wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord!

This gospel hymn has the best of everything.  It includes:

                                                Atonement

                                                Redemption

                                                Cleansing by the efficacious blood of Christ

                                                Reconciliation

                                                Cleansing from all sin

                                                Christ reigning in the believer’s heart

                                                Christ’s overcoming power given to believers

                                                Triumphant Christian living

                                                A life sold out to Christ

                                                Freedom from the power of this world

       This gospel hymn also is loaded with expressions of repeated praise to our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This song is a classic example of many songs that may be found in any standard Hymnal.  Although the musical vehicle is simple harmonically and rhythmically, it is a proper vehicle to support this mighty lyric gospel hymn.  Next Sunday give this gospel hymn a try in Sunday morning worship.  The fundamental understanding of the Bible doctrines imbedded in this song will help you in your presentation of this wonderful song to your congregation.  P.S. note the importance and credence that punctuation gives to this lyric poetry.

 

                                              Thought For the day-Blending –Part 2

Music is an aid to memory.  This song contains ten times the theological thoughts that some “one thought” choruses contain.

Blended Music Before “Blending” Was Cool-Part 1

 

                                                Blended Music Before “Blending” Was Cool-Part 1

       About 100 years before blended music for worship became popular in public worship as part of the worship the worship renewal movement, Elisha A. Hoffman wrote the words to “What a Wonderful Savior”.  This song may be defined as a gospel hymn.  There are several definitions given for the gospel hymn by various authors.  These definitions run from a “mixture song” which includes praise to God mixed with clear fundamentalist doctrine to “simple songs with an elaborate chorus”.  Some of the definitions that I have found have been positive but others are very negative considerations of this musical genre especially because they stress adherence to the fundamental doctrines of the Bible.

        Notably, the early gospel hymns were developed first by George Root (1820-1895), William Howard Doane (1832-1915), Robert Lowery (1826-1899), Philip Bliss (1838-1876), et al.  There have been a host of writers who have produced these mixture songs in the 20^th century.  Current writers are particularly negative about gospel songs that exhibit clear fundamentalist doctrine and the fact that these songs are quite simple harmonically.

       Although there are numbers of these songs that are anything but “classics”, time has already shown that they are not the only religious songs that often rightfully fall into obscurity after a short period of popularity.  At this point in time there is an emphasis on worship music that centers almost entirely on God with little or no content about man’s relationship to God.  The claims of the gospel are purposefully omitted from the bulk of praise and worship choruses.

Certainly, praise to God is not an option but rather a necessity for worship musicing.  However, as I have said often, so are songs of prayer, confession, contrition, the Trinity, Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection, the second coming, and a host of other doctrinal and creedal content.

       So, the gospel hymns written by the hymnists listed above were an integral part of the Moody, Sankey worship and evangelistic services.  Louis F. Benson notes that, “Their work [the gospel hymn] was appropriated in Dwight L. Moody’s English campaign and his later call upon American churches to add evangelism to worship.”  The Hymnody of the Christian Church, by Louis F. Benson, p.266   The concept of having an element of evangelism and fundamental doctrines of the church as a part of public worship is not popular in many churches today.  My philosophical question to those who oppose an element of evangelism in worship is, “Just when are songs that teach fundamental doctrines and have an evangelistic appeal appropriate for the modern audience?”

        Many fundamentalist churches have shortened or removed revivals, camp meetings and evangelistic campaigns from their schedule of public services.  These same churches sing a repertoire of praise songs on Sunday morning and Sunday evening and at the midweek service, with little or no songs that catechize the audience in the cardinal doctrines of the church.  When should the church music present the claims of the gospel and give people an opportunity to come to know Christ by a personal profession of faith?  It seems that, if the modern fundamentalist churches are attempting to be seeker sensitive, they need to add an element of evangelism to their worship musicing in order for it to be a proper concomitant to the preaching of Christ crucified.  I want to emphasize again that I believe praise and worship music must hold a place of centrality in all the public services of the Assembly of Believers.  However, although praise music is fundamental to Christian worship, so is the exposition of the other cardinal doctrines of the church.

 

                                               Thought for the day-Blending

Nutritionists constantly stress the importance of a balanced diet.  Good quality gospel hymns are, in my estimation, some of the balanced catechism tom insure a balanced theological diet.

God Never Forgets His Ministering Musicians

 

God Never Forgets His Ministering Musicians

 

               Genesis 4:21 “And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.” This verse has the distinction of being the first reference to music in the Holy writ.  Among those names most anciently mentioned in Scripture, Jubal is listed.  Not only is this musician’s name specified in the bible, but he is called by “ab” (01) which is the primitive Hebrew and Chaldean word for father, chief and principal person.

                Musician’s soar to the seventh heaven during their musicing unto God and plunge to the abyss of despair after church is over.  While reflecting on the service they only remember that the two main bass singers and the soprano soloist did not show up for morning service.  Furthermore, the tenors sang flat and hardly any one said “thank you “after church was over.

              Christian musicians, who are among the most visible of all God’s ministering servants, strangely suffer from loneliness and often feel forgotten by both God and man.  There are a host of reasons for these feelings of self-pity, none of which deserve to be discussed in this short devotional.  To state it simply it goes with the Job!  If you are a musician you will have highs and lows and these will happen much too often. 

One way of looking at it is that poor Jubal only got one tiny verse in all of the Old Testament.  However, you could look at it that his name and what he did was inscribed in the Book of Genesis.  Man would forget him, but God will not let us forget His musician.  Not only do we remember Jubal as a musician, but as the “father” of musicians.  If you are a musician and you are reading this devotional, I do not need to draw you a picture.  You know what I mean.  God has not forgotten you.  Buck up.  God loves you and He remembers all your service to Him.

Christian Musicing is like a Light

 

                                                 Christian Musicing is like a Light

 Matthew 5:16 states, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

       Why do you suppose that Jesus has commanded Christian musicians to let their light shine?  I believe it is because our world is a very dark place to live in the twenty-first century.  Sin has made this world dark place with a very dark atmosphere at times.  Jesus knew that Christian musicians are prone to let Satan come by and cover it with a bushel basket.  So, Jesus reminded us all, in the Sermon on the Mount, to be absolutely sure that we keep our light shining very brightly.

       The light of Christ placed in us is so powerful that Satan needs a bushel basket to completely hide it from those who see it and will receive its light in their lives.  Satan knows that, without this light of Christ, people will continue to live in darkness.  Jesus instructed us to put our powerful light on a candle stick so that it will give the light of salvation to all people.

       One of the ways that a Christian can show the light of Christ is through his or her musicing.  Jesus explained, in this sermon, that “you” are the light of the world.  This means that there is much value in people seeing the Christian musician music unto God.  As I play exegetical gymnastics with this verse of Scripture, I have the notion that maybe Jesus includes our musicing unto Him as a part of what people need to “see”.  As I just said, it is just a notion, but I think it is a valuable notion.  If so, musicians need to let their musical light shine in such a way that all who are in the “house” will see it and glorify our Father who is in heaven.  Therefore, we need to be very careful of what people “see’ as well as what they hear when we music unto God.

                                                Thought for the day--Musicing is a Light

If musicing unto God is a part of our good works, and it is, then Christian musicians need to be sure that people see and hear good quality music when we sing and play in and out of church.

 

 

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.

Why Musicians Do What They Do—Part 2

 

Why Musicians Do What They Do—Part 2

One approach to discussion is for the thesis thinker to start by stating as clearly and precisely as is possible exactly what he or she believes philosophically about the nature and value of music.  It is a mistake to start by asking post-modern or post-post-modern man to prove anything about music philosophy.  The only thing that one can do is offer biblical, examples, warnings, admonitions, and absolutes concerning music.  Remember that, to twenty first century man, music philosophy is often non-discussible, non-rational, non-logical, and is without congruent explanation.

Many Christian musicians in this century believe that the Bible contains but does not necessarily embody truth, or is the whole truth or true-truth.  To these musicians truth is mixed with error.  It is often hard for the thesis thinker to understand that many Christian musicians actually believe that the Bible not only contains truth concerning music but that also it contains error. These synthesis-thinking musicians have a non-rational, non-logical autonomous faith in Christ that is not totally Bible based.  Their autonomous faith goes beyond the truth of Scripture since synthesis faith is based on their personal encounter with Christ that does not come under the scrutiny of Scripture.  These musicians may not even believe in the deity of Christ, the Trinity, the virgin birth, a literal hell, eternal punishment, the witness of the Spirit, a personal relationship with Christ, or a literal creation or original sin.  So, it is important that you operate from the presupposition that the Bible is the infallible, completely accurate, inspired Word of God and that it does not contain a mixture of truth and error.

 

 

 

Why Musicians Do What They Do—Part 1

 

Why Musicians Do What They Do—Part 1

 This blog often considers how people think.  If one wishes to gain insight into why musicians do what they do, then one must learn not only “what they think”, but also “how they think”.  As has been stated, modern, postmodern, and post postmodern   synthesis thinkers not only think different things about music, they also think differently than the thesis thinkers do about music.  They think from a different epistemology.

The reason one must know how they think is that understanding their way of “knowing” will enable a thesis thinker to discuss the non-discussible with the synthesis thinker.  Remember that the non-rational, non-logical autonomy of the synthesis thinker removes all need or responsibility of discussing or defending one’s philosophical basis of musical thought since this thinker considers that he or she is a free independent thinker without responsibility to anyone or any philosophy. Many times this Christian musician believes that he or she is on a winding musical journey with God that results in   constant philosophical change. If this musician is in a leadership position, leader-shift is considered a strength rather than a confusing and upsetting dilemma for those who are trying to follow his or her musical direction.

 

Musicing in Christ—part 3

 

Musicing in Christ—part 3

 So, Christian parents needs to take careful inventory of their music paradigm before allowing their “tender plants” to take music lessons and get caught between two drastically different music philosophies.  Admittedly, there is room for different acceptable beliefs about singing, hand positions when playing piano, trumpet embouchure, or how to hold a bow when playing double bass. However, extremely rigid  differences in musical paradigm involving musical style can  make it almost impossible for the student to succeed in the private teaching studio, the general music classroom, or as a member or a choral or instrumental organization. 

The only completely safe teacher of Christian music education and music philosophy is the Holy Spirit who is capable and willing to guide Christian musicians into all truth concerning music education in this century. Although a Christian may make appropriate personal choices and have personal preferences concerning music, there are absolutes concerning music and its place in a Christian’s life. Therefore, a prescriptive Christian music philosophy must be   built on Bible principles of musicing, profundity, appropriateness, and standards of correctness. There is room for musical  taste in the life of a Christian, but the use of music  is not all a matter of personal taste since it must be guided by Bible principles of musicing that are congruent with the principles living out the changed life of a Christian.

 

Thought for the Day—Although there is room for personal preferences of how a Christian musics unto God, every Christian needs the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the process of choosing how to music unto God.