Thinking that Is Balanced part 4

 Later in the Ephesians chapter 4 in verses 11-13 he states, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…” The different types of ministries were given to insure unity-not division.  The body of Christ is meant to be fitly joined together (Eph. 4:16).

Although Paul, in the 4^th chapter, was not addressing the subject of sacred music and musicing directly as he did in chapter 5, the principle of what he was teaching in the 4^th chapter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, extends to the use of sacred music as a concomitant of worship.  If a fellowship of Christians is to be edified by corporate musicing, it must be amenable to the will of God.  Romans 12:2 instructs Christians to “…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”. 

So, when a Christian musics unto God, that musician has the responsibility to “get it right”. In his or her quest for musical aggrandizement, a Christian musician who is responsibility for sacred musicing as a concomitant to public worship does not have either the luxury of musical exploration or the freedom to pursue personal musical preferences that are incongruent with the purposes of Christ centered worship. Furthermore, a Christian musician is a new man with a new song of renovated character(Ps. 40:3, Rev. 5:9,14). Romans 12:2 instructs Christians to be transformed (3339) by allowing God to perform a metamorphoo (3339) i.e., a change of mindset.  It is reasonable that this change of thinking will include a Christian musician’s musical mindset.  Notice that Paul did not state that the Christian should make some slight midcourse corrections, but rather that this mindset change will be dramatic.

Thinking that Is Balanced part 3

 

Thinking that Is Balanced part 3

Every fellowship of believers has the God given right and responsibility to music unto God in accordance with that Christian community’s  convictions and preferences.  Furthermore, Christians have the responsibility to not offend those who attend corporate worship with styles and ways of musicing.  Worship leaders must always remember that a fellowship of Christian believers always worships and musics in community.  Those who are responsible for the use of music in worship, i.e., church pastoral leadership and the musicians who are worship leaders, are placed in their individual responsibilities to facilitate “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…” (Ephesians 5:19) 

Being a pastor or a Church musician should never become a platform for personal music preference.  Ps 133:1 explains, “…Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity [yachad 3162”!  Yachad means to function as a unit or in unity i.e., togetherness.  When religious music and ways of musicing offend those in the Christian community fellowship and unity are hindered because the musicing creates division.  Speaking, as found in the Ephesians 5 statement connotes musicing “to yourselves’ or perhaps better put “among yourselves” is accomplished through “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”.  This musicing has as its object the holy triune God.  One of the great, powerful, efficacious outcomes of corporate sacred musicing is the unity that it is capable of bringing to the Christian community.  Church pastoral leadership and music leadership should constantly be protective of that unity.  St. Paul admonished the church Ephesians 4:1-3, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”.

Thinking that Is Balanced part 2

 

Thinking that Is Balanced part 2

When a Christian musician takes a firm stand on how one utilizes music in a life of worship, he or she must take that stand on the basis of God’s Word.  Furthermore, when a Christian musician presents his or her body as a living sacrifice, that person’s doing, which includes all sacred musicing, must be “holy and acceptable unto God.”  So, it is not far-fetched to deduce that the rational musicing of a Christian must always be faith based and Bible based.

Now let us discuss a dogmatic firm stand on sacred music and musicing.  It is one thing to music in a certain way based on one’s personal preferences and or personal convictions.  It is another to condemn and break fellowship with other Christian musicians when there is no clear Bible principle of music and musicing that a person’s sacred musicing violates.  Before I continue, I want to make it clear that there are types of music and musicing do not lend themselves to the awesomeness and solemnity of worshiping a Holy triune God.  Rational worship must have as a concomitant rational, reasonable, appropriate, supportive, and biblical faith based music and musicing.  If different forms of music and ways of music meet the above criteria, a Christian fellowship of believers should be careful not to firmly condemn these forms of music and ways of musicing. 

Thinking that Is Balanced part 1

 

Thinking that Is Balanced part 1

One of the most important aspects of a Christian’s thinking  is balance.  A Christian’s thinking must also be reasonable.  God desires that the thinking those who love and serve Him must be developed by reason and faith in Him. Isaiah 1:18 states, “Come now, and let us reason [yakach 3198] together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”  The Hebrew word yakach is a root word that means to be right i.e., to be correct.  Therefore, if a Christian musician’s thinking is going to please God, it must be correct reasonable thinking.  Romans 12:1 attests to the fact that a Christian’s life of service to God must be a life or reasonable or rational worship.  This verse clearly identifies God’s will when it states, “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] service [latreia 2999].”  Te word logikos is derived from logos (3056) which means “the word.”  It seems just that Paul, under inspiration, was referring to God’s Word.  The Christian is here reminded that “reasonable service” must be logically based on the rational truth found in God’s Word.

God Will Not Share Glory with Musicians

God Will Not Share Glory with Musicians 

Psalm 146:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.  While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. 

 Verse one declares that it is the responsibility of every believer to praise the LORD.  The Hebrew word used in verse one is halal (1984) which means, among other things, that something shines or that some action is taken as an act of celebration.

          When we music unto God, we should boast, shine, and celebrate!  It should always be a celebration of who God is and what He does.  Musical worship is never primarily about the music or the musician, but rather it is always about the blessed Trinity.  If we worship music, our musicing is an act of idolatry—nothing more and nothing less. 

If we celebrate the musician, our gratitude is by no means an act of worship.  When the performer is the center of attention, what could have been true worship becomes a musical event or a concert. There is not anything inherently wrong with a concert where the performer is honored, but it is by no means Christian worship.

We must be careful to keep the use of music in worship about God—not the music or the musicer.  Isaiah 48:11b reminds us all “… I will not give my glory unto another.”   As used here, the word "glory," i.e., kabowd (3519) means splendor, copiousness or gloriousness.  So, God has declared that He will not share His splendor and honor with anyone—that divine declaration includes musicians.  So, when we music in a worship service, we need to be careful to music in such a manner that God doesn’t have to share his glory with us. 

Scripture for the Day

Psalm 115:1 says, “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.”

 

  

Aesthetic Experience with Music Part 2

 

 Aesthetic Experience with Music Part 2

 Praxialists (educators who believe that students should perform music  instead of just listening to it) doubt that students who are not knowledgeable musically are capable of having an aesthetic experience with music. They also question how often those who are musically knowledgeable actually have aesthetic experiences with music and musicing.  So, there is no general agreement among music philosophies about aesthetic musical experiences at progressing levels of knowledge and experience with music and musicing..

There is general agreement among music philosophers that some people who experience musicing are capable of having aesthetic experiences at least part of the time.  Therefore, the Christian musician and music educator should not ignore the philosophical issues that surround aesthetic experiences.  So, all Christian musicians need to consider if and how aesthetic experiences with music do or do not affect sacred musicing.  As I have stated many times in my philosophical writings, music is an artform.  Hence, sacred music is an artform.  Although sacred musicing is not primarily about art, it is still a fact that we do music unto God with artforms. 

 

Aesthetic Experience with Music Part 1

 

 Aesthetic Experience with Music Part 1

An aesthetic experience is a deep encounter with music that is beyond mere knowledgeable awareness of the nuts and bolts of the music.  It is a private experience that a knowledgeable listener or performer has when experiencing a musical performance that reveals import that is deeply revealing and satisfying to the auditor or performer.  Since this experience is personal and private many writers have found it difficult to explain it with specificity.  They also find it even more difficult to even suggest how often a listener or performer has one of these elusive experiences.  It is also argued whether or not a neophyte is capable of having such an experience with music since it is generally believed that one must be knowledgeable of music in order receive musical import at this deep level.  Others contend that aesthetic experiences are possible at different levels of knowledge and experience with music and musicing. 

Some music philosophers and music educators believe that those who are not knowledgeable concerning a style of music being performed are able to have aesthetic experiences with the music.  As a matter of fact the MEAE (music education as aesthetic education) movement purports that aesthetic experiences should be one of the major goals of music education.  Those who follow this philosophical belief believe that young children should have these elusive experiences with music. Those who follow this philosophical path believe that listening, enjoying and evaluating music is the path to MEAE. 

“Proving What Is Acceptable unto the Lord”

 

“Proving What Is Acceptable unto the Lord”

Does it matter where a person draws the line musically?  Yes it matters because Church Music Matters to all serious Christians and certainly because Church Music Matters to God.  Remember that Ephesians 5 reminds us that “proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” is necessary in our properly “making melody unto the Lord”.  In Philippians 1:9-11, Paul admonishes the Philippian Christians

 

v.9     And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

v.10    So that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ,

v.11    Filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.          (NIV)

 

Surely, there is much need for the 21^st century church to be able to discern what is best for music in worship.  If we need a godly depth of insight in order to discern what is best then conversely there must be that which is not the best.  Style of church music would certainly fall in this category of good and bad, best and worse, and appropriate and inappropriate.  Furthermore, the admonition in Romans chapter 12 to not be conformed to the pattern of the world system goes on to say in verse 2:13, “...that ye may be able to prove what is that good (agathos 18), and acceptable (euarestos 2101), and perfect (teleios 5046), will of God”.  The Holy Spirit inspired the Roman writer to use three Greek words in this passage.  We may argue about exactly what these words mean, but one thing is not arguable, the Holy Spirit never stutters.  If they all mean exactly the same thing, the writer would have repeated the same word three times.  So, there is agathos (18), which means that which is of good benefit, and there is euarestos (2101), well pleasing or fully agreeable, and there is teleious (5046), complete or perfect.  As church musicians, we must prove (dokimazo 1381) or approve, discern, and examine all our spiritual acts of worship or service to God -- including music we sing and play unto Him.

 

Aesthetics and the Beautiful

 

Aesthetics and the Beautiful

Aesthetics is that area of philosophy that considers the perception of the beautiful as distinguished from the moral of the useful.  Christian musicians often wonder just where Christocentric music philosophy fits in to a Christian aesthetic.  One thing is sure, God is interested in beauty.  We know that He is since His creation is not only useful but also very, very beautiful. 

As always, the Christian is concerned with where to start when building a philosophy of artistic beauty.  One thing we know, that in the beginning God created everything that is beautiful.  Since music was a part of His creation, we know from the Genesis record that the beauty that God created was very good so therefore His creation of beauty was exceedingly beautiful. 

Any philosophical view of aesthetics that admits the grotesque or ugly is faulty.  We know that crude, ugly unmusical compositions do exist, but they are the result of a misarrangement of the building blocks of music.  Never blame God with ugly grotesque unmusical compositions.  The anti-music compositions of the 20^th century were not produced by God-fearing Christian composers and arrangers.

 

Ancient Hebrew Singing Recorded in the Bible—part 2

 

Ancient Hebrew Singing Recorded in the Bible—part 2

          The discussion of who and to whom music should be sung reveals that there is a multiplicity of reasons for singing unto God.  The Bible teaches that that there is a universal responsibility for all to sing unto God.   Those who consider religious music to be merely a vehicle to display the church musician’s talents misuse sacred music.  Rather than using it as a vehicle of communication with God, they reduce its mission and purpose to a mere hocking of a talented (or not so talented) musician’s musical wares.

          It is no doubt true that women were excluded from participa­tion as Temple musicians in both the first and second Temples.  This does not infer that women musicians were inferior in talent or intellect.  There is evidence that it was the customs of ancient Israel and the type of music that women performed which kept their species of music separate from that of men.  I have not found any implication from the study of music in the Bible that women should be excluded from church music today.

 Thought for the Day

A study of sacred musicing in the Old and New Testaments reveals that sacred musicing was not conceived by the ancient Hebrew musicians to be an art form to be consumed on the church musician’s desires.

Some Musicians Remind Me of Fancy Pigeons—part 6

 

Some Musicians Remind Me of Fancy Pigeons—part 6

          Some Christian musicians remind me of a type of fancy pigeon called a Jacobin.  There are both good and bad things that I see when I compare this type of pigeon to Christian musicians.  First, let me tell you that this pigeon is one of the most attractive pigeons that I have ever seen.  I like the sorrel colored ones the best.  These birds have a sleek beautiful feather covering and a feather hood that completely covers their heads from the side view.  Jacobins have an upright graceful stance and they also move about in a stately manner.  Unlike the Oriental Frill mentioned in the last post, they are excellent parents.

          Some Christian musicians seem to have a musical philosophical hood that obscures their side view.  Like Jacobins, these Christian musicians are vulnerable to being hit from the side because they only see what is directly in front of them.  They have absolutely no global view of music ministry.  They can only understand the “seven songs that Jesus approves of”.  They are unable to help Christian musicians who are from other cultures to “sanctify” the music and muscing from their culture that is capable of being amenable to the Lordship of Christ.  Because they only see through “Western eyes”, they do not see the need of helping young Christian musicians who are from another Country and another culture develop a Christocentric music philosophy  that follows what the Bible teaches about music and musicing unto a high and holy Triune God. 

          It is commendable that these musicians are excellent at passing to the next generation the time honored traditions of our Christian culture.  These Jacobin-like Christian musicians are excellent at training the “household of faith” who come from Western cultures.  However, a Christian musician who will be returning to minister in a different culture must be trained to use appropriate music that is taken specifically from that culture.  Everything musical that by association does not bring approach to the cause of Christ in that specific culture or that is not in conflict with the changed life principles taught in the Bible may be considered for possible use in a particular culture.  Christian music teachers must be able to guide these students in appropriate ways to use music that is capable of being amenable to the lordship of Christ and will represent the moral nature of God in appropriate ways in the context of a Christian culture.  So, if the Christian musician who may be compared to a Jacobin pigeon is to be of any value outside that musician’s specific cultural surroundings, he or she must learn to think more globally.

 

Ancient Hebrew Singing Recorded in the Bible—part 1

 

 Ancient Hebrew Singing Recorded in the Bible—part 1  

          When a musician studies learn singing in the Bible, he or she will learn that vocal music was without doubt the most important component of ancient Hebrew music.  Ancient sacred music was conceived as a handmaiden of the "word of God".  Also, singing and playing are mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments.

          The study of Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs reveals a special responsibility for church music to be theologically sound.  As I have studied sacred music in both the Old and New Testaments, it has become apparent that it was a vehicle for the word of Christ.  As one makes application to church music in this century, it becomes apparent that it may become a means of grace to the Christian.

 Thought for the Day

Christian musicians who suppose that studying ancient sacred musicing mentioned in the Bible to not be relevant miss a tremendous opportunity to gain an understanding of the relevance of sacred musicing.

 

Some Musicians Remind Me of Fancy Pigeons—part 5

 

Some Musicians Remind Me of Fancy Pigeons—part 5

          Some Christian musicians remind me of a type of fancy pigeon called an Oriental Frill. This type of Christian musician is a talented, faithful, ministering musicians but they sometimes do not make good musical parents.  They remind me of an Oriental Frill which has a very short beak that makes it hard to feed their young.  Because of this problem these pigeons often give up on nurturing their squabs (young).  Because of this attitude of impatience, their young often have to be nurtured by another kind of pigeon.  So, pigeon fanciers sometimes put their young in the nest of another kind or pigeon.

          The reason that so many children have to be taught musically by a surrogate musician who is not a born again Christian is because so many talented Christian musicians do not see the need of providing musical training for the “household of faith” (see Galatians 6:10).  Because of this lack of insight, many children and young people have to receive their musical training from applied music instructors who do not love and serve Jesus Christ.  Failing to “feed our own” musically is the malady of  some very talented Christian musicians who have a very short musical beak i.e. they are too busy or too impatient or too short sighted to feel the need to train the “household of faith” musically.  If Christian musicians, who resemble an Oriental Frill, because they have a short “musical beak”, would develop more selflessness, many of the severe problems concerning sacred music and musicing could be solved in one generation.

 

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs? Part 3

 

 

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs? Part 3

       If you will remember, Ephesians 5:19 mentions, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms (psalmos-5568) and hymns (humnos-5215) and spiritual (pneumatikos-4152) songs  (ode -5603), singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord:”  Although we do not know with certainty what the pneumatikos oide were like, I like to think that they may have been somewhat like our gospel songs. 

      Those who believe that the content of gospel songs that are scripturally accurate cannot relate to moderns, post-moderns, post postmoderns, young people and seekers are testifying that they do not believe that the good news of the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is still relevant or “quick and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12) or that as Psalm 100:5 declares, “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”  Also, those who believe that the demands of Scripture that are accurately taught in gospel songs are too offensive and too confrontational for the un-churched seeker are confessing that they are ashamed of the truth presented in the Bible.

      One of the reasons that the New Testament church thrived spiritually was that, like St. Paul (Romans 1:16), they were not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The twenty-first century church should think long and hard about following a music praxis that denies the use of the gospel presented through well written, scripturally accurate gospel songs.

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs? Part 2

 

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs? Part 2

When Christians brag on the Savior it is not only good news to Christians but it is also good news to those who do not know the Lord. One of the most positive things that a congregation of believers can do musically is to tell the good news or what God has done for them individually.  Although worship is not about us but rather our Savior, salvation is about what God has done for us individually.  This salvation is a personal “know so” salvation because as Roans 8:16 teaches, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”  Salvation does not mean very much to us until we as individuals have become partakers of the divine nature as explained in  2Peter 1:4, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

       One of the wonderful things about musicing unto God through personal testimony presented in gospel songs is that our being excited about singing the good news through gospel songs is in no way a put-down of praise music, hymn singing or Psalm singing.  You see, our God is so awesome that the diversity of musics mentioned above, all help us to express the awesomeness, solemnity, wonder, and majesty to the Triune God. 

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs? Part 1

 

Why Should We Sing Gospel Songs? Part 1

          The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is “good news”.  All Christians desire to share this good news 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 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 to what God has done in that person’s life.  Gospel songs explain very vividly what God 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 brag on this God who is alive and well and is “doing” by singing gospel songs about Him. 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.”

From Rejection to Toleration

 

From Rejection to Toleration

   Rock music and a host of other styles of music that are related to it by the way their formal properties have been arranged have been around long enough that most Christian musicians have conceded to the fact that many of them are not going away.  Many conservative Christian musicians have gone through the different stages of rejecting them, complaining about them, ignoring them and finally tolerating them when they are used as church music vehicles.  Likewise, some conservative Christian musicians who earlier believed that they were not suited for sacred musicing, now   believe that they might be, in some situations, used of the Holy Spirit, and finally still others believe that, since they realize that most of these style of music are not going away, we might as well get on with the program and use them regardless of their suitability or usefulness.  Others of us have continuously refused to perform these styles of music on the basis of their lack of suitability and appropriateness in public and private worship. 

   Richard S. Taylor once wrote, “Some readers will point to the conversions which apparently occur following the use of religious rock, with the dubious assumption that even one soul saved is a divine endorsement. The question is, ‘What is true, appropriate, and inherently sound?’  In some of our sincere but misguided evangelism, the Spirit reaches around our gimmicks and finds some conductor over which spiritual energy can flow to reach a hungry heart.  If the Word is preached, if sincere testimonies are given, if there is an atmosphere of warm love, of course there will be fruit.  But let us not naively suppose the deafening rock music has been the instrument.” A Return to Christian Culture, by Richard.S. Taylor p.90.   

  Dr. Taylor’s statements reach to the core of the matter.  A host of Christian musicians have failed to understand that, in the long run, a discerning music leader will ultimately choose music that is “true, appropriate and inherently sound” in its enactment.   Any other musical praxis leads a body of believers down a faulty musical and worship path. Those who believe that the musical vehicle does not matter as long as “seekers” enjoy it are Jesuit in their music philosophy and praxis.  They should remember that the Bible never teaches that the end justifies the means.

 

 

Is Rock a Better Vehicle?

 

Is Rock a Better Vehicle?

 Although rock music is by far not the only music genre that is of current concern, it is a very popular music genre so let us consider some concerns about that Christian music have about it. First, is religious rock a better vehicle for presenting God’s Word than all of the conventional forms of church music?  Those who defend rock music would immediately say, yes!  Why?  Because it is the form of music that sinners like.  To this argument I respond by asking the question “Is it necessary to only do those things that sinners like to do in our worship services?  If the answer is yes, then we should not read Scripture because sinners do not read Scripture, they do not quote Scripture, and furthermore they do not like most of what it tells them to do and not to do.  They do not understand Scripture because they are not familiar with it.  Remember, the argument against the use of traditional church music is that sinners do not know it and do not understand it and therefore do not like it.  Religious rock advocates act as if these “seekers” are simple, ignorant people who are not capable of deriving good from traditional forms of church music.  I am not even slightly convinced that this generation of highly educated people is not capable of deriving spiritual truth from any kind of music except rock music.

If worshipers should only do the things that sinners do, they should not pray in church because sinners do not pray; furthermore they do not understand even slightly what prayer is or how we communicate with God in prayer.  If one believes that worshipers should only do the things that sinners do, they should never partake of the Eucharist in church since it is near to impossible for a sinner to understand the spiritual benefit of taking the Lord’s Supper.  Also, we probably should not take an offering since sinners usually do not give to God and certainly do not understand the biblical concept of tithing. I admit that this argument is ridiculous, but so is the idea that it is not “seeker sensitive” to expect sinners of this generation to understand any style of music but popular styles of music.  It is not logical to believe philosophically that “seekers” are capable of understanding all aspects of public worship except traditional forms of church music.