Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

As I have often told my students, there is no substitute for musical skill when it comes to getting the job done well.

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 1

Why the Music of the Temple Was Successful part 1 

THE MUSICIANS WERE PREPARED MUSICALLY.

            There are several reasons as to why the music of the Temple was so successful.  First, the Levite musicians were trained musically.  As was just mentioned, I Chronicles 15:22 states that Chenaniah was trained, “And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song:  he instructed (yacar 3256) about the song, because he was skillful (995)” He became "chief" and was able to instruct because he was an accomplished musician.  The concept of musical skill is mentioned in several other places in the Old Testament.  I Samuel 16:18 explains that David was a cunning (3045) player (5059).  As a matter of fact Saul's request in verse seventeen was, "Provide me now a man that can play (5059) well (3190) and bring him to me."  I Chronicles 25:7 states, "So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed (lamad 3925) in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning (biyn 995) was two hundred four score and eight."  II Chronicles 34:12 mentions the Levites ". . . that could skill (995) of instruments of musick."  Finally Psalm 137:5 states ". . . let my right hand forget her cunning (chashab 2803)."

            Since all of these words carry the sense of quality and the ability to perform well and understand music thoroughly we know that there was no substitute for musical training in the Old Testament.  As a matter of fact, the same concept was carried over in New Testament times.  I Corinthians 14:15 states, "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding (nous 3562) also."  We learned earlier that the Greek word nous means with the intellect or the mind.  Since it is a Biblical principle, and since we are living in a highly educated society today, our music ministers in the church must have an intellectual knowledge of music and its elements.

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day 

One of the reasons that a Christian musician should write out his or her music philosophy is that  it helps a musician to understand why  he or she does musics in a certain way.

 

Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 3

Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 3

            It is impossible to successfully discuss the necessity of having a Bible based music philosophy and praxis with a musician who considers that musicing is an autonomous procedure since his or her music philosophy and praxis is non-discussable.  It is not discussable because freedom reigns in all areas of this musician’s musicing unto God.  Therefore, although there are without doubt convincing arguments for not using many styles of music to worship God, one should understand that probably only the Holy Spirit will effect change in the way an autonomous musician musics.  A Church musician has the power to make autonomous musical decisions, but when we all face him whose eyes are as a flame of fire, we will have to give an account for how we have musiced unto God.

            A musician who sincerely desires to bring all his or her musicing under the Lordship should never recoil when someone questions the way that musician musics.  People who trust a minister of music or a music educator to guide the way Christian organization musics have the right to know why a musician does what he or she does. Christian musicians who are placed in a position of leadership should publish a music philosophy on that organization’s web site or in some other accessible publication so people are able to digest what that musician believes philosophically about the nature and value of music. 

 

 

 

 

Thoughr for the Day

Thoughr for the Day  

The mature musician and the mature Christian always takes the responsibility for all his or her actions including musicing in community with others.

 

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 2

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 2 

             No Christian musician is forced, by the norms and beliefs of other twenty first century believers or non-believers, to perform any style of music that contrary to Bible principles of musicing or that which is not congruent with changed life principles dictate.  When a musician performs various styles of music, he or she is acting on personal music philosophy and actual beliefs that that they are the best choice that he or she can make to music unto a holy, infinite God.  That Christian musician is testifying that these types of music are more appropriate, proper and profound than the time honored musical genera that have been used for multiplied centuries to honor and praise the triune God.    

            A Christian musician may be convinced by another’s arguments that a style of music is not philosophically the best music to use to worship God, and yet that musician may continue to perform that music.  My father used to say, “If you convince a man against his will, he’ll be of the same opinion still.”  So, regardless of what musicians say they believe philosophically, I am drawn to the conclusion that they are doing what they like to do.  Again, Richard S Taylor summed up the matter quite well, when he wrote, “Free domestic philosophies, such as existentialism, exaggerate individualism.  Freedom is the watchword, and personal autonomy is the aim.”  A Return to Christian Culture, by Richard S. Taylor p.66.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day 

It is not what a Christian musician says about musicing unto God that matters, but rather it is what that musician does when he musics unto God that makes a difference.

 

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 1

“Doing” Exercises One’s Philosophy part 1 

    Every time music director musics, i.e. “does”, that musician is exercising a part of his or her music philosophy because all “doing” exudes from beliefs. There is often a difference between what a Christian musician purports to believe and what that musician’s “doing” proves about his or her actual beliefs.   All you have to do is get in someone’s car, turn on the radio and punch each of the presets and you will find out in a hurry what that musician actually believes about music. Robert Berglund said, “One’s decisions are actually based on one’s values, that is, the actual values one has actually determine the kind of decisions one makes.” A Philosophy of Church Music, by Robert Berglund p. 8.

    So, we are back to our original question, “What do we do now since many styles of popular music will not go away?”  The answer is really quite simple.  We will perform music that is in accordance with our actual philosophical beliefs about the nature and value of music.  If a Christian musician follows a musical path that is questionable, it will be because that musician believes that what he or she is doing is the right thing to do.  No adult can hide behind the excuse that he or she was pressured into musicing in a certain manner.

Thought for the Day

Thought for the Day

It is one thing for  a person who comes to a worship service to know about God but it is another to know God in a personal way.

 

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 5

Worship in Spirit and in Truth part 5

The worshipper must know the fundamental truths about God and His nature before musical worship can be authentic or real. Furthermore, the worshipper must be living in fellowship and relationship with God before musical worship can be authentic and real.  Jesus told the Samaritan woman that “Ye worship ye know not what.” Jesus said in St. John 4:24, “²⁴God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” Paul told the Corinthian church in I Corinthians 14:15b “I will sing with the spirit (4151 pneuma - spirit, Holy Spirit), and I will sing with the understanding (Greek 3563 nous – intellect, i.e. mind either divine or human) also.”  Psalm 47:6-7 states, “⁶Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. ⁷For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.” (Hebrew 7919 sakal – to be circumspect, with prudence, skill, wisdom, or intelligence).

If you have an Oxford KJV, look at the center reference and you will see that the Oxford scholars rendered “with understanding” as “every one that hath understanding.” If our praise singing is to be efficacious or effective, it must be done by a congregation of people who have spiritual understanding. What this means in Kentucky Greek is “how can you have ‘spiritual understanding’ if you don’t know God?” Above all else our musicing unto God must be done by a congregation of people who are walking in the light of the truth of their knowledge and understanding of God and His will for their life.