Being a Conservative Christian Musician- part 1

Being a Conservative Christian Musician- part 1

Christian musicians who are conservative in lifestyle are to be commended because such appearance reflects a wholesome public image and a proper image of a representative of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  However, I would like to remind conservatives that hiding behind a conservative lifestyle while performing instrumental or vocal music that, by its moral implications, is not a proper representation of the God whom they are musicing about, is incongruent with the principle of a changed life of a Christian.  Hence, when a Christian performs such music it becomes a form of hypocrisy (the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform).  When I speak of conservative music, I am referring to the music part of the music that they perform as well as the words or physical actions that accompany the music part of the music.

          If a musician believes in separation from the world and believes that this difference must be shown outwardly, that musician should not perform religious music that is strongly representative of the world and a worldly lifestyle.  I have never been able to understand why some Christians believe in separation in every area of life except music style.   Such a haphazard approach to separation from the spirit of this world [i.e. aion 165] is a very incongruent music philosophy and must seem quite inconsistent to non-believers who are watching everything that Christians do. 

Why Should We Sing Psalms?

Why Should We Sing Psalms? 

       Without doubt the most important reason that we should sing Psalms is that the Bible very clearly instructs us to sing Psalms.  It is amazing to me that many Christian musicians completely disregard this Bible command.  The Bible does not leave Psalm singing completely up to those who feel like it, but rather it commands us to sing Psalms unto God.  1 Chronicles 16:9 states, “Sing unto him, sing psalms (zamar 2167) unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”  Psalm 105:2 repeats the command, Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.”

        James 5:13 also teaches very clearly, “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray.  Is any merry?  Let him sing psalms (psallo 5567).”  I suppose those who completely ignore psalm singing may only legitimately do so if they are afflicted and are not happy in the Lord.  So, the Old and New Testaments both mandate very clearly that we are to sing the Psalms unto God.

       Ephesians 5:19 continues the mandate to sing the Psalms as well as other genres, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”  Colossians 3:16 continues this teaching, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms (psalmos 5568) and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

       Another reason that we are instructed in Scripture to sing the Psalms is that they give Christian musicians the wonderful opportunity to teach (didasko 1321) and to admonish (noutheteo 3560).  The Bible puts a premium on sacred musicing being a vehicle for teaching and learning by gentle admonition and warning.  I am not implicating that psalm singing is the only type of musicing that gives the aforementioned opportunities, but it is definitely one of the ways of teaching the doctrines taught in the Bible.

Are only words efficacious?

Are only words efficacious?

 I have decided that a good way to start off 2019 is to revisit the issue of what makes music effective.  Is it only words? Is it the spiritual condition of the musicer? Unlike the serious music philosopher who spends a lifetime studying the nature and value of every aspect of the music part of music, many Christian musicians, without any written scholarly basis, purport that only words are efficacious.  I have noticed that their writings do not consider, with scholarly philosophical basis, the nature and value of the formal properties of the music part of music. This seems strange and illogical since their main thesis is purported to be communication with the “seeker”.

 The denial that music is a language, or a meta-language does not solve the philosophical problems concerning communication and meaning. Although all serious Christian music philosophers are concerned with whether or not music is or in not a language, meta-language or has no language-like capabilities at all, the greatest concern is whether or not music communicates “message” and “meaning”.  The Bible evidence that music does communicate information, meaning and understanding should sober all Christian musicians.  The fact that the music part of music does communicate a message to all who perform and listen to it places the responsibility squarely on the musicer and what and how he or she musics rather than entirely on the words of songs.

Thank you for a Great Month of December 2018

Thank you for a Great Month of December 2018      

            This month was the 69th month of my blog which contained devotional and philosophical thoughts for Christian musicians. I have written over 3,300 posts since this blog was started in January of 2013. There have been several times this year when I have experienced a certain amount of writer’s burnout.  However, I am praying that my posts in 2019 will stimulate both the regular and new blog members to remain faithful to their musical Ministeries.  The over 2,300 page views of my blog this month were experienced by people who read a mixture of philosophical and devotional thoughts.  We have had over 134,600 page-views since the blog was started in January of 2013.  Since I started this blog the page views have come from 127 different countries. It is interesting to note that a little over one half of the total page views since we began in January 2013 have come from the United States and the other one half have come from a varied combination of the other 126 countries scattered around the world. In the month of August I will be posting the longest blog series since the blog was started in 2013.

            These views have come from Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Argentina, Armenia, Angola,  Aruba, Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Czechia , Czech Republic,  Colombia, Congo [DRC], Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong,  Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland (Republic of),  Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordon, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia (FYROM) Macau, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Malta Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia,  Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands (Antilles) New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Oman, Palestine, Paraguay, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru. Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Porto Rico, Qatar, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand,  Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks & Caicos Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Unknown Region, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

             The ten countries with the most page views this month were: United States, Unknown region, Russia, Germany, France, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, Portugal, United Kingdom and Poland. 

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 2

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 2

          God’s ways are higher than the ways of the world.  We, as Christian musicians, should notice that the world sells everything from food to liquor with sex.  The world uses man’s depraved nature and man’s natural sexual appetite for that matter, to present a multiplicity of products.  Why can’t Christians take advantage of man’s depraved nature and his natural sexual appetite for that matter to present the good news of the gospel?  The reason is that as Galatians 5:17 states, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

           The Galatian writer makes it very clear that the flesh and the sprit are contrary one to the other when verse seventeen tells us that the flesh lusts against the spirit.  The Bible teaches that the flesh and the spirit are not compatible.  It is a mystery to me that so many Christian musicians are determined to try to work them side by side as a team.  Placing the flesh and the spirit side by side is like placing a lion and a lamb in the same harness.  If one does, there is no doubt about it; the lion will eat the lamb.

          There is another reason that Christian musicians should not sell sacred things with sex.  It is deceitful to get people’s attention with sexual innuendoes and then hit them with the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 1

Doing the Work of God Deceitfully—part 1

          What many Christian musicians have forgotten is that direction determines destiny.  If you start west on I 70 from Indianapolis, you will not arrive in Columbus, Ohio, no matter how much you desire to go east to Columbus, Ohio.  Getting a crowd’s attention by emphasizing the flesh will by no means draw them to Christ.  If a performer maximizes the physical, by doing so he or she minimizes the spiritual.  If a performer sings religious music and at the same time draws attention to the flesh, he or she will get a message across to the audience, but this message will not be good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The reason one cannot successfully sell sacred things with the sensual is that the Bible states in Galatians 6:6-9 that it just won’t work.

          Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption: but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Thought for the Day

Certainly Christian Musicians should have discernment when it comes to musing unto God. However, a Christian musician’s perceived understandings of the proper way to music unto God should be firmly grounded in Bible principles of music and musicing.  Although the Bible is not an exhaustive source of musical truth, what it does teach is “true truth”. 

Review of Tim Fisher’s The Battle for Christian Music

Review of Tim Fisher’s The Battle for Christian Music

               This book is an excellent discussion about Christian music.  Although his work has been wrongly accused of being biased eisegesis, this accusation was made without scholarly basis.   The main argument presented has been that Fisher considers classical music to be God honoring and that such an argument is unfounded since such music was completely “completely foreign” to the Old and New Testament eras. Although musicologists are aware that classical music was not yet developed in ancient Israel, recent deciphering of the te’amim above and below the Hebrew and Aramaic texts of the entire OT have proven that the six and seven note diatonic scale did exist.  Furthermore, the deciphering of the ancient Hurrian song found in the ruins of Ugarit has been deciphered by Dr. Anne Kilmer et.al. has revealed a seven note diatonic scale with half steps between 3^rd and 4th and 7^th and 8^th degrees of the scale. This music also had a harmony part and a sound quite like what we have in our hymn books. So, perhaps Fisher’s accusers, being unaware of current scholarship, are incorrect in considering Fischer’s eisegesis in his book. 

          Every author writes from some philosophical viewpoint and from personal music perspective and preference. After all this is Fishers work so one should expect his work to be written from a personal perspective. I suggest that you give Fisher’s The Battle for Christian music a fair read rather than taking his accuser’s word as an excuse to ignore this excellent presentation.

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

        During the Christmas season church choirs perform the most loved and most performed Oratorio ever composed by any composer anywhere in the world in all the combined history of Western Music. It is not merely a series of scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, but rather it is an account of the plan of redemption fulfilled through our Savior Jesus Christ the Messiah i.e. “the anointed one,” “the chosen one”, or “Redeemer”.

        From the scholarly information that we have, Handel did not put the texts together.  Rather it was put together by an Englishman whose name was Charles Jennens.  I Messiah was composed in1741 in 24 days and was first performed on 13 April of that year in Dublin’s Musick Hall .  Contrary to popular myth, it was not composed as church music and was not performed first by Handel in a church but rather in a theatre for charitable purposes.  It was first performed in Dublin Ireland and Handel was the director. 

        One of the times that my wife and I visited Dublin, we visited one of the two cathedrals whose choir was involved in the early performances at the theatre in Dublin.  While we were there, I saw an old pipe organ console--there was a sign on it which read, “Handel played this organ”. 

        It is an honor to be involved in the performance of this great oratorio.  Handel painted the pictures of the Redeemer accurately.  If you are involved in a performance of this oratorio, make sure that you take time to take note of these beautiful musical pictures.  Do not get so involved in notes and rhythms and harmonies that you miss the message of our Redeemer who came to this earth and took on the form of a servant, suffered, died, and rose again victorious over death, hell, and the grave.

What Have You Promised God for 2019?

What Have You Promised God for 2019?

Psalm 61:8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

                Biblical scholars differ in their understanding of the Hebrew word shalam (7999).  Opinions include perform, fulfill, render, restore, peace, finish, pay, etc.  The context of each Hebrew thought caused the various exegetes to use the various English words.

                In the context of verse 8, which is a musical discourse, I believe that it was just to render shalam as perform.  You see that is what Christian musicians do.  They perform music!  Perform is not a word with negative connotations.  How Christians perform is what matters not merely that they perform, fulfill, or render their music unto God.  Any sinner can crank out a religious song.

                David performed his vows unto God by singing praise unto Elohiym (430) the supreme God.  This musician performed his vows unto God every day.  Every day David performed “unto thy name” as he praised the supreme God through musicing unto the plurality of Deity.  God’s creation (music) provided David the means of grace necessary to worship God.

                Christian musician have you made any vows unto God for this next year?  Have you promised God that you will give Him back all of the musical talent that he has given you to the best of your ability in 2019?  Will you endeavor to keep your promises to God by performing music unto God every opportunity that you are given in 2019?

Wise Men Came to Worship Christ

Wise Men Came to Worship Christ 

Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born on Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

       We do not know when the kings came to Jerusalem, or when they appeared at Joseph and Mary’s home.  It is generally believed that it was about a year after Christ’s birth.  There is much conjecture about just who these Eastern Magi were.  Many believe that they were astrologers and or philosophers.  There is some possibility that they were Jews of mixed descent who lived in distant lands and were knowledgeable of the Messianic prophesies in the Jewish Scrolls.  If so, then they would have believed that the time of Christ’s coming was at hand.

       Since they followed Christ’s star, there possible were astrologers among them –and thus the statement “We have followed his star”.  However, the thing that really mattered was that they traveled all those miles to worship Christ.  They believed that he was the “king” so they diligently sought after Him.  They believed that they would indeed find the Christ child.  Even more importantly it sees that they believed that He was the Messiah and that He was worthy of their worship.

       Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation." 

      Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born on Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” We do not know when the kings came to Jerusalem, or when they appeared at Joseph and Mary’s home.  It is generally believed that it was about a year after Christ’s birth.  There is much conjecture about just who these Eastern Magi were.  Many believe that they were astrologers and or philosophers.  There is some possibility that they were Jews of mixed descent who lived in distant lands and were knowledgeable of the Messianic prophesies in the Jewish Scrolls.  If so, then they would have believed that the time of Christ’s coming was at hand.   

       Since they followed Christ’s star, there possible were astrologers among them –and thus the statement “We have followed his star”.  However, the thing that really mattered was that they traveled all those miles to worship Christ.  They believed that he was the “king” so they diligently sought after Him.  They believed that they would indeed find the Christ child.  Even more importantly it sees that they believed that He was the Messiah and that He was worthy of their worship.     

       Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation

Prayer for the Day

I want to thank You Lord for being the living Christ.  Thank You for being the God who “is” and not merely one who “was”.   Thank you for making it possible for a Kansas farmer like me to come to a saving and sanctifying knowledge of You.  Thank you that You suffered without the gate to sanctify your people (Hebrews 13:12).  Thank You for Your great love and sacrifice in coming to dwell on earth and to dwell in my heart.  Amen.

Song of the Day “We Three Kings” by John H. Hopkins

Thought for the Day--Although many of my generation believe that seeking after Christ is a waste of time since they do not believe that He is truly God, I want to go on record as one “Baby Boomer” that is a seeker after Christ.