Posted on 05/16/2004 4:44:02 PM PDT by hiho hiho
Pastor Rick Warren said in a recent article posted on Pastors.com that: “There’s no such thing as Christian music. There are just Christian lyrics”, implying that any and all music is acceptable for worship as long as the lyrics were “Christian” – whatever that means. I would suggest to Pastor Warren that if ACDC were to provide the worship music at his church next Sunday morning, very few of his worshippers would be able to ascertain whether the lyrics were “Christian” or not due to the sheer decibel level created by the instrumentation alone. My question is: Under these conditions, what difference would the lyrics make?
In consideration of “music styles” deemed appropriate or not for Church and worship, many today believe that music, apart from its lyrical content, is amoral – that is to say, it can neither be good nor evil. These are generally the same folks who accept the humanist notion that there are no absolutes – that the world we live in is neither black nor white but only gray and relative. The fact is – music is a work, an effort, a deed, an action and a product of human initiative that can be just as moral or immoral as the one performing it. Today’s “progressives” from within the seeker-sensitive, purpose driven, church growth movement currently willow creeping their way into the mainstream of church life would have us reconsider what is good and bad for worship while suggesting that it is God’s will for you and me to experiment with new and exciting things simply because we’ve never tried them. Sounds like serpent logic to me. And by the way -- can somebody from the new paradigm please show me where the bible encourages experimentation in spiritual matters? Funny, I thought it was obedience God wanted.
Granted, the Lord gave no commandment saying “Thou shalt not play rock and roll at church on Sunday but He also didn’t say “Thou shalt not hold Sunday services in the middle of a busy intersection” either. Some things are just obvious.
Having come out of a lifetime of playing many popular styles of music professionally, I used to be of the same pragmatic mindset as those from the CGM. Frankly, such an attitude is quite common among musicians. Early in my Christian walk, I tried to incorporate my raucous and exotic tastes in music into my Christian life not realizing at that time that the two were largely incompatible – that, in reality, my “taste in music” had an adverse effect on my attitude and behavior as a Christian. Unfortunately, I was much too selfish and immature to accept that.
Music is a lot like alcohol and drugs. It can be very deceiving and destructive when misused and can distort one’s emotions, reasoning, judgment, perspective and behavior. Peer pressure only makes it worse. Music, with or without lyrics, can be a very powerful force in our lives. That is why instrumentals alone can bring a tear to an eye or screams from a crowd before a single word is ever sung. Likewise, other emotions can easily be stirred by lyric-free melodies and rhythms resulting in joy, happiness, excitement, anger, bitterness, depression and rage. To say that music without lyrics is amoral is like saying music without lyrics is dispassionate. It’s absurd.
As Kimberly Smith wrote in her book: “Let Those Who Have Ears To Hear”, music has a message all its own, regardless of the lyric. If you doubt that, watch what people do in a crowd where loud music and a strong beat are played. Under its power and influence they will move their arms, legs, feet, hands, hips, heads, necks, fingers and even their faces in ways they NEVER would in a quiet room or church sanctuary full of people. Then watch what they do when soft and gentle music is played. They become just as soft and gentle as the music. It’s not the words that compel our bodies to respond. It is the music. Why? Because, AGAIN, music has a message all its own – a compelling message that may or may not be consistent with the words being sung.
Combining kind, loving and evangelical messages to loud, aggressive, angry or suggestive music only confuses the listener into justifying and accepting whatever feelings, emotions, thoughts and attitudes may arise. To wrap sensual or in-your-face music with grace-filled lyrics and loving messages merely cloaks the danger in deceit and disarms an otherwise discerning listener into accepting the unacceptable – often resulting in confusion, dissipation, disappointment and defeat. It’s like saying it’s OK to drink lots of alcohol as long as it’s mixed with fruit juice. The truth is, the intoxicating effects of the alcohol will always overwhelm and negate whatever health benefits the juice offers.
The volume music is played is another area where boundaries and limitations should be set to facilitate worship. Exceeding those limits can be not only counterproductive but also quite dangerous. I learned long ago that the louder and more aggressive the music was in my car, the faster, more aggressive and more reckless I drove. It’s no different at work, at home, at school or at church. If the wrong music is played in worship OR even if the right music is played the wrong way, all positive effects can and will be lost. Even a good song can be played so loud in a room full of people that they’re forced to cover their ears and run for the exits, triggering a condition known as “Fight or Flight Syndrome”. Just as everyone has their own taste in music, everyone has their own threshold of tolerance when it comes to volume. Respecting boundaries and the selfless consideration of others are essential in pleasing God, not only in everyday life but also in Sunday worship. That’s why biblical principals of moderation and humility are always appropriate.
Did you know that loud music is so unhealthy that over time, it can wreck your immune system and permanently damage your adrenal gland performance so as to cause a litany of physical and emotional problems later in life from depression to fatigue to allergies, to high blood pressure, to joint pain, to muscle weakness, to constipation and much more – BESIDES rendering you deaf? This being the case, would you consider Christian rock being performed at church on Sunday in excess of 110dB to be good or evil? Kind of makes the Christian lyric issue irrelevant, doesn’t it? Do a Google search on Fight or Flight Syndrome and then get back to me on what’s Christian music and what’s not.
Though there are many ways to judge what music is suitable for worship, after much study, reflection and prayer, I’ve come to the conclusion that one’s music, like one’s character is best defined by attitude. Does our worship music convey the fruit of the spirit as outlined in scripture or does it encourage and celebrate our sinful nature and the impulses of the flesh?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” - Galatians 5:22-23
Do we seek to worship the Ancient of Days with our music or do we attempt to stimulate, gratify and entertain ourselves using whatever draws the largest crowd and the loudest applause? Does our music exalt a God not given to celebrity, fashion, appetite or whim or does it serve to advance something or someone else? Does our song compliment a suffering servant and a crucified Christ or a compromised culture of lasciviousness and vanity? Is our offering to God or is it to men? Is our song any different from the world’s song or, except for the lyrics, is it pretty much the same? Because, if our lifestyle is like our music style, no different from that of the world, what difference are “Christian” words going to make?
Psalm 33:3 says: “Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.”
Many of today’s CGM and CCM personalities will try and persuade you that what the psalmist meant by this verse was that we should do away with old songs, old styles, old ways, old instruments, old musicians and old singers and play only the latest and loudest in contemporary Christian music, be it rock, hip hop, grunge, metal, jazz, R&B, or whatever FEELS GOOD, till the crowd roars and the heavens shake.
Or was he instead encouraging us to sing unashamedly of our new life in Christ – a Spirit-filled walk of repentance, faith, humility and sacrifice that crucifies the flesh daily in obedience, discipline, dedication, perseverance, gratitude and praise?
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” - Titus 2:13-14
What is worship? As I understand it, worship is coming before the Lord as a holy and “peculiar people”, in obedience, humility, reverence, repentance and faith with an attitude of gratitude, to sing His praises, hear His Word, glorify His name and honor Him with all of our being for Who He is and what He has done.
Contrary to popular trends, worship is NOT getting together with anybody and everybody to party in Jesus' name and feel good about ourselves with intoxicating music and psychotherapy.
Clearly, the Lord does not want His own to look, act and sound like every other sinner in the street. He wants us to be different, distinctive, sanctified and holy so that everyone will know that we belong to Him and not the world. But, if we are indistinguishable from the world, we are worse than useless; we are an insult and an embarrassment and demonstrate that we are not His at all.
Why then, under the pretext of pragmatism, have we dedicated ourselves to making the church look, act and sound exactly like the unchanged, unrepentant and unregenerate world around us – essentially filling our fortresses with the enemy to make them FEEL like allies? How does that glorify God and forward the gospel of repentance and faith In Christ? Isn’t proclaiming our transformation and redemption from a lost and dying state into a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17) what the psalmist meant by “Sing unto Him a new song…“ – to show the world that we are now a “peculiar people”, set apart for Him and Him only?
So, who’s learning whose song here? Who's proselytizing whom?
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” – 1st Peter 2:9
Is it that we are now afraid to be “peculiar” – ashamed of who we are and to whom we belong? Are we more comfortable as a harlot than a bride? If so, do we not deny Him in our disobedience?
“But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” – Matthew 10:33
It’s not enough to just SAY that we are His and TELL the world that we are different. It must be evident in ALL that we think, say and do; otherwise, we are liars, hypocrites and mockers of God – hearers of the Word and not doers.
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 7:21
In a recent Pastors.com article, Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life, was quoted as saying: “I believe that one of the major church issues [of the future] will be how we’re going to reach the next generation with our music.”
Did he say "reach" them with "OUR MUSIC"? That’s what record companies and rock stars do! Is that what Jesus sent US to do? Is that what transforms sinners from the old life into the new – "OUR MUSIC"? Did Jesus carry a band around with Him to help draw a crowd so He could “reach” His generation with a song? If it’s music that brings us to repentance and faith why didn’t Jesus round up 12 top-notch musicians to be His apostles and just sing to us? Why spend so much time lecturing everyone about the will of God? Is it because they didn't have amplifiers and electricity back then to make them “feel it”?
Haven't you heard? Haven't you seen the surveys? Lectures are boring and make people restless and uncomfortable. So, did Jesus have it all wrong? According to the new paradigm, He did. Today, instead of lectures we have lots of small group discussions about our feelings and opinions at church to help facilitate interaction and build better "relationships" with one another.
You see the implication here is that we need more therapy – not theology. That's what Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, George Barna, C. Peter Wagner and every other leader from the church growth movement would have you believe. But what do human feelings and opinions have to do with proclaiming the Word of God? What's more important – that we come to a consensus and bond with each other emotionally (Hegelian Dialectic) or obey God's Word even if no one else around us will?
Do you see what they're instructing the church to do here? Do you recognize the paradigm shift? Don't proclaim the Word of God. (Lecture/preach/teach, etc.) Let's “focus group” our FEELINGS and OPINIONS instead. And ALWAYS have lots of sensual music around to help facilitate the transition from the didactic to the dialectic. You see my friends; behind it all is an emphasis on MUSIC – not the Word of God. So, now you tell me; has the message changed?
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” – Romans 10:17
Music, regardless of “style”, volume, tempo or instrumentation, simply cannot accomplish what proclaiming the Word of God can. It might draw and hold a larger crowd than a lecture, bring everyone to their feet in resounding applause and help us all FEEL better about ourselves, but if a sinner, bound for Hell, doesn’t care about the Word of God, there’s not a song in the world that can save him. He might scream "JESUS ROCKS!!!" at the top of his lungs during the band's closing number, but I doubt seriously he’ll take up his cross and follow Christ when the music stops and the hard times come – which brings me to the controversial question: What are these passion-filled, music-induced moments at seeker-services all about – teaching obedience to the Word of God or manipulating the emotions and behavior of the masses into communal cooperation?
Addressing an audience at Liberty University, Warren told the young people there just what they wanted to hear: “Get rid of the organ” and “speed up the tempo of the music“, adding, “The message doesn’t change, but the methods do”.
He told the crowd: “You can make more people mad with music than anything else in church”. OK – so, is THAT your “vision”, Pastor – make the old folks mad at church until they all leave so we can have a good time? Isn’t that why rebellious teenagers love it when their parents go out of town -- so they can turn the music up, turn the house upside down and have all their friends over to “party hearty”? Does anybody see the similarities here? What are we encouraging and accommodating at church with this kind of attitude; Christ-likeness?
In many re-invented churches across the country, this is EXACTLY what is happening. In a strange and sad irony, the “salt of the earth” is being trampled on and shoveled out the door because of their “traditions”. Is that how we honor our father and mother and all the elders of our generation – those whose years of service, dedication and spiritual investment built the very houses of worship now being renovated into party palaces of “Purpose and Passion”? Sounds like an organized rebellion to me.
Liberals always point to the Pharisees of Jesus’ time when they want to attack “tradition” and redefine it as evil. Why? - Because it serves an alternative agenda – a humanist plan for perpetual change, designed to curse the past and herald the future. Furthermore, they're using the rebellion of youth to accomplish it for them. Why do you think we always hear the liberal cliché, "The children are our future"? It is because they want the inmates to run the asylum so the dialectic can take over to bring about social change in the church through compromise. Compromise what? – God’s unchanging Word.
But Jesus wasn’t condemning “tradition” per se. He was condemning “perversion” – the Pharisee’s perversion of truth – the truth of God’s Word. Perverting God’s Word had been going on for so long that it BECAME THE TRADITION of the time. That in no way invalidates all things traditional. But unfortunately in the postmodern church, tradition, pardon the pun, is quickly becoming a thing of the past.
Beyond the moral and spiritual aspects of loud and fast music, there are health issues to be considered as well. When the human body experiences pain, it releases its own natural painkillers into the bloodstream called “endorphins”. As we all know, one of the side effects of painkillers is the high they produce.
Loud, sustained, pulsating and repetitive noise damages, not just the eardrum, but also the entire human body – especially frequencies below 100Hz and levels above 110dB. The more intense and unidirectional the sound waves are, the more cell damage we incur and the more painkilling substances our bodies release to anesthetize the pain. This is one of the reasons loud music is so appealing to young people at concerts; because they don’t just hear it – they FEEL IT and guess what -- it makes them high, which begs the question; are those attending “seeker” services with its loud music and revelry being nourished spiritually by their presence and participation or are they getting beaten up sonically to catch a buzz for Jesus? Would you call that a spirit-filled or endorphin-filled experience? I’d call it a drug-related incident.
Another substance that is released into the body when one is exposed to stress caused by loud noise is “adrenaline”. Ever hear the term “adrenaline junkie”? Among other things, loud music, like other stressful events and activities produces what is commonly referred to as an “adrenaline rush.” Adrenaline helps our bodies deal with the stress and trauma created by extremely loud and low sound waves that can brutalize concertgoers. Like endorphins, they too are a natural defense mechanism. If we repeatedly subject ourselves to noise levels that force our adrenal glands into overdrive and keep us pumped with adrenaline just to handle the aural and physical shock of a rock concert, we can not only become addicted to it, but also experience many of the adverse physical and emotional effects of withdrawal BETWEEN CONCERTS (seeker services) when we DON’T get the adrenaline we’ve been conditioned to crave – potentially making our daily lives AWAY from loud music, Hell on earth. That’s why we feel achy, fatigued, agitated and sometimes depressed the day after enduring a clamorous event. The adrenaline declines right along with the noise level leaving us in a less than desirable state.
Speaking at a “Building A Purpose Driven Church” seminar, Warren had this to say: “Loud, raucous music with a driving beat is the kind of music his folks listened to.” He said, “We are really, really loud on a weekend service…. I say, 'we're not gonna turn it down’. Now the reason why is baby boomers want to feel the music, not just hear it…”
But, you know, as sad and revealing as these remarks are – nothing prepared me for the following statement from Pastor Warren:
“To insist that all good music came from Europe 200 years ago; there’s a name for that - racism.”
Do you see what he’s doing here? Showing anything BUT “tolerance, diversity and unity”, (the driving doctrine of seekerism), Warren does what liberals ALWAYS do to traditionalists; he pulls the race card to try and not just elevate himself and his cause under a guise of humility and compassion but also shame his “stuck in the past” critics into silence with politically correct hyperbole and innuendo.
So, HEAD'S UP all you elderly and traditional Christians out there because taking exception to music at church that is spiritually, emotionally and physically unhealthy, now makes you a racist.
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Paul Proctor, a rural resident of the Volunteer state [Tennessee] and seasoned veteran of the country music industry, retired from showbiz in the late 1990's to dedicate himself to addressing important social issues from a distinctly biblical perspective. As a freelance writer and columnist, he extols the wisdom and truths of scripture through commentary and insight on cultural trends and current events. His articles appear regularly on a variety of news and opinion sites across the internet and in print.
Amen to that. You probably have a "Contemporary Christian" radio station in your area. You can't tell some of that music from AC/DC.
Hillsongs is about the most acid Christian music I can take.
I should start out by saying I don't like rock 'n roll in the worship service. At our church we have one "contemporary" service and two "traditional" services. We've only attended the contemporary service once and did not like it at all. I have taken my son to Christian concerts but never substituted this for the worship service.
That being said one must be careful to not lay their own prejudices on how others worship. We may recall the story of David and Micah where, when Micah saw David dancing before the Lord, she "despised" him because she didn't think that is how someone in his position should act. In the end she die a lonely, childless woman.
While the author may have what appears to be "sound" reasoning, I think it is wrong to transfer what you feel comfortable with to what others may feed comfortable with. Whether we eat or drink do all for the glory of God.
"I think it is wrong to transfer what you feel comfortable with to what others may feed comfortable with".
I fear that this is the same logic used by Vicky Robinson and company. Everything is not a matter of experince or comfort.
God does not speak through the windsorm or thunder, but through a still small voice -- the question is can we hear his voice over the rock band?
"Whether we eat or drink do all for the glory of God".
whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think upon these things!
I think you're absolutely right in the "danger" of what you feel comfortable with. I find it difficult to disagree because I too feel that there is an "entertainment" quality in rock 'n roll during worship service that I don't like.
However, I have attended many various types of churches from Pentecostal to "soul" churches to Roman Catholic and on and on and on-all over the world. There have been more than a few times I have felt unconfortable with the music and/or the method of preaching. (Try attending a "holy roller" Pentacostal church sometime.) That doesn't make it wrong just because it's not my cup of tea.
Because we're all different and it is God desire to save His elect I actually think this is one of the reasons there are so many types of churches and worship services. You have to be discerning. When I got to know the people it didn't take long to discern their genuine love (or in some cases non-love) for God. I haven't even meant Mr. Robinson but I can discern what his feelings are.
This is a blatant lie! This quote is not from Rick Warren but is by Dennis Costella in an article he did in 1998 on the church growth movement. A six year old article in which Paul Proctor seems to have gotten all of his information about Rick Warren from. See The Church Growth Movement
But, you know, as sad and revealing as these remarks are -- nothing prepared me for the following statement from Pastor Warren:
"To insist that all good music came from Europe 200 years ago; there's a name for that - racism."
There is a name for what Paul Proctor has done here, and it is called bearing false witness. This statement leads you to believe that Proctor himself was a witness to this quote - when in fact he was not. That is intellectual dishonesty. But then he has the audacity to change Warren's words, yet he puts them within quotation marks as if that were exactly what Warren had said. My friends this is an out and out right lie by Proctor! The original quote from Warren is:
"You see folks, to insist that all good music came from Europe 200 years ago is thinly veiled racism, if you want to be truthful about it. It's cultural elitism saying that all the good music was written 200 years ago in Europe.... Now for 2,000 years, the Holy Spirit has used all kinds of music. And to insist that one particular style of music is more sacred than the other, there's a word for that. It's called idolatry. Idolatry."
While Proctor set out to prove that rock music was not Christian and that Rick Warren was wrong, all Proctor proved with this article is he is a liar and will manipulate the truth to achieve his goal even to the point of making a fellow Christian look bad.
I went to a cousin's Episcopal wedding, and one of the hymns was to the tune of "Deutschland Uber Alles".
All the Catholics in the family were trying not to laugh.
I think there's a difference between music that's suitable for church, and music that's suitable for outside listening. I don't want Christian rock, or bluegrass gospel, in a church service, but I don't think it's bad for a ride in the car.
When I get to heaven, I'm going to hang out with the Methodists and Orthodox Presbyterians, and sing all those great 4-part harmonies. I can do soprano, alto, or tenor.
It's not just rock that's not appropriate. For example, putting Christian words to Carmina Burana doesn't make it sound any less Satanic.
"I went to a cousin's Episcopal wedding, and one of the hymns was to the tune of "Deutschland Uber Alles".
This is a commonly used hymn tune in Protestant churches, usually used with the words "Glorious things of Thee are spoken."
There was a family in the church that I grew up in that had fled Germany after WWII. The father had been forced to join Hitler's army. I still remember the entire family standing silently when that hymn was used. Too bad someone did not tell the clergy to not use that tune.
Sometimes people have bad associations with tunes or musical styles.
SITREP - WORSHIP vs MUSIC - They rarely are the same
Having spent 26 years moving around in the military I can tell you that I have seen my share of "churches". Trying to find a faithful church got easier when I realized you could fathom the depth of preaching by a quick survey of music styles. I got to the point of turning around and leaving when I saw drum sets, stages, and PA systems more compatible with rock concerts than proclaiming the gospel. Even in my own "orthodox" church I see the seeds for separation of church services into "traditional" and "contemporary" based on the style of hymnody. Whenever the primacy of preaching is usurped by the need to sway and bob to trendy music I think some of the world has just swept into my special time to meet with God and the saints.
"There is a name for what Paul Proctor has done here, and it is called bearing false witness."
No.
"To insist that all good music came from Europe 200 years ago; there's a name for that - racism."
"You see folks, to insist that all good music came from Europe 200 years ago is thinly veiled racism, if you want to be truthful about it."
All same-same, no difference. Warren said that thinking all good music came from Europe 200 years ago is racism--and *that* is false witness.
Music reached its high-water mark in that place and during that period, and that's a fact. Happened to be mainly whites that wrote it. If history and geography were different, it could have been blacks or Asians.
After that, music went into a long, slow slide, until the sixties when it went over the cliff and plunged toward the abyss.
ALL authors know that when they put something within quotation marks it must be an exact quote and that they must not change it for any reason much less to suit their own agenda. I learned this in 9th grade English.
And what about this:
Warren had this to say: "Loud, raucous music with a driving beat is the kind of music his folks listened to."
"Loud, raucous music with a driving beat is the kind of music his folks listened to."--- Dennis Costella (NOT Rick Warren)
Same-Same????? NO, THIS IS FALSE WITNESS. Paul Proctor is a liar.
So late Baroque (Bach) through the Classical period (Mozart), say 1750 to 1800.
Hard to imagine that Beethoven is the beginning of the down slide.
"Hard to imagine that Beethoven is the beginning of the down slide."
Come on, you know I didn't mean to imply that. We're being approximate with dates, not OC.
"ALL authors know that when they put something within quotation marks it must be an exact quote and that they must not change it for any reason much less to suit their own agenda."
It's ridiculous to accuse somebody of lying when they misquote someone in a way that means exactly what the person really said. That's putting style over substance.
"And what about this:"
Who cares about that? Maybe one or the other of you is mistaken about who said what. Either way, it's not germaine to the issue.
I really don't know what you meant to imply. I was just going with the words as written.
Post-Mozart, chamber music (IMHO) began to ask a LOT more of the listener. Some don't care for that.
Of course, in the Christian East we have no questions about what is or isn't Christian music. The words must be those of an ode, troparion, kontakion, psalm, or hymn traditionally used by the Church, or new words in the same form approved by the bishop, metropolitan or patriarch of the local church in which they are used (for instance troparia and kontakia for saints whose glorification was recently proclaimed). The setting must also receive episcopal approval, and must meet the canonical guidelines of being sung a capella, and the at most homophony (multiple voices singing the same syllables on different notes at the same time) except for Alleluias which can be melifluous and polyphonic. (The point is to understand the words!)
In the Catholic Church, it is not so much that all the good music came from Europe 200 years ago as it is that the new music is written for castrati and Jesuits, with no power or manliness present at all.
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