Posted on 12/28/2013 10:20:36 AM PST by Laissez-faire capitalist
As to "in church" I mean that not so much broadly as to the Church (body of Christ), but as to which styles are Biblically permitted in individual churches.
1.) At what point (scripturally) does a church worship team (for instance) go too far when plucking the bass guitar or electric guitar, or beat the drums too loudly? At what point is the "riff" (or beat) becoming too "wordly."
Define "wordly" music as opposed to non-wordly music if/when discussing this. I ask this of those who lean more towards the Michael W. Smith type worship services or to those who like the Southern Gospel type worship services.
2.) At what point does "Southern Gospel" music become a little too Southern and thus become too worldly/honkey-tonk/Country/Country Rock? I ask this of those say they like who like what they deem to be Godly "Southern Gospel."
3.) I still can't find any scripture that exegetically/hermeneutically says that a service must be marked by only Latin/Gregorian chanting. Surely these churches can imploy other "styles" of music, too, at least in the "main" service.
Look, it’s a social thing, not biblical-unbiblical. Sometimes it’s unbiblical, but mostly a social thing. If you’re the big cheese, you decide what passes. Of course, no tyrant is a ruler without willing subjects.
Electronica and House music.
If you want to be sure, you'll have to consult the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
In the church of Christ we don’t have instruments. I have been to churches that have what you are talking about.. seems like the focus is on those on the “stage” versus on worship, but that is totally my opinion..
Amen!
I prefer traditional hymns and gospel songs, accompanied by an organ, piano or orchestra. I have no use for "praise" music. As far as I'm concerned, guitars are for singing cowboys and drums are for parades. Unfortunately, the electric guitar has driven the organ and the choir out of many, and perhaps most churches.
If I were put in charge of editing the Methodist hymnal, I would throw out everything written after 1939 and replace all of those insipid and lifeless "modern" hymns with songs by great Methodist hymn writers such as Lelia Morris, Charles H. Gabriel and William Kirkpatrick who have been neglected in recent decades.
I SAW THE LIGHT by Hank Williams.
People think this is an old hymn. It is not. Hank and band were on their way to a gig, and couldn’t find the place. Then one of the members saw the light for the back stage door and yelled..”There it is!”
“How do you know?” said another.
“I SAW THE LIGHT!” he said. Hank liked it, took those words and wrote the song.
That is what I heard on a radio program out of KVOO Tulsa years ago when I was traveling in Oklahoma.
The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
If you enjoy singing with others in the congregation, then please do so.
Music in church that makes the congregation passive participants in the service seems to defeat the purpose. Have you ever been to a rock concert in a professional sports stadium in which the whole crowd is singing along to every word?
WHAT?
Ditto!
I say "tried" because there were (for all practical purposes) about 15 or so songs that were played over and over and over and over again ... at least two weeks prior to Christmas day.
I listen to BBN via internet when I am at home and it is so comforting to have Christmas enveloped in Christian music, stories and sermons rather than pop songs at least 30 years old.
So, what would be "proper" church music?
Personally, I prefer the slower but well suited for harmonizing, songs from the hymnal.
I think anything that allows a congregation to play with harmonics and it still sounds good is JUST what God wants.
NONE of us can do much with rock n' roll type music ... it requires somewhat specialized and individual voices ... no room for a congregation ... the true meaning of, "people"
Any style or form of music praising God and his son is acceptable.
A subject very close to my heart. I’ve been a worship leader in a small Christian church in North Phoenix for four years. I’m also the music director. I think the culture of the church determines the style of music. I work closely with the Pastor of our church who allows me wide latitude in choosing the music. I pick from a variety of genres - hymns, country gospel, bluegrass gospel, blues, worship songs, CCM stuff and the occasional original.
There’s a movement to eliminate the old hymns from the church and replace the music with the CCM stuff. Lately, there’s been a movement to take the old hymns and traditional Christmas Carols, put new choruses in them, and sell them to churches. And that’s what’s happening. The church is being sold songs. There are a lot of copyright issues associated with the practice. I try to include public domain songs as often as I can to eliminate. I think people who rely on one type of worship music, or one source (like the CCM radio) are musically un-intellectual.
As for the worship itself, I don’t think you can or should eliminate the performance part of the equation, but you must set yourself aside. The job is about leading people to the throne. Some one told me once that the worship leader’s job is to prepare the soil of the soul for the seed of the word sowed by the preacher.
I’ve been on worship teams and find it freeing to be the only person responsible. I was asked to lead a team at a church we were going to. The pastor’s wife wanted to sing. She was so bad, people would get up and leave the service. You have to bring skills to the equation, or it’s just distracting. It’s an interesting process, bringing your skills but setting yourself aside. I think it comes with maturity in Christ.
So, to answer your question, I think God wants us to sing praises to Him in what ever style. If we do it in church, it needs to be orderly and as good as our abilities will allow us. The youth pastor is afraid of other music. Probably because he doesn’t have the skill or the knowledge to perform it. Too bad. He’s missing out on a treasure trove!!!
With the beautiful Southern gospel songs, old fashioned Baptist hymns, I still love to hear the old latin GREGORIAN CHANTS.
Maybe that is why I still love to hear the soundtrack from BECKET and THE LION IN WINTER.
The human voice, God’s finest instrument, found exquisitely in Gregorian Chant. I love this music.
People think this is an old hymn. It is not. Hank and band were on their way to a gig, and couldn’t find the place. Then one of the members saw the light for the back stage door and yelled..”There it is!” “How do you know?” said another.
“I SAW THE LIGHT!” he said. Hank liked it, took those words and wrote the song.
As Leo Durocher once advised, "win any way you can!"
In my church, which uses all styles, the congregation frequently sings along with the choir or the praise team.
God blessed us when he gave us the pentatonic scale and said to make a joyful noise.
What is a vocal choir or bell choir for but ‘special music.’ Look at the nearly 2000 years of music that has been created to help us praise and reach out to our Lord and Savior. More music will be created in the future. I recall how ‘scandalous’ the Little Drummer Boy was when I was teenager in the 60s and now it is “an old standard.”
nearly 100 years ago there was a split in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) over whether or not there should be instruments played along with the singing or if all songs should be sung acapella. thus there are the two groups “instrumental” and “non-instrumental.
It was definitely “Lights, camera, action”......sound and light show reminded me of an Ozzie Osborn Concert complete with lead guitarist doing air splits as they played the Siberian Orchestra so loud the room shook.
It was all about the so called “worship teams’ performance and nothing to do about celebrating Christ's Birth. Even when the “audience” was invited to sing you could not hear them singing over the roar of the band and it's sound accompaniment.
Where was Jesus in all this? A small shadow cutout of the Manager scene in the background shorter than the performers in height.
This wasn't even remotely a celebration of Christ's Birth. It was a rock concert in every sense of the word.
When leaving one had no sense other than being entertained, certainly nothing that would lead one to uplift Christ.....you were too busy clearing your hearing.
There was little said of Jesus Birth as the Pastor "spoke" about the growth and expansion of this Mega Church. His experiences as Pastor throughout the growth. Easy to see why a secular world would be attracted there. This “Church” which refers to it's opening others called “campuses” not churches. Is not even remotely Christ centered....He is simply being used as the “seal of approval” for something else entirely.
When in Rome . . .
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