Music in the Church

Music in the Church

TRADITIONS

 Nearly everybody in America has heard of the Tony Award® winning musical Fiddler on the Roof. The major theme in the book by Joseph Stein is Tevye’s attempt to maintain his family and Jewish traditions while modern ideas lure those around him away.

This theme works well because of it’s universal appeal. This is the age-old battle between generations.  Life in the Church is not immune to the pull of this battle. However, we owe it to ourselves, our progeny, and The Lord to make sure we break from the cycle and make our decisions based on a proper, Biblical perspective. Remember, “We’ve always done it that way” is no reason to do something, and no reason to not do something either!

This is the “long awaited” second installment on the topic of traditions.

For many years now a battle has been raging within the Church over music for worship.  Many men, much better educated than I have talked all about various Biblical standards for worship so I won’t “whip that horse” for very long, but I would like to share some ideas that have not been covered or talked about often.

First of all, I would like to say unequivocally that style does not matter.  Strangely, though style does not matter, the two major camps of “Praise” and “Hymns” seem to divide because of style.  What I will assert is that the style selection is because of the divide.  I feel that the reason that this debate has not been put to bed is because of deeper, doctrinal issues and attitudes of worship that have not been sufficiently addressed.

Much of the debate is due to the misguided Seeker Sensitive Movement.  One of the mistaken notions is that church must be attractive to outsiders.  Certainly, we are to be winsome, but “marketing” is not the answer.  Much effort was put into the wrapping of the gift, but little to the gift being wrapped.  Worship services then become performances and too great an emphasis is placed on the beauty of song, showmanship, and entertainment.  The Praise-ers wanted prettier song services and hymns and organ just wouldn’t do.  Hymn-ers felt that the Praise-ers were irreverent and so targeted their music as the source of the friction.  Both sides were mistaken that the music was the issue.  Now each side did have a valid point or two, but the overwrought focus on music was a distraction.

Let’s start with the gift.  Worship is not only singing and not all singing is worship.  Furthermore, worship is not an emotion, feeling, or state of mind.  Worship is simply a mindset toward God.  It is yielding of all that we are to only the One.  I have worshipped deeply during a roll-over auto accident and not at all while surrounded by great music.  So worship initially has absolutely nothing to do with what’s going on around us.  It has everything to do with what is going on inside of us.  That being said, this mindset of worship can be facilitated by music, teaching, testimony, giving and much more.

Next, let’s talk about the music. Hymns can be done badly, and they can be done well.  Praise music can be done badly and it can be done well.  I once had a lady in the church where I was music minister say to me:  “I like the praise music better because I can memorize it and just sing it to God.”  I did a blended service, and she was lobbying for more praise music.  In the simplicity of my youth I replied with an ill-advised question: “Can’t you memorize the hymns?”  Well, she was rather put out with me, and I don’t blame her.  My answer was not thoughtful and edifying, but the question got to the heart of it anyway.  Praise music is often prettier, is generally written very much like popular music of the day, and is often easier to sing.  Hymns on the other hand generally have much richer content and often take the singer through the gambit of the worship process even teaching detailed doctrine. (i.e. This is what God is, so this is what that makes me, so this is what I ought to do.)  I once worked with a woman who went to a church that was heavily into the seeker sensitive method.  We were talking one day and in a moment of vague transparency, I confessed that I knew that I did not deserve God’s grace.  This is true of the entire human race in general as well as being true of my particular spiritual condition at the time.  Her reply floored me.  She said:  "Oh, I think I do.  Most people do.”  Obviously, the individual is responsible to have the correct attitudes and behavior in worship.  However, her attitude never would have happened in an old fashioned, hymn singing church.  Given that music is not the culprit, what we probably need to do is to put it all in a pile and pick out the best of each.

Finally, we need to decide about the rest of the elements, who we are, where we are going etc., and let each element live or die on it’s own merit. My suggestion is to take all the seeker sensitive movement stuff and pitch it.  Be mean to visitors?  Certainly not.  Rather, we need to be loving and kind to them without centering our service around them.  Who is it again that we are worshipping?  How we dress, how we sing, how we talk, how we give, and how we do everything, needs to reflect the importance of a gathering that is about meeting with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Many of the things we do are neither right nor wrong in, and of themselves, but the motivation behind them may be correct or misguided.  Let’s take the dimming of the lights during singing and more deeply dimmed for a solo.  Offering early or last? What about praise team vs. choir? (It would seem pointless to have both, right?) Full orchestra, a small combo, or just piano?  Which is right?  The answer is yes.  Yes if the attitude and motivation is right, and no if the attitude and motivation are wrong.  My feeling is that the pastor, church and music folks all need to be on the same page.  I would rather the church have a special called business meeting to sort all of that out than to proceed in a confused or misguided fashion.  In the absence of that, the pastor needs to lead clearly, and the rest need to follow in obedience, but it all needs to be right.

The bottom line is this:  A method is neither wrong nor right because it’s traditional.  What makes something wrong or right is it’s doctrinal correctness or the purity of it’s intent and utilization.  Since we’ve already established that style is unimportant, it’s safe to say that correct doctrine doesn’t come into play unless the words to a song are incorrect.  That leaves us with intent and utilization.  It behooves us to examine the issue closely beginning with our own hearts.  We simply need to check our attitudes to ensure that the first thing on our agenda is to seek God’s face and submit to Him.  If we can do this honestly and without reservation, then the dealings between the different camps should be a piece of cake.