The Power of Music - Proverbs 3:5-6
- Title stolen from Ben Everson. Sorry Ben.
Music- a sound perceived as pleasingly harmonious- Webster
Music is one of the most important tools God has given us.
Music is very important to God.
Zephaniah 3:17- the Lord thy God in the midst of these is mighty. He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing.
Genesis 1:1- " in the beginning was the word*."
The word "word" here means "logos" which in Greek means "sound."
One of the meanings of the “Word” is music
Music is a part of the nature of God.
Psalm 100- make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God. It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless his name. For the Lord is good. His Mercy is everlasting and his truth endures through all generations.
Colossians 3:16- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:19- “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
I definitely have a heart and a passion for the right kind of worship music.
I’m writing this purely from my own personal experience.
There are 2 kinds of music that the churches today use.
CCM (contemporary Christian music) and or Sacred (traditional) Music.
What is CCM?- a genre of music that combines Nashville pop, rock, and worship music.
I’ll discuss this more later on in this post.
I lean towards the hymns and sacred music. The sacred music is more heartfelt.
First let me say this: I was raised on sacred music and hymns. I didn’t even get introduced to the contemporary Christian music till I was 16. In 2008, I started attending a small church here in old town Orange. They used nothing but CCM Music.
(iworship, which is mostly Hillsong. More on that later.)
I attended that church for 9 years, so as you can imagine, I was inundated with the CCM music. Of course there is a positive side and a negative side to just about everything in life. We call it the pros and cons.
I’ll start with the pros/the positive side of attending that church. The Lord definitely had me in that church for a reason. 3 positive things about attending that church are as follows:
- I learned that I’m a very visual learner. The very first day I walked into that church, mind you I had never heard of iworship videos before, I walked into the church knowing absolutely none of their music and to my shock and surprise, I walked out of the church the same day with all the songs they sang that morning memorized. Why was this you might ask? Because the iworship videos are music videos (projected on a screen) with moving pictures and words. The pictures and words change with the timing of the music.
I don’t recommend the iworship videos for Sunday morning worship. I’ll go more into detail about that in a minute. But here’s the iworship YouTube channel so you can get an idea of what I’m talking about.
https://www.youtube.com/user/IWorship
Seeing these iworship videos at this church was my first clue that I was a very visual learner. Before I started attending that church I couldn’t memorize music worth beans. I was shocked when I walked out of that church with all the songs they sang that morning memorized. That was a real eye opener for me as to what my learning style is. I could see the iworship videos in my head afterwards.
- Before attending that church I couldn’t clap to the beat of the music. After being in that church for 2 years (I was there for 9 years) I finally learned how to clap to the beat of the music. I started learning music timing. I also learned some harmony and fancy fillers. (thanks Carol Anne)
- I learned how to sketchnote.
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of sketchnotes before. You might be familiar with sketchnotes if you’ve read my previous blog posts. I had never heard of sketchnotes until I was in that church for 6 years and the worship leader, the Pastor’s daughter, and youth pastor’s wife, Carol Anne started sketchnoting the sermons every Sunday morning and eventually introduced the whole church to sketchnoting. Sketchnotes is a way of visual note taking. It’s purposeful doodling or drawing while listening to a sermon, podcast, audio book, anything really. Sketchnoting is a way to visually synthesize and summarize with shapes, text, connectors and doodles. They are hand drawn visual summaries, usually done on an electronic device. Sketchnoting is not only a way of visual note taking, it’s also a creative outlet. A way to personally express what you’re hearing.
More often than not, some of the artwork in most of my sketchnotes is memories from my childhood and my life experiences. As an artist, I have a good size stash of art books and clip art, and other sources that I can pull ideas from for my sketchnotes. But I also pull from my childhood and my own life experiences.
I saw Carol Anne sketchnoting and knew I wanted to do it too. As I mentioned in a previous post, titled Sketchnote Book, seeing her sketchnote every week made me want to draw again. That was enough to make me want to deal with a traumatic experience from another church 9 years prior so I could draw again. The Lord was preparing me to deal with that circumstance.
After finally dealing with that incident, I started drawing again. I taught myself how to draw and started sketchnoting every week and really ran with it.
Little did I know what it would turn into 4 years later and how the Lord would use that in my life.
The con/negative side to being in that church was that the music never had any meaning for me.
I felt like I was just singing the songs out of habit. I was just going through the motions. I knew all the words, the catchy tunes, the musical timing, etc. But it had no meaning for me and I knew something wasn’t right. I knew something was missing, but I didn’t understand it at this point. I didn’t know what to do. No one had ever taught me the difference between CCM (contemporary Christian music) and Sacred (traditional) music.
It wasn’t until I left the church in 2017, and in Jan of 2018, the Lord brought Ron Hamilton and Majesty Music back into my life.
Here’s the link to that blog post.
When I got hooked on Majesty Music, they taught me by example, the difference between CCM (contemporary Christian music) and sacred (traditional) music.
I grew up with hymns, sacred music, Sunday school songs, etc. but I was too young to understand it. More on this later.
Speaking of pros and cons, someone just posted an article on facebook that was talking about how screens don’t belong in churches and how we need to bring hymnals back. There are two problems with this.
Presentations projected onto huge video screens have all but replaced traditional hymnals - USA today
If we use the screens in churches properly it can be a beautiful thing.
If we use them for hymns and sacred music it’s great. Hymnals are not always helpful for everyone. If you don’t know how to read music the hymnal isn’t much help. I tend to pick up the melody and timing by ear. Having the words on a screen is easier for me. Especially if there are visual images that support the words. This is why I appreciated the Iworship videos that Sonlight used.
The screens are very important for me. I’m a very visual learner. I need them.
There’s an old saying that says “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.” Just because something doesn’t work for one person doesn’t mean it’s not extremely helpful for another person. If all churches got rid of screens it would be devastating for me.
I do agree that the old hymns are important and hold up a lot better than CCM. I’ll talk about that more in a minute.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog post the Lord brought Ron Hamilton back into my life in Jan of 2018 when I started digitizing the Patch The Pirate cassette tapes. The first Patch The Pirate cassette tape I digitized and sketchnoted was “The Misterslippi River Race.” My favorite Patch adventure for several reasons.
One of the songs on that Patch adventure is called “Trust in the Lord.” All it is, is Proverbs 3:5-6 put to music.
I grew up knowing that Proverb. I could quote it verbatim, but it never had any meaning. I never understood it. Until….I heard Ron’s song “Trust in the Lord.” The very first time I heard that song, I immediately knew what that Proverb really meant.
I finally understood it. Why? Because of the music.
The message of the music and the message of the words matched. I then began to understand the difference between CCM and sacred music. I knew there was something powerful about sacred music and hymns.
I'm gonna use quotes from Ron Hamilton, DR. Frank Garlock, and Ben Everson.
These 3 guys are pros when it comes to the subject of music.
First of all, let's look at several ways that music is used in everyday situations.
Music unites people,
It's used for enjoyment,
entertainment,
education, history
Edification,
Evangelism,
Work,
Family,
Community,
In hearing from God,
In battle/battle cries
In battle/victories
In taunting, teasing
In revealing God’s creation,
In mourning,
In rejoicing,
Etc.
Elements of music: melody is key because God said so.
1 Samuel 16:23- And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
Psalm 71:22- I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.
The melody has 3 ways in which it affects us.
- Music has physical power.
David’s music soothes King Saul. The word “refreshed” in this passage means to breathe freely. To release tension. David’s music with or without words/lyrics had an effect on Saul. The passage says Saul was refreshed. Music is physical. Music is sound waves and sound waves are physical. Music has vibrations that we can feel. Do you ever feel like you're having a heart attack and then you realize its your neighbor playing music super loudly in his car? Subwoofers wouldn't be needed in cars if music wasn't physical.
Music has rhythm: our hearts beat in rhythm.
John 7:38- He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
The word “rheo” means rhythm.
Rhythm: a sign of life for a person or music.
Here are 2 personal examples of how music has physical power.
- I used to watch tv with my grandpa all the time. But once I started sketchnoting and playing the piano a lot, I started seeing the negative effects that watching tv was having on my brain. Whenever I would watch tv, I couldn't think clearly and I wasn't able to be creative. I also felt tense all the time. When I finally understood what was happening, I gave up watching tv and movies. Let me tell you, it's made a huge difference in my thinking and I'm not tense anymore. I've been so much calmer and I can think much more clearly.
- I’ve had a severe lazy eye my whole life. I was used to it. I had found ways to cope with it. I didn’t mind it. It was such a small issue compared to my other health issues. I wasn’t even asking God to fix it but apparently the Lord had other plans. I had been playing the piano and sketchnoting for 4 years (2014-2018) before the Lord brought Ron back into my life in Jan of last year. I was playing CCM (contemporary Christian music) on the piano and was sketchnoting sermons and the Bible study lessons from CBS (Community Bible Study). But it never had any effect on my vision. It never even crossed my mind that it would. But here’s the interesting thing. I started sketchnoting the Patch adventures in April of 2018 and started playing Majesty’s music on the piano around that same time. About 6-7 months into it, October/November of 2018, I started noticing a shift in my vision. This caught me by surprise.
USA Weekend- scientists are developing research that shows physiological links between melody and the mind. A connection far greater than we ever imagined. New studies indicate that listening to and playing music actually can alter how our brains and thus our bodies function
- Music has emotional power.
Mourning- funerals
Have you ever wondered why bagpipes are played at funerals?
It’s because the instrument has a mournful sound which makes it perfect for songs like “ Amazing Grace.”
Easter Sunday 2019 I was on facebook, and a FB friend posted a video of a piper playing his bagpipes. I didn’t know it would be the song “Amazing Grace.” I lost it and just bawled my eyes out. It reminded me too much of grandma’s funeral.
I really wish people wouldn’t post videos like that, that make people sad on a holiday when we’re supposed to be rejoicing. We’re supposed to be happy on Easter Sunday, not sad. I also believe that our music needs to match the occasion.
Bagpipes come from Celtic tradition.
Why are movies so suspenseful? Because of the music! The movie writers know that music carries a message. They can make you stressed during a movie with the music alone.
Emotional Musical terms.
Funerals: things worth dying for, issues we can’t compromise on.
Fusses: preferences with no real impact on us. Little squabbles that aren’t really that important. They just take up a lot of energy.
Fights: things which affect our Christian life over time.
Ben Everson said this: “Music is a set of emotional instructions for how we’re supposed to feel.” Boy is that ever true!
Maybe this is why we “fight” about music.
Since the beginning there’s always been difficult topics in the church.
Music being one of those topics.
Let's look at that list again of how music is used in everyday situations.
Entertainment - this could be tv shows, movies, plays, band shows, etc. Let's take tv and movies as a couple of examples.
Consumer recall- a TV add for the super bowl costs 4.6 million for one minute 77,000 dollars a second.
Do you ever wonder why TV commercials get so annoying? It's because of the music. They know that the music will get people to buy their product. Try listening to a commercial without the sound. Much more peaceful right?? If you're like me, you're smart and you mute the commercials.
Speaking of commercials or ads, in one of Ron Hamilton’s Music seminar sessions he mentioned a small hot dog wiener company. (Wienerschnitzel) they were just a small hot dog company till they came up with a jingle for a song. They attribute their world wide success to a song. That’s what made the difference in their whole history. That jingle spread around the world and made them famous. A song made them an international power. This was before computers or the internet. Music has power.
Going back to the passage 1 Samuel 16:23- And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
The passage says Saul was well. The word “well” here means emotional stability. Saul's emotions were stabilized.
People can pick on your siblings and you'd probably join in on it.
But once people start picking on your favorite sports team, then uh oh, they're getting into dangerous territory. But if they pick on your music, then it becomes a fight. Why? Because music wraps itself around our hearts. I can tell you this is very true just from personal experience. A relationship got broken between an extended family member and myself because of Music.
Music has the ability to speak directly to a situation better than words can.
Music can also validate a situation or circumstance better than words can.
This has been so true for me. Music can reach a place in the heart that words and people can’t. Music is a very personal thing. That’s why we should never criticize someone’s music choices. Because we don’t know what that music has helped them through.
That doesn't mean that we can't stand up for what we believe is right. We just need to do it in love.
Music has the power to shape and change the meaning of the words.
Tone of voice: how something is said affects how it is perceived.
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.- Proverbs 15:1
Have you ever gotten mad at someone for their “tone” of voice?
I put the word “tone” in “ ” because when we're talking with people that's how we communicate and express our thoughts. The "tone" is what carries the emotions and feelings behind what we're saying.
Going back to that list again of how Music is used in everyday situations.
Taunting or teasing.
Sarcasm: a manner of speaking that alters the meaning of the words.
Such as teasing.
The method/style of delivery: effects the message delivered.
Music communicates.
The style is the message.
You can say the same words but in different styles and you'll change the meaning. HOW we say something is just as important as WHAT we say.
The HOW impacts what the message is.
HOW a message is delivered: effects the final product.
tone of voice, expression, how you say something matters. How you say it is the underlying message that comes across. (80% of our language is non-verbal) This not only applies to our everyday lives but it also applies to music.
I believe we need to be careful about what kind of music we use in our churches.
Often a problem that we as Christians can run into with music, is that we think if the words are good, then it’s good music. But what we don’t understand, and what I’ve learned these past two years, is that even if the words are good, it doesn’t necessarily mean the actual music itself is good. The actual music itself really matters. Music is a language. More often than not, the music can often communicate and express the meaning more than the lyrics can. The music carries its own message. Again 80% of our language is non-verbal. In the case of Christian music, the lyrics are often not the problem. It's the music that we need to be careful with.
In music, it's not just the words/lyrics, but how you say the words. The way that the meaning of the words are communicated and expressed. This is done through the actual music itself.
A style also suggests ways to think. A style even defines a musical Community- a group with shared notions about music and it's purpose. The shared style allows for musical communication without misunderstanding, a common sense of what is being said and why. Musical styles effortlessly communicate all kinds of presuppositions and attitudes, matters which may never be explicitly articulated but which are nonetheless always felt. - Edward Rothstein
22 musicians said that music can be conceived as a communicative medium, music and language are analogis systems of communication
Fishman and catch the music within You- music is communication, music is a form of nonverbal communication, communication takes place without words.
Frets wingle- sound has gained the upper hand, sound communicates more than the words
Edward Rothstein- the shared style allows for musical communication without misunderstanding, a common sense of what is being said and why.
Musical styles effortlessly communicate all kinds of presuppositions and attitudes, matters which may never be explicitly articulated but nonetheless always felt.
Going back to that list again of how Music is used in everyday situations.
Evangelism.
Some musical styles: have the potential to undercut scriptural truth.
Ben Everson is an evangelist who works with Majesty Music and he talks a lot about this very subject. Here’s a video that he did on the power of Music if you’re interested.
Special Topic: The Power of Music from Ben Everson on Vimeo.
I completely agree with everything he says. He’s all over it.
In one of Ron Hamilton’s seminar sessions he said this: “avoid contemporary Christian music, really. Avoid it. The music and the message don’t match. “
He’s right.
Quick example. 2 songs
, “Everlasting God”- Chris Tomlin (CCM),
and “Wings As Eagles”- Ron Hamilton (Sacred).
Same message, similar words in spots, drastically different music. One heartfelt (sacred) the other not (CCM).
Big house/my father's house (CCM),
and He’s Building Me A Mansion,
Mansion Over The Hilltop (sacred).
Again 3 songs, same message, similar words, drastically different music. 2 heartfelt (sacred) one not (CCM).
Quick story. I’m not gonna mention any names cause I don’t want this getting out, but I was having this very discussion with an extended family member a while back and I was trying to explain to her the difference between CCM and sacred Music. I used the song comparisons above in my discussion. She was arguing with me about the words to Everlasting God. She didn’t realize who she was arguing with, but that’s beside the point. Point is she never paid attention to the words of the song even though she had just sung it at church that morning. Why? Because she said she was only paying attention to the catchy tune. Point proven. Nuff said. She didn’t get it. But it really drove home that point to me that when the tune is catchy and distracts from the meaning of the words then something needs to change.
Here’s another example. Back in 2004, I was attending a christian dance studio called Point of Grace. One of the songs that I danced to in the recital is called
“Big Fish.”
I didn’t even know it was a christian song until years later. It’s definitely a CCM song because you can’t even understand the words and the tune is so rocky that it covers up the words.
2 songs about the same thing but drastically different music.
“Big Fish” (CCM)
and “Jonah” by Ron Hamilton (Sacred)
Which one do you think is more heartfelt? I would have to say “Jonah” hands down. Purely because of the music.
Because I was inundated with CCM music for 9 years at sonlight, and now I’m hearing sacred music, I’m learning by example, the huge drastic difference.
Colossians 3:16- “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:19- “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”
Ephesians 5:18-19, Colossians 3:16 talks about singing and speaking to yourselves with what?
Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. I believe that is talking about sacred music.
Jesus sang. He sang with His disciples at the Passover supper.
Matthew 26:30- “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of olives.”
They sang the Psalms.
Psalms 113-118- the Hallel Psalms.
This is where we get the word “hallelujah” from.
Psalms 111 & 112 are introductory
Psalms 113 & 114 are sung before they eat the passover supper
Psalms 115 to 118 are sung after they eat the passover supper
The last Psalm Jesus would have sung with His disciples is psalm 118
When I was at sonlight for 9 years and the worship music didn’t have meaning for me, that really bothered me. I knew something wasn’t right but I didn’t understand the difference between CCM and sacred music back then.
Majesty Music has been really validating for me. They really helped me to understand why I felt the way I did about the music at sonlight. I felt like I wasn’t crazy and that I had legitimate reasons for feeling the way I did.
I find it interesting that the Lord didn’t bring Majesty Music into my life until after I left sonlight and then He put me in a Baptist Church that was mostly sacred music and hymns. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
The other interesting thing is before the Lord brought Majesty Music into my life I only played piano when I was in the mood because I didn’t have the right kind of music that meant something to me. Once Majesty Music came along and I started learning hymns and their music, I started playing piano all the time. Why? Because the music had meaning. It was music that I wanted to play. Now I can’t stop playing the piano.
The CCM world really didn’t come along until the millennials came along and the world wanted to appeal to this new generation of kids. They didn’t want to do what is now considered to be old fashioned. It breaks my heart. I believe at least for Sunday morning worship, the music should be heartfelt and have meaning. If people want to listen to CCM stuff during the week that’s fine. But I don’t believe it’s appropriate for Sunday morning. That’s just my opinion. I’m coming at this purely from personal experience and the impact that hymns and sacred music has had on me that the CCM stuff never did.
- Music has spiritual power
Music for God.
This is my heart for people. I know this is a controversial subject. People like to argue about music. If Music can make you understand scripture for the first time and have that kind of power, then I think we need to be careful about what we listen to and when.
Like Ron said the problem with CCM is that the music message and the lyric message don’t match.
Muse- music - to be absorbed in thought
This definition goes very well with this verse.
1 Corinthians 10:31- whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
If the words are good but the song doesn’t have any personal spiritual meaning, is it bringing glory to God? I would have to say no. If the song doesn’t have any spiritual meaning to you then it’s not true worship.
- Music equals attitude
Listen for the attitude in the music
Hole in our soul book- something has gone seriously wrong with the sound of popular music. Which is, after all, what the music is made of.
The CCM world is often rocky and distracting.
It can distract from the meaning of the lyric message but it can also change the meaning of the lyric message.
1 Corinthians 14:11 & Romans 1:16 Therefore, if I know not the meaning of the voice.
Meaning- power
We need to make sure the music message and the lyric message match. We need to make the message clear so people understand. We need to be able to focus on the lyrics instead of the so called catchy tunes. The music needs to not distract away from the lyrics.
Robert Shaw- I don't know if the church today understands the music brought into the church.
The people don't understand the music. It's perverse.
The music physicians for times to come- music has the capability of exciting or calming, uplifting or degrading, healing or harming.
USA Today said, music has the ability to lift, worship, and energize.
Yet it has equal in measure the power to destroy.
There is such a thing as bad church music.
As I mentioned earlier I was in a church for 9 years that used only CCM music. The music never had spiritual meaning for me because the music itself distracted away from the lyrics. For certain songs the worship leaders always made it a competition between the guys and girls on who could sing the songs better and louder. I enjoyed that because I didn't know any better. Looking back I don't think that's how we should treat worship time. I believe worship time should be a reverent time to focus on the Lord and His Goodness and Mercy and what He's done for us in our lives. We shouldn't be focused on the music being a competition. That's a distraction.
I don't think it's right to sing worship songs about God when you're distracted and not actually thinking about God. If the catchy tunes distract your focus off the Lord then I think something needs to change.
I don't think that kind of music is acceptable to be using in church. We need to make sure our music isn't manipulative.
Colossians 3:2-3, 5
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Does this music help what I'm trying to say or does it contradict what I'm trying to say?
Our music needs to be just as word driven as the Bible is.
Ephesians 5:10-11-Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Reprove- to reprimand or censure- to demonstrate by evidence or argument.
Is it right to play so called worship music in church on Sunday morning that is musically distracting and meaningless and takes your heart and mind off the Lord? I would have to say no.
Mark Moring- Christianity today- "as often happens when discussing church music in the pages of Christianity today, the articles display a bias for traditional music. This is unfortunate because we at Christianity Today also happen to like contemporary worship music. We strove to find an article or conduct an interview that would give more space to exploring the gift of contemporary music but came up empty. I'll be frank, when it comes to contemporary Christian music, I have yet to find authors who are able to prove it's uniqueness with the same depth and insight as those who relish traditional music. What I usually find is articles that say but people like it."
The main issue today is relativism.
The passage that CCM artist use to try to justify their music is 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. There's a verse in this passage that says that we should be all things to all men. CCM artists think that means that we should do everything we can and go as far as we can to try to reach the world. The passage actually says it's not all the things I WILL do to reach the world but all the things I will NOT do. What can I limit myself from doing in order NOT to offend the world. Paul gives several examples of things he will NOT do in order to reach the world. He says he won't give into his flesh and he won't use worldly wisdom.
Is music neutral?
People often think music is amoral, neutral, non-moral
What this is saying is that there is no good or bad music
Amoral- incapable of distinguishing right from wrong. Lacking a moral sense, lacking principles with respect to right or wrong.
Is music neutral or does it have morality qualities?
Neutral means impartial, not supporting either of two opposing sides and having no strongly marked characteristics.
Jeremy begby- professor at Cambridge- it is indisputable that music is one of the most powerful media humans have at their disposal. Music is made and used by human beings and human beings are never morally neutral creatures
Why are human beings never morally neutral? Because we were created in the image of God.
Genesis 1:27- So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
We know from scripture that God is not morally neutral. God has moral standards. Why do you think he gave Moses the 10 commandments?
Neil postman- NY University- to maintain that technology and music is neutral is stupidity, plain and simple.
Ron says the most important thing when talking about music is that there is a line to be drawn.
He goes on to say that the main thing that we need to agree on as Christian's is that music is not neutral.
"I believe all the arts are moral. I can't see how any of the arts can be neutral." - Robert Shaw
Martha bayless- Harvard professor- TV and arts critic
The kind of music a church offers increasingly defines the kind of person who will attend, because for this generation music is at the very center of self-understanding.
The form in which ideas are expressed affects what those ideas will be. It is naive to think that something that has been expressed in one form can be expressed in another without significantly changing it's meaning, texture, or value. - Neil Postman
CCM Skillet singer John Cooper wrote an article talking about this.
https://faithit.com/skillet-john-cooper-calls-out-christian-leaders-rejecting-faith/
"'I'm Genuinely Losing My Faith': CCM Hillsong Worship Leader Rejects Christian Beliefs"
"Marty Sampson, a worship music writer, singer, and active member of Hillsong, who has notably written songs for Hillsong Worship, Hillsong United, Delirious and Young & Free has publicly denounced his faith on social media explaining how he is “losing” his faith."
Why is this happening? Because the music isn't theologically sound.
CCM (Contemporary Christian Music) is based on emotion and the experience and lacking deep biblical truth
USA Today- singing songs of the present may express deep intimate emotions, but singing songs of the past ties the modern church to Christians across continents, across centuries.
What's great about the older hymns is they are very theologically sound. They take deep theological topics that are Central to the whole basis of truth. Probably at the time that was great, because people needed to sing truth.
And we don’t need the truth now? Wrong. We need truth more than ever.
Some people say that if the Bible doesn't specifically mention that something is sinful it must be okay.
You have to take it from principles.
John Macagina- building a Christian philosophy of music- the Bible has not written to us a catalog of probititions, but even though sometimes it can be very specific it often guides our behavior based on larger principles, world views, and theology as a whole. For God to cover every sin specifically would require a book the size of the state of Texas. Notice the Bible doesn't mention current sins. These are under wider principles required of us such as honesty and not stealing, love rather than hate, chastity rather than lust, stewardship and industriesness rather than greed.
Dr. Howard hansen- former director of Eastman school of music- music is a subtle art with numerous carrying emotional connotations. It's made up of many ingredients and according to the proportions of those components, it can be soothing or invigorating, enabling or vulgarizing, philosophical or orgeastic, it has powers for evil as well as for good
Remember what we said earlier about CCM, it's a genre of Nashville pop, rock, and worship music.
Pop music encourages dancing
Rock music encourages sex
Then they blend those two with worship music.
That's just wrong.
Isaiah 5:20- woe to them that call evil good and good evil
What is worship?
reverent honor and homage (respect or reverence) paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred.
We need to be using music in our churches that is respectful for a Holy God.
1 Peter 1:15-16
But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Music stays with you. Even through dementia. That's why we need to be so careful what we listen to.
There's no delete button on the brain- Frank Garlock
New studies indicate that listening to and playing music actually can alter how our brains and thus our bodies function. Music may actually affect brain size. The thick cable of neurons connecting the brains right and left hemispheres was larger among musicians. The trend is even more pronounced for musicians who took up an instrument at an early age. Music is hard-wired into the brain. We're only now realizing how important it is to us. Whether or not people choose to recognize the power of music, it remains a spiritual experience. It can save us. - USA weekend
Philippians 4:8-
Finally, brethren, 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 on these things.
The Triumph of the Praise Songs- American church goers no longer sort themselves out by demonination so much as by musical preference- Christianity today, Michael S Hamilton University of Notre Dame
"When one chooses a musical style today, one is making a statement about whom one identifies with, what ones values are, and ultimately who one is."
I know this is a controversial subject. But I hope this causes us to think about the music in our churches and the music that we listen to at home.
What do we want our testimony to be?
That leads me into my next blog post.
The title of my next blog post is the title of a song.
A song that Jonathan Hamiton wrote the music and their pastor friend Chris Anderson wrote the lyrics as Jonathan’s testimony. This song is also special to my family for similar reasons.
The song title is “You Are Always Good.”
Sources:
*Why I don’t Listen To CCM (book) by Shelly Garlock Hamilton
Why I Don’t Listen To CCM (seminar session audio) by Shelly Hamilton
*Pop Goes The Music (YouTube video series) by Frank Garlock
*The Power of Music video by Ben Everson
Special Topic: The Power of Music from Ben Everson on Vimeo.