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April 30, 2017 |
| Church Music | ||
What is the purpose?
- praise and worship God
- testify of God's greatness
- teach others about God
- to do this in unison
What is not the purpose?
- does not benefit God, only us
- God does not desire the words or music, only the heart
Must it have words?
- Yes, none of the purposes can be fulfilled without words, and most of the words must be understandable (biblical terms,
language, etc.)
Words are not enough however. I saw a video from a Charismatic church where the live band was so filled with the Holy Spirit that they decided to sing the "Holy Ghost Hokey Pokey" which is really just the "Hokey Pokey" … and everyone went along with it. (Search YouTube for "Holy Ghost Hokey Pokey")
Why have music?
- Humans remember things better if they can put them into a rhyme, poem, acronym. Music probably isn't required but it's a
natural fit because of the rhythms in music.
- The rhythms of music make it easier for people to praise in unison
Can a song be rejected by God?
- Like all sacrifices it must be given with a right heart
- If the words are not sung, spoken, thought, or prayed by the listener it is a song without words and therefore without
purpose
Can a song sound good but contain misleading or false teachings and the church doesn't recognize it?
- Yes, for example Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"
A version of this came out that was sung by members of the Israeli Army in Hebrew. Charismatics I know immediately pronounced the song to be anointed by God. When I explained to them the song was actually vulgar, one of them went out and found an interpretation of the song that said how wonderful the song was (without explaining the lyrics) and my words were dismissed.
The song talks about "broken" hallelujahs such as the hallelujah from sex, the hallelujah from killing a vanquished opponent, etc. Leonard says these hallelujahs are just as good as the real hallelujah.
Can a song evoke an emotional response? Even without words?
- Yes
Can a person begin to worship the singers, the song, or the experience of hearing the song instead of God.
- Yes!!
From Matthew 6:7
New International Version And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
New Living Translation "When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again.
English Standard Version "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.
New American Standard Bible "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.
King James Bible But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
GotQuestions - "What does it mean to use vain repetitions in prayer?" https://www.gotquestions.org/vain-repetitions.html
Can Jesus' words about repetition in prayer be applied to music?
- I think so generally but music and poetry sometimes have some repetition for style or effect.
- The Psalms should serve as examples, there is very little repetition in them.
- I think we can also view it from God's perspective - is that all you can say about my greatness?
These are mostly songs for the service for 4/30/2017. I have removed all repeated lines from these songs.
Words:
"Hallelujah, you're my God"
This is a pretty song sung by a talented singer with a nice voice but there is almost nothing for words in it.
"Hallelujah" is a Hebrew word meaning "Praise Yah". It is not the "highest praise" as some say. So the song could be
re-written as
"Praise Yah, you're my God"
Words:
"Let the king of my heart be the mountain where I run
The fountain I drink from, oh he is my song
Let the king of my heart be the shadow where I hide
The ransom for my life, oh he is my song
You are good, good, oh
Let the king of my heart be the wind inside my sails
The anchor in the waves, oh he is my song
Let the king of my heart be the fire inside my veins
The echo of my days, oh he is my song
You're never gonna let, never gonna let me down"
(7 more minutes of repetition and improvisation)
This song also has some very abstract wordings that border on incomprehensible. If the words aren't understood by the people singing along, the words might as well be in Greek.
What exactly do these mean:
- "Let the king of my heart be the mountain where I run"
- "Let the king of my heart be the shadow where I hide" - Normally shadow refers to the light not reaching you, not a good
metaphor for those who are called to walk in the light. It can't be intended as it is used in Psalm 23, "the valley of the
shadow of death" because these words would equate God to that valley
- "Let the king of my heart be the fire inside my veins"
- "[Let the king of my heart be] the echo of my days"
We also need to think about the audience. As Christians we can figure out what is meant by "king of my heart" but a non-Christian may not understand that. References like that also occur in secular music but they refer to loved ones, not God.
There also seems to be a theological problem with the phrase "You're never gonna let me down." In normal usage "let me down" means "fail to meet my expectations." The Google Dictionary defines it as "fail to support or help someone as they had hoped or expected." That makes the phrase into "You are never going to fail to meet my expectations." That would be theologically backward.
Words:
"Such an awesome God. Lord we wait."
(6 more minutes of repetition interspersed with "Isn't he worthy?", "I learned how to wait on Jesus / God" and other
improvisations)
Words:
"There's nobody like you Lord
I really love you Lord
You are my healer Lord"
(6 more minutes of repetition interspersed with improvisations)
One of the interesting aspects of this song is that the singer admits early on that that there are no more words. It even seems like she gets tired of the repetition herself and changes the words, first to "I really love you Lord" for a while then back to the anthem then at the very end "You are my healer Lord." She also threads in words from another song and the musicians have to stop because they don't know where she is going.
Words:
"Fill me up
'Till I overflow
I wanna run over
I gotta run over"
In addition to the seemingly endless repetition, there are serious theological issues here. This is plainly a Charismatic song. It embeds the Charismatic theology that you can be filled with the Holy Spirit to different levels and when you are full and overflowing (if that's possible) gifts of the Holy Spirit emerge such as speaking in tongues.
This is not a praise song at all. It's an "I" song, "fill me", "I want", "I gotta". It is an expression of a desire (if not demand) for the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. To me the repetitions of these words have the sound of a child who keeps demanding something he can't have at the store while you are out shopping.
In many of the songs we sing, the music has overwhelmed the praise thus becoming entertainment for us and not worship for God.
We live in an age when highly produced music with light shows and dramatized renditions are easily available. But the purpose for music in the church is completely different from the purpose for music in the world. Our purpose is to praise God but for the world the purpose is to entertain. Therefore the world wants the package deal of music, words, lights, and drama. But the thinking of the world has gotten into the church - which is hardly new.
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