To answer this we need to define music a bit more in terms
of genre. This term is used to
categorize similar sounding music and words by both tone and lyrical
commonality. For instance the
‘Classical’ genre refers largely to orchestral sounding music, with many
complex arpeggios, multiple melody lines playing at once, and a broad use of
multiple acoustic instruments. A ‘Rock’
genre would refer to music based largely on electric and distorted guitars with
heavy drum beat rhythm, and a pounding bass line. The vocal accompaniment to classical is
generally choral or operatic in nature.
The vocal accompaniment to rock tends to be coarse, and involve very
loud vocal projections boarding on screaming but with tonality in most
cases.
Why the brief lesson in music appreciation? To being to discuss music in generalized
terms that reflect certain styles. After
all, music can be defined in multiple genre’s from BlueGrass to Country Western,
from Acid Rock to Punk Rock, from Latin to Salsa, from Jazz to the Blues, from
Big Band to Crooners, from Classical to Operatic. The most common genre today is considered Pop
or Popular music – so called as it seems to appeal to the widest possible
audience of listeners. But music, much
like art, is a reflection of style, taste, and preference. If you believe Barry Manilow then Satan wrote
the very first song, and continues to write the hits of today. I tend to doubt that. Evil often mimics the good in creation with
counterfeits designed for our destruction.
But a mimic is not an original. A
counterfeit never quite as good as an authentic creation.
There are numerous texts in the Bible which refer to
praising God with stringed instruments, with the harp, and the tambourine, with
cymbals, and with our voices. These
references alone would seem to encompass percussion, plucked and bowed
instruments, and singing. Add to these
trumpets & brass, and you get a pretty decent orchestra. Keeping in mind the limitations of musical
gear of the age of the Bible, and you find believers using every device they
knew of to worship God. In today’s day
in age our range of available instruments and sounds has increased. We have amplified musical devices, and
digitally engineered devices that can mimic their acoustic counterparts fairly
closely. Should not music that honors
God include ALL the diversity of the instrumentation we have to apply to the
task? This is what was done in older
days, why not now.
As for the religious purists who believe hymns are the only
effective music acceptable in heaven – what a load of moo-moo kaa-kaa. Many hymns originated from tunes sung in the
bars of the 1800’s, with religious words applied. This was the only way to get Christians from
many locations singing the same things the same ways back in the early days of
protestant churches in this country. In
those times, hymns would have been considered “popular” music, and would have been
condemned by purists for not following the much older Gregorian chants of the monasteries. Perhaps only Bach, Handel, Mozart or
Beethoven had it right? I doubt it,
although I love their material.
What about “popular” music that talks about noble concepts
like “love”, “giving to your neighbor”, “being happy”. Nothing wrong with these ideas at all. But I wonder if God is given the credit
behind these ideas, or if sometimes they are presented subtly as morals without
the need for a God. If so, they promote
good humanistic ideas, but deny the source of those ‘good’ concepts. A basic question asked when evaluating music
for spiritual benefit is … what feeling does it inspire within you, and does it
bring you closer to God? If the music
makes you want to go out and pick a fight with someone, it’s probably not a
good selection for you. If the music
makes you want to do something nice for someone else, it’s probably a great
selection for you. Just keep in mind the
source of all good things when you choose what to listen to.
One music style I find a bit on the dangerous side, is music
with a heavy level of immediate repetition.
Some purportedly ‘worship’ music falls into this category. Lyrics are repeated over and over, or a
particular set of tonal phrases sung over and over until its effects become
mind numbing. It is possible for
auditory repetitive sounds to induce a trance like state; a form of hypnosis,
where conscience control of the mind is surrendered. This is NOT good for the listener, and does
nothing to honor God. God does not want
robots under His control, He wants free thinking people who ask questions, and
obey by choice, not by control. Control
over his subjects, is something the evil one desires. If Satan can use any form of music to induce
a mind-numbing trance, he will. Music
need not be this level of repetitive in order to be enjoyed.
Some Christians debate whether hard-rock style music should
be “permitted” in the church. These
souls equate music style to levels of Christianity, and determine that allowing
such a worldly influence inside the sanctuary of God would be a bad thing. Of course these misguided brethren open the
hymnals right up and sing 100 year old bar tunes without the slightest
hesitation. But the question remains, is
there a particular style or genre of music that cannot honor God? Head-banging music or acid-rock as it used to
be known comes to my mind, but this could be because it is literally the only
genre of music I do not enjoy personally.
So is the volume the thermometer?
If we screamed our hymns would they then become sacrilegious? If we added substantial percussion to a
classical piece of music do we ruin it for God?
Is the electric guitar a sin to use in church? I think not.
I believe the motive is more important than the words or the
tune. I know many Christian hard-rock
bands who take an active personal interest in reaching the third world with
much needed food and medical supplies.
They use their fame, and their wealth, and their own hands to reach the
needy. Do we? I know many hymn singing Christians who
barely ever donate a penny to mission fields, or who ever regularly support the
ministries of their local church, or who would use their own time and resources
to reach the less fortunate even in their own neighborhoods. I wonder what honors God more, the
hard-rocking Christian band who plays with the entire soul. Or the lukewarm Christian across the street
who sings hymns every week in church and does not even know my name. If it’s about the music, then do I deny that
hard-rocking Christian band who fills a stadium full of youth and gives them an
inspiring message of the Gospel, and an equally joyful musical experience
serving God? Should I instead embrace
the dull lifeless sounds of the dwindling congregation who exhibits no joy in
the words they sing? Which truly honors
God; our conformity or our passion?
If sound is employed to reach the un-churched and show them
a new vision of the character of God, it should not be condemned but supported
by ALL who claim a common Lord and a common goal. Whether this be a new religious rap tune with
percussion to make your feet move on their own, or a hard-rocking ballad whose
lyrics could move you to change – ALL should be supported. These are matters of style, not matters of
conscience. I am so happy that in
today’s world, the explosion of Christian artists in every sub-genre known,
have offered me the ability to listen to any kind of music while honoring
God.
If I want to hear a hard-rock ditty, I listen to Kutless,
Switchfoot, Jeremy Camp, or Krystal Myers.
If I am looking to hear a religious classical piece I listen to Andrea
Bocelli, Charlotte Church, Josh Groban, or Sarah Brightman. If I want to hear some thought provoking
music that reaches to my core, I listen to Sara Groves, Ginny Owens, Nichole
Nordeman, Sarah McLachlan, or Hilary Weeks.
If it’s good old ‘pop’ I’m in the mood for, I reach for Mark Schultz,
Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Rice, or Amy Grant. If I yearn for some good-ole-boy sounding
music its time for Mountain Heart, Ricky Skaggs, Randy Travis, the Gaithers,
the Isaacs, the Easters, Russ Taff or Rhonda Vincent. And when I need to feel the Spirit move, I
tune in to Andrae Crouch, Fred Hammond, Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin, Take
6, Yolanda Adams, or my old favorites Shirley Caesar, Helen Baylor and Tramaine
Hawkins. What an absolute WEALTH, or
treasure of precious songs!! So many
dedicating their lives and their talents to bear witness to the love of God. I am moved, and touched by them all. They reach me in a way only music can. I long to share every artist with everyone I
meet. As a result, I have a massive CD
collection and a fairly impressive DVD collection to match. But it pleases me to no end to come home on a
Friday evening, put on the candles, put away the world, and listen to an
eclectic collection of works designed to praise and honor my God. I wish for nothing more than to add my own
two-cents worth into the mix.
Praise God for ALL the music, I know will grace the corridors
of heaven …
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