Music and Worship

In 2007 and 2008 I had the opportunity to write articles for the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s daily devotional, "These Days." Over the years I have written articles and essays for insurance, financial and business publications. Now, there is this new thing called blogging and this is my first. Sharing my musings with others sounds exciting. But first let me introduce myself.

I'm an African American Presbyterian. I'm an Elder and member of Eastchester Presbyterian Church, Bronx NY. I retired four years ago. Dora, my wife, and I were married forty-four years ago and we now have two adult children and six adorable grandchildren.

I love music, especially music in church. I have sung in the choir for most of my adult life. Dora bought me a set of conga drums some time ago and this past Christmas she gave me a guitar. A few years ago a friend gave me some professional bongos. I've had the opportunity to play the congas and bongos in church and on Christian weekend retreats knows as Tres Dias. On those weekends I play with other musicians who play the guitar, bass, tambourine and keyboard. I'm learning to play the guitar using a worship songbook.

I've worshiped in quite a number of churches and denominations and heard all kings of "church" music. Various ethnic groups and cultures have traditions where some of their religious or church music sounds like their secular music. Some people believe the style of music they themselves sing is the one and only style of music that should be sung in church. I once heard a commentator on a Christian radio station denounce any up tempo music sung in church as not fit for worship. He believed that what we call, "praise singing," with hand clapping didn't belong in worship. There are some who believe gospel music is only for performance and not for worship. There are others who feel the same way about classical and other styles of music. Movies and television has influenced some people's attitudes towards the church music of certain cultures. Movies and television tends to over exaggerate gospel music, for example.

At my church we hear and sing many styles of music. If you visit us you might hear gospel music one Sunday and Handel the next or both in one worship service. No doubt here are probably some in our congregation who would prefer to hear only one music style and no other. As Rick Warren said, "It is words that make a song sacred, not the tune." Music style and tempo are man made and God inspired.

The popular gospel singers, The Blind Boys of Alabama, rocked the Christian music world when they performed and recorded the well known hymn, "Amazing Grace," to the tune of, "House of the Rising Sun." Many people didn't like it because it broke from the familiar, traditional tune. Did you know that the tune for Amazing Grace we are familiar with is not the original tune? The familiar, or what has become the traditional, tune wasn't added to the words until fifty years after Amazing Grace was written? Regardless of the tune the words are the same and the sincerity of the hearts of the singers is the same. I imagine there are those who object to today's "Hip Hop Gospel" or "Gospel Rap." That's too bad. God loves praise. We read in 2 Samuel 6:5, "David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with songs and harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals."niv Sistrums are like castanets. The Message translation says they were, "...singing at the top of their lungs." Can you imagine David shouting, "Hallelujah" at the top of his lungs? He probably did.

Here's the thing ... all music is not pleasing to every ear. I know of two churches here in New York City that wanted to ban drums being played by other worshiping communities that used their sanctuaries on Sunday afternoons. It's a shame that people can be so narrow minded. The Bible has stories that tell of merry worship music using strings and percussion. Words of praise are music to God's ear. The Bible says, "Shout," and the Bible says, "Be Still."

Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn before the left the Upper Room following the Lord's Supper. (see Matthew 26:30) I'd like to know what hymn Jesus and His disciples sang on the night He was betrayed. Hymns are sung throughout the Bible's Old and New Testaments. We have the words to some of those songs. But, we don't have the music.

The following is an excerpt from the book, "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren:

"Worship is far more than music. For many people, worship is just a synonym for music. They say, 'At our church we have the worship first, and then the teaching.' This is a big misunderstanding. Every part of a church service is an act of worship: praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, silence, being still, listening to a sermon, taking notes, giving an offering, communion, signing a commitment card, and even greeting other worshipers.

Actually, worship predates music. Adam worshiped in the Garden of Eden, but music isn't mentioned until Genesis 4:21 with the birth of Jubal. If worship were just music, then all who are nonmusical could never worship. Worship is far more than music.

Even worse, 'worship' is often misused to refer to a particular style of music: 'First we sang a hymn, then a praise and worship song." Or, "I like the fast praise songs but enjoy the slow worship songs the most.' In this usage, if a song is fast or loud or uses brass instruments, it's considered 'praise.' But if it is slow and quiet and intimate, maybe accompanied by guitar, that's worship. This is a common misuse of the term 'worship.'

Worship has nothing to do with the style or volume or speed of a song. God loves all kinds of music because he invented it all - fast and slow, loud and soft, old and new. You probably don't like it all, but God does! If it is offered to God in spirit and truth, it is an act of worship.

Christians often disagree over the style of music used in worship, passionately defending their preferred style as the most biblical or God-honoring. But there is no biblical style! There are no musical notes in the Bible; we don't even have the instruments they used in Bible times.

Frankly, the music style you like best says more about you - your background and personality - than it does about God. One ethnic group's music can sound like noise to another. But God likes variety and enjoys it all.

There is no such thing as 'Christian' music; there are only Christian lyrics. It is the words that make a song sacred, not the tune. There are no spiritual tunes. If I played a song for you without the words, you'd have no way of knowing if it were a 'Christian' song."1

I've heard people from a church that worships using up beat music with drums and tambourines say, "I don't see how people can sit still and not clap their hands and shout when they are worshiping God." Well, brothers and sisters, the fact is they can. God doesn't look on either of you more favorably based on your worship expression. As Rick Warren says, "... there is no biblical style."

Whether you are in your home church or visiting another church, worship God with other believers in their tradition. Especially when visiting another church, worship God in spirit and in truth with your whole heart and mind. <> Lloyd

1 Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, Zondervan 2002