| Recently at a Bible study which I attend I gave out a | | | | consider the purpose of the church music. We are |
| new CD I had just finished producing featuring some | | | | commanded to worship in beauty and holiness. Music |
| of my mother's peaceful piano music. What I | | | | in corporate worship should be doctrinally dense like |
| discovered in the following heated discussion amazed | | | | the Psalms. It's purpose is to minister one to another. |
| me. My desire was to simply share some of my | | | | It should be aesthetically beautiful God does have |
| mothers piano playing with the group. The tittle of | | | | standards of absolute beauty tying directly to His |
| the CD Lee Higby's "Peaceful Piano Hymns" | | | | holiness. He cares very much about His standard of |
| immediately drew attention and some took offense. | | | | absolute beauty, consider the beauty of a sunset it's |
| While some loved the old hymns others hated the | | | | recognized as beauty by all, past, present, future. |
| hymns and anxious to defend the the Higby Family | | | | Church music should likewise be commonly held by it's |
| honor I jumped in and I stepped in it. I found I was | | | | enduring beauty, mostly known by heart shared by |
| naive in thinking all would enjoy what I thought was a | | | | young and old alike, proportionately and historically |
| common heritage of traditional church music. What | | | | representative of Protestant church history. There |
| follow was a heated discussion on church music and | | | | should be more older than newer our children and |
| what was appropriate and how no one should judge | | | | new members can sing without much new discovery |
| what kind of music one prefers to worship with. It | | | | every week, allowing the music to reside in their |
| was the consensus of the the group, personal | | | | hearts. 2000 years of church history leaves little |
| preference is the ultimate standard by which music is | | | | room for the newest trend or sound of the thousand |
| to be judged. Many found the hymn CD I was | | | | of songs and hymns that have been sung in the |
| distributing to be inappropriate for church worship | | | | history of the church most don't endure, but what |
| today in fact some commented the quicker the | | | | has is special. This offers us a perspective on the |
| church gets rid of these old hymns the more relevant | | | | music of our popular culture most all of it won't last. |
| the church will be and the more genuine the true | | | | Church music should be selected by trained people |
| worshiper. So what is the truth about church music? | | | | qualified to evaluate if the tune is accessible to all |
| This discussion raises some interesting questions: | | | | generations and if it fits the attitude of the Holy |
| What is corporate worship? Is music amoral? Is | | | | text, and meets an enduring high measure of |
| beauty in the eye of the beholder? Or is there a | | | | pulchritude. |
| standard of ultimate beauty? I personally enjoy many | | | | I am suggesting the church is to function as a body |
| different styles of music I enjoy a good back beat | | | | each member ministering to an other producing |
| just as much as the next guy, but what is type of | | | | disciples of Jesus Christ ultimately influencing a nation. |
| music is for the church? Is the church to be vendor | | | | And in all of this my hope is this article Inspired by |
| of religious goods and services? Are churches | | | | Lee Higby's "Peaceful Piano Hymns" will start you |
| competing in a market place where person desires | | | | think about music's roll in corporate worship our place |
| need to be catered to and satisfaction guaranteed? | | | | as Christians in our culture and how our culture |
| Before formulating a view of music in the church, | | | | unwittingly affects us including how we view the |
| rather than taking a harder look at type of music in | | | | church. Through this my hope is we can stand |
| this discussion (like most debates on this issue and | | | | together and brothers and sisters in Christ denying |
| like the one I was just involved with), we need shift | | | | ourselves joyfully helping them sing a song they |
| our focus away from the music style and take a | | | | enjoy that we don't necessarily like, knowing that |
| closer look at the church. | | | | next time they'll help us sing a song we enjoy that |
| Here is a fresh bold perspective, the church is not a | | | | they don't necessarily like. In this way we worship |
| vendor of religious goods and services. It is not just | | | | denying ourselves and making a bold attempt to bring |
| one more vendor among the stores at the mall | | | | unity to the church ministering to one another in |
| where everyone can be catered to. It is exactly the | | | | Psalms and hymns and spiritual song. This may not be |
| opposite: a place where satisfaction is found in | | | | popular and make for a mega church or bring in big |
| denying oneself, a place where you come not to | | | | offerings, the final question...is there room for Jesus? |
| have your personal preferences met, but your | | | | O Come To My Heart Lord Jesus |
| personal preferences changed. The church is a place | | | | Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown, |
| where you ought to assume that most of your | | | | When Thou camest to earth for me; |
| natural inclinations are wrong, but can be set straight. | | | | But in Bethlehem's home was there found no room |
| Understand personal taste in music must not be the | | | | For Thy holy nativity: |
| defining factor in worship. It is the defining factor for | | | | Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus! |
| your radio station choice, for your iTunes and MP3's | | | | There is room in my heart for Thee; |
| and CDs and TV channels (all are consumer products | | | | Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come, |
| whose purpose is to please you), but church music | | | | There is room in my heart for Thee. |
| has an altogether different purpose in corporate | | | | Heaven's arches rang when the angels sang, |
| worship. The churches purpose is completely opposite | | | | Proclaiming Thy royal degree; |
| of consumerism. | | | | But of lowly birth cam'st Thou, Lord, on earth, |
| Any time the church sets out to accommodate, | | | | And in great humility: |
| rather than amend, a variety of personal | | | | The foxes found rest, and the birds had their nest |
| preferences, the church will be damaged. We live in a | | | | In the shade of the forest tree; |
| consumer culture that promises, for a minimal charge, | | | | But Thy couch was the sod, O Thou Son of God, |
| as Garrison Keillor describes Lake Woebegon, "all the | | | | In the deserts of Galilee: |
| women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and | | | | Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word |
| all the children are above average" now available for | | | | That should set Thy people free; |
| a limited time with proven results and amazing | | | | But with mocking scorn, and with crown of thorn, |
| customer service guaranteed. The creed of | | | | They bore Thee to Calvary: |
| consumerism is "more of what I want is better." We | | | | Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus! |
| as a culture are totally immersed in this philosophy | | | | Thy cross is my only plea; |
| from childhood having our affections molded and | | | | Oh, come to my heart, Lord Jesus, come, |
| shaped to be good consumers. And sadly, this is | | | | Thy cross is my only plea. |
| what we are begin to expect from the church and | | | | When heaven's arches shall ring, and her choirsshall |
| with so many churches happy to compete for your | | | | sing |
| business, armed with the latest data form marketing | | | | At Thy coming to victory, |
| studies and focus groups. No wonder, it is an | | | | Let Thy voice call me up, saying, "Yet there is room, |
| extraordinary challenge trying to convince the | | | | There is room at My side for thee!" |
| Christians music in worship is absolutely nothing like | | | | And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus! |
| consumer music, which is most of the music in our | | | | When Thou comest and callest for me; |
| lives. The Churches music is to be a completely | | | | And my heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus! |
| different genre it has a purpose that is 180 degrees | | | | When Thou comest and callest for me. |
| out of phase with consumerism. | | | | Words: Emily Elliott, 1864. |
| I would like to offer a few suggestions for us as we | | | | Music: Timothy Matthews, 1876. |