Pastor's Peace
Tradition Versus Scripture
Tradition Versus Scripture
On Sunday the 19th of October, we tried something new in our worship service. For our opening we used a video presentation with audio background for the praise song "He Is Exalted." (#36 in the hymn book) We (the deacons and I) asked for feedback. Some of our young people expressed their appreciation, one adult expressed a desire to do more than one song at a time, another expressed great dissatisfaction that it was done at all. That's all I have heard at the time of this writing. The major objection was that it was not worshipful due to the nature of the accompaniment and was merely entertainment. It is important that we not let worship deteriorate into mere entertainment, but it is also important that we do not limit our understanding of worship to what we have traditionally experienced or we as individuals particularly like. The forms of worship in the Church (not just us but the whole body of Christ) have changed throughout the ages, and we must examine our own practice in light of Scripture. There is extensive information in the Bible about the worship practices of the ancient Jews, though we have no record of the notes, tempo, or rhythm of their music. Our fullest example comes from Psalm 150.
As we look through the book of Psalms, we find that many, if not most of them were intended to be sung as part of worship. They cover a wide range of human emotion and experience, and seem to have a great variety of musical styles involved. Common themes are the need to sing and praise with joyful songs and new songs.
In the history of the church there have been many attitudes toward the proper use of music in worship. There are those who to this day do not believe that any musical instruments should be used, but only the human voice. There were and are churches where the only songs to be sung must be based on the Psalms. When D. L. Moody and I. D. Sankey brought their ministry to Scotland, Sankey was attacked for using his portable reed organ. The Gospel songs of Fanny Crosby were attacked as undignified and even Amazing Grace was attacked for being set to a popular tune. Handel's Messiah was not performed in churches at first because it was composed in the style of the popular oratorio.
So, are the modern praise songs, when accompanied by popular instrumentation, merely entertainment? They can be. Two factors are involved. First, the attitude of the musicians - are they showing off their skills or focusing on praising God? I am turned off when I see mere entertainment happen, but I have seen performances of Messiah that were no more than that. I felt that the accompaniment on the DVD was free from that. On the other hand, when Steve plays "And Can It Be" at Singspiration, he does it with great skill, and blesses all of us as we feel the Holy Spirit using him to inspire us. The guitarist or drummer can also experience that touch of the Spirit. Second, the attitude we bring to the experience - as I have learned to be open to this new music, I have learned that our young people find that singing God's praise in this new style helps draw them into worship. In a multimedia age, the visual images help them focus on the themes of the music. "He Is Exalted" had images that glorified God as Creator of the earth and the universe.
The deacons, with my strong agreement, want to try this new music at the opening of the service once a month for a while. We will not be replacing traditional hymns or the choir or the organ. But we ask you to have an open mind to the music of a younger generation, music that for them is a means to praise God and draw close to Him in worship.
Psa. 150:1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, 4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, 5 Praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
The description we find here for worship music includes brass, woodwind, string and percussion instruments. The pipe organ had not yet been invented, but the development of the organ closely coincided with the development of the early church. The organ was developed because it made it possible for one person to play an instrument that imitated these other sounds. Most organs even include a set of pipes that imitate the sound of the human voice (vox humana). So the instrumentation of the music that accompanied our opening hymn on that Sunday was not out of line with the practice of the people of Israel.As we look through the book of Psalms, we find that many, if not most of them were intended to be sung as part of worship. They cover a wide range of human emotion and experience, and seem to have a great variety of musical styles involved. Common themes are the need to sing and praise with joyful songs and new songs.
Psa. 100:1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Psa. 40:3a He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Psa. 149:1 Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new sons, his praise in the assembly of the saints.
See also: Psa. 96:1 Psa. 33:1 Psa. 98:1
While worship can be, and should be on occasion, a quiet, thoughtful and solemn affair, there were clearly occasions when it was exuberant and loud, with tambourines and cymbals and shouting part of the experience. Sometimes it even included dancing!Psa. 40:3a He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Psa. 149:1 Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new sons, his praise in the assembly of the saints.
See also: Psa. 96:1 Psa. 33:1 Psa. 98:1
Ex. 15:20 Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea."
Perhaps one of the most important examples we have of rejecting some forms of worship can be found in 2 Samuel 6:12-23. David brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and he is so joyful that he dances and leaps in the procession. His wife, Michal, sees his exuberance and despises him because of it. As a result she never has children.In the history of the church there have been many attitudes toward the proper use of music in worship. There are those who to this day do not believe that any musical instruments should be used, but only the human voice. There were and are churches where the only songs to be sung must be based on the Psalms. When D. L. Moody and I. D. Sankey brought their ministry to Scotland, Sankey was attacked for using his portable reed organ. The Gospel songs of Fanny Crosby were attacked as undignified and even Amazing Grace was attacked for being set to a popular tune. Handel's Messiah was not performed in churches at first because it was composed in the style of the popular oratorio.
Eph. 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These are the only instructions we have about music in the early church. Music based on the Psalms were to be used, and indeed "He Is Exalted" is based on a theme often repeated in the Psalms. There are also the great hymns of the church, like "Amazing Grace", and "A Mighty Fortress", attacked in their time for not fitting with the existing traditions of church music. Then there were the spiritual songs. I believe, along with many others, that these were new songs of praise and celebration.So, are the modern praise songs, when accompanied by popular instrumentation, merely entertainment? They can be. Two factors are involved. First, the attitude of the musicians - are they showing off their skills or focusing on praising God? I am turned off when I see mere entertainment happen, but I have seen performances of Messiah that were no more than that. I felt that the accompaniment on the DVD was free from that. On the other hand, when Steve plays "And Can It Be" at Singspiration, he does it with great skill, and blesses all of us as we feel the Holy Spirit using him to inspire us. The guitarist or drummer can also experience that touch of the Spirit. Second, the attitude we bring to the experience - as I have learned to be open to this new music, I have learned that our young people find that singing God's praise in this new style helps draw them into worship. In a multimedia age, the visual images help them focus on the themes of the music. "He Is Exalted" had images that glorified God as Creator of the earth and the universe.
The deacons, with my strong agreement, want to try this new music at the opening of the service once a month for a while. We will not be replacing traditional hymns or the choir or the organ. But we ask you to have an open mind to the music of a younger generation, music that for them is a means to praise God and draw close to Him in worship.
Pastor Dennis
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