Biblical Worship

 As we reflect on the purpose of music in worship, we realize that all music performed in worship is to bring glory to God alone.  It is an offering, a sacrifice of praise to God from a grateful people who have received the mercy and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in their lives.  When thinking about music being offered to the Glory of God, I remember one of the greatest church music composers, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).  He was very open about the purpose of his church music compositions.  In The Bach Reader (eds. Hans David, Arthur Mendel, Norton, ISBN 0-393-00259-4), a collection of letters and documents written by Bach or those who knew him, we see evidence of Bach’s goal in writing and performing music in the church.  Allow me to quote a section from the book:

Bach’s “church music was designed to deepen the worship of God and to embellish His service… Bach expressed his attitude clearly enough by regularly inscribing his scores of sacred music with the letters J.J. (Jesu, Juva: Jesus Help) at the beginning, and S.D.G. (Soli Deo Gloria:  to God alone the glory) at the end.  Even in an unpretentious little volume of pieces for the musical instruction of his first-born son, the Clavier Buchlein, he opened the first page of music with the letters I.N.J. (In Nomine Jesu: in the Name of Jesus).  He did not shed his religion when he composed for instruction or other secular purposes.” (32) 

Bach also stated “the aim and final reason, as of all music . . . should be none else but the Glory of God and the recreation of the mind.  Where this is not observed, there will be no real music but only a devilish hubbub.” (33)

Worship Leaders and musicians assisting in worship, this should also be our philosophy when it comes to music in the church.  We should offer our music for the Glory of God and strive to make sure this attitude prevails in every aspect of our music whether worship songs, instrumental preludes, choral anthems, or solos. 

Soli Deo Gloria - To God Alone be the Glory!

Jeremy Begbie, in his book Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music (Baker Academic Books, ISBN 978-0-8010-2695-9, 2007) surveys music in Scripture, in historical worship practice and in contemporary culture.   In chapter 4 Begbie examines the use of music in worship by Martin Luther, John Calvin and Ulrich Zwingli comparing the music and worship philosophies of these sixteenth century reformers.

Among the three reformers, Martin Luther is known as the strongest promoter of music in the church.  Although Calvin advocated congregational singing, he was much more restrictive than Luther.  Luther and Calvin both agreed on the importance of congregational singing especially since it had been all but lost in the Roman Catholic Mass of their day.  It was common at that time for all of the worship music to be performed by professional clergy who played the instruments and sang in the choirs.  Both Luther and Calvin wanted to give the worship songs back to the congregation.

Luther encouraged the writing of new hymns and Calvin authorized the paraphrasing of the Psalms for use in worship.  Calvin would only allow Scripture texts or paraphrases of Scripture texts for congregational songs.  These new Psalm paraphrases were to be sung with no harmony and without instruments (since there are no directives in the New Testament for use of instruments in worship).  Luther on the other hand encouraged part-singing (harmony) and the use of instruments in worship.

One of the other well known reformers of the sixteenth century was Ulrich Zwingli who although he was a musician was determined to have no music or singing in worship.  In his attempt to model a worship service totally free of any Roman Catholic influences, Zwingli thought that music was distracting in worship so he simply did not have music in his services.  Zwingli was known for having the organ dismantled from the Zurich church building where he preached.

Focusing on Martin Luther for a moment, I especially liked a quote from Luther on music and ministers in Begbie’s book:

Music I have always loved.  He who knows music has a good nature.  Necessity demands that music be kept in the schools.  A schoolmaster must be able to sing otherwise I will not look at him.  And before a young man is ordained into the ministry, he should practise music in school.

(Martin Luther, Martin Luther Werke: Kristiche Gesamtausgabe, vol. 30:2, Weimar H. Bohlau, 1909, 557, no. 6248 as quoted by Begbi, Resounding Truth, 98)

I would agree that all ministers should have some instruction in music.  Why?  Luther says because he who knows music  has a good nature, but  I would go further to say that at some point all pastors will be called on to lead congregational songs.  Many pastors serve in churches where finding music leadership can be difficult.  There is always the Sunday when at the last minute the congregational song leader is out sick.  Since most pastors will at some point supervise a worship leader, it would also benefit them to understand something of what this person is expected to do as a worship leader.

We are diligent to ensure thorough theological training for our pastors (and we should).  We should also be diligent to at least give our pastors some practical instruction in congregational music leading and worship planning.  If we were to take Martin Luther’s statement seriously about music and ministers, perhaps at the ordination council the young minister should also have to pass a basic congregational music leading test.

Growing up in a Southern Baptist church in Georgia I was accustomed to hearing songs about heaven in the worship services.   We use to sing songs like “When We All Get to Heaven,” and “In the Sweet By and By.”  I would venture to say that today we do not sing songs like these very often - songs focused on our eternal home.

I was reminded of that when I came across a song written by Bob Kauflin called “It Is Not Death to Die.”  Kauflin based this song on an older hymn text of the same title written in the nineteenth century.  Why don’t we sing songs in worship like these today?  Songs that give us an eternal perspective and remind us that “this world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.”

Is our lack of eternal perspective related to a culture focused on materialism and pleasure-seeking?  Do we really like our earthly home better? It  seems that those who speak of heaven and spending eternity with Jesus most often are those who are in the midst of strife whether it be health issues,  persecution or poverty. 

I know that I need to keep an eternal perspective and not be so focused on the distractions of this world.  I am reminded of the I John passage (2:15-17):

Do not love the world, nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of the God lives forever.

I appreciate songs like “It is not death to die” which gives an eternal perspective and reminds us of our real home with the Father.  I think we need more songs like this to help us stay focused on the goal (Hebrews 12:1-3).

It is not death to die,

To leave this weary road,

And join with saints who dwell on high,

Who’ve found their home with God.

 

It is not death to close,

The eyes long dimmed by tears,

And wake in joy before the throne,

Delivered from our fears.

 

Oh, Jesus conquering the grave,

Your precious blood has power to save.

All who trust in You,

Will in Your mercy find,

That is not death to die.

 

It is not death to fling,

Aside this earthly dust,

And rise with strong and noble wing,

To live among the just.

 

It is not death to hear,

The key unlock the door

That sets us free from mortal years,

To praise You evermore.

 Original words by Henri Malan (1787-1864).  Translated by George Bethune (1847). Music, chorus and alternate words by Bob Kauflin. 

Sample of song:

http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/albums/category/sovereign_grace_music/come_weary_saints

In my worship class at Southern Seminary I usually show the students the following quote and ask them to determine when the quote was written:

For some years it has been apparent that the rage for novelties in singing, especially in our Sunday Schools, has been driving out of use the old, precious, standard hymns.  They are not memorized as of old.  They are scarecly sung at all.  They are not even contained in the non-denominational songbooks which in many churches have usurped the place of our hymn books.

We cannot afford to lose these old hymns.  They are full of the Gospel; they breathe the deepest emotions of pious hearts in the noblest strains of poetry; they have been tested and approved by successive generations of those that loved the Lord; they are the surviving fittest ones from thousands of inferior productions; they are hallowed by abundant usefulness and tenderest memories.  But the young people of today are unfamiliar with them, if the present tendency goes unchecked.

My students are usually surprised to discover that this quote was written by Basil Manly, Jr. (1825-1892), one of the founding professors of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky (www.sbts.edu).  These words appeared in the preface of a hymnbook edited by Professor Manly in 1892.  Manly, an Old Testament professor at the seminary was concerned  that the Gospel songs new on the scene were usurping the old hymns.  It seems that the young people were singing these new songs and not learning the standard hymns of the church.  These newer worship songs (perhaps by Fanny Crosby, Ira Sankey or others) majored more on the Christian experience and less on the objective truths of the Bible often found in the hymns.  Since we learn so much of our faith through our songs, Manly was concerned the newer Gospel songs were not carrying strong biblical content.

Although this quote is an isolated incident, I think a brief survey of worship music through the ages would reveal that this controversy of what songs should be used in worship is not a new one.  The church has always had an issue over what songs should be selected for corporate worship.

So how do we make sense of this issue today?

1.  It would be great if more theologically trained pastors were writing or selecting song texts for the church today.  So many of our great hymn texts in use today were actually written by pastors (Charles Wesley, Isaac Watt, John Newton - to name a few).  Basil Manly was a good model for pastors as a hymn text writer and an editor of hymnbooks for the church.  We also need worship leaders with a healthy biblical foundation capable of filtering strong theological texts from weak ones.

2.  All songs were new songs at one point.  We should seek to “sing a new song to the Lord,” but make sure our new songs have significant biblical content.  Why spend time singing worship songs that have vague biblical content?

3.  We need to keep singing the great hymns of the church along with newer expressions of faith.  These hymns remind our young people that they are not the first generation of Christians to seek to live a Christ-like life in the world.  Also, our senior adults need to learn songs that speak to a younger generation about the Gospel.

4.  Let the focus be on song content and not secondary issues such as whether we will use an organ,  piano or guitar to accompany songs.  Sure there are a number of discussions we can have on this point, but we need to start with the song text.  Is the text true to the Scriptures?  Does the text teach the great truths fo the faith?

5.  Finally, let’s seek to be pastoral in our worship leadership - caring for the Body of Christ, seeking peace and unity in worship.  Teach deference: “I can sing a favorite song of my brother in Christ rather than my favorite.”

On several occasions I have seen advertisements for Christian concerts or worship recordings that made statements like:  “This worship music will send you into the presence of God,” or “Buy this [insert name of Christian Artist] worship CD. - it will connect you to God.”  Can music connect a Christian to God?  The answer to that is no.  Music is not a mediator between God and His people.  There is only one mediator that can ever  ‘connect’ us to God or ’send us in the presence of God.’  His name is Jesus Christ.  I am reminded of several Bible verses that make this truth very clear:

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”  (John 14:6)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1

“And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (Romans 5:11)

“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.” (I Timothy 2:5)

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

How much more will the blood Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant…” (Hebrews 9:14-15)

“For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.”  (Hebrews 9:24)

 It is clear from these Scripture passages (and many more that could be listed), that Jesus Christ is the one and only mediator for us before God, the Father.  We have no approach to the throne of God above except through our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ.  Why have we allowed people to get the idea that certain kinds of music can send us into God’s presence?  If we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are already in God’s presence because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross on our behalf.  

Perhaps what we mean to say is that certain worship songs remind us of our position in Christ; therefore, we rejoice as we remember what Christ has done for us . . . or . . . Some songs cause to become emotional when we are reminded that we draw near to the Father because of the work of His Son.  Worship Leaders should strive to help those in their congregations understand that when we feel emotional with certain worship songs it should be because we are responding to the objective truth of the Gospel.  If we think that it is the music that causes us to “feel close to God,” then we as worship leaders are allowing our people to revel in subjective emotionalism without helping them to understand why they get those feelings. 

Music is not the mediator for us before the throne of God.  We do not need certain songs to magically usher us into God’s presence.  Jesus has already done that for us.  Music in worship is a sacrifice of praise to God and a great tool for teaching us Bible truths.  Let us help our congregations not to seek a subjective emotional high through music, but seek to joyfully sing because of what Christ has done for us.  Through Him let us draw near to God with a sincere heart. (Hebews 10:19-25)    

Recently, my son and I were traveling in the car listening to the ‘oldies’ station on the radio.  When I was growing up this kind of music was music of the fifties and sixties.  Now it is the music that I listened to as a youth.  (A little troublesome to me, but that’s another discussion).  So, when my son is hearing these songs sometimes for the first time, I can actually remember the detailed lyrics of these songs I heard thirty years ago.  Does that remind us of the power of text set to music?  It is amazing how I can remember some rather ridiculous songs from my teenage years.  This reminded me of the responsibility we as parents and music ministers have to provide songs with great texts for our children and youth today. 

I think it is interesting that even in the days of Martin Luther (1483-1546) there was a problem with the secular music of the day.  Luther sought to give the youth of his day a Christian musical alternative.  Luther encouraged the publishing of hymns and songs for the church. He wanted to get the church singing about their faith.  In the preface of a Christian songbook, Luther wrote:

“These songs were arranged in four parts (some are in three, others in five) to give the young - who should at any rate be trained in music and other fine arts - something to wean them away from the love ballads and carnal songs and to teach them something of value in their place, thus combining the good with the pleasing, as is proper for youth…”(from Geystliches gesang Buchleyn).

Even in Luther’s day there was a concern for the music of the younger generation and what it was teaching them.  What are we doing today to encourage our youth to listen to music that has a redeeming value?  If the music we learn in our childhood days stays with us throughout our lives, we as parents and music ministers should do as much as we can to give our young ones music that will help them in their walk with the Lord.

What are some things we can do to encourage them to listen to music with Christian texts?

1.  Like Luther suggested, let’s encourage the writing and producing of music with great Christian lyrics in a style that is attractive to the younger generation.

2.  We should know what kind of music are children and teens are listening to and understand the messages these songs are sending.  The old adage that “I just like the sound of the music and don’t pay attention to the lyrics” is not true.  The lyrics do find a way into our hearts and minds.

3.  Help our students find music that is redeeming.  If our children are listening to non-stop music on their Ipods let’s help them download some redeeming music.

4.  In our churches we should be encouraging the teaching of new worship songs that speak in the language of today so that the younger generation finds a substitute for the tempting ‘carnal’ songs of today.

All of this does not mean that we should abandon the great songs and hymns of generations past.  We should be teaching these songs to our children as well.  However, we need to also offer them an alternative to the secular worldly music that pervades all parts of their lives.  Let’s give them songs that thirty years from now on the ‘oldies’ Christian station will remind them of our great Lord!

John and Charles Wesley had an immense impact on the church of the late eighteenth century.  Their emphasis on evangelism and discipleship caused great growth in the church.  They also strongly influenced church music in a wonderful way through their efforts to improve the congregational singing of the church.  Both John and Charles focused on bringing new congregational songs to believers.   It was Charles who penned over 6500 hymn texts over his lifetime.  We still sing a number of his hymn texts today:  And Can It Be, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, Jesus Lover of My Soul.

Apparently in an effort to bolster congregational singing in his church, John Wesley penned these words in 1770 to encourage his congregation:

1.  Sing All - see that you join the congregation as frequently as you can.

2.  Sing Lustily - and with good courage.  Beware of singing as if you were half-dead or half-asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.  Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sang the songs of Satan.

3.  Sing Modestly - do not bawl so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation that you may not destroy the harmony, but strive to unite your voices together so as to make one melodious sound.

4.  Sing in time - whatever time is sung, be sure to keep with it.  Do not run before and do not stay behind it; but attend closely to the leading voices and move therewith as exactly as you can and take care not to sing too slow.  This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from among us and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.

5. Sing spiritually - have an eye to God in every word you sing.  Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature.

Some words from John Wesley that still ring true for our congregations today!

I had a conversation recently with a pianist who is serving on a search committee for a minister of music at her church.  She was frustrated by her pastor who had recently made the comment that the new music minister did not have to read music as long as he was good on the platform.  The pianist obviously did not agree with the pastor because she knew she would be the one who would have to carry the weight of knowing how to make the music work if the minister of music did not read music. 

In the pastor’s defense I agree that we want a worship leader who knows how to communicate clearly and inspire the congregation to join in the musical portion of the worship service.  It does not matter how skilled the musician is if he cannot effectively lead the congregation in worship. 

Finding the worship leader who is a skilled musician and an effective communicator is not always easy.  I would also want this person to have a strong sense of calling and a heart for the Lord.  Churches often struggle to find this combination in one person.  Yet I see the approach of settling for a music minister who has no music reading skills as a last resort. 

There seems to be a double standard when we expect the pastor to get theological training and some level of ability to search the Scriptures in the original languages but we don’t have the same level of expectation for another minister who is leading the church in worship and discipling the congregation (all ages) in the Gospel through music.

I encourage persons who feel called to some type of music ministry to get the training they need to do the work God has called them to do.  Students preparing for music ministry or worship leadership need in depth training (both musical and theological) just like we expect for pastors who are preaching.  In my 30 years of involvement in music ministry I have seen a lot of change in styles and methods of music ministry.  A well trained music minister is better prepared to adjust to these changes when they come. 

It seems that in our contemporary culture there has been a “dumbing down” of all areas of society.  This is reflected in the comment of the pastor who says that he does not really care if his worship leader can read music.  A worship pastor who does not understand the ins and outs of music reading is handicapped from the start.  He has to depend on others who work with him to figure out the music. 

I once heard a pastor of a mega church brag about the fact that his worship leader did not read music.  This worship leader was an effective worship leader from the platform but I was thinking how much more effective he would be if he could relate to his musicians in the language that they understand and interpret every time they sit down to play.

Worship leaders should be as well prepared to do their job as any other ministers in the church.  I encourage my students to get a full “toolbox” of music tools while they are in school.  You may only be using one or two tools right now, but you never know what the Lord may lead you to do down the road and you want to be prepared to answer the call.  I have found that to be very true in my own life.

So the answer to the question of whether a worship pastor should be able to read music is yes, of course.  How much more effective will this person be in his service to the Lord and his congregation!

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Boyce College Presents

The Heart of Worship Conference 2009

January 30-31, Friday evening - Saturday

On the campus of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

A Conference for High School and Middle School Students who sing in choirs, play instruments in the worship band or help with sound and media.

Complete information available at:

www.boycecollege.com/heartofworship

I am always amused by ads churches will place in music journals looking for church musicians.  Very often these ads take great care to describe the music skills and experience these worship leaders must have, but there is a glaring requirement missing in these ads: the worship leader’s relationship to the Lord and walk with the Lord.  Surely this is important to the churches that write these ads??

If I were writing these worship leader want ads, I would start with the need for the candidate to know Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, followed by evidence of the person’s daily walk with the Lord.  Strong interpersonal skills would be my next point of interest for a worship leader seeking to apply for a position.  I would then look at the person’s music skills and leadership experience. 

I think some of these ads are upside down - they seek a person with great music skills before knowing about his relationship to Jesus Christ.  The worship leader position is not just a music director of sorts.  He has the all-important task of leading people to Christ and helping them to grow in their faith each week in the worship service.  Most worship leaders I know would describe their call to worship leading as a pastoral calling.  Even though they are trained musicians their more important task is all about the Gospel - leading people to the Cross of Jesus Christ. 

Churches who advertise and hire ”music directors” instead of worship pastors are setting themselves up for a spiritually shallow program with possibly good music but little spiritual fruit.  What is good music without the passion of the Gospel?  It is a concert.  It is entertainment.  I love beautiful music but in the Kingdom’s work, we are to be about the business of impacting lives with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Can we have both?  Yes - excellence in all things and all things to the Glory of God, but we must start with a worship leader who is called to be a minister of the Gospel.  Pastoral worship leadership should never be sacrificed on the altar of “beautiful music.” 

Wanted a worship leader who knows Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, has a daily walk with the Lord and has a passion to minister to the Body of Christ in worship leadership.  It would also be good if this person is a trained musician. 

 ________________________________

Boyce College Presents

The Heart of Worship Conference 2009

January 30-31, Friday evening - Saturday

On the campus of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY

A Conference for High School and Middle School Students who sing in choirs, play instruments in the worship band or help with sound and media.

Complete information available at:

www.boycecollege.com/heartofworship

When a person becomes a Christian, Jesus Christ gives that person a new heart.  In II Corinthians 5: 17 we are reminded that “if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.”  Jesus Christ changes us from the inside out.  We don’t remain the same.  Often times at conversion, new Christians are inspired to write new songs.

William Featherston was converted to Christ in 1862 and wrote the hymn text for “My Jesus, I Love Thee” shortly after his conversion.  What many do not realize is that Featherston was sixteen at the time he came to know Christ.  This seems to be the only hymn Featherston wrote in his short life for he died when he as twenty-six.  His hymn was sent to England by his aunt and first appeared in The London Hymnbook in 1864.  The hymn as we know it today is set to a hymn tune by A.J. Gordon, a Baptist minister in New England and first appeared with Gordon’s tune in a hymnal in 1876.

When God calls us to die to self and live for Christ, He gives us a new heart, and a new song.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine, 

For Thee all the follies of sin I resign; 

My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou: 

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now. 

  

I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me, 

And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree; 

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; 

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now. 

  

I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, 

And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; 

And say when the death-dew lies cold on my brow, 

“If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.” 

  

In mansions of glory and endless delight, 

I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright; 

I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, 

“If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.” 

  

William Ralph Featherston (1846-1873)