Editorial
November/December, 1998
Volume 33, Number 6
As we approach the Thanksgiving and Christmas season–the singing of hymns of praise (at Thanksgiving) and the singing of carols celebrating Christ’s birth (at Christmas)–remind us of the importance of music in a broader sense.
One of the beautiful things which God created is music, but like every other act of creation, human beings have often distorted what God intended to be good. Music is a moral issue. We express our feelings and reveal our inner character–by our words, our actions, our attire–and also by our choice of music. Sacred music has always been precious to the people of God. Music played a prominent role in the worship associated with the Old Testament tabernacle. The Psalms of 3,000 years ago are still beautiful. Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn on the night of His betrayal (Mark 14:26). Paul and Silas sang praises to God in a prison cell at midnight (Acts 16:25). Missionaries have frequently found that people in heathen lands are captivated by Gospel hymns.
Most Christians lament the sick music promoted by our unsaved society. The ungodly music of the world centers around the values of an unregenerate culture, where physical beauty is primary for the good life, sensual feelings constitute love, and material indulgence supposedly brings happiness. The world’s music, with its high volume and heavy beat, makes its greatest appeal to the body and to base emotions.
But then there is music of a more debatable kind–music sometimes composed of beautiful lyrics and even words from the Scriptures–but jazzed up with catchy tunes, and presented in eaningless phrases of repetition. Many of us are saddened by the fact that in an increasing number of ‘worship services,” the great hymns of the church are on the way out. In their place have come some songs that merely repeat a word or phrase over and over again. Such songs may give the churchgoer a ‘religious” feeling, but Elizabeth Elliot Gren says such songs “are mantras which belong more to a gathering of New Agers than among the worshipping people of God.” they lack the freshness and depth of the old hymns. The hymns have actually been tools for “teaching and admonishing” one another (Colossians 3:16). All of us should develop the habit of singing (or humming) the words (and tunes) of hymns. They are a wonderful substitute for quarrels, angry words, or bitter feelings.
Read Brother Eric Brubaker’s essay on “Styles of Christian Music” and profit from his study.
Styles of Christian Music
by Eric Brubaker
Down through the ages music has touched people on many different levels. Its effects have been felt Individually, corporately, and nationally. Music touches the hearts of people because it captures the joys and sorrows, highs and lows, and peaks and valleys of life. In many ways it has described, preserved, and even shaped the home, the church, and the nation. Music is an expression of the soul and therefore is a powerful means by which the people of God can proclaim the praises of God. But it can also be said that music is a window to the soul whereby we can “look in” and see the happenings and theology of an individual, a church, and a society. Music is so powerful that it can actually dictate behavior. Someone has said, “Let me write the songs of a nation, I don’t care who writes its laws.” We certainly live in a music crazed society and whether we like it or not, it is revealing and even shaping our soul. Nothing can warm and even excite the heart like music and therefore it is powerful and perhaps even dangerous. Christians today have been given a cafeteria selection of styles of Christian music. But a flurry of controversy often surrounds the issue about what actually constitutes music that is Christian. We all agree that we are to be “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody (in our hearts) to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19), but the waters are still quite murky in our contemporary churches.
1. THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH SETTING
In many of our churches there is an unconscious struggle between the stability and familiarity of traditional hymns and a wave of newer worship choruses. For some, newer is better because it takes people out of their “comfort zones,” and stretches them beyond their limits. However, others are not so keen on being stretched and are digging in their heels. Is contemporary Christian music really the “new wine” of the Spirit, or is it a tool of Satan used to deceive the saints? There area number of responses to the diversity of styles of music.
Personal Preference: Some Christians see the difference in worship styles simply as a matter of generational tension, where the old way of doing things must give way to the new. They believe we must adapt our worship style to be relevant to the culture. One writer states, “Today, evangelical churches across the country are torn between the tug of tradition and the pull of style. Seniors want harmony; boomers want beat” (Bruce L. Shelley, Then & Now: How Have Cultural Changes Altered Our Expectations In Worship?” Moody Monthly, March/April 1996, p. 24). Some Christians see “harmony” versus “beat” simply as a matter of personal preference. In a recent article in the magazine “Contemporary Christian Music,” the writer says that “more and more evangelical, and even some mainline churches are embracing the dawn of contemporary tunes in Sunday morning services. Over the past two decades a new sound has been born within church walls, and congregations everywhere have been captured by its energy and emotion. From the advent of repetitive praise choruses to the musically updated versions of everything from ‘Amazing Grace’ to ‘How Can It Be,’ church has never sounded quite like this before” (Melissa Riddle, “O For A Thousand Tongues,” March 1998, p. 35). And so, according to this view, the new sounds in our churches are simply a result of the changing tastes of the next generation.
Worship Revival: According to other reports, there is currently a trans-denominational, transcultural “worship revival” sweeping the nation. Many churches are reporting a worship “awakening” where there is a new-found emphasis on experiencing a connection with God. Subsequently, there has been an increased number of praise choruses used to facilitate worship. Such choruses are often taken from the Psalms and many times are repeated for emphasis. This helps the worshipper block out interruptions and distractions to focus on God. While the emphasis on entering into the presence of God is good, there has been concern about the diverse styles of music used in such worship settings and the repetition of the praise choruses.
Motive versus Medium: One prevailing view about worship styles is that motive is more important than medium. In other words, if the worshipper is sincere, the style of music is immaterial. The attitude of the heart is believed to be most important and has very strong biblical support. The dangers of hypocrisy are recorded throughout Scripture and sincerity and honesty are certainly Christian virtues. We cannot downplay the need for sincerity in our worship, but we must be careful. When the ark of the covenant was being brought to Jerusalem, Scripture states that “David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the Lord with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals” (2 Samuel 6:5/NRSV). One would think that David and his men were sincere in their worship. But in the midst of such enthusiastic praise, the ark of the covenant was being transported on a new cart instead of being carried with poles by the Levites. This was a direct violation of God’s command. if we remember it was the Philistines who moved the ark on a cart and David was just doing what they had done. In the midst of great celebration, Uzzah died because he tried to steady the ark. The bottom line is that God regarded motive and medium as important. In David’s second attempt to move the ark, the Levites were given the task of carrying it with poles, the way it was supposed to be done (1 Chronicles 15:13-15).
The nation of Israel was often condemned for its syncretistic style of worship. King Solomon was one who attempted to combine the worship of the Lord of hosts with the pagan worship of his many foreign wives (1 Kings 11:7-8). Eventually his heart was led astray. Such idolatrous practices were adopted by many of Solomon’s successors and it provoked the Lord to anger.
The Church’s Dilemma: The question remains, “Can God redeem the music of our culture and use it for heavenly purposes?” In other words, “Is there such a thing as music that is both contemporary and Christian?” Is it necessary for us to sing only our traditional hymns and discard all new contemporary Christian music, or can we find some middle ground where we pick and choose as we deem appropriate? It seems that the sensitive Christian needs great discernment in these matters. In order to best answer these questions, it is first necessary to survey what the Bible has to say.
2. BIBLE TEACHING RELATED TO MUSIC
The first reference to music in the Bible is in Genesis 4:21 where it states that Jubal “was the father of all who play the harp and flute.” Instruments of many kinds often accompanied singing in the Old Testament. The “Song of Moses” in Exodus 15 is a victory song celebrating the deliverance of the Children of Israel from the hand of Pharaoh. King David was known as “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1), and he appointed musicians from each of the three Levitical clans, and they “ministered with song before the tabernacle” (1 Chronicles 6:32/NRSV). The book of the Psalms functioned as a book of prayer and praise as well as a tool used for religious instruction. Psalms reflect expressions of joy and sorrow (Psalm 137), ups and downs, capturing the ebb and flow of life for the person of God.
Music was also prevalent in New Testament times; however, there are only a few references to singing in the gospels. The virgin Mary burst forth into song at the greeting of Elizabeth (Luke 1:46-55). The birth of Christ was announced with angelic singing (Luke 2:13-14) and His triumphal entry into Jerusalem was accompanied with the shouting of Hosannas (Matthew 21:9; Luke 19:38). The only recorded time that Christ sang was in the upper room where He and His disciples sang a hymn before the evening was ended (Matthew 26:30). In the book of Acts, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns at midnight when they were jailed at Philippi (Acts 16:25). We also know that it was customary for the Corinthians to sing hymns when they met together for worship (1 Corinthians 14:26). Finally, Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Notice that psalms, hymns and spiritual songs are to be used to teach and admonish one another as well as bring praise to the Lord. Therefore, there is a need for both worship/praise songs and doctrinal hymns.
New Testament hymns were not doctrinal “fluff,” but were rather solid statements of Christian truth used to encourage saints and combat error. Philippians 2:6-11 is a strong doctrinal statement on the incarnation and exaltation of Christ and may have been an early Christian hymn. Colossians 1:15-20 is also a doctrinally rich passage on the supremacy of Christ in creation and redemption, and may also have been a hymn. The last book of the New Testament reveals continual singing, worship, and praise to the One who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb (Revelation 4:8-11; 5:8-14). Around that throne, in the heavenly realm, the song of Moses” and “The song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3-4) are sung as a perpetual offering before the Lord. The New Testament teaching is that praise music and doctrinally rich hymns are appropriate and necessary.
3. A HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN MUSIC
Music in Early America: The hymns that we sing today are several hundred years old. Previous to the use of hymns in public worship, congregational singing consisted almost exclusively of literal renditions of the Psalms put to English rhyme and meter. The most popular psalmbook in the Church of England was by Sternhold and Hopkins, published in 1562. Another favorite was the Bay Psalm Book, first issued in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1640 (Robin A. Leaver, “The Hymn Explosion” Christian History, Issue 31, Vol. X, No. 3). Many American ministers opposed the use of hymns in worship services, choosing rather to sing the inspired words of Scripture. When “hymns of human composure” were used, it was primarily during private devotions. It is interesting to note that in some parts of the world the controversy over hymns versus Psalms is still a line in the sand between liberals and conservatives. Liberals sing hymns; conservatives sing Psalms.
In 1696, in an attempt to improve the poetic quality of the psalmody of the Church of England, Nathan Tate and Nicholas Brady published “A New Version of the Psalms of David, Fitted to the Tunes Used in Churches.” From Tate and Brady we are still singing “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night.” As early as 1712, Cotton Mather, a New England minister, began publishing small groups of hymns by his colleague Isaac Watts. In 1715 a number of selected lines from Watt’s Hymns and Spiritual Songs appeared in Boston under the title Honey ~ut of the Rock. In 1735 John and Charles Wesley arrived in Georgia as missionaries. During their short term of service Charles wrote at least one hymn and John published A Collection of Psalms and Hymns which were selections from Watts and other English authors .
The key event which promoted the use of hymns in public worship was George Whitefield’s first preaching tour in the American colonies in 1738. Whitefield promoted Watts’ hymns because they were more suited to his fervent style of preaching than were the traditional metrical Psalms. In 1742 Jonathan Edwards is reported to have said that his Northampton congregation had taken up Watts’ hymns but they still encouraged the use of Psalms. But Whitefield also used the Wesleys’ Hymns and Sacred Poems in his revival efforts and as a result it gained wide popularity in America. Therefore, the acceptance of hymns into public worship was largely a result of the Great Awakening.
Music Among The Brethren: While many American churches hesitated over the use of hymns, early Brethren had no qualms about their use. Because Brethren had come out of the Lutheran and Reformed church traditions they were quite familiar with hymns sung to chorale as well as Psalm tunes. The early Brethren issued a “Spiritual Songbook” in Germany in 1720. Alexander Mack wrote many hymns and poems, some of which were printed in the “Davidic Psaltery” in 1744. The hymn “Count Well the Cost” was traditionally sung at baptisms. The Brethren in colonial America were reported to have engaged in singing that was both lively and loud.
Congregational singing was always done a cappella. It wasn’t until the first half of the nineteenth century that individual Brethren families began to own musical instruments, but queries concerning this undesirable trend, were often brought to the Annual Meeting. The main objection against the use of instruments, both private and public, was that there was no New Testament basis for their use and that much evil could be done with them. Eventually the issue became a line in the sand between the conservatives and the moderates in the church. The former prohibited their ownership and use in worship while the latter allowed ownership but prohibited their corporate use.
By 1850 the need for discernment concerning the style and content of Christian hymns was being felt among the Brethren. Peter Nead warned the Brethren about the trend of irreligious songs and the spirit in which these songs were being sung (Brethren Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 899). In the twentieth century many Brethren have adopted choirs, pianos, organs, and other musical instruments into the worship services. Not only do we sing the traditional hymns, but we have adopted hymns and choruses from more recent authors and from other cultures.
4. CONCLUSIONS AND AFFIRMATIONS
The church in the later part of the twentieth century is being served a variety of styles of Christian music. Whether our music decisions are conscious or not, the music we choose reveals our theology and even shapes our future. I believe that many of the contemporary Christian music trends are moving in dangerous directions. Often when Christians try to be relevant to the culture we lose more than we gain. Many Christians will often argue that we must adopt the music styles of the culture in order to win the new generations. But I remember the words of one brother who said, “What we win them with, we win them to.” Much of contemporary Christian music is at best spiritual milk. There is not much solid meat for mature Christians to sink their teeth into. If we attempt to attract our culture with milky music, we are really doing them a great injustice. The maturing Christian will not find much nourishment in many of our contemporary songs. Therefore, we can discard the notion that the preferences of the older generation must give way to the newer. The acceptance of the newer music is not simply a matter of generational tension but is often a debate over doctrinal purity.
Remember that music is not only for the praise and glory of God but also for the exhortation of people. Therefore, it is necessary to have doctrinally rich music. A Contemporary Christian Music writer admits, “I am scratching my head trying to come up with any contemporary titles which stand up very well to hymns like ‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God’ or ‘O Sacred Head Now Wounded” (Melissa Riddle, March 1998, p. 44). We often sacrifice theology for what we think is relevance, but in the end we may have distorted the gospel. Much contemporary music is self- centered and an individualistic following of the spirit of our culture. There is a spiritual excitement in our society toward personal religious experiences and emotional healing. But doctrinally rich hymns call worshippers beyond themselves to focus on God, His attributes, and His works. While it is good to verbalize and confess our spiritual failures and problems, as the Psalmist often did, it is not good to stay there. We only find real encouragement, strength, and healing as we move
beyond ourselves to focus on the nature and work of God. Styles of Christian music may differ, but the New Testament teaching is that we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We must remember that a compromise in theology will always be to our detriment. The praise and worship in heaven centers around Him who sits upon the throne and the Lamb. If we want to insure that our music is in fact Christian, we must pattern it after heavenly worship and praise.