An Observation - Church Music

JUST MY OWN OBSERVATION: In the last fifteen to twenty years, popular“Christian” music has accomplished a transformation in the church of the same nature and consequences that rock-n-roll brought to the national culture in the 60’s and 70’s. How and why this has happened I am not certain, but whatever the cause, the nature of the degeneration of standards in worship, dedication, and life-style of the church is the same.

Inscription on the Cross

 

The Inscription on the Cross

Luke 23:38; John 19:19

The inscription on the cross was the Roman accusation of Jesus’ crime; it read, “This is Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.”  Though Pilate doubtless thought it was an ironic insult and believed it was false, yet what he wrote was true and absolutely true on so many levels that it exceeds my ability to describe them.  This inscription is the repetition and confirmation of the prophets, it is the consummation of the law, it is the anticipation of the apocalypse, it is the cry of the believers, it is the banner of the redeemed, and it is the wail of the lost.

The most immediate and tragic reality of this inscription is that it has become an indictment against the contemporary church.  This indictment brings tears to my eyes and anger and shame to my heart.  How is it that we, the blood-bought church of the redeemed can so denigrate and repudiate our King that He is scarcely mentioned by name even in our worship let alone made the conscious object of our daily life and thought?

Most of the songs we sing in our contemporary “worship” services do not mention the name of Jesus Christ.  The songs use repeated spiritual-sounding words, pronouns, jargon, and cute figures of speech so that the “initiated” might know what the song is about, but most of these songs avoid direct references to Jesus of Nazareth who died for our sin.  An even greater tragedy is that the sermons are filled with psychology and self-help for the spiritually wounded, but again the name of Jesus is absent, and Christ is not presented as the Savior, Deliver, and Sustainer of our lives.  Jesus alone is the answer to the problems of life and living.

Is it any wonder that the world laughs at Christians in post-Christian America?  We are so consumed with the luxuries of the world and the success of doing the business of church that we are ashamed of the Name of Jesus and have reduced references to Jesus Christ to pronouns and jargon.  I am a Christian not a “Him-ian” or a “Lord-ian.”  I am not even a “God-ian.”   I am a Christian!

Questions of Law and Grace

In practical terms, the conflict between law and grace is embodied in the term “legalism.”  The term legalism is distinctly pejorative, but to use the word accurately, it needs definition in practical terms.  Legalism is the conviction that one can gain a better standing with God in his salvation and/or sanctification by something he does or does not do.  That conviction of legalism is often not limited to one’s personal status, but the legalist usually extends the application of his standards to others.  In comparing himself to those around him, he sees them as spiritual or not spiritual by whether or not they perform to this own personal standard of behavior.

With that definition, I am examining one of Jesus’ parables from Luke 5:33-39.  Jesus was answering His critics regarding the practice of fasting and “making prayers” (KJV).  To answer the underlying problem, Jesus used three illustrations in a parable: mending a tear in an old garment with fabric from a new one ruins both, putting new wine in an old wineskin destroys both, and once people have drunk the old wine, they have no preference for the new.

In this parable, Jesus is illustrating the necessity of changes to the forms, prejudices, and practices that had grown up regarding the Law of Moses that were necessitated by the coming of the gospel.  The rituals associated with the Covenant of Law would not suit the New Covenant of Grace.  Here are the elements of the parable:

·         A piece of the New Covenant cannot be torn out to repair a tear in the Old Covenant

·         The spirit of the New Covenant cannot be poured into the Old Covenant

·         Those who have experienced the Old Covenant will not easily accept or appreciate the New Covenant

Some have said that there seems to be an application in this parable to our own day with regard to the new forms of worship and music in the contemporary church.  In this context I wish to explore the principles of law and grace.

As I continue to formulate my areguments, I invite any comments my readers may have.

Worship – Some Notes and Overservations

December 07, 2011 – personal notes

For the last few weeks, I’ve been considering the concept of worship especially in light of the New Testament word that is translated “worship.”  The Greek word is προσκυνέω, “proskuneo” – “to kiss the hand as reverence, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead” (Strong).  This Greek word is used 60 times in the New Testament, and each time it is translated, “worship.”

The question that keeps coming to my mind is, “how does this idea of prostrate humility equate with the celebrations of praise that are called worship in contemporary churches?”  Taking that question a step farther, “what is a worship leader, and why is he more necessary or better than a song leader or choir director?”

I did some research on the Internet regarding the role and purpose of what has become the “worship leader.”  In site after site, I found some universal elements that seem to be significant.

1.       Prominence of something to sell.  It is obvious that money is one of the prime motivators in modern “worship.”

2.       Music is the vehicle of worship.  If there is another aspect to worship other than music, I did not see it referenced.  Granted, my search was neither exhaustive nor systematic, but if there is something else to worship, it was not prominently presented.

3.       Emphasis on emotion.  Prominent words in the discussion of a worship leader are, “feel,” “sense,” “experience,” “celebration,” etc.  If it is mentioned at all, the place and role of the written Word of God is secondary to the creation of the “emotional connection.”

4.       Absence of Scriptural support.  Even well-known worship leaders admit that there is no direct biblical support for the role of “worship leader.”

These observations lead me to question the value of this new approach to “worship.”  On that issue, I can even accept a pragmatic or practical explanation, but what are the observable, quantifiable, or even anecdotal benefits of the worship emphasis on the mission, growth, and strength of the true church as the body of Christ?