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posted by Michael on 09/15/09

Part 1: How music communicates a moral or immoral message

Part 2: The importance of rejecting wrong music

Part 3: Rejoice in the Lord ye righteous!

I was excited to discover why I had been hindered from getting these posts posted for so long: the opportunity to experience and comment on the singing of the house churches in China! After hearing a couple years ago about the supernatural explosion of God’s light, life, and love in China and the fervency of their worship, I had always wondered what kind of singing and music resulted from the influence of the Holy Spirit with very little interference from western culture. When our family watched a documentary about Christianity in China, it showed a lot of their house Church worship and singing. I was nothing short of astounded. It was just what Christian singing should be. It was beautiful! They sang with all their hearts. They sang with all their emotion. They sang with all their might! They clapped their hands (Ps. 47:1) – always on the down-beat and not on the back-beat by the way – all in perfect order and decency without the slightest hint of any chaotic, rebellious or sensual feeling. There was no syncopation and no sensual body movement. It was the new song of a transformed life; not only of transformed actions, but of transformed character. God had indeed heard their cry, brought them out of a horrible pit, set their feet on a rock, and put a new song in their mouths, “even praise unto God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3

I was even more amazed when the final episode of the documentary detailed the story of how God had given them the “Canaan Hymns“. There was indeed no western influence, yet their sound was unmistakably hymn-like! Rather than gathering together to be pumped up with an emotional high, their singing was more like a bubbling spring of pure water that overflowed from their dynamic and continuing relationship with their Redeemer.

Once in the documentary there was a short clip of a (more modern-looking) worship service where the people were singing with music that accented the off-beat. I also noticed that the singing in a village that did not experience persecution had less fervency and more of an entertainment atmosphere. This is a sign of vulnerability. I offer an urgent warning to my brothers and sisters in China: you will face an attack from Satan to infect and corrupt your music with “new techniques”. It always starts very slight, and will be hard to reject, but it never stays still. It always gets more and more augmented and overt. Remember, there is no relationship between entertainment and praise to God, and when God’s people fail to strive for holiness “in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15-16), the first thing to go will be the music.

In the early 1970s two sisters brought the new Christian music, which was the “in thing” in America, to Kalimantan in Karat, Indonesia where their parents were missionaries. One evening an older, converted national who had left the heathen practices of calling on evil spirits, heard the “Christian music” they were listening to. He came to the door and immediately asked, “Why are you playing the witch doctors’ music and calling on Satan?” So even though the rhythms of rebellion (“rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft” – 1 Sam. 15:23) had moved from demon worship in Africa to the jazz and blues of New Orleans to rock ‘n’ roll and on to “Christian rock” – they were still easily identified by the tribal people of Indonesia. So the evil one gives his sounds to his people in unrelated cultures around the world and they are independently alike. And the Holy Spirit gives His sounds to His people in unrelated cultures around the world, and they are independently alike. So why would we want to be “mingled among the heathen and learn their works”? Psalm 106:35-37

So let us be zealous for the holiness of God’s house (John 2:13-17 and Neh. 13). Let us walk in the Spirit. Let us abide in Christ so that the music that flows from our lips is beautiful in His sight: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual [vs. carnal] songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” Eph. 5:15-19

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises [or, "virtues" - get that!] of Him Who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9. Hallelujah! Let us sing unto the Lord a new song, and His praise in the congregation of saints. Let Israel rejoice in Him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation. …Let the high praises of God be in our mouth, and a two-edged sword in our hand; to execute vengeance… (Psalm 149) “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil… rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.” (Ps. 97:10-12) Not only in song “on Sunday” but in all of our lives, with music or without, let us praise the Lord with our “whole heart” (Ps. 9:1-2 and 111:1) “from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same” (Ps. 113:3)! “Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise [burst out, shout] unto the God of Jacob. Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp withe the psaltery.” (Ps. 81:1-2) “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High: to show forth thy lovingkindness in the morning and thy faithfulness every night, upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands.” (Ps. 92:1-4) While we live, let us praise the Lord (Ps. 146:2). Let us sing forth the honor of His name and make His praise glorious! (Ps. 66:2)

For those who love music, let us make it our priority to cater to the Spirit rather than the flesh, encouraging propriety of conduct as God has directed, for “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10

If you are looking for music, here is some that immediately stands out in my mind as being true to a high standard:

Recordings by Billy Ray Hearn and Tom Fettke, Linda McKechnie, Tracy Ann Collins, Melinda K. Wickam, and Rudy Atwood

On the radio you might be able to find In Balance Music.

…And the best music you could have is what you sing yourself, all day long. Get to know the melodies and get a good hymnal to learn the words. Or memorize and sing or quote the Psalms! Don’t worry about how you sound to people; after all, everyone is instructed to praise our God (Ps. 148:11-12 and 150:6) and out of the mouth of babes and sucklings God has perfected praise! – Mat. 21:16

7 Comments » | posted in Making Melody

posted by Michael on 09/8/09

Based on the foundation explained in Part 1 we will now look at the importance of purity in music used for Christian worship. There is a raging battle in the Christian life between the Spirit and the flesh (Romans 6-8). Paul stressed that Christian liberty is no license to gratify the flesh (Gal. 5:13) and made it clear that “they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” (Gal. 5:24) Wrong music is centered on the fulfillment of carnal passions (through techniques described in Part 1) and gives the emotional message of “do whatever you want to do” rather than helping to “put off concerning the former conversation… which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Eph. 4:22-23). It is no accident that certain styles of music originated in certain cultures for the purpose of cultivating the depraved nature. According to Little Richard, “My true belief about Rock ‘n’ Roll – and there have been a lot of phrases attributed to me over the years – is this: I believe this kind of music is demonic…. A lot of the beats in music today are taken from voodoo, from the voodoo drums. If you study music in rhythms, like I have, you’ll see that is true.” (Little Richard; Quoted in Jeff Goodwin, Dancing with Demons, pp 126-128.) To take the disordered beats and sensual vocal techniques that we enjoyed in the flesh, and change the words so we can justify it as “Christian”, is to “turn the grace of God into lasciviousness” (Jude 1:4) and imply that the character, or name of Christ Himself is violent or erotic. An assault on the name of God is serious, “for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.” (Ex. 20:7 and Deut. 5:11) Quite simply, music is a form of communication, just like language and art, which can essentially be used for both good and bad. “Be not deceived. Evil communications corrupt good manners.” 1 Cor. 15:33 According to William Kilpatrick, Professor of Education, Boston College, “Rock can’t be made respectable…. The music will simply subvert the words…. No matter how many reforms are attempted, rock and rap will always gravitate in the direction of violence and uncommitted sex. The beat says ‘Do what you want to do’” (from Why Johnny Can’t Tell Right From Wrong, pp. 178, 182). The more counter-rhythm and syncopation there is, the stronger the impulsive feelings of the “flesh” become. The amount of disorder is a minor issue because “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” Leaven represents moral compromise in 1 Cor. 5:6-8 and failure to focus on circumcision of the heart in Gal. 5:5-9/Rom. 2:29.

As Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) said, “Sometimes I need to reject the music proposed for my songs because the musicians misunderstand that the Fanny Crosby who once wrote for the people in the saloons has merely changed the lyrics. Oh my no. The church must never sing it’s songs to the melodies of the world.”

I am quite sure that the melodies she rejected would be considered the mildest of worldly music by today’s standards. What fits in a saloon does not fit in the sanctuary of God. That’s why the sanctuary exists – a place set apart only for holiness. Obviously, it is a shame for immoral music to be included on otherwise good recordings just because “that’s what makes it sell”.

And that brings me to my original motivation for writing this whole post. It occurred to me while I was working in the garden not long ago that if my motivation for performing music is to please people, I am doomed to eventually perform music that is displeasing to God because “if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” Gal. 1:10. The nature of God and the godless nature of people are irreconcilable (Rom. 8:5-8). If music is beautiful in the eyes of God, those who love what He loves will love it, while those who dislike what He likes will dislike it. Since we cannot solidly base anything on the ever-changing preferences of people, we would do better to walk as children of light in the fruit of the Spirit, “proving what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Eph. 5:8-11. What really matters to me in an artistic message is how well it helps me to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts (Gal. 5:16-25) while putting on the “new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” Eph. 4:24.

I suppose one reason, among others, that religious leaders are sometimes afraid to reject carnal musical styles is for fear of seeming to be too pious and “holier-than-thou” (click there to read why this is actually a self-contradictory concept). Also unfounded is the fear that music will be boring if it’s not “livened up with a little beat”. Just as there is infinite room for dynamic expression of God’s love within the bounds of holiness, there is also infinite room for Godly expression in music within the bounds of order. In fact, you cannot express God’s love outside of His holiness, and you cannot express God’s holy name in music without “decency and order” (1 Cor. 14:40). The goal is to display the powerful, dynamic love of God without mixing it with anything counterfeit. Love is not lust. Joy is not foolishness. Peace is not depression. Longsuffering is not compromise. Knowing God makes the distinction clear.

“…for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? …And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Cor. 6:14-7:1.

This post has focused on the wrong kind of music and the importance of separation from the evil of the world for the sake of sanctification and holiness (John 17:15-17). Part 3 will focus more on the right kind of music.

9 Comments » | posted in Making Melody

posted by Michael on 09/2/09

I have wanted to put up a blog for several months explaining why we accept some music and reject other music in Church and in our family regardless of the lyrics of the music.

Music is an expression of the heart (Job 29:13, Psalm 28:7, 57:7, 108:1, 138:1, Isaiah 65:14, Zeph. 3:14, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, James 5:13). The heart’s feelings of joy, sadness, excitement, awe, confidence, peace, harmony, etc. can be expressed with sound, as well as feelings of despair, impulsiveness, stupidity, silliness, rebellion, chaos, etc. We are commanded to keep our hearts with all diligence, “for out of it are the issues of life” Proverbs 4:23. Behavior and communication directly result from what is in our hearts (Luke 6:43-45, Matthew. 12:33-34). Scripture supports both loud triumphant music (Psalm 98:6) and quiet meditative music (Psalm 92:3). Music can also communicate a sloppy or silly feeling (“the song of fools” Ecclesiastes 7:5), or a seductive, sensual feeling (“the song of the harlot” Isaiah 23:15-17).  We are told in Colossians 3:16 to sing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. In Ephesians 5:18-19 we see that the kind of music God wants to hear is the polar opposite to the culture of drunkenness and “excess” (profligacy). The Roman philosopher Boethius (500 A.D.) observed that music “either ennobles or degrades our behaviour.” And Confucius (500 B.C.) even said “If you would know if a people are well-governed, and if its laws are good or bad, examine the music it practices.” Scripture and experience both show an obvious link between music and action. It is not that music creates a righteous or evil nature in our hearts, but our hearts identify with music that expresses its own feelings, becoming encouraged and fed by it and emboldened to express those feelings.

Since a selfish and evil nature is ever present in the human being (Romans. 3:9-19), it needs to be restrained for a community to exist in peace and order. But the human heart hates and despises this restraint (1 Peter 4:3-4) until it is made free from sin through regeneration (Titus 3:3-7). It should come as no surprise that when wild, impulsive music became available to the un-regenerated it unleashed a torrent of unrestrained immorality as the young audience “discovered itself under the liberating and troubling power of the new beat” (Tom Junod, LIFE [Special issue: 40 years of Rock & Roll] 1 Dec. 1 1992, pp. 33, 37). “All rock is revolutionary. By its very beat and sound it has always implicitly rejected restraints and has celebrated freedom and sexuality” (Time, 31 October 1969, p. 49). This is the “freedom” that ends in death (Romans 6:15-23). “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs. 16:25) Is it any surprise that when the people of Israel threw off the restraints of Jehovah and turned to a disgusting idol of their own making that the result was singing and dancing that could be mistaken for the noise of war? Exodus 32:17-21 and 1 Corinthians 10:1-8.

So what is it in some music that causes it to express the wrong kind of feelings and encourage the wrong kind of behavior? It is primarily a violation of 1 Corinthians. 14:40 where God instructs us to “let all things be done decently and in order”. “All things” includes music. The word for “order” in 1 Cor. 14:40 is #5010 in the Strong’s concordance and means “a regular arrangement that is, (in time) fixed succession (of rank or character), dignity”. I could not ask for a better definition of rhythmic and harmonic order in music. Rhythm is what orders a piece of music in its progression through time, resulting in a powerful sense of dignity, rightness, peace, and strength. Music that rebels against rhythmic order with back beats, break beats, “polyrhythms”, and syncopation destroys this sense of order and stimulates a sense of anarchy and rebellious, impulsive behavior. “When pulsation and syncopation are the rhythmic foundations of the music…the movements of the dancers can invariably be seen to become very sensual.” (David Tame, The Secret Power of Music p. 199). I have seen that it does not take a lot of syncopation to cause children to become silly and foolish in their behavior (“the song of fools”).  The “song of the harlot” is centered on sensual arousal – both are related to permitting the impulsive drives of the flesh. The message is “Do whatever you want to do”. “Rock ‘n’ roll is musical pornography.” (David Noebel in The Legacy of John Lennon) “There is more blatant immorality being peddled in popular music now than ever before.” (Steve Lawhead in Rock Reconsidered) It is the will of God that I abstain from fornication (1 Thess 4:3-8). The word for “decently” in 1 Cor. 14:40 is #2156, meaning decorously, that is, characterized by propriety in conduct, manners, appearance, etc. Impropriety would include deliberately singing with a sensual voice or using “swinging notes” (starting flat and sliding up to the correct pitch to produce a seductive feeling). These things identify with the works of the flesh described in Gal. 5:19 and 1 Peter 4:3. But we are told again in 1 Peter 1:15 that “as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation”. I am convinced that if all people had patterned their character after Jesus Christ, as George Washington did for example, the carnal music of rock, rap, disco, pop, jazz, and blues would never have even been popular.

For those to whom “all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17), it should come as no surprise that there is a “new song” to be sung (Romans 8:5-6, Psalm 40:3, Revelation 14:3). The best way to glorify God is to simply display His character. Music that communicates the attributes of God would include a sense of majesty (1 Chronicles 29:11, 2 Peter 1:16), and peace, (Hebrews 13:20, Philippians 4:9) and joy (Psalm 16:11 and Galatians 5:22) and intricacy (Psalm 139). His character is powerful and dramatic, but not out of control (1 Corinthians 14:32, Titus 1:5-9) and “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Christians are not in danger of accepting what is obviously wrong as much as something with just enough good mixed in to make it excusable. In part 2 we will look at the problems with “Christian music” that has a “contemporary sound”.

20 Comments » | posted in Making Melody

posted by Robert on 07/3/09

Happy Independence Day! Here is a patriotic duet that Clayton and I played at the Nashville ATI Regional Conference last year. My hope is that it will inspire everyone who listens to apply the promise of II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Enjoy!

12 Comments » | posted in Making Melody