It seems in Christian music that anything goes. Much of the "Christian" music can not be discerned from the secular as far as the beat and instruments. It seems I have to hear lyrics before I can even tell if it is supposed to be a Christian song. Many songs mirror the songs of the world. I am interested in your thoughts....not asking you to agree but want to know if you see a difference. Are we supposed to sound like the world's music but just say the name Jesus as the only difference?
The difference is in the heart and who occupies it. And Jesus makes a big difference between the "world's music" and that music written to and for Him used in worship, regardless of beat or instruments used.
Also the Levites [which were] the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, [being] arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers [were] as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up [their] voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: that [then] the house was filled with a cloud, [even] the house of the LORD;
So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God. -2 Chronicles 5:12-14
Instruments were used centuries ago as a companion to singing and worshiping the Lord. I imagine in the above passage, given that there were 120 trumpets sounding in addition to the other instruments mentioned and the lifting of voices, it was quite loud; a joyful noise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. -Psalm 98:4 Personally, I don't believe that the noise of instruments or the beat it creates should be a big issue, but more the heart of the one playing the instrument. The trumpeters and singers were as one. Their hearts were there to worship the Lord, singing of His goodness and mercy. The Lord was definitely present among them. He filled the house with His glory.
When considering the lyrics, I would have to say that in some Christian bands it may be difficult to know whether they are speaking of the Lord or maybe some other lover of their soul. In any event, I believe that if the lyrics are theologically correct, that if they are in agreement with what the Word of God says, then no matter which instruments are used, and whether it be rock, hymns, southern gospel or whatever, I know of no scripture that dictates the type or style of music. Can we really say that the Lord prefers one over the other? He looks at our heart.
Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. -Psalm 150:1-6
The rock band Petra gave Christianity a new type of music; Christian rock. In the above passage, we are to praise the Lord according to His excellent greatness. The following are lyrics to a song Petra sang, which are in agreement with the Word of God.
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let every creature under God's sun praise the Lord
Let all the mountains, let all the valleys
Let all the hillsides sing of His glory
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Israel had a war to fight but the Lord showed them the secret
He said the battle this day is mine, but you must listen how to do it
Put your singers first in front of the rest
Let them praise and sing to me
And you will see the salvation of your God
And watch your enemies flee
Paul and Silas were thrown in jail
For preaching the gospel of Christ
Though in chains they praised His name singing songs in the night
Just then an earthquake shook the place and the
chains and the doors were loosened
Then the jailer ran in scared to death and that day he found salvation
Would this song become more meaningful and accepted if it were sung by a choir and without instruments? If the beat were different? Would the Lord turn His ear on those who worshiped Him in song because of its beat or instruments used? Would the Lord refuse to use it to minister to the lost soul or empty heart?
To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some.
And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with [you]. -1 Corinthians 9:22-23
In Christ,
Jackie- a 70's Jesus Freak who still worships to a different beat. :rocknroll:
This is what I am learning about discerning Christian music. Ask the Holy Spirit. I promise you He will reveal what spirit or spirits are riding on the music. If you hear the annointing of God on the music you are gonna know it's from God.
Some Christian music is meant to draw people from the secular world into salvation or it is for newer Christians that have given up the old music man for a familiar sound but with a message of faith. (That was me when I first became a Believer) As a Christian matures he will be drawn to Christian music that provokes the Spirit of God within him.
My own testimony is that when I got baptized with fire with the evidence of speaking in tongues, I began to listen to the prophetic sounds of God in music. But it was a process
Yes, I actually do believe that it's fine to use the same styles of music popular today, but have God-honoring lyrics.
This is just a guess, but I bet that back when Jesus walked the earth, music was music. The music Christ-followers used to worship probably did sound like what they were accustomed to hearing outside the "church." But now they were singing it to Jesus with words that lifted Him up and praised His holy name! Would they have attempted to figure out a way of making their music sound completely different than what they grew up hearing? I doubt it.
But today, generations have added a lot of different styles to music choices. I've always said that if I was going to minister to people in France, I would learn French so I could speak to them in their language. I feel very much the same about music. Contemporary Christian music reaches youth and those of any age with lyrics that honor God, and music that is pleasing to the ears. It speaks their language. Worship music is all about worshiping God. If He is blessed our spiritual groanings and cries unintelligible; if He discerns our hearts, I doubt He cares what the background sounds like.
I went to my first contemporary Christian music fest in 1976 at a Pentecostal church. I remember paying a fee to get in the door. I think it was $7. The place was filled with people my age and during the concert, people were speaking in tongues, lifting their hands up, swaying and dancing. My Baptist Church at the time was against all dancing and even prom nite was taboo. So, during the concert, I was expecting God to send some lightning bolts into the pit of devils, the musicians, but that never happened.
A few years later, I wasn't going to church at all, had moved to a different state due to the military and had landed in Las Vegas (Nellis Air Force Base). No church now for me...and living in sin city. Someone from the Base asked me to attend their church several times and finally I accepted it. It was there at this pentecostal church that I learned more about King David, his love of music and dancing, the meaning of the Pentecost, and began to love the contemporary music and its outreach to the youth. I was only 22 then. The music drew me closer to God and to reading the Bible and studying His word.
I am back to my roots now at a church where I grew up, but now its a Baptist Pentecostal church which plays contemporary music plus the gospel songs and old hymns from 200 years ago. I realize though from what my older sister said to me once, "the music ministry should always be just an appetizer for the main course. If the main course has "no meat" (ie, no good message) then the people will be malnourished." I always shop for a new church by its main course and never by its appetizers. It has to be preaching the truth, reading from the Bible, getting the congregation in learning and reading. The music is secondary.
I think you may like a group called Casting Crowns and their song entitled "Praise You In This Storm." These words have helped me cope with some sad times lately. Go to youtube and look up one of the videos and listen. I'm sure you will like what you hear.
It was because of the change of music I left the church when I was 15.
I loved outside the church all those populare music but when my church started to bring in popband did I closed my heart from God and his new churches that I didn't reconized anymore.
I walked out and become one of the worlds queens but year 2000 did God come to me and I was really saved once and for all.
I still think it's wrong to bring in the music from the world into the church and like you said...the only difference is that it's the word Jesus that make the song to be a Christian song.
When it comes to rap and hard rock in the church .... if mine had it I should back off from my church and be as angry as Jesus was when they had made a marketplace in the temple.
Jesus said " �My house will be called a house of prayer"
How many people isn't it that is walking to the church only to listen at a famouse Christian band, it's idoltry and a sin.
Today can I listen to a little high up tempo but not hard rock, it's belong to outside the church.
I believe in my childhood's child heart, that I knew God didn't liked his house to be a marketplace.
I don't like any kind of theater and dance in the church. I want a pure church where I can go and hear some words from God preached from a preacher and relaxing from the world for some minutes.
It's easy to see how far apostate american Christianity has fallen. Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Jas 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. --This doesn't mean much to backslidden america
IS �CHRISTIAN� ROCK FROM GOD?
�Listen, rock�n roll ain�t church. It�s nasty business. You gotta be nasty too. If you�re goody, goody, you can�t sing or play it.��Lita Ford
It's better for me to play with guys because Rock 'n' Roll has such an aggressive attitude.-- Lita Ford
�Sometimes, being labeled a Christian band, we consider that a negative. . .�--Toby McKeehan of dc Talk
We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity.�--John Lennon
Rock & roll is a type of sensuous music unfit for impressionable minds. ~ Tip O'Neill, 1960
"Rock has always been THE DEVIL'S MUSIC . . . I believe rock and roll is dangerous . . . I feel we're only heralding SOMETHING EVEN DARKER THAN OURSELVES."--David Bowie
"I�M TRYING TO LOOK SEXY to sell a record..." �Amy Grant
Little Richard:
"I'm the Rock 'n Roll singer that you heard about through the years. . . I was directed and commanded by another power. The power of DARKNESS. . . The power of the DEVIL. SATAN."
"My true belief about Rock 'n' Roll � 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."
You can't drink out of God's cup and the devil's cup at the same time. I was one of the pioneers of that music, one of the builders. I know what the blocks are made of because I built them."
"The throbbing beat of rock provides a vital sexual release for adolescent audiences." -Jan Berry
"Rock music is sex. The beat matches the body rhythms." Frank Zappa
Jerry Lee Lewis was asked, �Are you still playing the devil�s music?� He replied, �Yes, I am. But you know it�s strange, the same music that they kicked me out of school for is the same kind of music they play in their churches today. The difference is, I know I am playing for the devil and they don�t.�
"Christian Rock? There ain't no such animal!"--Evangelist Lester Roloff
�People there are, not a few, who have pipe organ abilities and make no more music for the causes of Christ than a wheezy saxophone in an idiot's hands." -Dr. R.G. Lee (from the needful sermon, Payday Someday)
"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."- Fanny Crosby
Abstain from all appearance of evil.--1Thessalonians 5:22
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." --Ephesians 5:11
Woe unto them that call evil GOOD, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!-- Isaiah 5:20
�For their rock is not as our Rock��Deut 32:31
For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?--Ps 18:31
But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.--Ps 94:22
I understand how you feel, and i think you have a valid point.
Here are a couple of things that came to mind.
Music is a ministry. You should discern the truth in the song. The Holy Spirit teaches truth. If your not sure, get in touch with Him. He will let you know.
Ministries should show the fruits of the spirit.
Paul siad I will be all things to all people, that I might win a few. However my qualification for music is can you feel the love. Bible says you can do all things, but if you don't have love it profits you nothing. Sounds pretty clear to me. If we don't recieve a message of love from who ever sings or preaches, or teaches I wonder about that ministry.
The praise and worship of the Lord is meant for an audience of One - God.
The various examples seen in the Bible of songs contain words mostly for the Lord's ear...there are some examples of exhortation by the leader for the people to turn to the Lord, give thanks and praise, etc.
Many of David's Psalms were written in minor cords...minor cords tend to stir a growing excitement and anticipation - it also stirs the emotions. His words of praise and worship, petition and even deep sadness were for the Lord's ear.
Sometimes you can see the prophetic words that the Holy Spirit was involved in...we see the interaction between David and the Lord, where predicted sayings are expressed.
As we look at the pictures of the throne room of God, we read about the holy angels crying "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord..." The reverence in a humble demeanor is evident.
One wonders if the Lord walked into the arena where the Christian bands and artists were performing, would they not fall face down in His Holy Presence and cry out for mercy? There would be a collision between the pure and holy presence of God and people's unholy fleshly ways.
If Jesus appeared while choirs were singing in church, would the people not bow down in reverence and adoration? Surely the people would cry out for mercy as they put their lattes and cell phones down, as they crawled to His feet.
He is a Holy God. If we are truly focused on His presence, I doubt that we would be so into worldly sounds and looks.
If Christians are to be separated from the ways of the world, we will stand out because we don't resort to worldly entrampments and gimmicks to try to lure the world.
We are set apart, after all.
By really getting into His presence, we will feel Him in the room, be humbled by His love and mercy, and be compelled to fervently cry out in praise and worship to Him - the audience of ONE.
