Post by pitbull on Feb 2, 2006 7:08:55 GMT -5
Compiling off the previous 4 guidelines that have been mentioned from the Bible, the next one should be obvious. I believe that the Bible teaches that Christian music should emphasis the message — not the music or the musician. Christian music should give ALL the attention and praise to the Lord — and NONE to the music or the musician, or the singer. The Lord should get ALL the praise, ALL the glory, and ALL the honor. Spiritually speaking, the Christian musician should be heard but not seen — the Christian musician should be hidden in Christ.
· “Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” [Psalm 66:2]
Christian musicians [not just those in the CCM genre] today are so caught up with their "music" and just the "right-sound" that the message takes a backseat. A lot of Christian music (especially with the "canned" accompaniment tapes) is a "performance" rather than a message. When that happens, the "performance" completely destroys the message by pointing all the attention to self or the music. Consequently, the musician "robs" the Lord of any praise and from a Christian perspective, it's fruitless. Sadly, many musicians (and not just limited to CCM) are like the chief rulers that the Lord Jesus addressed:
· “For they loved the PRAISE OF MEN more than the praise of God.” [John 12:43]
Much of Christian music today is more entertainment than ministry. A lot of Christian musicians (and not limited to CCM or Christian Rock) are far more interested in impressing their audience and "flaunting" their musical talent than ministering to the Lord. You cannot sing to "please men" and sing unto the Lord. It's one or the other.
· “NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” [Matthew 6:24]
· “NO SERVANT CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” [Luke 16:13]
· “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should NOT be the servant of Christ.” [Galatians 1:10]
If you please God, you will also please His servants and not please the lost and hypocrites. That is just a natural flow of events. We should make sure He is the priority and everything else will fit into its proper place.
Too often we forget that Christian music is not entertainment. Christian music is important spiritual "food". Real Christian music admonishes [reprove mildly, sold gently, caution calmly, warn kindly – however you wish to say it], while at the same time praising the Lord. This demonstrates the two purposes of true Godly music, with praising God as the primary purpose – as mentioned in a previous post.
· “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.” [Colossians 3:16]
Christian music is from the heart, not just the voice. Beautiful voices are a "dime a dozen". But beautiful hearts are "more priceless than gold". It is sad to listen to a Christian musician, flaunt, pomp, articulate, get every note and vibrato perfect — and yet God was nowhere around. And yet, there are many times when the singer may not hit the right notes — and yet God was all over him or her — and it shows! Why? Christian music is not entertainment, a talent show, a performance, or a concert — but a SERIOUS ministry to the Lord and His saints.
Even though I disagree with a lot that Augustine teaches, I do agree with what he once stated about music:
· "When I am moved by the voice of him that sings more than the words sung, I confess to have sinned". (Oliver Strunk, Source Reading in Music History, Vol. I, p. 74)
Dr. Frank Garlock, author of several books on Christian music, and an instructor in Christian music for over 40 years. Dr. Garlock writes in his book, Music in the Balance:
· "Contrary to popular opinion, sacred music is not for entertainment. Christian music is first and foremost a vehicle for praise unto the Lord." (Garlock, Frank & Woetzel, Kurt, Music in the Balance, Majesty Music, 1992 p.54)
So what do I believe that these Biblical passages and quotes support? That Christian music should emphasis the message — not the music or the musician. This should be the natural result of the previously mentioned Biblical guidelines.
· “Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.” [Psalm 66:2]
Christian musicians [not just those in the CCM genre] today are so caught up with their "music" and just the "right-sound" that the message takes a backseat. A lot of Christian music (especially with the "canned" accompaniment tapes) is a "performance" rather than a message. When that happens, the "performance" completely destroys the message by pointing all the attention to self or the music. Consequently, the musician "robs" the Lord of any praise and from a Christian perspective, it's fruitless. Sadly, many musicians (and not just limited to CCM) are like the chief rulers that the Lord Jesus addressed:
· “For they loved the PRAISE OF MEN more than the praise of God.” [John 12:43]
Much of Christian music today is more entertainment than ministry. A lot of Christian musicians (and not limited to CCM or Christian Rock) are far more interested in impressing their audience and "flaunting" their musical talent than ministering to the Lord. You cannot sing to "please men" and sing unto the Lord. It's one or the other.
· “NO MAN CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” [Matthew 6:24]
· “NO SERVANT CAN SERVE TWO MASTERS: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” [Luke 16:13]
· “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should NOT be the servant of Christ.” [Galatians 1:10]
If you please God, you will also please His servants and not please the lost and hypocrites. That is just a natural flow of events. We should make sure He is the priority and everything else will fit into its proper place.
Too often we forget that Christian music is not entertainment. Christian music is important spiritual "food". Real Christian music admonishes [reprove mildly, sold gently, caution calmly, warn kindly – however you wish to say it], while at the same time praising the Lord. This demonstrates the two purposes of true Godly music, with praising God as the primary purpose – as mentioned in a previous post.
· “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.” [Colossians 3:16]
Christian music is from the heart, not just the voice. Beautiful voices are a "dime a dozen". But beautiful hearts are "more priceless than gold". It is sad to listen to a Christian musician, flaunt, pomp, articulate, get every note and vibrato perfect — and yet God was nowhere around. And yet, there are many times when the singer may not hit the right notes — and yet God was all over him or her — and it shows! Why? Christian music is not entertainment, a talent show, a performance, or a concert — but a SERIOUS ministry to the Lord and His saints.
Even though I disagree with a lot that Augustine teaches, I do agree with what he once stated about music:
· "When I am moved by the voice of him that sings more than the words sung, I confess to have sinned". (Oliver Strunk, Source Reading in Music History, Vol. I, p. 74)
Dr. Frank Garlock, author of several books on Christian music, and an instructor in Christian music for over 40 years. Dr. Garlock writes in his book, Music in the Balance:
· "Contrary to popular opinion, sacred music is not for entertainment. Christian music is first and foremost a vehicle for praise unto the Lord." (Garlock, Frank & Woetzel, Kurt, Music in the Balance, Majesty Music, 1992 p.54)
So what do I believe that these Biblical passages and quotes support? That Christian music should emphasis the message — not the music or the musician. This should be the natural result of the previously mentioned Biblical guidelines.