By Paul Proctor - October 22, 2003
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Pastor Rick Warren said in a recent article posted on Pastors.com that: “There’s
no such thing as Christian music. There are just Christian lyrics”, implying
that any and all music is acceptable for worship as long as the lyrics were
“Christian” – whatever that means. I would suggest to Pastor Warren that if ACDC
were to provide the worship music at his church next Sunday morning, very few of
his worshippers would be able to ascertain whether the lyrics were “Christian”
or not due to the sheer decibel level created by the instrumentation alone. My
question is: Under these conditions, what difference would the lyrics make?
In consideration of “music styles” deemed appropriate or not for Church and
worship, many today believe that music, apart from its lyrical content, is
amoral – that is to say, it can neither be good nor evil. These are generally
the same folks who accept the humanist notion that there are no absolutes – that
the world we live in is neither black nor white but only gray and relative. The
fact is – music is a work, an effort, a deed, an action and a product of human
initiative that can be just as moral or immoral as the one performing it.
Today’s “progressives” from within the seeker-sensitive, purpose driven, church
growth movement currently willow creeping their way into the mainstream of
church life would have us reconsider what is good and bad for worship while
suggesting that it is God’s will for you and me to experiment with new and
exciting things simply because we’ve never tried them. Sounds like serpent logic
to me. And by the way -- can somebody from the new paradigm please show me where
the bible encourages experimentation in spiritual matters? Funny, I thought it
was obedience God wanted.
Granted, the Lord gave no commandment saying “Thou shalt not play rock and roll
at church on Sunday but He also didn’t say “Thou shalt not hold Sunday services
in the middle of a busy intersection” either. Some things are just obvious.
Having come out of a lifetime of playing many popular styles of music
professionally, I used to be of the same pragmatic mindset as those from the CGM.
Frankly, such an attitude is quite common among musicians. Early in my Christian
walk, I tried to incorporate my raucous and exotic tastes in music into my
Christian life not realizing at that time that the two were largely incompatible
– that, in reality, my “taste in music” had an adverse effect on my attitude and
behavior as a Christian. Unfortunately, I was much too selfish and immature to
accept that.
Music is a lot like alcohol and drugs. It can be very deceiving and destructive
when misused and can distort one’s emotions, reasoning, judgment, perspective
and behavior. Peer pressure only makes it worse. Music, with or without lyrics,
can be a very powerful force in our lives. That is why instrumentals alone can
bring a tear to an eye or screams from a crowd before a single word is ever
sung. Likewise, other emotions can easily be stirred by lyric-free melodies and
rhythms resulting in joy, happiness, excitement, anger, bitterness, depression
and rage. To say that music without lyrics is amoral is like saying music
without lyrics is dispassionate. It’s absurd.
As Kimberly Smith wrote in her book: “Let Those Who Have Ears To Hear”, music
has a message all its own, regardless of the lyric. If you doubt that, watch
what people do in a crowd where loud music and a strong beat are played. Under
its power and influence they will move their arms, legs, feet, hands, hips,
heads, necks, fingers and even their faces in ways they NEVER would in a quiet
room or church sanctuary full of people. Then watch what they do when soft and
gentle music is played. They become just as soft and gentle as the music. It’s
not the words that compel our bodies to respond. It is the music. Why? Because,
AGAIN, music has a message all its own – a compelling message that may or may
not be consistent with the words being sung.
Combining kind, loving and evangelical messages to loud, aggressive, angry or
suggestive music only confuses the listener into justifying and accepting
whatever feelings, emotions, thoughts and attitudes may arise. To wrap sensual
or in-your-face music with grace-filled lyrics and loving messages merely cloaks
the danger in deceit and disarms an otherwise discerning listener into accepting
the unacceptable – often resulting in confusion, dissipation, disappointment and
defeat. It’s like saying it’s OK to drink lots of alcohol as long as it’s mixed
with fruit juice. The truth is, the intoxicating effects of the alcohol will
always overwhelm and negate whatever health benefits the juice offers.
The volume music is played is another area where boundaries and limitations
should be set to facilitate worship. Exceeding those limits can be not only
counterproductive but also quite dangerous. I learned long ago that the louder
and more aggressive the music was in my car, the faster, more aggressive and
more reckless I drove. It’s no different at work, at home, at school or at
church. If the wrong music is played in worship OR even if the right music is
played the wrong way, all positive effects can and will be lost. Even a good
song can be played so loud in a room full of people that they’re forced to cover
their ears and run for the exits, triggering a condition known as “Fight or
Flight Syndrome”. Just as everyone has their own taste in music, everyone has
their own threshold of tolerance when it comes to volume. Respecting boundaries
and the selfless consideration of others are essential in pleasing God, not only
in everyday life but also in Sunday worship. That’s why biblical principals of
moderation and humility are always appropriate.
Did you know that loud music is so unhealthy that over time, it can wreck your
immune system and permanently damage your adrenal gland performance so as to
cause a litany of physical and emotional problems later in life from depression
to fatigue to allergies, to high blood pressure, to joint pain, to muscle
weakness, to constipation and much more – BESIDES rendering you deaf? This being
the case, would you consider Christian rock being performed at church on Sunday
in excess of 110dB to be good or evil? Kind of makes the Christian lyric issue
irrelevant, doesn’t it? Do a Google search on Fight or Flight Syndrome and then
get back to me on what’s Christian music and what’s not.
Though there are many ways to judge what music is suitable for worship, after
much study, reflection and prayer, I’ve come to the conclusion that one’s music,
like one’s character is best defined by attitude. Does our worship music convey
the fruit of the spirit as outlined in scripture or does it encourage and
celebrate our sinful nature and the impulses of the flesh?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” -
Galatians 5:22-23
Do we seek to worship the Ancient of Days with our music or do we attempt to
stimulate, gratify and entertain ourselves using whatever draws the largest
crowd and the loudest applause? Does our music exalt a God not given to
celebrity, fashion, appetite or whim or does it serve to advance something or
someone else? Does our song compliment a suffering servant and a crucified
Christ or a compromised culture of lasciviousness and vanity? Is our offering to
God or is it to men? Is our song any different from the world’s song or, except
for the lyrics, is it pretty much the same? Because, if our lifestyle is like
our music style, no different from that of the world, what difference are
“Christian” words going to make?
Psalm 33:3 says: “Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.”
Many of today’s CGM and CCM personalities will try and persuade you that what
the psalmist meant by this verse was that we should do away with old songs, old
styles, old ways, old instruments, old musicians and old singers and play only
the latest and loudest in contemporary Christian music, be it rock, hip hop,
grunge, metal, jazz, R&B, or whatever FEELS GOOD, till the crowd roars and the
heavens shake.
Or was he instead encouraging us to sing unashamedly of our new life in Christ –
a Spirit-filled walk of repentance, faith, humility and sacrifice that crucifies
the flesh daily in obedience, discipline, dedication, perseverance, gratitude
and praise?
Next:
A
New Song - Part 2
© 2003 Paul Proctor - All Rights Reserved
Other articles by Paul Proctor:
Confessions of a Facilitator | The Ten Commandments Controversy
Taking America back | DIAPRAX Goes to Seminary | The Kiss of Death
HEGELIAN DIALECTIC & THE NEW WORLD ORDER
Paul Proctor, a rural resident of the Volunteer state [Tennessee] and seasoned veteran of the country music industry, retired from showbiz in the late 1990's to dedicate himself to addressing important social issues from a distinctly biblical perspective. As a freelance writer and columnist, he extols the wisdom and truths of scripture through commentary and insight on cultural trends and current events. His articles appear regularly on a variety of news and opinion sites across the internet and in print. Paul may be reached at watchman@usa.com.
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