Worship Music for the New Century
By John Tracy
The worship portion of our corporate church services has become
a subject of great debate. To some it is so confusing that they
have thrown up their arms in surrender. They accept any and all
types of music sung or performed in any and all styles. To others,
the worship service has been simplified to a formula leaving no
room for any other interpretation. A set of rules has been established
for determining correct worship and you dare not challenge them
or you will be labeled a traitor. What does God think of our church
worship services? On the one side a Believer stands in a congregation
of people who look and sound an awful lot like the world. He raises
his hands in praise and to the best of his knowledge, sincerely
sings to God as the screaming electric guitar and deafening trap
set create a “mood” for his worship. The music is
sensual, the singers are carnal, and the environment is worldly.
On the other hand, the Christian stands in a congregation of dead,
lifeless people, whose minds are anywhere but on the task of worship.
He mumbles through a hymn written 200 years ago and struggles
to keep his brain engaged. The music is boring, the singers are
lifeless, and because of this, the environment is no more godly
than the previous illustration.
Which one pleases God? Neither! Unfortunately, the majority of
churches that preach the gospel in America would fit in one of
the two scenarios described above. They are either a CCM church
with carnal, worldly music, or, they are a conservative church
with boring, dead music. The CCM congregation claims to be more
godly because they are more sincere. The conservative church thinks
they are more godly because they do not use rock music. What has
happened to God’s people that they have reduced worship
to a style of music?
Worship has nothing to do with music! You cannot set a mood for,
induce, create, or perform worship. Worship is something that
takes place in the heart. It is produced in the mind and soul
between a Believer and God. It can happen inside a person’s
head as he silently praises God. It can take place in spoken monologue
as a believer prays to His Savior. It can be set to music. But
the music is not worship. It is simply a vehicle by which worship
is carried. Let’s work with this basic definition of worship:
Acknowledging the “worth-ship” of God. In other words,
praising God for who He is and what He has done.
When we go to church it is our responsibility to make sure that
we worship. It is not the job of the worship leader, music pastor,
or minister of music. It is not dependent upon the song selection,
or the talent of the musicians. It is a duty of mine to discipline
my heart and mind to worship God! No one can do that for me. I
must do it myself.Here is the problem: Our churches, conservative
and contemporary alike, have rallied around a style of music rather
than around their God. It is my experience that a high percentage
of churches have music programs that are either sincere but sensual
or conservative but dead! Why is this the case? I believe it is
because we are more concerned with music style than true worship
of God. You do not have to read much of the New Testament to discover
that believers are not to be like the world. That truth alone
is going to rule out the majority of CCM. On the other hand, God
does not have very good things to say about those who leave their
first love and worship Him without engaging the mind. Who are
we fooling? God wants our hearts, minds, and souls! He wants us
to be sold out to him. Could it be that the level of enthusiasm
in our voice mirrors the level of commitment in our relationship
with Christ? How many of us are living the principles of Scripture
day in and day out? How many of us are busy about the one task
God left us on earth to do…share Jesus with a lost world
who desperately needs Him. I truly believe that if our congregations,
and even our pastors were out in the world sharing their faith,
pointing souls to Christ, meditating on His word, and worshipping
Him in private, our corporate worship services would look entirely
different. Maybe the reason that we have difficulty genuinely
praising God on Sunday for who He is and what He has done for
us, is because we are not choosing to experience the wonderful
relationship with Him throughout the week that only a truly committed
believer can know.When we sing to God in a dull, boring, lifeless
way, He is no more pleased with that than with the contemporary
musician who sings Scriptural words set to a rock beat. Neither
pleases God! Singing to God in that way is like wearing a T-shirt
that says, “I’m not in God’s will!” It
is like waving a huge red flag over your head that says you are
not experiencing a joyful relationship with Christ! Godly believers
love to worship and praise God! You do not have to coax, prod,
or convince them to sing to their Lord. Their joyful song of praise
is evident because it is a lifestyle for them. It is not something
that they “put on” for church on Sunday.If Fundamental
churches are going to continue to please God in the new century
they have got to wake up to the fact that boring does not equal
godly! Our music programs should honor Christ in their musical
style, in the presentation by the performers, and even in their
associations, but that should not reduce them to being dead and
lifeless! Our music should be alive, full of vigor and enthusiasm,
exciting, and cutting-edge. Our God is not boring and neither
is the Christian life. If you are experiencing that kind of a
relationship with Him during the week it will be obvious on Sunday.
Our music should represent Him!
-John Tracy
February, 2005
© 2005 by Witness Music
www.witnessmusic.vze.com
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