Drums...etc

Aaron,

My point was in church, during a service, the instruments are used to help us worship God. To me, worshipping God is humbling myself, focusing on Him and praising Him for both who he is and what He has done, is doing and will do.

Grace and Peace,
WW2'er

 

My chief argument with drums is the constant bang, bang, bang......If they would remove that unbiblical skin on top then the sticks wouldn't have the banging effect. I found to compromise and let them wrap the sticks, it just doesnt work. Consider the kettle drums,,,Wow! They are excellent in Messiah, but then the bloke banging them sits down,,and through most of the piece he is sitting down. So, drummers,,,the word is in,,,,,,sit down,,,,,,,please.

Cheers,

Jim

 

For the most part, I agree with you fully, Jim. We have been in churches that were more entertainment-oriented than worship-oriented and, as a Christian, I find it not only uncomfortable but heartbreaking.

That said, I have also been in churches where the accompaniment has been very quiet (yes, drums can be used quietly!) and not at all distracting. In part because I was raised in a very musical family, I do love the accompaniment (it helps keep everyone on the rhythm and in tune), when it is accompanying and not grabbing the attention itself.

I think the major problem is that it is usually the younger adults or even teens who are up there and they rarely know anything except that infuriating banging. But once in awhile there is actually a musician who is a drummer, and then it can be a lovely part of all of it.

Granted, it's rare -- but I HAVE seen it done! We once had a rented house in the hills that had an entire family of albino cats in the barn. Rare, but not unheard of!

 

I have told this before, but I was in a church a short time ago and the baptistry had been altered to make room for a drum set. The message of the open baptistry,,,,,,it has been done as the Lord commanded and yet there is room.....is removed to accommodate drums. (This was the only space available at the front of the church).

When I was offering the pastoral prayer, this drummer got up and started to lowly drum away as if I needed a clarion call to alert the Lord that I was praying. Sorry. I stopped prayed, turned to the drummer and quietly insisted that he stop banging and join in the collective prayer. This action did not improve my feelings about drums in the church.

To add to my psychological problem with the use of some instruments...these "bands" are often located on the platform which is designed for preaching. This puts the whole thing on the entertainment level,,,,the stage. The hymn books were replaced by an overhead showing toe-tapping numbers. Is this purposely to develop a "feeling" in the service?.... Now, in preaching, I want to use all the emotions of the people to grasp the word, so I am not opposed totally to the "feeling" thing, but at least the word is concrete. This is almost akin to having an hour service extend to 1.5 hours just to prolong an altar call...except the mercy bench doesn't exist anymore cos they had to make room for the drums.

If I want to worship where there are no drums in my area, within 100 miles, I must attend one of the more liberal churches. I get the right worship service, but sacrifice the preaching of the word. It is sad, very sad, indeed.

One C&MA church which often invites me to preach, leaves the drummer out, and I appreciate that.

Now, understand that I am not against drums. I love the drums in the big bands of the 30's and 40's. I love the steel drums of Trinidad. Drums are great in a parade, and I already mentioned the kettle drums in Messiah. It is all about location and dominance, and the infernal banging.

As I said before, God bless the young people, but please leave the drums at home,,,,for my sake, I only have a few more years to live on earth.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Jim1999 said:

If they would remove that unbiblical skin on top then the sticks wouldn't have the banging effect. I found to compromise and let them wrap the sticks, it just doesnt work.

Two possible workarounds:

</font>

• Invest in a pair of wire brushes, rather than drumsticks, and insist that nothing else be used during the service.</font>
• Invest in an electronic drum kit, and let the sound technicians control the volume of the instrument.</font>

 

I have a hard time figuring out what the fuss
about drums is. We have drums, but I never
notice them until the drummer is missing--then,
I notice that they are missing.

The drums are not overpowering to the rest of
the musicians or the congregation, nor are
they visually dominating. In fact, all of the
musicians occupy a place in front where they
can hardly be seen. The only time any musician
is in a prominent place is when one of the
pastors, who leads the music, picks up his
trumpet or flute to play along.

We actually have several percussion instru-
ments which are played on occasion, many of
which I don't know the names for, but none are
overpowering in any manner; rather, they simply
add to the music.

 

We have a full orchestra in our church, including drums...big base drum sure makes the sound powerful.

I think it depends on how the drum is used. In some parts of the United states, drums are in everything, while where I live, it's just part of the arrangement.

Our church doesn't really go for songs you could dance to, or tap your foot to really. But we do some really powerful, strong and reverant stuff.

To me...the drums are just part of the package...like the string section...building, building, until you get goose bumps...all to the glory of God.

We don't do Christian rock at our church...but everyone seems to be moved by the Choir and Orchestra nonetheless.

 

The only problem I have with drums in our church is that the drummer forgets that I need a path to get to the organ in order to play it.

And one day he tapped me on the shoulder while I was playing the organ and asked if I could move over so he could see the director

I love this boy. He is only 16 and is a very dedicated Christian.

 

I asked first.

 

Well I sure don't know where they are forbidden.

 

They don't have to be forbidden. They're not ordained.

 

Neither are the piano or organ, are you suggesting we take them out??

God Bless,

~JD

 

Neither is Sunday School, Pulpits, Pews, Fellowship halls, Church Buildings etc...

Masters, strains and twists Old Testament scriptures to a back up what I believe is commonly called the Regulative Principle of The Puritans. I myself am a High Church Liturgical Baptist who also disagrees with a "free-for-all" style in worship but I believe all types of musical instruments can be incorpoated into a reverant yet joyous worship. The Bible does not forbid their use and Masters misues scripture and never explains what traditional worship is though I believe his view would lean more toward exclusive psalmlogy, accapella singing only though I might be wrong.

[ November 21, 2002, 12:12 AM: Message edited by: Kiffin ]

 

Neither are the piano or organ, are you suggesting we take them out??</font>[/QUOTE]I'm suggesting we drop the superstitious notion that the physical vibrations of strings and membranes are of any profit to the spirit whatever. God is certainly not moved by them.

I agree with the noted Methodist preacher, Adam Clarke, who said:

[ November 21, 2002, 06:33 AM: Message edited by: Aaron ]

 

Masters ... view would lean more toward exclusive psalmlogy, accapella singing only though I might be wrong.[/QB][/QUOTE]

And you are.

 

</font>[/QUOTE]Since you didn't answer my question, I'll ask again, do you think that we should remove the piano and organ from the church service? You seem to claim that one of the reasons the drums don't belong is because they aren't ordained. Well neither are the piano or organ, so it would seem contradictory for you to claim that drums should be removed while the traditional instruments are ok. All I want is a simple yes or no. The quote would indicate that you agree with an accapella worship, however I just want to make sure.
God Bless,

~JD

 

So, you do agree that musical instruments and hymns are acceptable in worship. What musical instruments and which hymns are acceptable to Dr. Masters?

 

You would have to ask him. Again, the articles I referred to were written primarily to refute the erroneous notion that the Psalms endorse a free-for-all style of worship.

 

MODERATION! To me, that is the key to the use of drums in worship. The church I attend uses full orchestra and, of course drums are a very important part. Timps, bongos and all. The question to me is whether the drums overshadow the message. If so, they are bad, if not, they are good.

To those who serve in churche that do not believe in drums, this too shall pass....but it could be a long time. I once served a church that did not believe in showing movies in church. I showed the first movie in that church and survived. I brought guitars and drums into another church for use with my youth choir and it got hot.....but the youth choir grew and grew and grew until I had to cut off membership at 137.

We do get caught up in some interesting things, don't we?

=Bill Rayborn=

 

Psalms 66:1-7
1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.