Has God Ordained a certain style for Musical worship?

[Jerome]

What is ironic is that many chuches would find fault when obeying God there to "shout unto the Lord", as they would see Quietness as much more reverent

Here a Reformed Baptist seminary dean urges churches to "crank up the volume":

"our corporate praise should sometimes resemble the kind of high-volume celebrative sound that one would encounter at a sporting event or music concert....God apparently likes musical praise that can literally cause the ground to vibrate....the praise of God’s people ought to 'raise the roof' of the sanctuary. There are times when we need to 'turn it up' and 'rock the house'."

 

[JonC]

What is ironic is that many chuches would find fault when obeying God there to "shout unto the Lord", as they would see Quietness as much more reverent

A lot is cultural and even individual traits.

I love going to a baseball game. But I don't get cheering (I quietly watch the game). Some woukd see me and think I am not enjoying it, but I am.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

Actually God delights in our praises and worship if done from the heart and intend to glorify Him, regardless of the "style"

The Bible does not teach that this is true.

 

[Deacon]

Here a Reformed Baptist seminary dean urges churches to "crank up the volume":

"our corporate praise should sometimes resemble the kind of high-volume celebrative sound that one would encounter at a sporting event or music concert....God apparently likes musical praise that can literally cause the ground to vibrate....the praise of God’s people ought to 'raise the roof' of the sanctuary. There are times when we need to 'turn it up' and 'rock the house'."

How high did they set their amplifier levels in ancient times?
It's hard for me to separate conversation in a crowd of people. Loud noises bother me.
When I can't hear myself sing the sound is too loud!
I actually brought ear plugs to services at my previous church.

Music can lead us to quiet prayer or loud praise ...even with dancing (how often have you had exotic dancers at your church services?)
Music can be a shout of joy and praise, or a cry of pain and anguish or a whisper of despair.
But each of these musical forms might be expressed differently in various ages and in various cultures.

But I believe the common denominator among congregations of different ages and cultures, is that music promotes unity in the body, which honors our Savior.

Rob

 

[JonC]

How high did they set their amplifier levels in ancient times?
It's hard for me to separate conversation in a crowd of people. Loud noises bother me.
When I can't hear myself sing the sound is too loud!
I actually brought ear plugs to services at my previous church.

Music can lead us to quiet prayer or loud praise ...even with dancing (how often have you had exotic dancers at your church services?)
Music can be a shout of joy and praise, or a cry of pain and anguish or a whisper of despair.
But each of these musical forms might be expressed differently in various ages and in various cultures.

But I believe the common denominator among congregations of different ages and cultures, is that music promotes unity in the body, which honors our Savior.

Rob

When I can't hear myself singing it's just about right.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

The words of the songs mean much.

Some music is ok for private worship but not ok for public worship

Agreed

I have a old RCC down the road. They got a new Pastor, a Pilipino and he moved to get the bell tower chimes reintroduced. I’ve got to admit, it’s kinda soothing to hear the chimes play Christian music throughout the town. I much prefer it to hack bands with loud electric sounds. I steer far away from that crap.

 

[JesusFan]

The Bible does not teach that this is true.

make a joyful noise unto the Lord, and He delights in whatever style its in as long as honoring Him

When teh ark came back to Jerusalem, David stripped down to undergraments/tunic and danced mightily to the Lord, and many said that was "way too much "

 

[John of Japan]

I like when they keep the drummer in a plexiglas cage.

I like it when they keep the whole rock band in a different building.

On our last furlough the wife and I visited a supporting church that had previously been traditional but had gone to pure rock, with a 60s format band: rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass guitar and drums. The problem was they had also gone to a prefab building with a low ceiling. They were so incredibly loud that my dear wife, a very sensitive person in every way, began to weep unintentionally.

Good people, but that "music" absolutely did not glorify God. Could it have glorified God? I don't know. I couldn't make out either the melody or the words.

The problem with most non-professional CCM that I've heard is that it is lousy rock! If we're going to do music for the Lord, it ought to be the best we can do!

 

[JonC]

Good people, but that "music" absolutely did not glorify God.

Correction - the music absolutely did not glorify God to you.

CCM is lousy rock because it is not rock. Johnny Cash was a lousy Jazz singer as well.


I mentioned attending the service in Kyoto. If I were honest, some of the music did not glorify God to me. I could not understand the words as I did not know the language. But I think it probably glorified God to those who understood Japaneese.

I do not think we can say the worship of other Christians absolutely did not glorify God in terms of God actually being glorified. We can only say whether we could worship in that style.

For example, if I were to choose the absokute best music to glorify God it would be contemporary worship music. There would be guitars and drums. But I can also worship with hymns, it just would not be giving the best.

Why? Because worship is personal expressions of worship. Even corporate worship is a collection of individual expressions of worship.

Note: I need to say that I've been responding not to harass you but because I find this topic (and how we dress) fascinating. I love looking at both sides (or many sides) of the issue.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

and He delights in whatever style its in as long as honoring Him

Your repeating your own ideas does not establish anything. If you can back up what you say is true with actual Scripture that says what you say is true . . .

 

[JonC]

Your repeating your own ideas does not establish anything. If you can back up what you say is true with actual Scripture that says what you say is true . . .

It was kinda a null statement.

But @JesusFan has a good point. The passage would be John 4:24. We should worship in Spirit and truth.

At one time hymns were considered too common. Today we could not imagine Christians condemning others for singing "How Great Thou Art". But cultures have changed and a style has, with some, become "sacred".

Same with singing without instruments. First, Christians used instruments. Then they didn't (this was a US thing, and necessity). Then they did.

But the criteria would be worshipping in spirit and truth.

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

It was kinda a null statement.

But @JesusFan has a good point. The passage would be John 24:24. We should worship in Spirit and truth.

At one time hymns were considered too common. Today we could not imagine Christians condemning others for singing "How Great Thou Art". But cultures have changed and a style has, with some, become "sacred".

Same with singing without instruments. First, Christians used instruments. Then they didn't (this was a US thing, and necessity). Then they did.

But the criteria would be worshipping in spirit and truth.

No, John 4:24 does not establish anything about God's accepting worship in all styles whatever that people choose to use. Merely claiming that all of their worship is in spirit and in truth does not make it so.

 

[JonC]

No, John 4:24 does not establish anything about God's accepting worship in all styles whatever that people choose to use. Merely claiming that all of their worship is in spirit and in truth does not make it so.

It makes what @JesusFan posted true. It is not a style of worship that God requires but that we worship in spirit and truth. It establishes everything.

Should we abandon Western music like traditional hymns because it is not the style of music that would have been used in Scripture? No. But we should not be deceived into thinking it is the only style approved by God.

Rock of Ages

The Def Leppard song?

 

[Salty]

I love Rock & Roll
Rock of Ages &
When the Roll is called up yonder!

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

It makes what @JesusFan posted true. It is not a style of worship that God requires but that we worship in spirit and truth. It establishes everything.

Should we abandon Western music like traditional hymns because it is not the style of music that would have been used in Scripture? No. But we should not be deceived into thinking it is the only style approved by God.

No, John 4:24 does not in any way establish that people can worship God in spirit and truth using every style of music. If you believe that is true, you have to prove that from Scripture. Merely asserting it to be true does not make it true.

I did not say anything about there only being one style approved of God. Holding that there is more than one style does not require believing that God can be worshiped in truth using all styles of music.

 

[JonC]

No, John 4:24 does not in any way establish that people can worship God in spirit and truth using every style of music. If you believe that is true, you have to prove that from Scripture. Merely asserting it to be true does not make it true.

I did not say anything about there only being one style approved of God. Holding that there is more than one style does not require believing that God can be worshiped in truth using all styles of music.

I never said that it did. The music has to be a form that they can use as a personal expression of worship. It is cultural. Most today would have trouble worshipping with the instruments and styles used in the 1st Century. And they would have had trouble using our traditional hymns.

When we worship God our worship is a oersonal expression of worship.

But let's look at your understanding.

What styles of worship music do you believe God disapproved of and what passage supports that conclusion?

 

[Scripture More Accurately]

I never said that it did. The music has to be a form that they can use as a personal expression of worship. It is cultural. Most today would have trouble worshipping with the instruments and styles used in the 1st Century. And they would have had trouble using our traditional hymns.

When we worship God our worship is a oersonal expression of worship.

But let's look at your understanding.

What styles of worship music do you believe God disapproved of and what passage supports that conclusion?

No, the music that is used for corporate worship does not have to be "a form that they can use as a personal expression of worship." It has to be something that pleases God and He accepts.

Saying, "It is cultural," is mere assertion. You have to show that is true from Scripture.

Whether someone "has trouble" doing something is irrelevant if God has commanded it or required it.

Saying, "When we worship God our worship is a [p]ersonal expression of worship," sounds a lot like every man is to do what is right in his own eyes. The Bible shows that is a wrong approach to pleasing God and doing His will.

 

[David Lamb]

No, the music that is used for corporate worship does not have to be "a form that they can use as a personal expression of worship." It has to be something that pleases God and He accepts.

Saying, "It is cultural," is mere assertion. You have to show that is true from Scripture.

Whether someone "has trouble" doing something is irrelevant if God has commanded it or required it.

Saying, "When we worship God our worship is a [p]ersonal expression of worship," sounds a lot like every man is to do what is right in his own eyes. The Bible shows that is a wrong approach to pleasing God and doing His will.

I would say that a key verse in the matter of worship is this one:

Joh 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

As far as I am aware, the New Testament doesn't say anything about musical styles to be used in worship, which musical instruments are acceptable to accomany the singing, and similar things.

 

[John of Japan]

I would say that a key verse in the matter of worship is this one:

Joh 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

As far as I am aware, the New Testament doesn't say anything about musical styles to be used in worship, which musical instruments are acceptable to accomany the singing, and similar things.

This is true about the NT, but we do have hints in the OT. When you look at the lists of instruments used to praise God in the temple orchestra, there is no drum, though the Egyptians had drums. (Caveat: there were, however, percussion instruments.) Again, in Psalm 150 we are given a list of acceptable instruments with which to praise God (not including drums).

 

[David Lamb]

This is true about the NT, but we do have hints in the OT. When you look at the lists of instruments used to praise God in the temple orchestra, there is no drum, though the Egyptians had drums. (Caveat: there were, however, percussion instruments.) Again, in Psalm 150 we are given a list of acceptable instruments with which to praise God (not including drums).

True, but I wonder how far you would take that? Psalm 150 includes these words:

“3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! 4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! 5 Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!” (Ps 150:3-5 NKJV)

We certainly don't read of any New Testament churches using lutes, harps, timbrels (a tambourine-like drum), or clashing cymbals.