Music in and our of church, should there be a difference?

There is a matter of soul liberty that is involved here. What I listen to in my home (some of the time) I would never dream of having in the church. Sometimes I listen to Bill Gaither, and sometimes I am forced to turn him right off again. The thing I dislike most is the praise given to man and not to God. They clap for the performer (so it seems) and not for glory given to God. That seems to be quite evident. Many of the older programs are very good. Some of the newer ones--I think it is Signature Sound--the guy dances all over the stage. What is that for and how does it glorify God? He is just bringing attention to himself. That is when I turn it off. That type of thing would never be tolerated in our church, or in most churches that I know of.

 

There is a decorum that is to be observed in the church that isn't necessary in the home.

That much is obvious.

However, are you asking if Christians have the liberty to engage in sensual forms of entertainment? The answer, of course, is never.

 

There's a whole lot of stuff I listen to in my 1992 Chevy Blazer (Christian music, Christian message) that I will never have in the church at 11:00 on Sunday morning. It's not that I believe that it's somehow evil, it just is not appropriate (IMO) for the Worship service. What would lead someone to worship in one setting doesn't always lead everyone to worship in every setting.

(...but I'm sill gonna listen to it in my truck - loud too!!)

 

Not all the music I listen to is worship music, so no, not all of it would be okay for a church service, since it has no role in one.

love,

Sopranette

 

Music is like anything else. There are things I wouldn't do in the church that I do outside of it (work out, shower, sleep, watch tv), and those things are not automatically wrong because they don't match up to what is done within the 4 walls of the church.

 

I would agree with that, Dale. Some of the music I hear in church today, I could probably go to any pop or country station on the radio and find something very similar sounding.

love,

Sopranette

 

In the car, I normally listed to a CCM station ( wayfm.com can listen online, too). At home, I have a lot of classic rock, 70's, 80's, and early 90's music on my computer and MP3 player.

At church, we sing hymns and some worship songs, a little easy CCM, but most is southern gospel. While the secular music wouldn't be appropriate for church, all the rest would be (even if some didn't like the style of it).

I don't listen to hymns and choral music at home... I'd be bald from ripping out my hair. I love most of the old hymns, but to listen to them exclusively... ::shudder:: I worship God with my whole being, including my spirit, and my spirit is alive and vibrant and not trapped in a 50+ year old song. Besides, I prefer an electric guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums to a piano and organ.

But, that's just me.

 

What if you were in chains in a Chinese prison bereft of electric guitars, basses, drums and keyboards?

Would your spirit still be alive and "vibrant"? (Whatever that means.)

 

Good point, Aaron.

Our church choir does almost exclusively new music, less than a decade old. The one thing that bothers me most about these songs are that they are written based on the author's own personal experiences. Very rarely do my experiences match up exactly to the songs. They're very self-oriented, lots of "I, me," etc.. They lack a perspective that includes the whole church and praises God as a group.

love,

Sopranette

 

I'm sitting here early on a Sunday morning, having turned on TVLand, and I just heard the Green Acres theme song. That might not be 'appropriate' for church later this morning.

 

Actually, yes it would. while I may not have the sound to listen to physically, I would have it within me and my soul.

Vibrant - pulsating with vigor and energy; vigorous; energetic; vital; exciting; stimulating; lively. Yep, that's it.

Many songs are written that way. Personally, I would not choose many of those for a service. However, many of these personal songs are quite powerful and give a very powerful testimony.

New songs are not the only ones that do this. "How Great Thou Art" is a personal favorite of mine, and even it uses "I" and "my".

The praise of God should be the focus of the service and our thoughts, not the style or choice of the songs.

 

Yeah, I forgot about that fruit of the Spirit: vibration.

 

The emergent preacher would use the Green Acres theme to preach a sermon comparing Oliver's love for God's creation ("Land spreading out far and wide/keep Manhatten just give me that countryside") with Lisa's materialism ("Darling, I love you/but give me Park Avenue").

The Fundamenalist preacher would use it to preach a sermon on the wife's submission to the husband by moving to the country with him against her own will.

 

I definitely listen to different music outside of church than I do in church.

Hymns for church, outside church anything goes, as long as it doesn't glorify sin or cause you to sin.

I listen to classic rock, folk, country, bluegrass, jazz, trop rock, and just about anything else. Heck, I'd even listen to "razzmatazz" if there were such a thing (how ya doin', Aaron?).

Those things aren't bad, they're just not appropriate for worship.

 

But how is owning and controlling land not a form of materialism? And should she go naked instead of wear material?

And the result would be having to eat hotcakes that could be used to patch holes in a roof? a celebrity pig the wife can 'understand' but not the husband? her going up in a balloon to drop rutabagas to advertise them?....

Some sermon that would be!

 

Yeah, I love you, too.

You let me worry about my fruit and you worry about yours, m'kay?

 

Sure thing. Who needs the Scriptures when ya got vibration? Far be it from me to stand in your way.