Why is my pastor so picky about our music?

[Doug Stevens]

Look I know we need to praise God in our music. However, I am so tired over the squabbling that goes on about it! I enjoy the Praise songs. However, our pastor says we can only use the old hymnals that preach a message. In otherwords, we can't sing without words that preach some message. Our pastor says just praising God is too mindless and doesn't provide a sufficient message. He says it is too simplistic and thus bad as a song. Also, if there is a repeating rythm then we are all being possessed by the rythm. I sure wish we could enjoy our music for a change.

 

[Molly]

Music is something we should be picky about. Your pastor sounds like he may have some wisdom on the subject. I would listen to him.

 

[Grasshopper]

Your pastor sounds like someone stuck in the 19th century totally void of wisdom. Music doesn't have to be a sermon. Tell me what is wrong with songs such as: "Shout to the Lord" "Awesome in this Place" or "High and Lifted Up". Tell him there have been some great songs written since Fannie Crosby died.

 

[Sherrie]

Praise songs are just that...Praise songs! If you like the words and sing it to the Lord then it is Praise. I never heard of so much babble before about it. I myself don't understand the squabble. David played all kinds of instruments...and made up songs to God. He sang with rythme and beats. Hey he even danced the Ark home.

I don't think God has any objections to man singing Him songs with rythme or a beat. Its what you feel inside. Its just another man-made rule.

The only thing I can figure is maybe its just a bunch of bitter people. How can you limit worship even in singing. Now I am sure that will cause a fight. I won't go to any church like that.

I teach my kids to sing! Sing praises with gladness to the Lord. They make up songs to sing. I am not telling them any different.

 

[Molly]

Like I said on another topic,new songs are okay,as long as they are biblical. But,there is nothing wrong about being picky in the area of music. We need good men being discerning about such matters.

Praising God is an absolute necessary part of being a believer. We sing praise songs together. I think that is great. We say thank you to God,which is praise.We can do that all day long. There is nothing wrong with some praise choruses. But,not at the point of discarding all hymns or old songs. These songs have great value and inspiration to a culture that needs to know about their christian heritage. It links us to them. They(hymns) have stood the test of time. I defintely do not want to be without them in my corporate worship time. For corporate worship,we need wisdom and discernment,not everything labeled christian or godly is christian or godly.

 

[Aaron]

Doug Stevens asked, Why is my pastor so picky about our music?

Hi, Doug, welcome to the music forum. It looks like you answered your own question in your first post.

 

[SaggyWoman]

I think pastors have the right to be picky about what goes on in the church that God has given them to shepherd.

Songs should be doctrinally sound.

But that doesn't omit varied styles of songs.

 

[Bible-belted]

Originally posted by Doug Stevens:
Look I know we need to praise God in our music. However, I am so tired over the squabbling that goes on about it! I enjoy the Praise songs. However, our pastor says we can only use the old hymnals that preach a message. In otherwords, we can't sing without words that preach some message. Our pastor says just praising God is too mindless and doesn't provide a sufficient message. He says it is too simplistic and thus bad as a song. Also, if there is a repeating rythm then we are all being possessed by the rythm. I sure wish we could enjoy our music for a change.

There is no doubt that a good many praise songs are theologically shallow. There are many that are more pithy than profound, more trite than true. A certain amount of theolgical depth is a god thing in music, as it like all parts of the service, should serve to communicate God and His Truth to the people. On the other hand, that doesn't mean that every tune has to be a theological treatise.

No form of music can claim to be totally immune from the charge of theological shallowness either. There are hymns whih are arguably just as trite, just as "me" focussed.

Nor is modern music bereft of theological depth. "This Kingdom" for example has a line: "Jesus, God's righteousness revealed" which is a magnificently compact but dense theological statement.

As for mindless repetition, you should go to the hymnal and check some fo thoe hyms with 6 verses...

Posessed by the rythm??? All jusic has a rhythm. It's called tempo, and you can't write music without it. That coment I think is a bit over the top.

 

[onevoice]

I'm with Saggy on this one

------------------------------------------------
Quote:
I think pastors have the right to be picky about what goes on in the church that God has given them to shepherd.

Songs should be doctrinally sound.

But that doesn't omit varied styles of songs.
-------------------------------------------------

As an Independant Baptist I used to be very picky about style of music as well until God opened my eyes through a phone conversation with Kenneth Osbeck (writer of 101 Hymn Stories). He told me something that changed my life (Thank God!!)

What did he say to me that changed me so? A simple Bible verse.
-----------------------------------------------
Colossians 3:16 (NKJV)
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
------------------------------------------------

I realized that God did endorse other STYLES of music. Since that time I have learned that some contemporary Christian Music has better messages than the old hyms.

HOWEVER, you must respect your pastor.

 

[Baptist Believer]

Originally posted by Latreia:
There is no doubt that a good many praise songs are theologically shallow. There are many that are more pithy than profound, more trite than true.

Nit pick time.

[Mr. Language Person steps forward:]

A definition of the word "pithy".

pith·y - adj. pith·i·er, pith·i·est
1. Precisely meaningful; forceful and brief: a pithy comment.
2. Consisting of or resembling pith.

In popular use, this word is often used to say the opposite of what it means and subsequently, people pick it up and use it incorrectly because they've heard it from others that way.

A former coworker of mine, a seminary student, started a campaign to get a professor at Southwestern Seminary fired because the professor described the teachings of Jesus in the gospels as "pithy teachings that demanded a response from the hearers".

Fortunately I was able to head off the controversy by introducing this student to the proper meaning of the word.

Unfortunately, the word *sounds* like it might mean the opposite of what it actually means, so people who use the word correctly can get themselves in a lot of trouble without even knowing it -- kind of like the word "niggardly".

[Mr. Language Person leaves the soap box]

 

[HeisLord]

Music is very powerful, and for that reason alone a music ministry must be closely guarded. We have variety in our music, but absolutely none of it sounds like secular music. Meaning, no 'Christian' rock, rap, etc.

We are to be different from this world, and many churches allow contemporary music in order to get more young people in. However, if we just lure people in with music, how little will someone else have to do to lure them right back out.

Music can have variety, but if we are using it for praise, it should represent the holiness of God.

 

[LadyEagle]

What is wrong with a mixture of the old solid hymns of the faith and some He is Lord, Majesty, and other praise & worship songs?

The psalmist says we are to Praise the Lord! Even with the tamborine!

The Bible says "God inhabits the praise of His people!"

There's even a Praise Sacrifice!

And technically, isn't the "Hallelujah Chorus" a praise song, too? (I want it played at my funeral if I'm not "caught up" before then!)

 

[HeisLord]

NO doubt, it is a form of praise. And there is a praise sacrifice, that is why I believe music should reflect the holiness of God. Why should we give Him any less?

He is Lord, Majesty, we've done those in our choir, and they sounded really good. I think the real problem is how secular sounding music is replacing traditional godly music. Let's face it, Fanny Crosby knew something of the goodness and grace of God that most songwriters don't know. And if the words are good, usually the music sounds like something in a bar.

 

[ChristianCynic]

Originally posted by SheEagle911:
What is wrong with a mixture of the old solid hymns of the faith and some He is Lord, Majesty, and other praise & worship songs?

The psalmist says we are to Praise the Lord! Even with the tamborine!

The Bible says "God inhabits the praise of His people!"

There's even a Praise Sacrifice! ...

There is nothing at all wrong with praise via music and singing. There are goofs out there who try to prohibit the sacrifice of praise {Hebrews 13:15}. He would hear plenty from me if I were involved with that church.

[Personal insult deleted. Aaron. ]

[ August 25, 2002, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: Aaron ]

 

[SaggyWoman]

Just because it is old doesn't make it godly. I know some pretty old ungodly people.

Just because it is new doesn't make it ungodly.

 

[latterrain77]

All music - traditional, old fashioned, Rock, Rap - even grunting, is glorious when performed with an honest heart.

If a man gets up in church and sings the fantastic song “Amazing Grace,” and is more concerned about hitting the notes than he is about the song’s meaning – then he is a phony hypocrite. He is praising only his own belly!

If a young kid gets up in the church, and starts to RAP about Jesus – and means it from his heart, then I say that kid is PRAISING the LORD in the BEST way imaginable. Why would any “pastor” want to shut this kid down?

I once attended a service with a group of HIGHLY professional singers who did a spectacular performance of music. Problem is, they were full of themselves and arrogant. Later, a dear woman stepped up to the microphone and sang in a soft, sweet, out of pitch, warbly voice that I found to be FILLED with love and joy. She was embarrased to sing, which I found INCREDIBLY beautiful too. I was FAR more moved by her performance than I was of the arrogant "professionals" flown in to do their deed.

Point is - it does not matter the musical performance or the sounds flowing from the voice box. It matters ONLY what is flowing from the HEART.

latterrain77

 

[onevoice]

Originally posted by SaggyWoman:
Just because it is old doesn't make it godly. I know some pretty old ungodly people.

Just because it is new doesn't make it ungodly.

Once again Saggy. . .tell it like it is!!

 

[Grasshopper]

Music is very powerful, and for that reason alone a music ministry must be closely guarded. We have variety in our music, but absolutely none of it sounds like secular music

Ever hear of Southern Gospel? A lot of IBF types use this style exclusively. Sounds a lot like country music to me.

 

[Molly]

Yes,SaggyWoman,you are rightand I appreciate your comment. It proves my point that it goes both ways.....something old is not always bad and something new is not always good or better....some traditions are good and the people pushing a more contemporary sound are not usually interested in doctrine or lyrics,they like the "newness" of it. People need to guard the church to not follow every fashion and whim of men.

There are some hymns that are not doctriannly sound,so don't sing those....but if there is a contemporary song that is also missing truth and depth,it doesn't seem to matter to some. I say go with what is the most biblical,most godly,most holy,and think twice about the rest.

 

[Aaron]

Hello, Latreia. Isn't this your first post in the Music Forum? Welcome.