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Worship Wars?

A

Armchair Apologist

Active Member
I haven't been here too long so forgive me if this topic hasn't been beat into the ground yet. Perhaps this would be a good diversion from debating Calvinism and PSA? I think we could use a good break here and find a topic upon which we could really pick a fight?

What about worship (music) styles employed in your church? What would be considered acceptable or unacceptable? Are drums of the devil? Could I do some "slappy da bass" without having my salvation questioned? What if I was to turn up the gain on my Ibanez Tube Screamer and do a blistering solo on my Fender Stratocaster? Would you call me an "unregenerate devil" for bringing the Devil's music into the Lord's house? Please don't do it, I don't want to see you get banned or anything!

What would be acceptable and where would you draw the line? If somebody drew a line at what is and what is not acceptable, would you call them a legalist?

Is it ever acceptable to use anything other than a piano, organ, and hymnals for congregational singing? How old does a Gaither song have to be before we stop calling it "Contemporary Christian Music?" Should we stick to hymns that are 200 years old or older? Should we sing only from the Psalter? Should we just ban all instruments and sing "Acapulco?"

Should we refrain from any clapping, foot tapping, finger snapping, or "sliding" our notes? No swaying either! We are Baptists here after all! Dancing is of the devil!

Let the fight begin!
 
Ascetic X

Ascetic X

Well-Known Member
Armchair Apologist said:
I haven't been here too long so forgive me if this topic hasn't been beat into the ground yet. Perhaps this would be a good diversion from debating Calvinism and PSA? I think we could use a good break here and find a topic upon which we could really pick a fight?

What about worship (music) styles employed in your church?

Let the fight begin!
Click to expand...
Not much fighting will likely happen in this thread.

Certain quarrelsome individuals have already posted on drums as demonic, praise choruses as okay and not hypnotic, musical instruments as forbidden by the New Testament, hymns as boring, and rock worship music as evil.

It’s a real shame that worship now is mis-defined as music.
 
M

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I will bite

Worship is not about turning down the lights and getting out your cigarette light and flicking your Bic.

Worship is about proclaiming the greatness, honor and glory of God back to God. This is done in prayer, singing, the reading of the Word, and the Sermon.

So it is God who is honored when He hears these words

In other words, we are declaring to God His faithfulness, great glory and eternal power.

That is worship
 
M

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Andcyes, youvare correct. There are many many many songs that are sung in worship that should not be sung there

Some are even downright heretical

Examples
Songs about American
Armed Forces Songs
Songs which dont specifically ascribe to God All Glory Laud and Honor (see what I did there)

Thats a start

And no, your “new song that you wrote doesnt matter”
 
M

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
And yes again, you are correct. The Gospel proper is the foundation for all worship that is acceptable to God.

God does not accept nor condone worship outside of the Gospel
 
Aaron

Aaron

Member
Site Supporter
Worship Wars? Those were lost a long time ago. Now every hippy with a guitar is considered spirit filled.

Frankly, I think the early church had the right idea. They didn't use any instruments at all. "What? Have ye not houses to jam in?"

But largely, the war was lost because of the lack of knowledge on the "traditional side." No one could really define music, so they couldn't identify key Scriptural passages with which to resist the musical tribalism and licenstiousness creeping in, and the Scriptures they did use they misunderstood.
 
Last edited:
David Lamb

David Lamb

Well-Known Member
Armchair Apologist said:
I haven't been here too long so forgive me if this topic hasn't been beat into the ground yet. Perhaps this would be a good diversion from debating Calvinism and PSA? I think we could use a good break here and find a topic upon which we could really pick a fight?

What about worship (music) styles employed in your church? What would be considered acceptable or unacceptable? Are drums of the devil? Could I do some "slappy da bass" without having my salvation questioned? What if I was to turn up the gain on my Ibanez Tube Screamer and do a blistering solo on my Fender Stratocaster? Would you call me an "unregenerate devil" for bringing the Devil's music into the Lord's house? Please don't do it, I don't want to see you get banned or anything!

What would be acceptable and where would you draw the line? If somebody drew a line at what is and what is not acceptable, would you call them a legalist?

Is it ever acceptable to use anything other than a piano, organ, and hymnals for congregational singing? How old does a Gaither song have to be before we stop calling it "Contemporary Christian Music?" Should we stick to hymns that are 200 years old or older? Should we sing only from the Psalter? Should we just ban all instruments and sing "Acapulco?"

Should we refrain from any clapping, foot tapping, finger snapping, or "sliding" our notes? No swaying either! We are Baptists here after all! Dancing is of the devil!

Let the fight begin!
Click to expand...
I don't think it's a matter of whether or not certain instruments are devilish, but why they are being played. If an instrument is being played to aid the congregation as it sings hymns, fine, but if any instrument is being played as part of a "performance" to be watched, listened too, clapped, etc. by the congregation, the that is not, in my view, worship.
 
M

Martin Marprelate

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
David Lamb said:
I don't think it's a matter of whether or not certain instruments are devilish, but why they are being played. If an instrument is being played to aid the congregation as it sings hymns, fine, but if any instrument is being played as part of a "performance" to be watched, listened too, clapped, etc. by the congregation, the that is not, in my view, worship.
Click to expand...
Exactly! Worship is towards God. It is not primarily for us, though no doubt God blesses us as we do it. Musical instruments are to keep us in time and pitch, not for anything else. We have two wonderful pianists at our church, but woe betide us if we come to church to hear them rather than to sing praises to God.
I preached one evening at a nearby church. There was no keyboard-player in the evenings, and we sang a cappella. It was great!
 
A

Armchair Apologist

Active Member
Ascetic X said:
It’s a real shame that worship now is mis-defined as music.
Click to expand...
I absolutely hear you here!

I hear people being referred to as a "Worship Pastor" and I cannot help myself sometimes saying "No, you are not! You are a Band Leader or perhaps a "Front Man" in a band!

I don't mind well-written and well performed "Contemporary Christian Music" but such should not be referred to as being "Worship" nor is it something that could be sung congregationally or even played in a Church. Doesn't mean I wouldn't want to go to a concert or listen to such tunes while driving across town in my car.;)
 
A

Armchair Apologist

Active Member
Marooncat79 said:
Examples
Songs about American
Armed Forces Songs
Songs which dont specifically ascribe to God All Glory Laud and Honor (see what I did there)
Click to expand...
Such as what you might sing for "God and Country" Sunday?

I would agree but does what we sing in church HAVE to be worship? What about "Special" music?

I am always telling people there are songs that say "Sing with me" and other songs that say "Listen to what I am saying" and we need to know the difference between the two. One is a congregational song and the other is a "Special." Neither are wrong, just need to be used in the appropriate context.
 
A

Armchair Apologist

Active Member
Aaron said:
Worship Wars? Those were lost a long time ago. Now every hippy with a guitar is considered spirit filled.

Frankly, I think the early church had the right idea. They didn't use any instruments at all. "What? Have ye not houses to jam in?"

But largely, the war was lost because of the lack of knowledge on the "traditional side." No one could really define music, so they couldn't identify key Scriptural passages with which to resist the musical tribalism and licenstiousness creeping in, and the Scriptures they did use they misunderstood.
Click to expand...
You raise several excellent points and I especially like your quip - "What? Have ye no houses to jam in?" I might just have to steal that!

I was in a church that had went "Contemporary" where the "Worship Leader" sat down the choir and orchestra and pretty much "Dismissed them!" I then helped other men disassemble the choir risers moving them along with their large organ into a storage area and all the time I thought "You really do not know what you are losing here and worse yet, you will never get it back! I didn't stick around too much longer after this.

But yes, church musicians should know the difference between "worship" and a "Blues Jam!"
 
M

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Armchair Apologist said:
You raise several excellent points and I especially like your quip - "What? Have ye no houses to jam in?" I might just have to steal that!

I was in a church that had went "Contemporary" where the "Worship Leader" sat down the choir and orchestra and pretty much "Dismissed them!" I then helped other men disassemble the choir risers moving them along with their large organ into a storage area and all the time I thought "You really do not know what you are losing here and worse yet, you will never get it back! I didn't stick around too much longer after this.

But yes, church musicians should know the difference between "worship" and a "Blues Jam!"
Click to expand...
Nothing infuriates me more than a church to capitulate to a snot nosed 20 something who has the title of “minister of music” or whatever

He knows nothing about worship unless he has studied diligently
 
M

Marooncat79

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Aaron said:
Worship Wars? Those were lost a long time ago. Now every hippy with a guitar is considered spirit filled.

Frankly, I think the early church had the right idea. They didn't use any instruments at all. "What? Have ye not houses to jam in?"

But largely, the war was lost because of the lack of knowledge on the "traditional side." No one could really define music, so they couldn't identify key Scriptural passages with which to resist the musical tribalism and licenstiousness creeping in, and the Scriptures they did use they misunderstood.
Click to expand...
You forgot snot nosed
 
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