Truth and/or music
Greg Gilbert makes some helpfully unsubtle points regarding our tendency to be moved emotionally by the music to which we sing truth rather than the truth which we sing to music. There are, perhaps, some assumptions underlying the piece that would need to be considered, but – whether or not our background is unaccompanied psalms and/or hymns, simple accompaniment by organ or piano, or the band that has become de rigeur in modern evangelicalism, whether or not we sing older or newer tunes, or a combination of both – the challenge as to whether we have come to obsess over, rely upon and ultimately idolise our music is a good one.
With all the “music wars” that goes on in churches these days, I think singing a capella is the best solution, if we all claim that what carries clout in our worship are the words sung. I’m not saying that accompanied instruments to our worship singing is bad or unbiblical, but if it’s going to cause a church to fight over what and how instruments should be played along with our singing, then I’d vote for no instruments to keep the peace. After all the words of our singing is what really matters, right? It’s the words that should edify us….
Jade
Tuesday 20 October 2009 at 03:20