Sunday, June 12, 2016

Music 21 - Contemporary Music’s Kingdom Problem

Colossians 1.12-13 never mentions music, let alone church music, but it establishes a principle that dramatically impacts church music all the same.

Figures_God_took_EnochI am saved. And I should be grateful to the Lord that I am saved for I certainly did not and still do not deserve saving. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1.12) Further, this salvation not only allows me to partake of eternity's glory it also delivers me from the devil's power. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness. (Colossians 1.13) I am no longer under his curse or in his power; I am free. And here is the reason why: and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. (Colossians 1.13) Salvation ripped me out of the world and enmeshed me into the kingdom of God. Translated in the original language literally means "to move something from one place or sphere to another." As Enoch and Elijah of old, I have been removed from one kingdom – the power of darkness – and placed into another – the kingdom of his dear son. As such, God's people now owe their allegiance to and pledge their fealty to the God of Heaven. One kingdom, and one kingdom only demands their love and loyalty, their affection and devotion – Christ's kingdom.

Will someone please explain to me then why contemporary Christianity for the large part stridently insists on keeping one foot in the world?

The elder apostle said it this way toward the end of his life, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I John 2.15) I do not have space within the constructs of one blog post to lay out for you a treatise on what the Bible teaches about worldliness. For the moment, suffice it to say that Scripture teaches that the world is a bad thing, and that Christians are to avoid it. In this context the problem inherent in contemporary Christian music's roots and institutional makeup is a desire to chase the world, to be as much like the secular music world as possible.

For example, consider the following, which are are actual reviews of CCM concerts found in the pages of websites and magazines:

The pulsating techno music builds to a deafening crescendo as space-age-sounding zaps punctuate the heavy bass and drum beat. Red and green laser lights etch twisting torsos against blackened walls as coloured glow sticks slice through manufactured fog. Two hundred teens, ages 14-18, have come to dance to cutting-edge house, trance, and jungle music, while light patterns of 'gobos' and 'moonflowers' wash the room in a bright array of colour.


The crowd was stoked and ready to rock as the music started to play and the audience could still only see the silhouettes of the band members behind a pale illuminated curtain. Stuart worked the fans into a frenzy when he left the stage.

Smells-like-teen-spirit-music-30875387-480-530
At the first chords, the crowd began pogo-jumping in unison to the crisp guitar, driving rhythm and sweet harmonies. A funky, retro spiral light projector swirled behind the band, accentuating the hipness already fighting the fog machine for control of the room's atmosphere. Owen dedicated the next song 'to the ladies.' The laid-back southern groove brought the crowd back to a head-bobbing frenzy.

Offering the best that 'crunk' rock has to offer, the five-piece masters of fun moved the crowd with their intriguing show, leaving quite an impression. The lead vocalist encouraged the crowd to make some noise as they performed a personalized cover of Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit.'
 

I realize these are reviews of concerts and not church services, but the fact is that as music such as this is promoted and embraced by the wider American Christian world it begins to bleed over into the actual church services themselves. Rick Warren on the platform of his church during a service, in a jocular mood one day, broke into Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" and was immediately backed up by the house band. Hillsong New York recently sent Times Square's The Naked Cowboy out to warm up the crowd for a recent women's meeting. There is a comfort, a union between CCM and the world. Like old friends they are at ease together. For most of contemporary Christianity there is now very little barrier between what is the predominant culture in the world and what the church likes and acts like.

This is driven by CCM's embrace of worldly musical styles, and aggravated by contemporary Christianity's fascination with aping modern movies and television shows for sermon material. The world's entertainment has now become a prime mover in the contemporary American church.
 
world
 
For a moment, let me address myself to those who read this blog who regularly attend such churches and find nothing wrong with this approach. I want you to ask yourself a question and then answer it honestly. When is the last time you heard a sermon against worldliness? No, rolling your eyes at me does not release you from answering the question, and the fact you rolled your eyes at me proves my point. You have not heard a sermon urging God’s people to beware of and avoid the world since you walked away from the independent Baptist church you grew up in, have you? You left all that "baggage" behind when you found the "grace and liberty" of the contemporary movement. Right. Contemporary Christianity cannot preach against worldliness for the entire culture on which it is built embraces it.

This puts God's people in such churches in both an awkward and a dangerous place. It is awkward because these two kingdoms are diametrically opposed to each other. Like the trick cowboy rider standing on the saddles of two different horses such Christians endure nothing but difficulty. It is dangerous because at some point those horses are going to pull away from each other and the rider while choosing one or the other will probably fall.

Contemporary Christian music drives its churches to embrace the very world from which Christ's salvation translated it away. And that, beloved, is a tragedy.














31 comments:

  1. You have no context for what you are saying. You just using a few of the slip ups of people to say it is wrong. What about Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches that use older Contemporary Christian Songs such as In Christ Alone, Shout To The Lord, and God of Wonders to name a few. Are they considered worldly? I think not. Its about the mindset of the church. A church can use modern Christian music and be Godly. Just ask people from long ago, they used new music of their time.

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    1. Before you say I have no context for what I am saying you might want to go back and read some of the 33,000 words I've already written about music in this blog series. I've never asserted that churches should not use modern music. The problem with using music is not that it is new; the problem is with how it is used.

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    2. Exactly. How it is used is key. And I didn't really mean you had no context.

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  2. You have brought reasons about some of the problems with it. However none that suggest what is actually wrong with it. It is after all Christian Music and has no ungodly lyrics. I'm interested in hearing why you wrote this article in the first place.

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    1. I do not agree with the position that says music is only good/bad based on the lyrics. I make the case for my position in the early blog posts of this series.

      I wrote this specific post b/c I am attempting to address music comprehensively and biblically, and that includes why and how churches use music.

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    2. What about a Christian who listens to Christian Rap? Would you tell him what he is listening to is wrong if he is growing in the Lord from listening to it instead of worldly music.

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    3. Yes, I would tell him he is wrong. God used an ass to speak to Balaam but that doesn't mean we should go around listening to asses bray hoping to hear from God.

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    4. Your Crazy! If he is strengthening his relationship with God I don't think you would tell him that.

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    5. If all I've ever read is the NIV I just might grow in the Lord. But that doesn't mean I should hold on to it vs a KJV once I learn its flaws.

      God is gracious to all of us in drawing us to Himself. But part of growth is growing purer, righter if you will.

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    6. I get what your saying and all but if someone is genuinely furthering their relationship with God then how could it not be ok

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    7. I want to take issue with the assumption that the person is growing in the Lord because of that music. Just because the person appears to be growing in the Lord and also happens to be enjoying worldly music does not mean the latter is the cause of the former.

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  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdxSC1tHJn0
    What's wrong with this song?

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    1. If I divorce it from the singer and the accompaniment, nothing.

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    2. What is wrong with the singer?
      And what's the matter with the accompaniment? Drums and Guitars are no different whatsoever than piano or the flute. God himself says in the bible to use drums.

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    3. "Drums and guitars are no different whatsoever than piano or the flute" says the man who apparently hasn't read much of my other posts about music.

      I do not mind a discussion or even a disagreement. It would help, though, if you would actually read what I have already written first. I don't feel like re-writing it all this afternoon.

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    4. I have read your other articles and what you say about other instruments. Why would you not use guitars and drums in your church

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    5. I do use a guitar. And I would use a drum if I had an orchestra. The issue isn't the instrument. The issue is how it is used.

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  4. Agree with you completely on this. I preached a message last night from Psalm 1, one point of which was that the blessed man "walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly." We can't as believers feed the flesh and the Spirit at the same time. Much of contemporary Christian music absolutely feeds the flesh. If a person does not feel the Spirit convicting them of this when they are consuming the music, there is a larger eternal problem, I think. I speak from experience, having wrestled with secular music for many years after being saved. I would feed the Spirit at a church (without CCM) and then feed the flesh with secular music afterward. This doesn't work for the genuine believer.

    If we feed our flesh with either secular or most CCM music, we are, in effect, "walking in the counsel of the ungodly," as the music -- sounds and lyrics together, you can't divorce one from the other -- is by its nature ungodly if it feeds the flesh.

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  5. Hello!
    I have read all your articles and based on what I have read I believe that the reason you are against CCM is because of other churches in your area. Many of them use it and attract big crowds. In a way you are sorta jealous...

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    1. Hello back.

      One of my guiding principles in discussions such as these is not to assume a nefarious motive. I cannot read another man's heart. I can read his actions and his words but not his heart. Thus it is that I generally try to ascribe to my Christian brethren with whom I disagree sincerity. I assume their desires are to please the Lord, toa reach people for Him, to advance the kingdom of Christ, etc. It keeps my arguments/reasoning on the right plane.

      I assume that about you as well for I have no evidence of anything to the contrary. It would be nice if you would return the favor.

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    2. At our church we do two hymns with piano either from hymn book or on projector. We then do anoucnements/welcome. We then do two new songs/ choruses or melodies through projector and sound system Songs such as Amazing Grace(My Chains Are Gone), In Christ Alone, How Great Is Our God, All In All to name a few. We don't have no flashing or dimmed lights. Or people wearing crazy outfits like you see at some churches. Yet you could consider our church contemporary. What do you think about our church?

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    3. It probably isn't fair to make a judgment call on your church with just your one paragraph description. However, using that one paragraph, I would say your church is conservative evangelical. I would view your church as sincere brethren in Christ. At the same time honesty compels me to say that I think your trend/direction is unhealthy. You are trying to have a blended service, and in my view that is dangerous b/c it doesn't end well. It doesn't draw clear lines of demarcation, especially for the younger people. Over time the young people (who have not been taught the dangers of CCM) will take over the church as is normal. The church will cease to be blended and will simply become contemporary. And contemporary by definition is synonymous with trendy. And when you get that far you've lost it all.

      You aren't that far by any means, but the road you are on is headed that direction.

      Again, that is probably not fair b/c I don't have very much to go on.

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    4. The older folks don't mind the newer stuff. Same as the younger ones don't mind hymns. Everyone is in unison.

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    5. And the best part about it all is we don't have engineered worship. No fog, neon lights, or any of that junk. Just simple and truly biblical worship in the house of God.

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  6. Straight From The Bible

    Psalm 150King James Version (KJV)

    150 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

    2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

    3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

    4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

    5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

    6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

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  7. Why when someone shows you a new song you say you would sing it with a different accompaniment?

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    1. Because I do not think accompaniment with a noticeable beat is appropriate. Yes, I realize all music has rhythm. But I've studied the effect of a beat-heavy rhythmically oriented music too much to be comfortable with it at all.

      IOW, I think the accompaniment should flow (in every verse and every chorus) instead of rock.

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  8. Much of the misunderstanding from this discussion lies in the different philosophies underlying issues such as modesty, civility, virtue, and prudence about music and dress. For 40 years I had aligned myself with contemporary church philosophy regarding the “disputable matters” and issues of Christian liberty.

    The contemporary churches teach that you need to satisfy God’s desires first when living out the Christian life. Once you have completed that task, you may then “live as you please.”

    But since I became a Baptist, I have a gained a deeper understanding of 1 Corinthians 10:23 as it relates to expediency and edification. Either that, or I’m just getting old.

    There is a good deal of confusion as it relates to the gray area of acceptable music and I think Pastor Brennan acknowledges the dangers of parsing rhythms and melodies into a legalistic code. That is the challenge for Baptists. The challenge for evangelicals is to acknowledge the dangers of undefined liberty in an age of unrestrained hedonism.


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  9. "Will someone please explain to me then why contemporary Christianity for the large part stridently insists on keeping one foot in the world?"

    Let's be real truthful here. Some of the worst kids (and staff members) I know hatched out of HB and FBC. Jack Schaap, a child molester, Tom Kimmel, a conman, Sergio Garcia, a real estate scam artist and may others kept and currently keep BOTH feet in the IFB world of Pharisees! How did that turn out for them? Most live an unsustainable performance based life. They cunningly display a phony outward appearance of holiness, but secretly are porn addicts, lusters, swingers, perverts, liars and so much more. It fools the brethren, but God sees right through that mask. The people I know in contemporary churches are pray warriors, worship and praise God, are faithful spouses and to be honest, transparent and sincere Christians. Way more than those I knew at HB and FBC. Sir, you need to recognize that you are cloaking yourself in a façade of a phony and prideful holiness that will lead to a hard fall one day. I beg of you to find a real relationship with Christ based on radical grace and forgiveness.

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    1. Though I disagree with much of your approach and/or conclusions I completely agree that I need to cultivate a genuine and humble holiness. Feel free to pray for me often. That would be the kindest courtesy you could do me.

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    2. "There is a comfort, a union between CCM and the world. Like old friends they are at ease together. For most of contemporary Christianity there is now very little barrier between what is the predominant culture in the world and what the church likes and acts like.

      This is driven by CCM's embrace of worldly musical styles, and aggravated by contemporary Christianity's fascination with aping modern movies and television shows for sermon material. The world's entertainment has now become a prime mover in the contemporary American church."

      I HEAR you Pastor Brennan, "...Whosoever therefore will be a friend of this world is the enemy of God."
      Amen.
      vashti

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