I've been wondering what kind of music God likes? Or, more importantly, are there some kinds He doesn't like? I know there are "words" we should not ever use, but does God enjoy Rock and Roll, Blues, Bluegrass, Country-Western, Reggae, Salsa, and the like?
Do the angels ever sing the old Beatles stuff? Does the Heavenly orchestra play Classical only, or do they throw in some pop stuff along the way? Are there only hymns (mostly written in the 16th thru the 18th century) in Heaven?
My preacher won't give me an answer. I'm sure it's because he doesn't know. All I know is that if it is good enough for Heaven, it's good enough for Sunday morning!
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Since God listens to the heart, it seems it wouldn't to matter to Him what genre the music is, but what condition the heart is in from which the music comes. His Word says "Make a joyful 'noise'" and I would suppose that depends on the music maker! I wish I were more like God and could enjoy the modern sounds, but they seem raucous to me.
MaidNTexas
Anon -
Thanks for your thought! Since all those genres of music I mentioned are "of the world" and His Word says, "come out from among them (meaning, the world), an be separate," does that shed any light on how we should handles our Worship music? Just wondering?
A few years ago, some of the music that we now use joyfully in our services would have been considered "of the world" simply because it was a new style. I recently visited a large sister church in the metroplex and was appalled at how the people were manipulated by the music director into an emotional state and it was our traditional worship music! Worship is a matter of the heart...not the type of music or the "using" of music. So if our young people (who are the future of the church) can truly worship God with their new type of music,
(and Christians CAN descern if God's Spirit is in it) then how can we deny them? Remember, too, David DANCED before the Lord in praise! God forbid we do that! lol
MaidNTexas
Anon -
". . .truly worship God," you said. That is the key is it not? I guess one wonders how we know when people are truly worshipping God. Have you ever thought that the music might follow Worship (I mean after) and just be a celebration of joy rather than a prelude to something?
On the idea of "truly worshiping God," it would be best to point out that the worship happens when the truth conveyed in the music provokes a heart-felt response to God (whether vocalized, specifically thought-out or perhaps even, simply felt), and not just an emotional resonse to the rhythm of the music.
To answer C.W.'s initial question, I believe God does "llove" and have a place for current popular forms of music, but I also think that there is much of each form that would be inappropriate in the context of corporate worship. God calls people to be artists, and does not always call artists to be "Christian artists" where they wear their faith on their sleeve or see themselves as "musicianaries."
Case in point, Alice Cooper. . .
John C. -
Am I to understand that you believe Alice Cooper is called by God to be an "artist," just not a Christian artist? That sounds like what you said, so I want to be sure.
Does all music have the capacity to evoke a response to God?
Thanks for your thoughts!!
Christian West,
This is a sticky topic, in part because Scripture is relatively silent on the issue of genre's of music. Are some totally off-limits?
Well, consider that there are no truly Christian genres. Christians have been borrowing music used by the world, since Luther and the bar songs he transformed into worship music. Actually earlier. David used instruments current in his day. Are we to assume he invented a totally new genre of music? Probably not. (Okay he may have invented some instruments, come to think of it, but my point stands, I think).
I've thought and debated about the issue before, and you are welcome to read in.
This post concerns an uproar over a Christian Hip Hopper being allowed to sing at my church (John Piper's church). My post on it, reported on the issue, and then in the comments I had an all out debate on the issue. It's quite informative but lengthy (I had a stubborn opponent!!).
Here is a more recent post: Music, Morality, and the Bible.
Thanks for your question. I'll be adding your blog to my RSS Reader, and checking on it from time to time.
Blessings in Christ,
Bob Hayton
(a blogging pal of John's)
Oh I forgot, my new music page lists all my posts on the music issue in one helpful place.
Welcome Bob H. -
I appreciate your reminder that a lot of early Church music came out of other venues.
I guess I feel the same way about a "Christian Hip Hopper" that I do about a name like "Native-American." Americans are Americans. Whether you or your ancestors came from this country or another, if this is your country, by birth or adoption, you are an American. If we have to tell folks something is "Christian" because it reminds us so much of that which isn't, it seems a problem to me.
To clarify my point about Alice Cooper.I bring him up, not because I listen to his music, but because he's a startling example of an artist who has been saved by God's grace. In keeping with 1 Cor. 7, Alice has remained in the condition in which he was called. He's still one of the "bad guys" of rock music.
Since his conversion, he has consciously attempted not be associated with "Christian music" even though he's a Christian musician. He says of himself he's not a preacher or evangelist, he's an artist, and whatever it is he does is his art and now that he's a believer, his horror-oriented music and performance portray evil as evil and good as good.
He once said that if there's a message to his music, it is that the devil is real and he is out to get you and that's a bad thing. In other words, he's trying to reflect reality a little more accurately, even if it does remain on the dark side of art, and it's definitely not for everyone.
The theology behind my point is that when we apply the priesthood of the believer to one's "secular" vocations, they are no longer secular, but sacred. So, in a guy like Alice's case, the music he makes is his "sacred calling," if you can read that with a straight face :)
Same goes for all those believers who are not called to vocational gospel ministry, but are called to tasks that glorify God and serve others in other ways. These are the sacred callings of believer-priests. Naturally, they ought to be able to find something they can do to forward the ministry of the church to which they belong as well. But I don't believe the only things God calls us to are church ministry related.
If the believer-priest is called to a certain secular vocation, then that work is his ministry by which he is to glorify God by doing it well and charging a fair price for it. Therefore my answer to your first question of whether God likes current forms of popular music, I say, yes, inasmuch as they constitute the work to which he has called some of his musically-inclined children. And that goes for children of his like Brother Alice.
Did you know he was converted by the means of R. C. Sproul's materials given to him by a believing relative? Today, Alice and R. C. play golf together. Or perhaps used to.
John,
I don't know Alice Cooper except by reputation. I would not recognize one of his musicial compositions if I heard it.
What I do know is that your commentary does not make sense to me. Now don't take offense. I mean only to say that I know (and believe)what the Bible says, and if I may quote it here:
"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Behold, old things have passed away and all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
If the saving grace of God has not changed the production of Alice Cooper's heart (demonstrated in his music, I would assume), then there is a question about the reality of such grace.
As for vocations . . . some are Church related, most are not. But every vocation for a believer is a sacred task of ministering the Truth through every means possible. Only those who are "lost" have no "sacred calling."
And, (tongue-in-cheek) playing golf with R. C. won't change your heart one iota. It might, however, provide some excellent mentoring for a changed heart.
I know my writing was rather rambling and unclear, however, what I'm trying to describe is what was the philosophical foundation of the Protestant Work Ethic. After a millennium of thinking only the ministers were God's priesthood, and only their calling was special to God, the doctrine of the priesthood of the believer revolutionized the world, giving a sense of meaning to lay Christians and motivating to work with their hands at whatever they find to do for the glory of God. This is the case in my provocative and somewhat frightening test case of Alice Cooper.
What I tried to communicate was that in fact God's grace has brought about a change in the music he makes. He tries to make evil look evil and good look good instead of glorifying and glamorizing evil. This is the result of his renewed understanding of reality from a biblical worldview. The point I was trying to make was that his calling, as mine and the plumbers and the pool guy's calling are all sacred. Ones such as his are a little more difficult to satisfy all onlookers, but we must grant the other Christian responding to the call to be accountable to his own Master, before whom he will stand and fall, rather than insist that his "transformation" matches our own limited expectations.
Of course, your point is well taken about golfing with R. C.
John,
Oh. Now it makes sense - I think, maybe, but I'll withhold evaluation of Alice for a while if you don't mind.
Certainly. In determining a credible profession of faith, time for observation is a must.
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