Quote:
Originally Posted by Esaias
Now, good music is good music. And good music is often subject to personal interpretation and preference. Pavarotti can make a grown man weep with the power of his presentation, Fateh Ali Khan (Sufi Muslim religious singer) has been known to literally drive audiences into beating their heads on the stage until they bled and knocked themselves unconscious. Some Byzantine chants will almost propel you into an out of body experience. Men have been driven to war frenzy to kill and die listening to the beating of drums and droning of bagpipes. Fifes and drums steeled the nerves of millions of men standing on line watching the cannonballs scream through the air into their ranks.
Music can be powerful. It can do almost everything drugs and religion can do. It can drive people to throw themselves on grenades to save their friends, it can drive a woman to marry a man, it can drive people into fornication, it can spearhead a revival of holiness, or it can drive people insane, literally. It can even make plants grow or wither.
But NONE of that is what determines the spirituality of worship, or determines what worship is acceptable to God. Music is music. Worship is worship. Music has a place in worship, but if you think "music" as soon as you hear the term "worship" then you do not have a Biblical, apostolic, CHRISTIAN understanding of worship.
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You had me nodding in agreement until your last paragraph.
My previous pastor often said many of the same things. However, his conclusion was different. His conclusion was that music predates mankind. It was in heaven long before we were made on earth. And so, man was made to respond to music. That being said, music chosen for worship should be chosen based on its ability to open the soul and touch the spirit. This means that styles of worship music, and practice involving that music (singing, dancing, relaxing, crying, praising, etc.) will be as varied as we are.
I was taught that the key element in worship is... the glorification of God. If you listen to fast paced praise and worship music and dance around the house or the church, let it be to God's glory. If you lay face first weeping and silently whispering prayers, to mellow tones of worship music, let it be to the glory of God. If you listen to "Christian Metal" (which I don't like personally), and "rock-out" like a crazy man in your garage, let it be to the glory of God. If you listen to country Gospel and stomp your feet and clap your hands, let it be to the glory of God. If you prefer silent times of prayer and worship, let it be to the glory of God. If you like olds hymns and just sit and listen with eyes closed as you take in the words, let it be to the glory of God. For whatever doesn't move you into a place beyond the focus on self, it will definitely not move God.
So, rejoice in how you were made. Rejoice in various forms of music and how they affect you. Only allow music to affect you for the good and not for the bad. Some churches have noted the powerful effect music can have on the emotions of humanity and have chosen to prohibit it altogether, believing that a purely cerebral/intellectual approach to praise and worship be contained purely within the confines of the reading of Scripture. This is too extreme a position. Other churches have prohibited anything but a given style of music. This too is too extreme of a position. There must be a balance born of understanding and a sincere desire to glorify God.
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