Music in Our Contemporary Christian Culture

[Waldo L]

I was trying to find out when the next "Artist Series" thingy is at Fundy U., and somehow this file came up in the search results. [See attached]

I quickly forgot my original intent because I was absorbed in reading this document. So what are your thoughts on this issue? I will withhold my own comments until I see people who want to discuss it.

[exOBCstudent]

Reading the document now....

[C_Fresh]

I believe that religious music has a wide variety and the appropriateness depends on the situation. It can range from Gregorian chants to hymns to CCM. I would agree with some of the statements about the quality and performance of CCM but much of it is also true of tradtional hymns. I think it seems like there is so so much mediocre CCM because it is current and there is a lot of churn. Over time, it will settle out and the good songs will stick around as the more trite ones fall away. I think most hymnals regularly have less than ten percent of their songs used.

I went to my first contemporary style service this year. I didn't know what to expect but I found that I really enjoyed how the church handled it. There was a mix of hymns and modern songs (nothing I'd heard before) but it was mixed spectacularly well and involved the whole congregation. I've also heard a couple of praise songs done at my church that I enjoyed much better than the actual artist's performance. Our pastor's wife has sung Amazing Love several times. I heard the original artist version a couple weeks ago and disliked the more breathy/moaning style he used. Personally, I think its sloppy and demonstrates poor vocal ability.

We also had two guys do a soft arrangement of Great Redeemer that brought tears to the eyes of a guy who is staunchly against CCM.

[JoeR]

My biggest problem with the PDF was the "examples" given for good music. They were all within the BJU orbit. What else do I need to say?

[zeusTHEgoose]

Alright, I have a few bones to pick here with Mr. BJU Music Teacher Doofus, but just a few:

6. Performance quality of delivery, often very poor musicianship
Really? I mean, how ignorant do you have to be to say that musicians don't prepare well enough. How else have they made themselves known, just pushing buttons? This is an argument based more on musical preference than expertise. Just because I'm use to twisting knobs on a soundboard rather than a violin doesn't mean my music is inferior in quality.

2. Can I sing or hear “The Old Rugged Cross” and weep for my sin and Christ’s punishment for me? Do I need something more?

Guilt trip. Classic guilt tripping here.


Not: “How much can I get away with and still get to heaven?”
But: “How can I please God with the excellence of the choices I make?

How do you define excellence? That may not be my idea of what makes an excellent choice. Your traditions are not mine because history runs through cycles. I suggest you brush up a little and see how history works instead of marring your legalistic assumptions all over my face.


The 4th century Christian scholar Jerome said, “Sing to God not… so that theatrical melodies and songs are heard in the church, but in fear, in work, and in the knowledge of the Scriptures.

Okay, what website did you fish this out of? I see these notes were made in 2002 so maybe you didn't. Anyways, I can point to several quotes of the greats that would even make you look bad:

Martin Luther, Reformation Leader: "The organ in the worship service is a sign of Baal."
"Israel was at school, and used childish things to help her learn; but in these days when Jesus gives us spiritual food, one can make melody without strings and pipes... we do not need them. That would hinder rather than help our praise. Sing unto Him. This is the sweetest and best music. No instrument like the human voice." Charles Spurgeon, Commentary on Psalm 42


I wonder how much has changed, since these are notes from about 10 years ago but I imagine not much. This is one of my greatest pet peeves regarding Fundamentalism because it insults the creativity and persona of musicians. I personally am dabbling in the electronic genre currently, and I am amazed at the complexity and beauty of the structure of these genres. And that goes for all types, including CCM.

Gah!

[exOBCstudent]

Wow....where do I begin?

I'm picking up on the very same uber-spiritual condescending tone in this document as the one I got from the BJU music director who eventually was the deciding factor for me to leave the IFB for good.

We had Mac Lynch speak at that church once and this sounds very similar to the ideology he taught at that time.

First of all, their perception of CCM is a very broad label which really isn't quite what I've seen from personal observation and experience. They think they know what they're talking about but their head is still buried deep in the preverbial sand.

"In the late 50’s and 60’s, Neo-Evangelicalism arose.
§ separation and obedience to God’s Word are not what are important; reaching the lost is what is important
§ the good end justifies a disobedient process
§ the end justifies the means is a fundamental tenant of humanism
§ A person’s assertion that s/he was saved through CCM does not justify a corrupt process"

The above quote clearly begins with a biased and flawed perspective based on presumptive "facts". I'm sure there are fringe CCM groups out there who travel to both extremes but your average church out there who plays that stuff looks nothing like what they seem to think it does (Manson, AC/DC, etc...).

"CCM follows a direction of philosophy in 7 areas (usually a number of the following
things: 1 and/or 2 for sure; 3 through 7 may or may not be present):
1. Intrinsically, sensually idiomatic elements
· heavy, driving beat
· breathy intimacy
· high decibel levels
· the performer’s sensual, lewd dress and/or actions
2. Musical elements and/or styles that clearly reflect and/or mimic popular, secular culture music
3. Shallow, trite musical elements/styles/compositions that are completely gratuitous or
poorly done and that may or may not directly reflect popular idiomatic style.
4. Shallow or unbiblical texts
5. Showy, performance atmosphere of delivery
6. Performance quality of delivery, often very poor musicianship
7. Performance character in delivery - is this person one that should be a messenger of God’s Word to others?"

I could comment on each of these points but there's no point in me trying to prove that whoever wrote this document and teaches it is an idiot.

[pastor's wife]

I wasn't going to read the link since I've spent most of my life hearing this kind of preaching and I no longer believe it and I like to guard my heart from false teaching masquerading as "Biblical". But I thought I'd answer to some of the points quoted by exOBCstudent:

(03-07-2012 12:59 PM)exOBCstudent Wrote:  "CCM follows a direction of philosophy in 7 areas (usually a number of the following
things: 1 and/or 2 for sure; 3 through 7 may or may not be present):
1. Intrinsically, sensually idiomatic elements
· heavy, driving beat
· breathy intimacy
· high decibel levels
· the performer’s sensual, lewd dress and/or actions

The psalms encourages us to be loud. Now I personally don't like the music so loud that I can't hear the voices, but I'm not going to say that loudness in and of itself is wrong.

I've been to several CCM concerts now and I've never seen any performer wear lewd clothing or be lewdly suggestive. But then this criticism is coming from circles where they think bananas and hand-held mics are suggestive.

Quote:2. Musical elements and/or styles that clearly reflect and/or mimic popular, secular culture music
3. Shallow, trite musical elements/styles/compositions that are completely gratuitous or
poorly done and that may or may not directly reflect popular idiomatic style.
4. Shallow or unbiblical texts

Hymns can have trite musical elements and shallow texts as well. And if some of these critics would read the NIV instead of the KJV, they might be surprised at how many phrases in praise music are taken DIRECTLY FROM SCRIPTURE. I can't speak to the CCM of the 1980s, but I have found today's praise music to be highly Biblical and deeply moving. And anyway, who are they to judge "shallow"? After all, the Bible speaks of milk and meat. There is a place for milk (the so-called "shallow" stuff).

Quote:
5. Showy, performance atmosphere of delivery
6. Performance quality of delivery, often very poor musicianship
7. Performance character in delivery - is this person one that should be a messenger of God’s Word to others?"

This bothers me almost more than anything else. They set themselves up as a judge of another Christian. First I find many traditional singers are just as "showy" and apparently performance-driven, but their performance is formal, opera-style.

And "poor musicianship"? Isn't this a bit elitist? I do strongly believe that we should do our best ("play skillfully" as the Psalms say), but every small church isn't going to necessarily have concert quality musicians. I think we play to the best of our ability. But #5-7 come across as someone sitting in the audience critiquing, instead of standing on their feet singing their heart out to God in worship.

[Mommy2Kids]

God LOVES variety. Look at nature. Look at people. He made us all different INTENTIONALLY. If we cannot have different "likes", we are fighting against the way we were created.

If Lynch and Garlock and Hamilton and whoever the heck else cannot accept that it's because we aren't buying their wares, making them RICH off their false teachings.

[exOBCstudent]

(03-07-2012 03:37 PM)Mommy2Kids Wrote:  God LOVES variety. Look at nature. Look at people. He made us all different INTENTIONALLY. If we cannot have different "likes", we are fighting against the way we were created.

If Lynch and Garlock and Hamilton and whoever the heck else cannot accept that it's because we aren't buying their wares, making them RICH off their false teachings.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

(Or if you're in the gaming community) "Boom! Headshot!"

[Mommy2Kids]

I just get so sick of people trying to force their own preferences/delusions on others in the name of CHRIST.

Lend a helping hand to someone in need, then share the gospel with them instead of trying to just control their radio, you big jerks.