Monday, January 26, 2015
Music?
Nine Marks is asking about music. I think they are asking the wrong question. OF course it is all about the "worship wars."
I think the problem is the question itself. The issue in worship service is not the music employed but who is and how it is being employed. Worship is about God. Music choice is about us. That's the problem. Worship should be about emptying oneself, not fulfilling oneself. Of course, God will rush in and fill our emptiness in ways unimaginable, but if we "need" something to "feel" right then our needs are outweighing our emptying.
The rub here is always about drawing in new people. That's why I draw a distinction, a careful distinction, between worship and evangelism. Both are necessary and worthy functions of the church, but at time, they have competitive goals. Worship should be winsome when done properly, but Christ Himself was winsome and yet some, even many, rejected Him after encountering Him.
Music is part of being winsome, but if we seek to be winsome at the cost of emptying then we forgo worship. Evangelism at the cost of worship can only result in a lot of immaturity.
If you want to end the worship wars, stop arguing about music and start arguing about the purpose of the service.
music purpose worship
I think the problem is the question itself. The issue in worship service is not the music employed but who is and how it is being employed. Worship is about God. Music choice is about us. That's the problem. Worship should be about emptying oneself, not fulfilling oneself. Of course, God will rush in and fill our emptiness in ways unimaginable, but if we "need" something to "feel" right then our needs are outweighing our emptying.
The rub here is always about drawing in new people. That's why I draw a distinction, a careful distinction, between worship and evangelism. Both are necessary and worthy functions of the church, but at time, they have competitive goals. Worship should be winsome when done properly, but Christ Himself was winsome and yet some, even many, rejected Him after encountering Him.
Music is part of being winsome, but if we seek to be winsome at the cost of emptying then we forgo worship. Evangelism at the cost of worship can only result in a lot of immaturity.
If you want to end the worship wars, stop arguing about music and start arguing about the purpose of the service.
music purpose worship
