Perhaps God’s Greatest Invention

“Who invented music? I’d like to shake his hand.” I listened to these lyrics on my iPod and thought they raised an interesting question. Though we have Biblical accounts of the creation of the world and all living inhabitants in it, we don’t know exactly how our current collection of notes and harmonies germinated and grew into the massive influence it is today. Genesis tells us that Jubal, the descendant of Cain, was the father of all who play the harp and flute, but what about bass, drums, and tambourine?

I think the devil gets far too much credit for what goes on in the musical world. I do believe it’s a specialty of his, but he is not the author and creator of the miracle that is music. As with everything else, it comes from God - The ultimate inventor.

That being the case, I began to wonder if it’s possible for any style of music to be inherently evil. There are certainly those that think so. The staid, pew-sitting folks had a field day condemning the likes of Elvis Presley when he vibrated on the scene. But fifty years later, modern Christians smile nostalgically when we hear “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog,” and maybe chuckle at how innocent it sounds compared to modern Rock and Roll. Does the music only seem wicked when it’s in its heyday and causing all the hysteria? And will things like hip-hop and rap sound just as neutered to us fifty years from now? I know there are certain aspects of modern lyrics that will never be quaint, with their bad language and sexual innuendo. But in their most basic forms of chords and progressions, are any evil spirits truly lurking?

It boggles the mind how music has grown throughout the years; from the elegant Classical period and the sweeping Romantic era, to Tin Pan Alley and on in to the snazzy, unmelodic chords we use to beef up our church choruses. Just when it seems we’ve played it all, someone invents a new way of stringing the scale together. And then someone else condemns that style as too worldly to play in church.

Music is one of God’s most awesome inventions in that it keeps evolving. Beethoven had no comprehension of the musical revolution that awaited just a century later with the advent of jazz and crooners like Bing Crosby. No doubt his music seemed the hottest and most progressive thing to him as he drove around in his horse-drawn carriage. He had no idea. And, in the same way, I can’t comprehend what progressions and styles and general controversy awaits the church songbook in the future. Whenever they appear, I imagine some people will condemn them as evil and ungodly, but I hope I keep an open mind and let the Holy Spirit show me what to say and play.

Watch out! The Labradoodle is in town!

I was browsing our parent-site (ninetyandnine) when something caught my eye. Thanks to Micah Wisdom’s sidebar, I learned that the topic of “Hymns versus Choruses” was a discussion at the recent Forum 2008. In this blog posting, I wish to respectfully suggest that the perceived Alpha Dog threatening the supremacy of the Hymn has already been trumped by a new kid in town. It is very possible that what we define as a current debate has already weakened to a tired and old discussion.

Most early choruses can be traced to the 70’s. (Consider the Maranatha Praise movement, etc..) So, the real battle between our own blueblood hymn and the annoying-to-some Jack Russell terrier called “the chorus” took place over two decades ago. There ARE churches in our own movement who made this momentous shift decades ago.

Jack Russells have been around for a while?

Consider Sis. Bobbie Shoemake, an esteemed recipient of the PMA Lifetime Achievement award. Their church in San Jose made the shift towards singing choruses in the 1980’s, amid some name-calling and criticism. But Sis. Shoemake loved the worshipful nature of the chorus and it suited her own ministry style. I still love to hear Sis. Shoemake lead worship, as she weaves from chorus to chorus while sitting at the piano.

My own musical background, on the mission field, was largely built around choruses. While we kept copies nearby of Sing Unto the Lord, it was vital in an international church with many who did not speak English as their first language that our worship be simple and singable. The early psalm-songs of the 70’s were our staple.

Granted, there are many churches in our movement who have not transitioned away from hymns so gracefully. I confess that I was amazed to discover that my own church just packed away the hymnbooks 5 years ago! It has given me great insight into our congregation to discover that my own dear friend “the chorus” is still the new-puppy-in-town here.

Who is the new dog in town?

However, the morphing of the old Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) genre into the new modern worship movement (whose transition is exemplified by people such as Michael W. Smith and Newsboys) has presented us the new Alpha Dog. It’s the “worship song.” Its characterized by a recognizable hook (ala the chorus) but often rooted in profound lyrics and and multiple verses (ala the hymn.) It is a musical labradoodle. And it has become the darling of the proverbial Westminster Kennel Club.

Songs we hear in many Apostolic churches across the country would qualify as this new breed of song. Israel is writing them! Martha Munizzi is singing them! Matt Redman is a master of this form! Joe Pace has successfully bridged the gap between gospel and worship with the worship song! Choirs sing them because they are easy. Small praise teams sing them because they are musically interesting and not too repetitive. They are not choruses. They are not hymns. They are the new worship sound of hundreds of churches across this country.

Concluding this ridiculous dog-talk

My point is not to assign “top dog” status to any particular musical format. Nor is this a conversation about the need to revive hymns, suppress choruses, or just sing worship songs. It is just an observation that we are still stuck to the terminology of a debate that may be way past its relevance. And while we are muddying the gene pool, let me warn you about the dozens of church musicians who are composing “new hymns” in the denominal world…. It may take us Apostolics a while to catch up with that trend. Whew! This gets complicated…What ever happened to plain ol’ Labradors and poodles?

Thoughts from "Authentic Worship"

I promised in my last post that I was probably going to be stuck on the function of music in worship. So, here I am delivering on that promise! Sometimes the simplest realizations are the most profound, for example the fact that the song service should not be called the “worship service.” As if preaching, taking the offering, giving announcements, altar service, baptisms, communion – any part of the service you could name – are not worship. Even special functions, such as weddings and baby dedications – things we don’t normally equate with worship – are worship. One of those concepts you know you really know in your heart, but it hasn’t quite made it to your head yet.

So on to what I really wanted to talk about this time.

One of several books on the reading list for the worship class I’m taking is edited by Herbert Bateman, and is entitled, “Authentic Worship.” If you are looking for a good book to refine your understanding of worship, musical and otherwise, I would highly recommend this one. David P. Nelson, in a chapter entitled “Voicing God’s Praise,” makes “three proposals concerning the use of music in worship.” I found these very interesting and wanted to share an abridged version here.

First, music must “properly account for the glory of God.” In other words, Nelson suggests that we need to understand the difference between “moral” and “artistic (aesthetic) excellence.” To be morally excellent is to obey Psalm 24’s command to “appear before the Lord with clean hands and a pure heart.” This purity, Nelson suggests, flows from a “lifestyle of worship that is marked by personal purity and obedience to God.” To be aesthetically excellent does not only mean to have high musical standards of our own, but because the Bible commands it. As Nelson states, excellence is important “because it is associated with the glory of God. The church makes a commitment to a lifelong pursuit of excellence, not for the purpose of impressing other people but for bringing glory to God and making his name great.”

Second, we must properly account for the nature of God’s creation.” Because the Bible demands “equal dignity for all humans,” Nelson asks a question suggested by Eric Routley, which simply says, “Whom is this leaving out?” This doesn’t mandate that everyone in the church will like everything we sing, but it is a question we must bear in mind when choosing congregational music for worship. If we find we answer the question the same every time, it’s time to reexamine our musical choices.

Third, “we must properly account for the nature of God’s church.” This means that, as we recognize and appreciate diversity in all of creation, “we should recognize that, in the church, diversity exists within the unity of the Holy Spirit.” Nelson goes on to state, “worship should reflect the mind of Christ in that we lay aside all self-interest and assume the cloak of self-giving, self denial, and self-sacrifice as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 6:14)

Interesting stuff, huh? I’m amazed over and over at the depth of teaching on worship in the Bible. All the questions we ask, all the wars we fight over musical style in worship – they are all answered there in His Word. If we could only get past ourselves…….okay, I’m convicting myself now.

Schaffe in mir Gott op. 29 no. 2

Still reading the Psalms. It feels like I've been at it for months. Oh. I guess I have been, on and off. I just came across some old journal entries from Dec 2007... Psalms.

I just picked up a new commentary on Psalms 51-100 and started pecking my way through it, starting at the beginning. It made me wonder: are there any decent songs come out of the words to Psalm 51?

Granted, the first half of the psalm isn't terribly uplifting. Does music need to be? What about a mournful dirge? A sorrowful tune of repentance? It really doesn't suit our typical service. But there might be a good pairing with a preacher's message with a strong focus on repentance.

It also makes me wonder, how was this "song" used in the ancient liturgy of the psalter when they were performed? It seems to me there are a great many verses in the psalms which I would never choose to set to music. There's quite a bit of narrative and imprecations on the psalmist's enemies.

I remember reading these aloud with my wife in our first years of marriage and finding it difficult to read through some of them aloud. It's not all terribly inspiring or uplifting. It seems that is what we want most from our music nowadays. If it isn't one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance and shout, then it's one of those worshipful "Bless the Lord, O my soul..." a la Andrae Crouch. At least in the worship part of the service. Specials, well that's a horse of a different color.

Which brings me, in an extremely roundabout way (some might even call it a ridiculous non-sequitur) to Brahms. When I was in college I sang two Brahms motets, one in an English translation my freshman year, and one in German in my senior year. I loved them both, but as I was pondering Psalm 51 today, the latter came to my mind. I can't recommend it highly enough. "Create in me a clean heart . . . and uphold me with thy free spirit." Thanks for the memories, JB and BH.

(Oh, in case you were wondering, the other motet was O Heiland reiss die Himmel auf, op. 74 no. 2.)

Long time no blog

Hey folks! Sorry for the long absence from the Notes section. Here's a quick update from my very eventful summer (the summer season lasts especially long down here in Florida):

- I've moved

- I'm back at work in the public school system

- My husband and I are both enrolled in school

- My musical endeavors have stalled and I'm back to square one

When I first started conversations with Kent I was in a place where I was challenging the current climate of Apostolic music. I was working with a team of Apostolic producers who were energetic and innovative and during that time quite involved with district and national music endeavors. Fast forward two years. Two of my songs I recorded a year ago were lost along with our sound engineer who, apparently, is going to be a rock star. My producer is balancing a huge load in his new role as adminstrative pastor. My time is limited as I'm working full time in the school system and after closing our business last year we are entrenched in the process of starting over. I still lead the Praise and Worship with an incredibly annointed team at our church, but my writing is stalled. I have two and a half songs recorded for my own solo project. I haven't written for any other projects in a year now. I am on PAUSE as far as music is concerned. This would probably explain my absence from all you who visit the Notes page. I apologize, but I have become overwhelmed with anatomy of the monotony.

Can I get a witness? Or to break it down, "Holla at ya girl!" Anybody else stuck on the back forty humming tunes to sheep and waiting for their oil-bearing prophet?

In the mean time and 'tween time I will make my songs what they were originally intended for (as I gulp down my deferred hope) and make it all a part of my own personal worship. Indulge me just a sec as I take a quote from my own catalog:

Just Fine by Courtney Ballestero

When disaster hit/And my life felt more like

A game of pick up sticks/Like a childhood game of hide and seek/

I couldn't find your peace/I stuck my hands up in the air/It sounded

like a prayer

(Chorus)

Don't know where this is going/But there's peace in knowin'/

You're by my side/Don't know exactly what you're doin'/But

you'll see me through it/Just fine

(Bridge)

Cuz when the earth shakes/And the Levees break/Or thhe one you think you love the most/Turns and walks away/Make peace with the pain/Kiss it and call it your friend/It's what leads you/To the point where you can say...

Don't know where this is going/But there's peace in knowin'/
You're by my side/Don't know exactly what you're doin'/But
you'll see me through it/Just fine