[stextbox id=”custom”]This is the 5th article in the “Where in the Bible does it say” series. Here’s the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th.[/stextbox]
Have you ever thought about where in the Bible does it say anything about music and–specifically—how God has instructed us to worship Him in song? I have.
When it comes to the music played and sung on Sunday morning in churches across America, most Christians are more likely to extol their opinion about this issue than even the sermon that was just preached. In fact, many Christians will even leave or join a new church solely because of the music, rather than the church’s theology, the preaching, etc! Weird, huh?
I’ve recently written about a few other controversial issues in the church, such as gossip, how to find a wife, dancing, sex, and alcohol. This article, written by Mike Bohr (see below), is all about music. Enjoy.
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I recently read an article entitled “Worship, More Than Music.” It was another great reminder to me that worship is more than just the song time at church on Sunday. God desires us to live lives of worship. The article also reminded me of the importance of focusing my attention on worshipping God and not so much on the tools and talents that help create our worship experience. One quote that stood out to me was this,
More important than PowerPoint, great instrumentalists, great choirs or praise teams, is our communication with and worship to Him.
As the church music guy I’ll be first to say that the nuts and bolts of the worship service must be in place so that the worship of our God is free from any form of distraction. However, sometimes I can even become so caught up in the externalities of worship that I miss the very reason I’m there, to worship the Lord.
It is so sad to see the problems that face evangelical churches today because of what people want. We fail to remember that worship isn’t about what we want. Worship is about what God wants from His people! Unfortunately, many come to church on Sunday with expectations or preferences of what they want to hear, what they prefer, or what they are comfortable with. I’m not just talking about music! I’m talking about the sermons too! Some churches have made it the rule not to talk about sin because it might offend someone in attendance. Oh, how that must grieve the heart of our most holy God! The truth of the matter is…it’s not about what we want. It is about what God wants from us, His children! As the song “The Heart of Worship” says, it’s not even about the songs we sing. The song in itself is not what He requires. He’s looking deep into our hearts! Our worship should be about Jesus and giving back to Him a heart that is overjoyed and filled with praise because of who He is and what He has done for us.
Too many times we fail to see the point and we miss the opportunity to worship because we’re too concerned with ourselves and what we want to hear. I say “we” because I am often guilty of it myself. When the point of worship is forgotten, we miss out on our opportunity to worship.
We must not let our flesh get in the way of what true worship is all about. We cannot let the externalities (instruments, music style – hymns vs. choruses, sound, lighting, etc.) become our focus. We should never allow ourselves to focus on the things that should help direct us to Jesus. For when we do, we miss our chance to worship Jesus. May we never forget what a pastor once said, “True worship is not interested in the created but the Creator.”
When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come
Longing just to bring something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart,
I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear, You’re looking into my heart
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus
QUESTION: What do you think about the music at your church? What is acceptable and what is not (to both you and your church in general)? What instruments should be played and which ones should not? Are solos acceptable, or only congregational singing? Please comment below.
This article was written by Mike Bohr, and was originally titled: Worship: More Than Music. Mike is the Worship Pastor at Riverpark Bible Church in Fresno, California.
* Image credit: Matt Gruber (Creation Swap)
QUESTION: What do you think about the music at your church? What is acceptable and what is not? What instruments should be played and which ones should not? Are solos acceptable, or only congregational singing?
Good article. Worship is huge for all of us and most importantly Him. Hopefully, we can all worship Him better since we have been created for His glory.
Agreed. At the very heart of our creation, our existence, our salvation, and our eternal redemption is “worship” of God.
Oh, I struggle with this constantly. I am guilty of being unhappy with the music and thinking that worship time was “ruined” for me, whatever that means.
In response to the questions: My church has several services and plays both traditional and contemporary. I don’t think it makes a bit of difference what instrument is played (okay, with the exception of tambourine. That should be banned from church). Worship is not for us, it’s for God. As long as whoever is playing or singing is doing it with their heart in the right place, I don’t think it makes a bit of difference.
I think solos are acceptable, if done sparingly. Obviously the point is to engage the congregation, but I know several people who really worship through hearing others sing. As a musician, I’ve done several solos, and it’s one of my ways of worshiping and giving God back a portion of what He’s given me. And honestly, there are some songs that are done in congregational singing that I think would work way better as a solo.
Good insights, Jamie. I confess that one of the issues regarding church services that I struggle with is solos. I often wonder who is being “thought about” at that moment—the person singing or the Person being sung about.
I was at a church service recently where an elderly woman sang a solo. Her voice was so bad it was embarrassing. I haven’t come to a conclusion about what I ultimately think about solos during the church service, but I’m leaning toward doing away with them altogether. However, then I would have to rethink ensembles that contain four or five people. And then what about if the choir sings a song where the congregation listens and doesn’t sing.
Alas, I don’t have the answer. I was sort of hoping you would. 😉
Oh, there are definitely some people who shouldn’t sing solos! I’ve heard a few people who think they can sing really well when really, they can’t. I think it’s important to have some sort of audition process. Singing is not everyone’s gift. If they’re really bad and don’t know it, they might need some guidance into something that is more their gifting.
I sometimes get hung up on “special music” too. It can seem like such a performance. If done well and with the right spirit, I think it can really enhance a service.
I believe all worship should be done in a way that the ‘performers” disappear and the Holy Spirit leads. I heard it once said the “the best worship leader starts the song and lets the Holy Spirit lead.” When the ‘performers” start taking a song into an arrangement that is unfamiliar to the congregants then we have to start thinking about the song and trying to figure out whether we should stop singing, try to follow etc. Now its about the performer. Then very often at our church they bring in new songs. So many of the people are trying to follow the song rather than follow the Holy Spirit into true worship of the Lord. Why do we always feel new is better? Or a new arrangement is better. We have a woman at our church that could easily be an idol winner. She’s that good but I can’t follow her to save my life. But I’m there to worship Him not listen to her sing. That is what concerts are for and let me tell you I would go to one of hers and I’m not a concert goer. And while you can definately worhsip at concerts they are not our home church of worship.
I pray this wasn’t too negative I just really pray for His time of worship not ours. He requires it and I need it. Thanks for letting me share.
Gods not a respector of persons, its a persons heart that He sees,,,if she was singing something unscriptural or sinful correct her, our biggest fear is its unprofessional appearance will hurt our pride, thats probably why God let her sing! Humble us Lord….
I struggle with this a bit. There is a part of me that says people who sing up front should have a good voice because it distracts. The other part of me loves to see someone, especially an older person, just worship as they sing even with a bad voice. All I see is their love for God. The music fades into the background.
I just remember a woman from Zimbabwe singing at a meeting once. She didn’t even have instruments accompanying her … She sang Amazing Grace.
Many people cried as she sang. When she finished, (it was even before any sermon) the pastor simply asked those who wanted to make right there hearts and lives with God to come forward. The amount of people going to the front made me cry. That, to me, was an (extreme) example of how a solo can contribute to the worship. You put it so spot-on, Jamie: “Worship is not for us, it’s for God”
Blessings
Peet
Praise Him upon the cymbals, etc any instrument in the hands of a believer can glorify God….its the sensitivity of what the Holy Spirit is leading musicians and the congragation that different types both soft or intense and powerful are worthy for an almighty God why withold praise and glory from HIM. are we afraid we will out do the angelic choirs that sing Holy Holy Holy Lord God almighty continually and the peels of thunder around His throne…To withold His praise or put a limit on the outward “Holy” expression is a sin and mans attempt to define God in our image and thinking.
Since I started in our chruch in January I’ve learned a lot about how chruch services are structured. The chruch I’m at would be described as traditional in terms of hymns / service structure (prayer / hymn / announcements / hymn / sermon / hymn / breaking of bread service.) This seemed to me to have been the case for many years.However what I have learned is that this structure appeals to many people, including those new to chruch as it is regular without being predictable, and they know what’s going to happen. In terms of the traditional nature of our praise etc, we are working with what we have, rather than grafting in new approaches from outside. The members of our chruch would welcome new approaches/methods within the chruch as long as the message of the Gospel wasn’t diluted / distracted from as can be the case in new approaches of chruch. I’d also like this to be organic as new people with creative gifts join the chruch and are encouraged to express them to the glory of God.We sit / we stand / we pray / we preach / we laugh / we cry / we sing / we’re quiet / we chat / we listen I think without being prescriptive that’s what the chruch is supposed to do!We’re structured enough to enable people to not feel out of place but we’re flexible enough to adapt the service depending on what’s happening That’s us I’m not saying it’s right or wrong or it couldn’t be amended slightly but, it’s just us.
Very nice blog. I remember my christian community which we have our corporate worship during tuesday. I love to praise and worship God together with the beautiful songs. Music a way of expressing our love to Jesus. Furthermore, I read some blogs about what is god and how we loves us.
Very good article. this is a question I have been discussing with some friends recently, and I am very gad to have found and read this article. It is so true that God is looking at our hearts, and if we choose to worship with or without instruments, it doesn’t matter so long as our hearts are in the right place and have a desire to worship God.
Hello & thanks for a thought-provoking article. I began to study this topic a while back, being a musician and involved in “worship with music” myself. I began to look for examples of worship songs in the bible, and although I found reference to praise, victory, thanksgiving, deliverance and celebration, I could find no reference to a “worship” song. I then discovered that both the Hebrew & Greek meaning to the word we translate as “worship” means to “prostrate ones self; bow down; fall down; stoop.” In every sense of the word, we are to lay our lives down and follow Him.
In that context, the Word of God says that we are to die to self; lose our lives for His sake in order to find it; take up our cross and follow Him; become a living sacrifice. There are many other references of putting ourselves aside and living for Him. This led me to Romans 12:1 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” What caught my attention was the last two words: “reasonable service.” After studying this out, I found it to mean “divine expression of worship.” WOW!
So, all of that to say this: music is a wonderful way to express our adoration to the Lord and all He has done for us, BUT I feel that if we truly want to worship Him, we will lay aside our ideas, agendas, plans, etc.. and go out and live the life He has called us to. We truly worship Him when we lay ourselves down and become His hands, feet, voice, etc.. to those we come in contact with on a daily basis and minister to them showing God’s love and grace. That my friends, I believe, is true worship. Music is wonderful, but we truly worship Him when we go and do what He has commanded us to do! 🙂
God bless you all as you go out and worship Him!
God is revealing to me so much that most of His creation has worshipped everything but the Creator. Most things we do are habitual but when we worship we must from the time we awaken give him the firstfruit of our lips in thanksgiving acknowledging Him and allow Him to direct everything each day. So worship is a lifestyle based upon scriptures. As for singing in church we fail miserably. We really need to enter with thanksgiving and praise then allow God to lead everything by His Spirit. You can prepare songs to honor Him but if He directs to do differently then change must occur. But this doesn’t happen. We have our agenda. We have expectation to sing solos, preach messages and such where the congregation watches similar to Romans putting on a show in bible times which is pure idolatry- an Abomination. We have the same thing in church today. Self is praised not God. Worship Jesus in spirit and truth.