Ed Stetzer, church growth consultant to the Southern Baptist Church, gives a history of church resistance to musical change —
“Get rid of that flute at church. Trash that trumpet, too. What do you think we are, pagans?”
200s: Instrumental music was almost universally shunned because of its association with debauchery and immorality. Lyre playing, for example, was associated with prostitution.
“Hymns to God with rhythm and marching? How worldly can we get?”
300s: Ambrose of Milan (339-397), an influential bishop often called the father of hymnody in the Western church, was the first to introduce community hymn-singing in the church. These hymns were composed in metrical stanzas, quite unlike biblical poetry. They did not rhyme but they were sometimes sung while marching. Many of these hymns took songs written by heretics, using the same meter but rewriting the words.
“The congregation sings too much. Soon the cantor will be out of a job!”
500s: Congregations often sang psalms in a way that “everyone responds.” This probably involved the traditional Jewish practice of cantor and congregation singing alternate verses.
You’ll want to read the entire article.
And remember: Ed’s a Baptist. And they’ve been instrumental for over 100 years. And yet even the Baptists are still fighting the “worship wars.”
They don’t argue the case doctrinally, as the Churches of Christ do, but they struggle very nearly as much with the change from traditional organ and choir music to guitars, keyboards, and drums.
Why?
the link is broken… the Stetzer article can be found here:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2013/may/church-music-conflicts.html
Dennis,
Thanks! I’ve fixed the link. Stetzer’s column was moved to Christianity Today since I wrote this.
Change is hard when you’ve done something one way all your life. Something as simple as changing pews is very uncomfortable(don’t know why, but it is) for the 50+ crowd at our church. So, radically shifting whatever worship style you’ve been accustomed to for decades will probably be met with “why” and “I don’t understand.” Think of it this way, how would those who are growing up used to worship bands feel in a generation if the youth wanted acapella music again and decided to scrap instrumental music? “It will help us bring in more of the youth” …..but,… but… Something to think about. Alot of human nature involved here.
We should not forget the numerous worship instruments in the O.T. and those in heaven in Revelation. Worship music is not of the devil as some suppose.
The most relevant test is – does the music lift our hearts in praise and reverence to God?
In our IM service there are people of all ages worrshipping with raised hands. Many are long time CofC members. The IM worship has drawn in a very diverse demographic group of folks. A lot of mixed-race couples and many Blacks, Hispanics and other ethnic groups. Many are being baptized. A lady converted from Islam and was baptized last week. Seems more like what our worship in heaven will be like to have all people praising God together.
For those locked in traditional worship need to reevaluate as I did. We should be worship to Glorify God to the fullest and not be focused on what we want.
I really love what Terry wrote.
“We should be worship(-ing) to Glorify God to the fullest and not be focused on what we want.”
From all of my own studies, this is exactly what God is asking from us. We ought to be focusing on celebrating God and our love for one another. Assemblies are about celebrating the Lord and His work among us as well as encouraging one another. Music is a means to that end, but certainly not the only one.
Grizz
I know of several non Church of Christs in my area that are splitting over traditional music vs. contemporary music. Most of them actually are Baptists. Maybe we’re not that different:)
It never ceases to amaze me at the number of splits occurring over something that lasts an hour a week.
When I read Terry’s testimony, I am of the mind that it is not the instruments that really make the difference…. but the freedom.