Thousand Oaks Baptist Church
Music in God’s Work
Conclusion
A. To review what I have said so far, the Bible says much about music, both the good and the evil. The Bible encourages and even commands us to sing praises to the Lord. It also commands us to use music to teach and encourage each other in the things of the Lord.
Music - all by itself - has the power to shape our emotions and move our bodies to various types of action. It can be used to bring tremendous blessing or an appalling curse.
B. But what can you and I do to encourage good music and discourage evil music? Let me suggest some practical steps that may help us.
1. First, examine the music you listen to by your own selection and choice. What do the words say? What does the music itself say? What emotions does it produce in you? Does it produce peace and joy and love and the rest of the elements of the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Does it minister grace to you? Does it truly draw you closer to God? Does it draw you closer to God's people? Does it draw you closer to His church?
Or does the music you choose to listen to draw you closer to the world, the flesh, and the devil? Does it stir unholy feelings in your heart? Does it lead you to rebel against the Word of God and the ministry of the local church?
If you really want to live closer to the Lord, then why not make the decision right now to henceforth choose only good Christian music. And with that decision, also choose to get rid of the old, worldly music. Notice what the believers in Ephesus did with the literature of their old, ungodly lives in Acts 19:18-19.
"And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver."
2. Second, let's also begin to examine the songs and hymns we use. Pick and use the good ones - those that really say something with Scriptural, spiritual content. And let's just let the rest of them drop quietly by the wayside.
3. Third, if you are one of the musicians of our church (or will be), choose very carefully and prayerfully both the words and music that you sing and play.
If the music is good, but the words are not Scriptural, then use some sanctified creativity and change or rewrite the words to express Scriptural truths and godly feelings.
If the music has the "rock 'n roll" beat to it, don't use it. I described the "rock 'n roll" beat in the section on rhythm when I dealt with the basic elements of music. You may want to review those comments at this point.
Why not use the "rock 'n roll" beat? Simply because that rock beat is specifically designed to excite the flesh and give a foothold and entrance for the devil. The only reason rock music is being used in religion today is because the real power of the Holy Spirit has been lost through disobedience to the Word of God by most religious groups. They have to use rock music to put some excitement back into their singing and services, because the Holy Spirit is not there. Rock music is just another one of Satan's substitutes for the fruit of the Spirit. We definitely don't need any false substitutes for the Holy Spirit's life and power and reality. So don't use the tapes or CD’s with rock music; don't play it or sing it. If you can't get a good tape of the song God wants you to sing, then use the talents of the musicians in our church. Just get together with a pianist or organist or guitar player a week or two ahead of time. They will be more than happy to accompany your song.
4. Fourth, learn to express yourself in song. Learn to sing. How can you do that?
a. The first step in learning to sing is to sing along during the congregational singing. The song leader usually chooses songs and hymns that are familiar to most people who have been Christians for a while. The words are easy to read in the song books. The melodies are usually very easy to learn. Make an effort to listen to the melody during the first verse or two, then hum along on the next verse. By the time the third or fourth verse is sung, you'll usually be able to sing the words and the melody. The next time that song is sung, you'll remember more of the melody than you might at first think. And you will be ready to sing with everyone else.
Another way to start to learn to sing is to listen to good Christian music. Use your home and car radios, tape decks, and CD players to play good Christian music. Hum along with it; sing along with it. Practice while you're taking a shower.
b. The second step in learning to sing is to sing out heartily. Don't just mumble or whisper the song. Colossians 3:23 says:
"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men..."
If you have the ability to speak loudly or shout, and you have the ability to sing, then you also have the ability to learn to put the two together in a controlled and pleasant manner. When you do this, you will be singing heartily. And remember, you are doing this as unto God, Who asked you to sing heartily to Him.
c. The third step in learning to sing is to sing parts in harmony. One way you can learn to do this is by sitting next to others in the congregation who already sing one of the harmony parts (alto, tenor, or bass). Listen to the parts they sing; look at the notes for that part in your hymnbook. See how they go together. The melody or soprano part is usually the top note on the upper or treble clef above the words, and is for women with higher voices. The alto part is just under the soprano part, and is for women with lower voices. The tenor part is the top line of notes written in the hymnbook on the lower or bass clef (below the words); this is for men with higher voices. The bass part is for men with lower voices, and is the lowest line of notes on the bass clef.
Another way to learn to sing parts is to hum and then sing the harmony parts that you can hear in the good Christian music that you listen to on your car radio or home stereo.
d. God tells us to come into His presence with singing (Psa, 100:2). Use Christian music in your daily devotions as a prelude to prayer and personal Bible study. Buy a hymnbook and use it at home. Please don’t “borrow” a hymnbook from church without first asking the Pastor’s permission.
e. If your local church has a volunteer choir that sings good Christian music, and you have discovered that you can sing, then join the choir. I know from personal experience that joining the choir and singing with others in my voice range was some of the best musical training I have ever received. In the choir, you can actually learn to sing. And you can learn to sing loudly and well without fear of embarrassment. You can learn to sing on pitch in the choir; it's a lot easier to hear when you are off pitch when others around you are on the pitch, as long as you have an “ear” for music (the ability to perceive differences in pitch). In the choir, you will learn to sing parts (harmony). This is the very best training for eventually learning to sing with others in duets, trios, and quartets. You may also find that you have the ability to sing solos. Through singing in the choir and carefully watching and emulating the choir director, you can even learn to lead music. Perhaps the choir director can help you on an individual or small group basis. Yes, singing in the choir takes time and discipline and practice, but it's worth every second, and it's usually a lot of fun, too.
5. Fifth, always openly support good Christian music and lovingly stand against the music of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Be gracious and kind, but object to the use of rock music in church, in restaurants and in other public places; suggest acceptable alternatives.
Carefully help your children choose good Christian music that will satisfy their emotional and spiritual needs.
If your local church decides to choose and purchase a new type of hymnbook, volunteer to be on the hymnbook selection committee; carefully and prayerfully scrutinize every song in every proposed hymnbook. Were the writers of the hymn-poems Christians? Do the words truly reflect the great doctrines of the Bible? Are the topics of salvation, assurance, dedication, Christian love, Christian service, soul-winning, the second coming of Christ, and others adequately represented in the selection of hymns in the proposed hymnbook?
Always thank soloists and other musicians who sing and play good Christian music in the local church. Let them know that their godly ministry is greatly appreciated.
This little essay has not by any means exhausted all that could or should be said about Christian music. But I hope it has given you an opportunity to learn some things you didn't know before. Maybe you suspected some of them, but you didn't know how to put them into words. I trust you will be able to use these few things for your own edification and for the spiritual growth and encouragement of those you love.
About the author of this study...
David A. Tucker, Sr., was saved at the age of sixteen through the ministry of Youth for Christ in Alexandria, VA. He was licensed to preach at the age of 20, and was fully ordained to the Gospel ministry at the age of 33.
Over the years, the Lord has used Brother Tucker as the pastor or interim pastor of five Baptist churches, and as a teacher of Bible, Theology, English, and other subjects in Christian schools and colleges. He started choirs in four Baptist churches and was director of already-existing choirs in three other Baptist churches. He has also had the privilege of being the music director or minister of music for many youth groups and congregations. He has served as a member of various choirs under many choir directors throughout the United States and Europe. He has experience singing many types of religious music used in almost every kind of Christian church choir and music program, from the mid 1950's to the present.
Brother Tucker attended the University of Maryland and Bob Jones University, and earned a recognized four year college degree in Bible, History, and Christian Education from Los Angeles Baptist College. He also attended Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary and Grace Theological Seminary, and took classes at Trinity Theological Seminary, as well as other secular colleges.
He is strongly interested in the future of good Christian music, and is deeply concerned about contemporary trends in so-called Christian music. He has demonstrated the ability to write and arrange music and has sung with gospel quartets in local churches and as a baritone soloist. All of this has provided Brother Tucker with a solid, Scriptural and experiential background from which to speak and write with understanding on the subject of Christian music.