MusicPhilosophy

Grace Baptist Church

Music Philosophy

One of the great gifts God has given the church is the ministry of music. It can be used to influence
the believer and the unbeliever alike. We as believers are instructed by Scripture to sing. Eph 5:19
“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord.” Grace Baptist Church has the desire to sing in a way that honors the Lord.
It is our desire to use music that is clearly Christian and has sound theology. However, we live at a
time when the music philosophy of Christianity is often not thought through. Much of modern
Christian music can not be distinguished from secular music, and few people take the time to
consider if that is pleasing to God or not. Much of modern Christian music is built for entertainment
and clearly emulates the world. This is usually done in the cause of evangelism (reaching the youth,
young adults or some other category of people). Unfortunately many Christians have been deceived
by this ministry philosophy and do not see the danger this presents to our children and those we
influence. One can see how this philosophy encourages Christians to be like the world in dress,
conversation, and much of life. Music is not “amoral.” It is used to influence people toward
righteousness or foolishness. There is good music and bad music. We at Grace Baptist Church wish
to have our music and all aspects of our behavior to be clearly distinguished from that of the world (1
John 2:15-16).

The question we must consider is, “What music should be performed it the church?” Music is
powerful. It is a medium through which the souls and the thoughts of men are influenced. This is
true of every one; even the unsaved world realizes this power. Consider the movie and television
industry; the most famous horror film ever produced was “Psycho.” It had one of the scariest
scenes ever; however no one actually saw the violence. Music, combined with the shadows, and the
fear on the lady’s face made that scene so scary. Can you imagine what that scene would be like if
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” was playing in the background? It would be funny, not scary. Can you
imagine if the film “Jaws” had a marching band playing as the shark attacks? It would not be scary.
Music is used to communicate fear, love, danger, joy, excitement, romance, and any other emotion or
idea one wants to convey.

Some may disagree with this point, or discount the power that music has. They suggest that music
may influence, but does not really alter ones decisions in life. They are suggesting that music is for
entertainment only, and it is has no more power to influence than does any other form of
entertainment. This is a naïve thought; for music language. It has the ability to teach; it has the
ability to communicate. Music is a language and with it truth or lies are communicated; messages
communicated; comfort is given; fear is passed on. Music is a tool that can be used for good
purposes or evil.

This is an undeniable fact, and a provable fact. It is provable with one word; that one word is
advertisements. Advertisers spend millions of dollars each year to affect the way people will spend
their money (Money is a measure of one’s heart {Luke 12:34}). Have you ever seen a TV commercial
with out music? (Some but not many.) Most radio commercials will have music playing while
someone speaks; this is to enhance what is communicated. Music makes suggestions to the human
soul. Music creates an environment that can be used to scare people, make them laugh, or calm
them. It is used for an unlimited amount of messages.

Grace Baptist Church does not want to use music as advertisers do. God did not give us music in
order to manipulate, or scare someone into salvation or any decision.   Music is language and God
has told us to us this language in the communication of His truth. As with any form of
communication we must use it responsibly and in the fashion that God has designed.

God has told us what the objectives of sacred music are. There are 3 objectives found in Col. 3:16
“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom,teaching and admonishing one
another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to
God.” 1) Sacred music should give “wisdom.” 2) Sacred music should “teach” and 3) Sacred music
should “admonish.” It is no accident that the exact objectives are stated for preaching in Col. 1:28
“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we
may present every man complete in Christ.” The goals of proclaiming or preaching Jesus are 1)
“admonishing every man” 2) “and teaching every man” and 3) “with all wisdom.” the goals of
preaching/proclaiming Christ are the same because they are both forms of communication, and that
communication should be built upon truth.

Music and Preaching are closely related in that they both teach. Music is described as prophecy in I
Chronicles 25:1 "Moreover, David and the commanders of the army set apart for the service some of
the sons of Asaph and of Heman and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps and
cymbals; and the number of those who performed their service was:" Clearly music is used to
communicate. Unfortunately the world has taken this great gift that God has given us and marred it
with immorality, rebellion, and other deviant issues. Satan uses music every day to communicate his
message. When the Church emulates the world with it's music then the church is sending a mixed
message. 1 Corinthians 14:10 states, There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices (This word means
sounds; it is the Greek word "Phone") in the world, and none of them is without signification(kjv).
This passage says that every word or sound has significance. Every thing we sing, say, or
communicate has significance. We can not use secular tunes with Christian words and pretend the
tunes have no significance. The tunes communicate along with the words. When a church uses a
secular genre of tunes, it communicates a secular message. Mixing it with Christian words does not
make it Christian; it makes a mixed message. It makes an unclear message. In this same chapter of 1
Corinthians Paul states, For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to
the battle? (v. 8). Paul is saying that soldiers know what to do by the sounds the trumpet makes.
This is true even today. Have ever been to a ball game and over the loud speaker you hear "Ta da da
ta daaa" Then every one yells "Charge!!" The sound, alone, of the instrument communicated a
message. If the notes are mixed up, then the message is not understood as intended.

Grace Baptist Church is very conservative about the music because we do not want to communicate
the wrong message. Our music does not emulate the world, as does most modern Christian music.
Our music is distinctly Christian and God honoring. Some who disagree with this position would
say, "But does it not honor God to reach the lost? This music can be used to reach people that
could not be reached in any other way?"

We realize the influence and power of music in the world today. We don't want to use music as an
advertiser would. Grace Baptist Church is careful to not use music emotionally in attempt to “Trick”
or “manipulate” people into becoming a Christian, or to give, or to make any decision that is
influenced by human means. Our desire is to present the Word of God clearly and allow the Holy
Spirit to influence the attendees a Grace Baptist church. Paul said in 2 Cor. 4:2 “Therefore, since we
have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things
hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the
manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” Paul
is saying that we do not need human tricks to reach people. We do not need to have secular
sounding music in order to reach the secular world. Reaching the world is the ministry of God. Paul
was simply an obedient vessel. He went on to say in the next verse, “But if our gospel be hid, it is
hid to them that are lost:” (2Co 4:3 kjv). His point is that he (or we) can not do anything to make
people understand the gospel, obey truth, or in any way see the light; our duty is to present the
truth. God gives the sight to see the light. Spiritual understanding is a work of God, through the
Holy Spirit. We can not package truth in a way for the youth to get it better; We can not package
truth in a way for married couples to get it. All we can do is explain the Gospel as clearly as we can
and trust God to bring the increase (1 Cor. 3:6). Therefore the purpose of the music program at Grace
Baptist Church is to Teach, give Wisdom, and to Admonish; in doing that we hope to glorify God.

Since our purpose is to teach, admonish, and give wisdom and to present the Word of God clearly
through the music ministry we choose to sing conservative hymns, psalms, and conservative gospel
songs.    Our attempt is not to entertain, manipulate, or in any way put on a performance. We use
instruments, but the instruments are not predominant. They are used to help the singing, stay
orderly, but the goal is singing theologically sound words. We do not use music that is generally
known as “Praise and Worship” (P&W) or “Contemporary Christian Music” (CCM). In general,
these genres of music do not fulfill biblical goals of Col. 3:16.   We believe that these genres of music
simply “ape” or “emulate” the world and contribute to the wordiness of Christianity today. Secular
pop/rock/wrap music was forged in popular culture, and has been implicated with counter culture
values from its beginning. Roman’s 12:2 is a direct command for Christians to not imitate the world. I
John 2:15-17 speaks of not loving the world, neither the things in the world. The term for “world” in
these passages means, “Everything that finds its origin or use in the sinful world.”

Some have tried to defend this music by saying that Paul used contemporary cultural items in his
day. When Paul made his speech on Mars Hill he quoted a secular poet. Proponents of CCM and
P&W music use this to justify emulating the world today. However, this is not a fair assessment of
what Paul did:   Paul quotes Epimenides when he says, “For in him we live, and move, and have our
being” (Acts 17:22-31). Those who advocate CCM and P&W this deployment of a Greek poet is an
indication that even the most pagan elements of society can be used for the furtherance of the
Gospel.

However, Paul’s choice of words was for the demonstration of his theology, not entertainment. Nor
was it used to worship. It would be a better comparison to show if Paul ever used something from a
pagan temple to make his point, which he did not.   It also is not fair to equate the influence of poetry
2000 years ago to the influence of the entertainment industry today.

Another passage that has been used to defend CCM and P&W is 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, “Becoming
all things to all men.” This passage has been used to say that CCM and P&W is not worldly, but
rather just a popular form of discourse used for evangelism. However, Paul is not arguing for the use
of any means in evangelism. He is arguing for the abandonment of personal rights for evangelism. 1
Cor. 9 is an illustration of 1 Cor. 8 where Paul teaches that he will be careful not to offend a weaker
brother. By saying that he became all things to all men, he was not saying that he became sinful, like
a sinner. He was saying that he was willing to give up his liberties to ensure that the Gospel went
forth.

Parents often do this for their children. Adults may be watching the news on television and a
particular violent story is shown that may frighten the smaller children. If the adults were alone, they
may shutter at the story, but keep watching. However, with little children present, they may turn the
station to protect the children from images that are beyond their years. Paul is saying that in order to
lead some one to Christ, he will gladly deny himself of something that may hurt others.

Music is no exception to this truth. We chose to not use CCM and P&W for the sake of others as
well as ourselves. Choosing traditional music is not a choice of preferring traditional music. We at
Grace Baptist Church do not want to make this issue a decision of personal choice. If this decision
about music was a decision of personal choice, then CCM and P&W would be the better choice.
This music clearly entertains better than traditional music. However, this decision is about truth, our
children, and the future. We do not listen to music that will entertain our children. We want music
that edifies our children.

For these reasons and others Grace Baptist Church has chosen to use only conservative hymns,
gospel songs, and psalms for the music ministry. If you have an further questions please contact the
pastor.