Dear BPCWAians,

Over the last 3 weeks, we saw the Protestant Reformation’s influence on church music. To summarize, the Reformers ensured that church fulfilled its teaching purpose, which meant it must be theologically sound. They re- established congregational singinvg instead of just choirs. Words of the songs were the focus, not the accompanying music. We saw how music was meant to support the songs, not distract the worshipers from them. Music compositions and playing styles avoided frilly embellishments to avoid drawing attention to the music itself. So while the counter-reformation turned church music into a concert performance to draw the crowd, the Reformers remained steadfast to the Biblical purposes and principles for music. Last week, we saw how today the music in many churches have stepped back, instead of continuing in the Reformation tradition. Music in many churches are little different from concerns, serving to entertain the congregation. Instead of music helping as a teaching function by supporting the words sung, it is instead elevated above theology.

Any form of music accepted without cautiousness

Instead of the strict harmonic rules and the orderly laws of classical form that governed the music of the Reformers, harmonic music is de-emphasised today. Many church musicians and modern song writers adopt the musical styles of jazz, pop, and rock genres. It is often asked what is wrong with these genres for church music? It must be remembered that Reformation hymnody music was of the genre broadly known as classical music. The world began to take this form of music, changing and distorting its composition rules, and breaking away from classical conventions and structures to form these other genres with their own carnal styles for the worldling’s consumption. But the Christians adopted these worldly genres into churches because it appeals to and hence brings in the masses. In the modern craving for the emotional “worship experience”, music is used to stimulate the emotions, where once theology used to do so. We must worship God with emotions as well but where previously the doctrines in the song would teach, edify, and stir the singer and listener, music is generally now the main driver designed to “move” the singer emotionally and bring about a physical response. This is often done through increased syncopation by irregular rhythms and off-beat emphasis. “Edification” has also been redefined. It is no more about being built up through the Word, but it is usually about getting an emotionally and physically “high” experience. The focus of the Reformers was that music is a natural response of the hearts understanding God through theology. In contrast today, music is used to manipulate emotions with the hope that the hearts will respond to God. How would one describe today’s church music? Perhaps it would be tempting to say that today, “theology is next to music”. “If this church does not have music that I like, so what if it has sound theology, I’ll go to another”. Or, “If this church has music that I like, never mind the poor theology, I’ll stay.”

Discernment needed today

Exodus 32:17 “And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, Thereisa noise of war in the camp. 18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.” Notice that music sounded like noise when Satan first introduced syncretic worship. Perhaps he might not have been successful in making it part of Israel’s worship thereafter. But it seems he has succeeded today in the New Testament churches despite and after the Reformation. Well maybe you say, “we don’t have such music in our church”. However, few churches end up with full blown rock and pop Contemporary Christian music in church overnight. Churches usually go through the “grey areas” first. Traces of jazz and pop styles are gradually introduced in fellowships and through musicians’ playing styles. These are pre-CCM stages. Like a frog in gradually boiling water, the churches are getting destroyed without them realising. Hence, discernment is needed more than ever before because CCM is here to stay. While many Bible Presbyterian churches remain sound and separated from false doctrines and worship styles of Charismatic churches, this carefulness must extend to the music realm as well, especially in this day and age. It can be our potential “Achilles heel” if we are complacent. It is quite common that when the music becomes carnal, the life of the church follows. Safeguards must be carefully put in place to stringently and objectively evaluate any music we allow into our churches today. The Reformers understood that music is not subjective. BPCWA church leaders and musicians must have discernment and exercise caution. Whether BPCWA will still be sound in music years from now depends upon church leaders seriously making it a point to be so today. If music is truly next to theology, we must ensure that music continues to be subject and second to theology.

I hope all worshipers in BPCWA will take the time to read and re-read this series on church music. We must be very aware of the issues plaguing Christendom. CCM is always trying to creep in. Each worshiper and musician especially must not be careless.

Yours in our Lord’s service

Pastor