I hated country music my whole life. Throughout high school, I would tell anyone who asked me that I liked every kind of music except country music. I was almost religious in my crusade against the evil which was country music… and then I met her. Her name was Amanda and she soon became my best friend. She loved country music and as our friendship grew into love I began to enjoy her music. I held out as long as I could but I confess to you that I now like country music. Here is the point: for years I dismissed the country style because I thought the lyrics were all immoral, pointless, and worthless. My conclusion was not based on intelligent or informed experience or opinion but upon my passionate dislike of the style. If you were to look up “church music” or “music” in the archive of any major Christian bookstore, you will find a little more than a thousand books on the subject. Everyone has an opinion about what should or should not be played in church, what is proper or improper to listen to. Often the proverbial line in the sand is drawn on record labels, style, or preference rather than informed opinion and scriptural principle.
The Bible has very little to say about style of music… go and do likewise! The largest collection of music that we have in the Bible is Psalms. This collection of music would have been played Israel’s worship in Solomon’s temple and later the second temple. The lists of instruments employed by these worshipers of God include but are not limited to: lyre, harp, tambourine, trumpet, voices, lute, strings, pipes, cymbals, etc. The other passage which you ought to consider is found in Ephesians 5:18-21:
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Within Paul’s admonition to the Ephesians to be filled with the Spirit, he tells them to address one another in these three things: Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. *Please note that he is speaking to a church and within a church setting. The psalms are more specifically the Psalms that David wrote. The hymns of the Ephesians were not like the hymns which we sing and were probably more chanting or sung acapella. The word “song” is a generic word probably denoting any composition. “Spiritual songs” is probably best thought of as general compositions about spiritual things.
The best thing that a minister of Jesus Christ can do is to help his people face the lyrics. I get songs stuck in my head and those songs indoctrinate me because I begin to think over and meditate on that song. You do it too, even if it is unconscious. Consider this passage: Philippians 4:6-8:
“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Teach your people to love truth and beauty and listen to music that encourages this. Give your musicians room to hone their skill with style and concentrate more on the content of what is being sung.
Brothers, we have more people under our ministry who would sooner die fighting on the hill of style preference, about which the Bible is silent, than share the gospel with a dying world, about which God’s voice speaks in deafening tones throughout the whole Bible.
