Harold Best Thoughts

I’ve been listening to a talk by Harold Best on the concepts of content and context in worship music.  I’m going to rip this comment out of the two hours of context around it, but the comment struck me as thought provoking, so here it is.

When 9/11 hit us, praise and worship music had nothing to sing, nothing.  The repertoire was exhausted.  Nothing of lament.  Nothing of grief.  Very little of repentance.  Nothing of anger.  All we could sing is, "We’ve come to worship," and God says, "I already know that," but we say, "I want to sing it over and over again, even though you already know that."  Now I’m being a little sarcastic, but sarcasm is often born out of something quite real, so here we are in the face of an international, global tragedy, and there’s nothing to sing.  A lot of tunes, yes, but no texts.  The secret of the future of praise and worship music will be when its textual content matches that of any good hymn book.  Because any good hymn book covers the counsel of God, from stem to stern, and the behavior and responsibility of mankind, from stem to stern.  So you have in the hymn book, and I’m not saying bring the hymn book back, even though Jars of Clay would like to see that happen.  You’ve seen their liner notes.  Their next to last album says, "Save the hymn!  Save the hymnbooks!"  So I’m not arguing for the reintroduction of the hymnbook per se; I’m arguing for a body of church music we can call contemporary, texted music that covers everything having to do with God and Christ in history, and man with or without Christ, and his need for Christ, whether he is in Christ or away from Christ.

I think he has some wonderful points. Interestingly enough, I think that the praise and worship movement realized this, possibly as a result of 9/11, although, I think that textually ambiguous music could only hold its weight for so long.  I see the modern P&W movement heading in this direction that Best speaks of.  For example, the newest Baloche or Tomlin cd has far deeper and richer texts than even albums of theirs 2 or 3 years ago.  However, I would say that we’re not there yet.  My question is, why is it an either or thing?  Harold, who is in his seventies I believe, having been a professor at Wheaton for a number of years, still says, I don’t think we need to bring the hymnal back, we just need to deepen the lyrics of modern worship.  Personally, I like the contemporizing of hymn songs.  We have a deep store of theologically sound songs right in front of us.  Why not use them?  I do think that there is a style issue.  I’m sorry, but the up and coming generations have an adverse reaction to the organ.  I’m not making a judgment about the value of the organ, because the organ is a beautiful instrument, but my generation and the generation below me are don’t connect with the sound of an organ (generally speaking).  That being said, I think that it is wonderful to modernize hymns.  My personal philosophy when choosing music for services and for personal worship is to draw from every source that I can.  Christ honoring music did not either start (as contemporary says) or end (as traditional says) at 1980.  Why do we set barriers on our music?  Just some thoughts.  Any responding thoughts?

Psalm 34 (part 3)

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. (Psa 34:8-14 ESVESV)

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Don’t take my word for it. When was the last time you used this statement? Usually we say it when something just sounds too good to be true. Statements like, “Ireland is green,” or “Hawaii is a paradise,” or “soft boiled eggs on toast is good.” Until you’ve seen Ireland or Hawaii or tasted soft boiled eggs on toast, these statements don’t incite a visceral reaction. It’s almost like David is daring someone here. He’s saying, “See for yourself, the Lord is good.” It also evokes a visceral reaction for those who know that the Lord is good! It brings us to nodding our heads in emphatic agreement.

Do we say this in our words and actions? Do we say, “Look! The Lord is good. Don’t take my word for it, see for yourself.” Who are we saying it to? I don’t know about you, but I’m awfully isolated. I suppose it doesn’t help that I’m antisocial, but doesn’t the Word say, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” How can we step out of our comfort zones? Are you praying for friends to come to the Lord? It certainly won’t happen without the work of the Holy Spirit, and we need to intercede on their behalf.

There we are, right? Share your faith with your friends. Ah, but as the author of The Great Omission points out, we can’t stop there. David goes on to teach us how to taste and see. Jesus says in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Wait a second! Doesn’t He mean go and make converts? Maybe it was translated wrong. It’s all Greek to me…. Never mind. The word here means either to follow precepts and instructions or to teach or instruct. Teach or instruct. That sounds an awful lot like what David is doing in Psalm 34. It’s not enough to pray our friends in the door, we’re called to make disciples. Who are you pouring into? Whew, talk about Christian jargon. Who are you deliberately teaching and instructing in the Way? Pastor Flack said Sunday that the Gospel isn’t the safety instructions at the beginning of the flight, it’s the whole flight plan. Who’s co-pilot are you?

My reaction to this kind of teaching? I don’t have it together yet. I’ll disciple when things are going right. After all, look at the heroes of the Bible. They had it together. David, Peter, all the other disciples…. Oh wait, not exactly stellar flawless guys. Matter of fact, doesn’t it seem like God uses the unlikely guys to do His work? Why? “When we are weak, He is strong.” Brings us right back to God receiving glory! When it is so terribly obvious that we can’t do something, and God works through us to get it done, it just shows how the Lord has worked.

I’m always reminded of this on Sunday mornings when things don’t go so well. You know, everything sort of collapses in on itself. The screen doesn’t sync perfectly. The guitar strings snap in the middle of a verse, forcing an a capella chorus. My brain fries in the middle of a prayer. Almost without exception those are the Sundays where I hear how wonderful the worship was. Certainly not me, but God be praised. This is how we should be with discipleship and evangelism. Let’s step out in faith. We’ll mess stuff up, because we are only human, but at the end, God will be praised!

Random Thought for the Day

Most uncomfortable thing I do:  Direct the congregation in the singing of hymns 1st hour

Most edifying thing I do:  Direct the congregation in the singing of hymns 1st hour

Lesson Learned:  Put aside personal preferences when necessary to edify the Body of Christ

Psalm 34 (part 2)

 

I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

(Psa 34:4-7 ESV)

 

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“I sought the Lord.” “Those who look to Him.” “This poor man cried.” Do you catch a pattern here? What gives God glory? I think that question should be our primary concern in life. “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” I’m sure most of you have heard John Piper’s statement concerning God’s glory. I think this is what David is talking about here. David doesn’t sit back on his heels and wait for the Lord to work. I don’t want to be mistaken, David has to wait on the Lord, but it’s a proactive kind of waiting.

It’s like the kid in last year’s 6th grade band who really wanted to play #92, Trombone Rag. By this time, we would inevitably be on #200 something, but a favorite song is a favorite song. Teaching wise, it’s a good song. The trombones get to gliss finally, the trumpets have to learn some measure of syncopation and dynamics. Little Brendon would get it in his head occasionally that he wanted to play the song, so every five minutes or so, he would ask if we could play #92. I would string him out of course, because as long as he was focused on the expectation of playing #92, he was focused on something, and let’s be honest, a focused 6th grader is a blessing. Of course, both of us knew that I would give in in the end, but he was persistent in seeking.

Are we that way with God? Not pestering, but persistent in asking. Asking knowing that God will give us our answer. Look how David was answered. He sought the Lord and was delivered. He looked to Him and was no longer ashamed. Boy, I could camp here for a long time. So let me camp here for a short time!

The enemy tells us that if we look at God we’ll realize how far off the mark we are, and we will be ashamed. So what is our response? I don’t know about you, but out of shame, I start avoiding God. Of course, this results in more shame, so I avoid more. Then I’m ashamed that I’m avoiding God, so I’m even more ashamed. See where this is going? There’s a whole snowball effect that happens. Then we end up sitting there wondering why we are so far from God.

The truth of looking to God is so much better. If we look to the Lord, not only do we see where we lack, but we see the mercy and grace of Christ making up that lack and more. What an amazing Grace! No wonder that David says that those who look to Him are radiant! We always know it too. If you’re anything like me, when you finally come to the cross, God is faithful to renew a right Spirit within you and He heals once again.

Something that’s been convicting me for some time is the concept of God sized prayers. Do we put God in a box? How big do we think our God is? Are there things that we’ve decided aren’t happening, so we don’t pray for? What do our prayers say about what we think about God? As I look through the Word, I see a God who loves to take huge prayers and bless the socks off the people crying out. (Random note, don’t you love the phrase, “Bless the socks off?” Pastor Mark used it all the time, and slowly yet surely it caught on.) I think God loves to bless the socks off of things. Why? Because it brings Him glory!

What can we take from verse 7. I certainly see application in the area of spiritual warfare, but I think there’s something else that we can take from this. This statement continues the same thought that David has been on for the last three verses. He’s talking about a close proximity to the Lord. David shows us that if we’re close to the Lord, He is faithful. What a joy to serve a faithful God. We certainly aren’t by nature a faithful people. We’re too easily distracted. We all have spiritual ADD. We can be going along fine, and then something distracts us.

The distraction isn’t always something bad, matter of fact, usually it’s something good. However when something good becomes the thing, it becomes an idol. Whoa! I just pulled out the “i” word. We are after all an enlightened society. You certainly don’t see anyone bowing down before a little wooden statue asking for rain or something like that, do we? How many people “bow down” to stuff, asking it to make them happy? How many of us “bow down” to our deeds, holding them up to show how we don’t need God today? How many of us put other things before a holy God? Every single one of us, every single day.

God tells us, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” I don’t think He says that for His sake. I think He tells us that for our sakes. He’s saying to us, “Hey, there’s one thing in this whole world that truly satisfies… Me.” The more we draw close to Him, the more He shows us the areas in our lives that we are letting get ahead of Him. May we be a seeking people, a looking people, a crying people, for the Lord encamps around those who fear Him and delivers them.

Great new album

Every Tuesday, I check out newreleasetuesday.com to see what the new Christian music of the week is.  This week, a guy named Jason Gray released a new album.  Never heard of the guy, but the blurb made the album sound cool.  Wow.  I haven’t bought many CDs since we moved and I don’t drive a half an hour everywhere any more.  I just listen to stuff on Rhapsody instead.  Saves lots of money and as long as I have an internet connection, I can listen to anything I want.  Tangent!  Anyway, Jason Gray’s new album.  Great stuff.  One of those albums that I think I need to listen to again and again to catch stuff. The CD is really a recording of one of his live concerts, complete with tracks of him speaking between songs.  There’s humor, seriousness, and most importantly a depth to his lyrics that I long for when I listen to music.  Here’s a link to the album on Rhapsody.  I think you can listen to like 21 tracks free each day without a subscription, so voila, you can listen to the CD.  I think you’re going to need to listen without distractions.  I know that I’m going to have to go back later and listen again.

12 String Guitar

Okay, so I was reading an article by Paul Baloche on the open chord concept.  This part seriously made me laugh out loud.

Perhaps some brave souls among you play with 12 strings.  To you I say, “God bless you and I hope you have a good tuner.”  Incedentally, I’ve always wondered if the 10-stringed lyre referred to in Psalm 33:3 was really a 12-string guitar with two broken strings.

LOL.  I’m sure you’ve noticed that I love playing my 12 string guitar.  I probably only love it because it has a tuner built in to the guitar.  You’ve also probably noticed I haven’t played it in weeks.  That’s because I still haven’t gotten around to replacing the stings after one snapped in the middle of a Sunday morning worship set.  Ah, the memories.  The total confusion as we sang a totally unplanned a capella chorus of Forever before cutting the song off really early.  The really confused look on Wendy’s face as I asked her to run to my office and grab my other guitar while I went through church life announcements.  The loud and very obvious pops in the sound as I unplugged my 12-string and plugged in my 6-string.

Come to think of it, I really should replace those strings.  I do love my 12-string guitar…..

Psalm 34 (part 1)

 

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!

(Psa 34:1-4 ESV)

 

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Do you ever have a song in your head? I’m bad at this. It bothers my wife something fierce because I always seem to get the song stuck in her head too. This is probably because I just can’t not sing out loud. Yesterday was a good example. I was listening to a worship CD on Rhapsody when I heard Lincoln Brewster cover that Hallelujah song from Shrek. Anyway, I played it several times while blogging, and then it was done. It was stuck. Of course, when Jodie got home, I had to share this appalling interpretation of worship with her. It’s just such a catchy tune! I’ve been singing it ever since.

Our praise for the Lord needs to be like that song. Our love for Him needs to be something we just can’t get out of our heads, and we shouldn’t try! What’s more, it should be such a catchy thing that we can’t wait to share it with friends. His praise should be infectious. Who are you giving credit for stuff to? David says our souls should make their boast in the Lord. Are you noticing stuff? Are you praising the Lord throughout the day?

Today had a pretty rough start to it. Let’s be blunt, last night wasn’t exactly an uplifting night for Republicans. Slow getting up, I ran over to Panera to grab Jodie a Mocha and a scone (don’t get me started on the disgustingness of the scone). I walked back out to my car at the precise moment it started raining. It was one of those cold, sheeting rains from the side. You know, the soaking, make you cold and shivering rains. I took Jodie her food, hopped back in my car, and the windshield wiper promptly popped off. Arg. Now I had to get out of my car, in the cold rain, to fix my windshield wiper blade so that I could see to drive. What a miserable day….

“This is the day the Lord has made; rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

That’s what ran through my head at that precise moment. Wow, talk about getting smacked over the head by the Lord! I took that moment to praise Him for being a sovereign, loving God.

When we gather Sunday morning, our worship should be a corporate continuation of what we’ve been doing all week long. Too often we get into a habit of struggling through the week. We get to Sunday having praised him maybe occasionally, rarely or not at all. We wade our way through the foyer, greeting folks, letting them know how great a week we had. We settle into a pew, glance through the bulletin and get ready for another hour or so of worship. Somewhere in the second or third song, we get into it and really start to worship. We listen to the sermon, seeing how far off we are in our lives. We sing a final song, and we’re done. Yep, that’s right, done with worship for the day. We turn around, and start talking about all the things that life has thrown at us in the last week. Though edifying, we notice that often the Lord is far from our lips. As we head out into the world for another week, we vow to do better this week.

Is this the Christian walk? I wonder what our walk would be like if we were to bless the Lord at all times, and praise him continually. As we have been extolling the Lord throughout the week, we would gather on Sunday morning, sharing with each other the blessings of the Lord we’ve seen. We would gather as a body, and magnify the Lord, exalting His name together. May we be that kind of follower of Christ!