Music Meeting

Here are some jottings towards the Church Music Meeting we're having on Saturday.

Thank you to all those who already give generously of their time, effort and talents in the music ministry of the church.

We appreciate what you do and we’re grateful for it.

What we’re about today:

Not about taking decisions at this meeting.

I’m going to give a little bit of input at the beginning, but basically this is a chance to hear what people have to say.

A listening exercise.

So speak up!

The Vicar and I will talk about this some time, maybe with the rest of the staff meeting, PCC, musicians and singers or whatever seems appropriate.

General or specific points welcome – request a particular song.

I have some thoughts and ideas about the music, but I’m going to try to hold back and facilitate!

Everyone is entitled to their point of view, even if they’re wrong!

We might ask people to expand on what they’re saying or explain why they think that, but we don’t want to necessarily have a big argument about every point.

Let’s hear what people think, even if we disagree with it.

It may be that we’re already doing the best we can.

Talk about the ideal – dreams, visions, aspirations – inform our prayers.

Next steps – where can we realistically go from here with the people, time, energy, equipment we’ve got.

Eph 4:15 - Speak the truth in love!

(1) Speak the truth – be honest, open, frank, speak your mind, say your piece, feel free to say things that are negative or appropriately critical if need be, let’s not pretend

(2) in love – listen, respect one another’s’ opinions, be kind and gracious, gentle, avoid blame, be positive and constructive, let’s not impute wicked motives to one another unless there’s very good evidence!

The purpose of sung worship in the Bible:

(1) Worship God

We worship God with our whole lives, every day, not just with our lips on a Sunday.

Romans 12:1-2 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual {Or reasonable} act of worship. ² Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

But we do meet on a the Lord’s Day for special corporate gathered public worship.

Hebrews 12:28 – “let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe”

What does the Bible say about music?

Lots of music in the Bible!

Psalms - Loudness, joy, variety of instruments.

We want what we do to be honouring to God – orderly, reverence, awe, greatness and majesty of God, minds and hearts engaged, joy, wholehearted, passionately, intelligently, sincerely.

God-centred songs, objective truth about what God has done.

Music has the ability to engage our emotions for good or ill.

We want songs that express and encourage appropriate responses to what God has done and said.

Song lyrics can be very memorable.

We want to stock our minds with good biblical stuff.

We want substantial biblical content to what we sing.

Biblical songs can help us to have the words of Christ dwell in us richly. (Col 3:16)

Songs that preach to ourselves / to one another. (Ps 103-104)

1 Corinthians 14:40 – “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”

(2) Mutual edification / building up / encouragement

God alone is the object and recipient of our worship.

We worship the audience of one!

We’re not performing.

The congregation is not the audience.

But we are to be concerned for others in our worship.

1 Cor 14:26 – “Let all things be done for building up.”

We need to ask what will edify, encourage and strengthen others?

This is after all our corporate public worship.

We are worshiping together as a body.

Sunday worship is not just about me and Jesus – we can do what we like in the privacy of our own homes with a CD player and headphones!

We worship and serve God by serving one another.

Song: Servant King - “Each others’ needs to prefer, for it is Christ we’re serving”

You can’t please all the people all the time!

Some things are matters of taste and we’ll differ on them, that’s fine.

Let’s think not only of our personal preferences.

Bear with one another (Col 3:13)

Philippians 2:3 - “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

Our Sunday services are something of a shop front.

We need to consider not only our existing congregation but those who don’t yet come to church.

Music and singing can be very important in setting a mood and atmosphere.

If people come to church and they don’t like the music, they may not come back.

There are more important things to a church than the music, but it does really matter.

Especially in a place where there are other conservative Evangelical churches with good Bible teaching to choose from, attractive music could determine someone’s choice of church.

You might not think it should be that way, but I reckon it probably is.

We neglect the command to sing Psalms (Col 3:16). We rarely use the faultless hymnbook that God has given us.

Eph 5:19-20 – “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”