When Contemporary Is Traditional
Mark 7:13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. I guess I am as traditional in my love of music as anyone. I love the old hymns and music of the church. But … in my vocation as minister of music, in which I served for the greater part of my life, both full and part time, I tried to use a variety of styles of music. The music department (or ministry) of most churches today may as easily be called the “War Department”. I recently heard of a choir director who said that he could not use a certain person in “his” music ministry because she sings too “country”. In surveying his choice of music and musicians I have found that he leans toward the contemporary style of music. I said that I have no problem in allowing ANY minister of music or church choir director choose the type music used in the music ministry of the church as long as the pastor approves of his or her choices. The pastor of the church is also pastor of the music ministry as well as every other ministry of the church. The greatest problem I saw is that this certain choir director announced the “too country” statement publicly and therefore hurt the “country” soloist deeply. Such statements are better buried deep within the minister’s own conscience and not exclaimed aloud and thus hurting not only the minister but the whole ministry of the church.
We are to edify and be encouragers one to another:
Heb 10:24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. I have to admit that everyone is a music critic. It doesn’t matter what their music education is; EVERYONE knows what style of music they like and usually will choose a church based on their personal preferences.
I, personally, could not take a steady diet of 7/11 music; that is seven words sung eleven times. That type of music just leaves me empty and worn out when I am forced to “eat” it for two hours steady. There are those who will only survive on their steady diet of “contemporary” music. They are just not “challenged” by hymns or even southern gospel. I have seen some nearly gag and run from a room when “Gaither” type music is being presented.
The real church musician ministers to the whole church, lifts up the Lord Jesus Christ and brings honor to God and not to themselves:
I Cor 45For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. To feed the church congregation on just one style of music is like sitting our children down to dinner and serving them only a bowl of sugar. A balanced diet edifies the whole body.
I was told that another church only used “contemporary” music in their services … I guess that has become their tradition. Our church services need to be bathed in prayer … and not just during the service itself … but for days before … let God do the choosing and may the people be blessed.
God bless you,
Bro. Ott
Tags: Music Contemporary Traditional Service
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