The aim and final end of all music

While cantor at Thomas Church of Leipzig, Bach taught Luther’s Small Catechism.

Johann Sebastian Bach stated:

“The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. If heed is not paid to this, it is not true music but a diabolical bawling and twanging.”

 President George H.W. Bush stated, February  22, 1990:

“The Bible has had a critical impact upon the development of Western civilization.

Western literature, art, and MUSIC are filled with images and ideas that can be traced to its pages.” 

Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson wrote in McCollum v. Board of Education, 1948:

“It would not seem practical to teach either practice or appreciation of the arts if we are to forbid exposure of youth to any religious influences.

MUSIC without SACRED MUSIC would be incomplete, even from a secular point of view.”

 

Considered the “master of masters,” Johann Sebastian Bach’s works include:

Passion According to St. Matthew; youtube link
Jesus, Meine Freude (Jesus, My Joy!); youtube link
Christen, ätzet diesen Tag (Christians, engrave this day); youtube link                                       and Easter Oratorio. youtube link

Bach wrote more than 300 sacred cantatas, including:

Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (A mighty fortress is our God); youtube link
Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit (God’s Time is the very best Time); youtube link
Christ lag in Todes Banden (Christ lay in death’s bonds); youtube link                                                         and Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme (Sleepers Awake). youtub link

May He Bring Peace in 2013

OSEH SHALOM

He who makes peace in His high places,
May He bring peace upon us
And upon all Israel,
And say ye Amen.

May He bring peace, may He bring peace,
Peace upon us and on all of Israel.

(this video was recorded in 1984)

(The following quote, taken from the message entitled, Shalom, by William Branham on January 19, 1964 in Phoenix, Arizona was edited for clarity)

Shalom,

to you who have the Word down in your heart,

chosen before the foundation of the world

to hear the Word for this day.

If you don’t, it’s a bad year ahead for you.

If you are, it’s a great world ahead for you,

a great day,

great year coming.

New Year.

Not to turn a new page—a lot of people try to turn a new page on New Years; then turn it back the next day.

Like a little story I was reading the other morning.  A woman hollered in to her husband, who got up early

and went out and got the morning paper, and was reading it.

She said, “Is there anything new in the news?

 He said, “No, just the same thing, only different people.”

That’s about the way it is today, same thing. We have new organizations; same old doctrine.  Just pat it around,

somebody has a little phase of it going this way, or that way.

This is a new day!

Hallelujah!

This is a day that we should rise and shine in the power of Jesus Christ.

Gross darkness is settling upon the earth.

There should be a new day for us.

Yes, indeed, doing it just the way He does it.

But turn to His Word and see the promise that’s promised for this day,

and you’ll know whether you’re living in daylight or not.

Changing the calendar doesn’t change the time.

It only changes the calendar.

Now, closely listen.  Do as David did.

Put your future in His hands.

How?

What am I . . . know what to do, Brother Branham?”

Put your future in His hands.

No matter what comes or goes,

trust Him.

He is the Word.

Now, David said, “His time is in my hands.  Trust in Him all the time.  Always trust in Him.”  He knew who held

the future.  That’s the reason he could say this.  There’s only One who holds the future.  That’s God.

Instead of you trying to hold the future, let Him hold you.

 Some  people  said,  “But  Brother  Branham,  I  have  tried,  and  I  have  tried. . . .”

Isaiah 40:31

But wait a minute,

patience is virtue.

Patience is Holy Spirit virtue.

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”

 You say, “How can I wait any longer?”

  

Ephesians 6:13

Just keep on waiting.  When you’ve done all you can do to stand, then stand, see.

Just stand.

“How am I going to do it?”

Stand.

He said, “It’s the truth,” and it’s the truth.

He said, “It’ll happen.”  How, I don’t know, but it’ll happen.

He said so.  He promised it.

If He promised it, it’s going to happen.  That’s all.  They can’t wait.

So now, just remember God took thousands of years to fulfill His promise of a coming Saviour. God took four thousand

years to fulfill that promise.  But He knew from the beginning just when it was going to happen.

He knew.

No one else did.

He just said it would happen.

God With Us!

The ti­tle comes from the well known Isai­ah 7:14: “Be­hold, a vir­gin shall con­ceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Im­man­u­el.” Im­man­u­el is He­brew for “God with us.”

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

Refrain

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

Refrain

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Refrain

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

Refrain

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain

O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

Refrain

O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

Refrain

____________________________________________________________

O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL

Also published as “Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel”

Version 1
Compare: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – Version 2
See: Notes on Veni, Veni, Emmanuel

Words: Veni, Veni, Emanuel (the “O” Antiphons), 
Authorship Unknown, 8th Century Latin;
Published: Psalteriolum Cantionum Catholicarum, Köln, 1710.

Translated from Latin to English by John Mason Neale, Draw Nigh, Draw Nigh, Emmanuel
in Mediaeval Hymns and Sequences, 1851.
Neale’s original translation began, “Draw nigh, draw nigh, Emmanuel.”
Neale only translated 5 of the 7 Antiphons (See Notes, below).

This version by John Mason Neale, “Altered by Compilers.

Music: “Veni Emmanuel,” 15th Century French Plain Song melody,
Arranged and harmonized by Thomas Helmore in
Hymnal Noted, Part II (London: 1854).
Based on a 15^th Century French Processional
(Some sources give a Gregorian, 8^th Century origin.)
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML
Melody Only: MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Alternate Music: “St. Petersburg,” Dimitri S. Bortniansky
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / Sheet Music / XML
“Veni Emmanuel,” Charles F. Gounod (1818-1893)
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Meter: 88 88 88

Source: Louis Coucier Biggs, ed., Hymns Ancient and Modern (London: Novello & Co., 1867), #36, pp. 40-41.
Also found in J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #48, pp. 76-7.

“The Redeemer shall come to Zion”
Isaiah 59:20

Toby Mac's Music - Got an 'Eye on It'?

Reblogged from ChurchSalt:

I recently saw that Christian singer "Toby Mac" has released a single that has made it all the way to the #1 spot in the secular charts with the song "Eye On It".  Naturally, that made me curious as to what a Christian singer might be singing about that would resonate so well with the lost.  After all, Scripture tells us that we will be persecuted for our faith, that all men will hate us and revile us. 

Read more… 283 more words

"As so many times before, after taking a peek into contemporary Christian music, I am walking away dismayed." Yes, me too.

Christian Internet Radio

http://knvbc.com/player/

Music is powerful. Biblical music is a vital part of the Christian’s life that can do much to foster spiritual growth in every believer. Ungodly music will have the opposite effect, leading us away from fellowship with God. It seems that psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs are quickly being replaced in our homes and churches by other forms of music and entertainment.

KNVBC, a local church ministry, will provide Christian music and programming to encourage, equip, and challenge Christians around the world. This unique station will run 24 hours per day. Listeners will be able to tune in anywhere there is internet access.

We believe that Christian homes and churches will be strengthened in the Lord through the daily broadcasting on KNVBC.

Dr. Jack Trieber explains what you will hear on KNVBC:

http://knvbc.com/player/

This is one of my favorite online radio stations. It is nice when I can listen at work too.

If you would like to share some of your favorite online Christian radio station and why they are, please do so in the comments section?

How should a singer or musician respond when complimented about their song or talent?

The following list has been slightly adapted for singers and musicians. It was an original post by Brian Croft, on how should a pastor respond when he is complimented about his sermon. I adapted it for singers and musicians. If you are a singer or musician, how do you respond to compliments?

How should a singer or musician respond when complimented about their song or talent?

“Great job…good song…that really touched me.” The list of phrases one may hear from church members

goes on. Inevitably, whether the song was good or not, these quick comments will be spoken

to us with varying levels of sincerity and it is important that we know how to respond in a God-honoring way.

Here are 4 suggestions:

1) Say Thank You. It is sad when a musician or singer tries to wear a false humility to hide either his insecurities or

inability to know how to receive a kind word. It usually shows up in the response after a kind,

encouraging comment in this way, “Uh…no it wasn’t that good. I missed it here, stumbled over my words

here…” Just stop it and say “thank you for your kind words.”

2) Be grateful for the encouragement. Regardless the comment, if it was meant to encourage you, thank

them for their encouraging words. Be grateful that however small, simple, or even shallow the

comment, someone took the time to share their thoughts with you. Be grateful and receive it that way.

3) Be Humble that the Lord would dare use you. What should humble us more than a hearer taking time to

encourage us about our song, is the fact that God would choose to use broken vessels like us! That should amaze us with every kind word extended to us. When it ceases to amaze us, then we should start worrying.

4) Give God all the Glory. The great temptation when complimented about a song or musical talent or skill is to think the fruit of our labors ultimately is about us and because of us. When a kind word is extended to us about our singing,

make sure God is credited and praised. Not superficially, but sincerely. We can give God glory with our lips in

response, but inside be welling up with pride.

In light of these suggestions, here are a few ways I think it is appropriate to respond to a kind word extended to

us after a song:

“Thank you for your kind words, isn’t God good the way he speaks to each of us through hymns and singing.”

“Thank you for your encouragement, I am grateful to God he used the words of that song in that way.”

“I am grateful you took the time to share the way this song has affected you. This song effected me in

similar ways. God is so gracious.”

Reblogged from: http://practicalshepherding.com/2012/08/13/how-should-a-pastor-respond-when-he-is-complimented-about-his-sermon/

Avoiding The Ditch

Here is a recent newsletter from SoundForth Music. Operating under the umbrella of Bob Jones University, they magnify the good news of salvation through the production of God-focused music.

Colorado, where I grew up, is known for its snow-covered mountains, but with that beauty comes roads covered in snow and ice. One thing you soon learn to avoid when driving is landing in the ditch. Over the last fifteen years of ministry, I have watched many in the music profession wind up in the ditch by chasing trends. The inherent danger with following trends is seen in Isaiah 53:6—“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” Because sin is natural to us, we quite often go our own way and make choices according to our own foolish pride, influenced by our own opinions, the opinions of others, and our own circumstances.

Avoiding the ditch is not as easy as it seems, however. Overcompensating will land you in the ditch on the other side of the road—also not a pleasant place to be. Conservative musicians have the tendency to overreact to trends, which only lands them in the ditch on the other side of the road. Some overreact with a love of form, others with a love of beauty and aesthetics. Some are passionate about technique, while others overemphasize ministering from the heart. But whether in one ditch or another, they each are still in a ditch and out of balance. Moreover, they each are convinced that their ditch is where they need to be. They proudly articulate their points, trying to get others to join them in their extremes.

In recent years, Christians have become enamored with the numerous, modern hymns available to the church today. Even though many of these texts are exceptional, Christians must guard against the pitfall of misguided affections—idolatry, in other words. The Jews had a tremendous respect for the Scriptures, but they were in a ditch. Despite their intense studies in the Word, they had become militant defenders of the letter of the Law but had grown completely blind to its spirit. They were fascinated with the text and the form, but they didn’t know God. So what were the Jews doing wrong? They were studying the Word of God as if the love of Scripture were the end itself.

The Christian musician can be guilty of the same extreme today. The use of art or form in worship can become an extravagant substitute for the true worship of God. A routine or superficial approach to the worship service can distract the Christian from the necessities of renewing his mind and deepening his relationship with Christ. He can feel righteous and holy after participating in a well-crafted worship service yet never experience the true joy of abiding in Christ.

Regarding the entrance of all the wonderful new texts and hymns in the Christian community today, I wonder if one ditch to avoid is that of following those who worship and serve the creature (or creation) more than the Creator (Rom. 1:25). As you minister in the days ahead, emphasize the importance of Scripture as the source of all truth but also remember that nothing can take the place of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ—the source of true life.

Kurt Stephens Operations Manager of http://soundforthmusic.com/

What Is Mercy?

I read something the other day which stopped me in my tracks. 

“In Psalm 103 we learn that God does not deal with us according to our sins. Try to maintain an imbalance of mercy and judgment–God is extremely imbalanced in this regard…1000 to 4! His mercy is to a thousand generations and his judgment to the third and fourth generations… Remember also that God’s compassions are new every morning. Make sure yours are likewise.” –MH

It put me on a trail of thought… something I had been thinking about for a few days after a discussion with someone I highly respect. We were talking about a situation where certain christians seem quite adamant to prove a backslider was wrong, and seem almost hell-bent on pushing this person lower and refuse to offer forgiveness. I commented that they are determined to be her judge in everything she does. Do believers really know how to express Mercy? We claim to have received Mercy, and many of us have. But do we readily extend mercy to others? Oftentimes we are too quick to judge others. I have witnessed occasions where Christians are quick to judge and castigate those who have fallen or backslidden and very slow to forgive or show mercy. I do not believe we are called to pass judgement on others. We are not called to judge, yet. Unto him who much is given, much is required. Are we truly living for Christ and living AS Christ would, if we are judging the sinner and backslider and condemning rather than extending a helping hand to pull someone out of the deep miry clay of sin and this dreadful world? God help us all!

I wonder what you think about this topic? Feel free to comment.

Why can’t we help other’s by pointing them in the right direction rather than pointing out all their faults?

HE BROUGHT ME OUT!

My heart was distressed ’neath Jehovah’s dread frown,
And low in the pit where my sins dragged me down;
I cried to the Lord from the deep miry clay,
Who tenderly brought me out to golden day.

Refrain

He brought me out of the miry clay,
He set my feet on the Rock to stay;
He puts a song in my soul today,
A song of praise, hallelujah!

He placed me upon the strong Rock by His side,
My steps were established and here I’ll abide;
No danger of falling while here I remain,
But stand by His grace until the crown I gain.

Refrain

He gave me a song, ’twas a new song of praise;
By day and by night its sweet notes I will raise;
My heart’s overflowing, I’m happy and free.
I’ll praise my Redeemer, who has rescued me.

Refrain

I’ll sing of His wonderful mercy to me,
I’ll praise Him till all men His goodness shall see;
I’ll sing of salvation at home and abroad,
Till many shall hear the truth and trust in God.

 

Love Demands My All

God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Gal. 6:14

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross – Isaac Watts

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.

[Added by the compilers of Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern]

To Christ, who won for sinners grace
By bitter grief and anguish sore,
Be praise from all the ransomed race
Forever and forevermore.

_

Hymn Story:
Isaac Watts wrote “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” in preparation for a communion service in 1707. Originally, the hymn was named “Crucifixion to the World by the Cross of Christ,” following the practice of the day to summarize a hymn’s theme in the title. It was first published in 1707 in Watt’s collection Hymns and Spiritual Songs.

Watts wrote five stanzas for the original version of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” However, he put his fourth stanza in brackets, indicating it was the most likely one to be left out, if need be:

“His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree:
Then am I dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.”

Other alterations have been made to this hymn through the years. For example, line 2 originally read “Young Prince of Glory,” but in the second edition of the hymnal, Watts changed it to “When God, the Mighty Maker, died.” It has also been “When Christ, the Lord of Glory, died,” “When Christ, the Great Redeemer, died,” and “When Christ, the Great Creator, died.” In the nineteenth century there were numerous collections with extensive alterations to the hymn.

“When I Survey The Wondrous Cross” is considered one of the finest hymns ever written. It’s the first known hymn to be written in the first person, introducing a personal religious experience rather than limiting itself to doctrine.

In Watts’ day such hymns were termed “hymns of human composure” and they stirred up great controversy. At the time, congregational singing was predominately ponderous repetitions of the Psalms. But this hymn gave Christians of Watts’ day a way to express a deeply personal gratitude to their Savior. The well-loved song continues to stir our hearts today.

Trust And Obey

“I think it’s very important for us to be slow with the trigger. Very important for us to be slow to speak; quick to hear. And you know, If somebody’s got a heart against God, let God deal with that person. Let God deal with that. Our role, our job description does not include judging people who we feel are guilty. That is not our place to do that. God is the avenger of all such; God is the one who will sort it all out in the end. What He wants you to do is obey His Word. And when you make mistakes we can come back to God and ask Him for His mercy and say, ‘Lord forgive me for what I’ve done wrong, forgive me for what I’ve done in error. Lord forgive me for what I’ve done here. That’s not my heart. My heart is to get over this. My heart is to be an over-comer.” - my pastor

Trust And Obey

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.

Refrain

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

Refrain

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.

Refrain

Called To Be Mothers

“You mean that’s all you do?”
That’s all? As a mother, your life is given to taking care of people–small ones, to begin with, whose wants never seem to cease. Sometimes when your days seem to be wholly taken up with wiping things–dishes and sinks, little runny noses and big slow tears–you wonder about what “fulfillment” is supposed to mean for you. You wonder about being (besides the perfect wife and mother) the hostess-with-the-mostest, creative, intellectually productive, beautiful… and slowly your dreams seem to evaporate.
You’ve been listening to what they’re telling us nowadays about how important it is to find yourself, express yourself and assert yourself. Maybe you’re thinking that you’re nothing more than somebody’s wife and somebody else’s mother. And what kind of life is that?

 

There is a tribe in the Southern Sudan called “Nuers” where a woman’s name is changed not when she becomes a wife, but when she becomes a mother. She is “ManPuk”–”Mother of Puka.” Among the Nuers, being someone’s mother is what makes a woman’s life meaningful. Two thousand years ago there was another young woman, of the Jewish tribe of Judah, who understood that truth. The world has never forgotten her–Mary, the mother of Jesus–because she was willing to be known as, simply, Someone’s mother.
Motherhood is a calling. It is a womanly calling… and let’s not be cowed by those who extinguish the light and joy of sexuality by trying to persuade us to forget words like manly and womanly. At the beginning of time when God made the first man and the first woman in His image He put both under the divine command to be fruitful. The woman’s obedience to that command meant self-giving. First she gave herself to her husband–he initiated, she responded–then she gave herself for the life of her child.
A woman knows, in the deepest regions of her being, that it is this very self-giving for which she was made. Single or married, her level of maturity is measured by how much she gives to others. If she’s married, she gives herself to her husband and she receives. If she’s a mother, she loses her life in her child and–mysteriously–she finds it.

A woman knows that no one can really say where the giving ends and the receiving starts. It is no wonder we are confused when urged to look for some “better” or “higher” vocation in which to “prove our personhood.” No wonder we are distressed to be subjected to male standards, or told that the notions of femininity and masculinity are obsolete.
Old fashioned notions they are indeed, but they weren’t our own to begin with. They were God’s. He planned the whole system, and it’s God Himself who calls. He calls some to be single, some married people to be childless, but He calls most women to be mothers. There are, the Bible tells us, “differences of gifts,” and they’re all given to us according to God’s grace. None of the gifts of my own life–not my “career” or my work or any other gift–is higher or more precious to me than that of being someone’s mother.

If our calling is to be mothers, let’s be mothers with all our hearts–gladly, simply, and humbly–like that little peasant girl Mary who spoke for all women for all time when she said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to Thy word” (Luke 1:38).

Called to be Mothers
Elisabeth Elliot
Published: Jan 1, 1995

God Has Given Me a Cheerful Heart!

“God has given me a cheerful heart, and he will surely pardon me 
if I worship Him cheerfully.”

Franz Joseph Haydn and Friends

 Do you know who said these words? Many are familiar with Haydn’s music, but it is little known that, before his talent was recognized, his life was filled with struggles.

 When Joseph was just a boy, his parents recognized his love for music and sought to develop his skill. A distant relative offered to teach him music, but little did Joseph realize  how difficult this would be–his relatives were stern; they flogged him and often deprived him of food. But this did not deter him.

 

 Eventually Haydn was given the opportunity to sing in Vienna’s renowned St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Two years later, after pouring his soul into this endeavor, he was penniless.   Still determined, he made a promise: “I will never give up.” In due course Haydn received the support of a countess and went on to became the world famous composer we  admire today.

 

 In all of this, Haydn never allowed his success to fill him with pride. Toward the end of his life, he was carried into an orchestral hall, too weak to walk. There he listened to the performance of his famous Creation oratorio. In the grandeur of the moment, as the crowds applauded, Haydn “simply pointed upwards and devoutly exclaimed, ‘The music came from above–from God.‘”

 

May it be with us that, after we have persevered and labored heartily before the Lord, we might say with the psalmist, “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory” (Psalm 115:1).

Changing Hymns

For years now Indelible Grace has been at the forefront of the new hymns movement, setting old hymns to new music. Their stated purpose is:

 ”Our hope is to help the church recover the tradition of putting old hymns to new music for each generation, and to enrich our worship with a huge view of God and His indelible grace.”

Frankly I am not sure what is meant by “tradition”.

They also claim:

“But our true goal is even more ambitious. We want to be a voice calling our generation back to something rich and solid and beyond the fluff and the trendy.”

They go on to say…

“We want to remind God’s people that thinking and worship are not mutually exclusive…”

“We believe worship is formative, and that it does matter what we think.”

No, probably not as long as we feel good right?

“We believe that this theological poetry is supremely suited for expressing the seeming paradoxes of the faith that drive us to worship. Our prayer is that Jesus would be made more beautiful and believable, and we have found few things better suited for this than hymns.”

After listening to a few of the songs below, I did not find myself driven to worship, nor did I think Jesus was made more “beautiful and believable”. Is that the purpose of a hymn – ‘to make Jesus more beautiful and believable”?!

Here is a trailer of the documentary video Roots and Wings: The Story of Indelible Grace and the RUF Hymns:

One definition of a hymn is “…a lyric poem, reverently and devotionally conceived, which is designed to be sung and which expresses the worshipper’s attitude toward God or God’s purposes in human life. It should be simple and metrical in form, genuinely emotional, poetic and literary in style, spiritual in quality, and in its ideas so direct and so immediately apparent as to unify a congregation while singing it”.^[2]

Robert Cottrill, a long time contributor to the Cyber Hymnal, wrote in his excellent article 30 Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing:

  ”Occasionally, sing a hymn to a different tune than the one employed in the hymn book. (The Metrical Index can help with this. See my article About That “Metrical Index”.) Make sure the tune fits the word emphasis of the metre, and the mood of the words.”

It is not a bad idea if done correctly. Indelible Grace Music claims this was a tradition of the early hymn writers and uses as justification a claim that Wesley’s tune to And Can It Be was originally a bar tune. Mr. Cottrill however, correctly concludes in his article “Barroom Tunes…Again!” this was not common practice, nor was it condoned.

Luther, Wesley and others were greatly concerned that Christians should not be singing the songs of the world. They certainly would not condone using something that would remind people explicitly of immoral conduct or a sinful lifestyle. Down through the centuries, many Christian hymn writers have laboured to keep the church’s music distinct and separate, recognizably different from the secular music of the day.

In the final analysis, we mustn’t use the practice of others as our standard. We cannot say, “Because some hymn writer did this, it is permissible for me to do the same.” The bottom line is that our ultimate standard is Christ (Eph. 4:13), and the principles of God’s Word (cf. Lk. 16:15). When Jesus met with His disciples after His resurrection, Peter, curious about what the future held for John, asked, “Lord, what about this man?” The Lord’s answer affirms a basic principle of personal responsibility: “What is that to you? You follow Me” (Jn. 21:21-22).

 

If The Holy Spirit inspired the writer, what is the inspiration to change it?

What do you think? Should Hymns be changed?

The Power of Music

This week, something extraordinary happened. Director Michael Rossato-Bennett posted a clip from his new documentary, “Alive Inside,” on YouTube. Over the next couple of hours, he watched the number of views climb from 300 to three hundred thousand. As of this writing, five days later, over three million people have watched it. It’s been covered by USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, ABC News, the LA Times, the Guardian, and news organizations in Brazil, Canada, and Pakistan. And the film hasn’t even premiered yet.

What’s attracting all this attention? Music therapy, and the extraordinary effect it has on a 94-year-old called Henry. Without music, Henry is uncommunicative and cannot recognize his own daughter. With music, he comes alive, reminiscing about his favorite Cab Calloway performances. His eyes glow, he speaks with energy and passion.

The full documentary, which premieres next week at the Rubin Museum in New York, is about a wonderful project devoted to improving the lives of elderly people with various conditions—especially those, like Henry, with dementia, as well as people with cancer, depression, paralysis, and a host of other conditions. The idea couldn’t be simpler: load an iPod with music that has meaning for the individual, so they can access that music to enliven, engage, and uplift.

You can help transform the life of someone like Henry by donating an old or new iPod. For more information, go to the Music and Memory website. Learn how to pick the right music and set up an iPod for your loved one, or how to bring this program to your neighbors.

As Dr. Sacks has written in Musicophilia, music can be more therapeutic than any medication. Music, he says,“brings back the feeling of life when nothing else can.”  

Music is inexpensive, easily available, and (unlike drugs) it has no side effects!  Let’s keep this going—tell a friend, and ask them to spread the word, too.

Watch this touching 6.5 minutes video

“Christian” Bands

Claiming Musicians as One of Us

“I heard that the lead singer’s dad was a missionary….”

“I think the bass player has “Jesus” tattooed in Hebrew on his side.“

“I’m pretty sure they were a worship band for a church somewhere in Tennessee. Or maybe it was California?”

“Yeah, man. I’m positive. The band is Christian…. “

“Oh really,” you respond. Sitting a little taller in your coffee shop chair, excitedly playing with the idea along with the rims of your thick black-rimmed glasses. “This it it,” you think to yourself, we’ve got someone on the inside, someone successful, someone who can prove that someone can be Christian and talented.

The idea produces more goose bumps than the night you sang “Amazing Grace” holding hands around the campfire.

So you order some songs on iTunes and start listening. I mean really listening. For the Spirit-infused lyrics. For the biblical illusions. The love-songs-that-are-really-about-Jesus that you somehow missed before.

Oh yes, you hear it now. They’re not just talented. They’re anointed.

It’s high school all over again, and the cool senior with the tattoos just walked into Wednesday morning prayer. We Christians have finally made it.

Notable Secular-Christian, Christian Musicians.

Jon Acuff already wrote about arguing about the faith of U2, but the list of Secular-Christian, Christian musicians is longer than the Levitical laws.  Such reputable artists include Collective Soul, OneRepublic, Justin Bieber, Jessica Simpson, Regina Spektor, The Fray, Miley Cyrus, Jewel – the list holds no prejudice to genre or style. If Google says they’re Christian, then it must be so.

Creed was driving the train for years with star-struck Christians climbing aboard — Five Iron Frenzy t-shirts quickly being replaced by Scott Stapp looking pensively towards the sky with arms wide open.

Mumford and Sons was the main addition to the list from 2011. Songs like “Awake My Soul” and “Sigh No More” leading countless people to the Lord, of this we are sure. Sure “Little Lion Man” and its chorus of F-bombs confused the equation a bit. But those F-bombs were nothing more than explosions of authentic-emotional-truth. Nothing more. And when in doubt, we’ll just turn that song down in the office. Problem solved.

But why? Why is it so tempting for us to throw the Christian label on musicians who have purposely tried to avoid it?

Three Reasons We Quickly Claim Secular Musicians as One of Us

1. Evangelism Made Easy
No longer do we have to coax friends to church or a Christian music festival to be touched by the spirit. No, now we can just slip on that Regina Spektor CD, sit back, and watch the conversion-magic happen.

“Do you hear it?”

“Hear what?”

“Oh, you’ll know.”

“Know what?”

“Just keep listening…”

2. Guilt-Free Music
The days of giving away all our “secular” CDs after coming back convicted from camp are over. Now we can listen to our favorites, as they are merely undercover agents for the Lord. Buying a CD is like giving money to the ministry smuggling Bibles into a communist country. We can support their secret mission with every $9.95.

3. Cool Christianity
All the angry bearded men with megaphones and signs about hell. All the do’s and don’ts, lest you be judged. All the “Christian” music. All the strikes against us can be demolished with just one Mumford and Sons chorus at the proper volume.

It’s the best of both worlds: Good music and great God. The only thing that can throw a monkeywrench into the whole thing is when one of the bands we’ve claimed makes a point of saying, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. We are not Christian.” They go beyond the traditional faith disclaimer of “We’re not a Christian band. We’re a band of Christians” and actually say, “We are decidedly not down with the king.” At that point, well, we’ll take our albums and go home.

Content that we still haven’t found what we’re looking for.

http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2012/04/claiming-musicians-as-one-of-us/#more-7061

Charles Wesley

{reblogged from: http://www.challies.com/}

Charles Wesley

• Yesterday, Thursday 29MARCH was the  224th anniversary of the death of Charles Wesley, one of history’s most well-known and best-loved hymn writers. His contributions to the English-speaking church are remarkable, which becomes apparent when you read the introduction to his brief biography at ChristianHistory.net:

He was said to have averaged 10 poetic lines a day for 50 years. He wrote 8,989 hymns, 10 times the volume composed by the only other candidate (Isaac Watts) who could conceivably claim to be the world’s greatest hymn writer.

Of these nearly 9,000 hymns, you’ll likely recognize “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” and “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today,” along with many others.

Duke Divinity School has done the hard work of putting together an organized collection that provides a “standard for scholarly study and citation.” The collection is organized by date of publication in PDFs that seek to match the original published resources. Each PDF also includes an editorial introduction about the resource.

Another online source for Charles Wesley hymns is, of course, CyberHymnal.org. Though this site only lists 265 of his hymns, each page gives you the option of playing a MIDI file of the tune, which is nice if you’ve forgotten (or want to learn) the melody. Once you’ve done that, you may want to search iTunes or Amazon to find a better version of the song.

If you’d like to learn more about his life and work, last year I read (and would recommend) the biography by John Tyson, entitled Assist Me to Proclaim. One thing that struck me in particular was the account of Charles’ humility, which is remarkable considering how talented and prolific his writing was.

I’ve also written a review of a video dramatization of his life and hymns, performed by John Jackman, which I enjoyed and benefited from.

And finally, let me list my favorite Wesley hymns. I find it remarkable and interesting that though Wesley wrote nearly 9,000 hymns, there are only a few that I know and love today. The march of time sifts through the multitude of hymns and allows the very best of them to float to the top. Here are my favorites (in order, even):

1. And Can It Be
2. O for a Thousand Tongues
3. Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus
4. Jesus, the Name High Over All
5. Rejoice, the Lord Is King
6. Jesus, Lover of My Soul
7. Tis Finished! The Messiah Dies
8. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today