“A Perspective on Worship Music - Thoughts about Music that Pleases Both God and People”

(Click on the cartoons
for a much larger image.)

Traditional and Contemporary. Old-Fashioned and Modern. Words and Tunes. The argument is as old as the Bible Psalms written hundreds of years ago to be sung and as new as vastly differing styles of hymns, gospel songs, and contemporary Christian music written within the last generations.

This past Sunday, our church enjoyed some contemporary Christian music by the band "LED" (www.infaithbydesign.com) from Cabot. Instead of our traditional piano and organ, the group featured their electronic keyboard, acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, drums, and bongos. Yes, the tunes were newer and louder. But, the words and music was just as biblical as the older, softer, traditional kind.

People have strong feelings about the worship music they prefer. God does, too. However, unlike many of us, He's not concerned with the tune but with the words.

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California and author of the second best-selling book of all time, "The Purpose Driven Life," hits the nail on the head. If I may paraphrase his words, I would say it this way: it's not the sound of the tune but the sacredness of the words that matters. Remember, it's not about us ... it's about God.

Although the music (the tune) is quite different for the following two songs written almost one hundred years apart, the lyrics (and therefore the message) of both are quite similar. Although we didn't sing the 1899 one so familiar to many of us older folks this past Sunday, the band "LED" did invite us to sing the 1997 one.

"Open My Eyes (That I May See)"
Words and Music by Clara H. Scott, 1899.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
Ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

"Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord"
Words and Music by Paul Baloche, 1997.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You.
I want to see You.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You.
I want to see You.
To see You high and lifted up,
Shining in the light of Your glory.
Pour out Your power and love.
As we sing holy, holy, holy.

We sing both kinds of worship music at our church. We use the traditional piano, organ, and handbells. We also enjoy worship videos and choruses with a keyboard and sometimes a guitar. We're trying to offer music that appeals to all ages and all tastes. But, most importantly, we're trying to offer music that appeals to God. As long as the words honor Him, I know He'll enjoy the tunes. The above cartoons are funny, but it's sad when worship music is offered or rejected with the wrong intent.

Let's not let the kind of tunes you prefer cause you to reject words that honor God that happen to be in tunes you do not like.

This is just the perspective of one who loves to sing many kinds of worship music.