I am not "musical". I can't play an instrument and I sing only softly in church. I'm not even especially drawn to listening to music. When I drive in my car I forget to turn on the radio and I don't own an iPod. Nine times out of ten, I decline an opportunity to attend a concert. I say all of this only to reveal how odd it is that I am the one writing what follows.
Recently I had a conversation with a good friend that prompted me to give this subject some thought. My friend asked me a couple questions... He asked me: "Who are a few of the greatest preachers in history?" I named a few. Then he asked me: "Can you recite any of their sermons? Of course I said "no".
Then he asked me: "Who are a few of the greatest Christian song/hymn writers in history?" I named a few. Then he asked me if I could recite any of their songs, which of course I could.
All of which illustrated for me the importance of music and good lyrics. Sermons are quickly forgotten, but music lasts and penetrates the culture sometimes for generations.
Pastors spend hours each week carefully preparing sermons to be true to the text. We're careful about what we say because we are proclaiming the Word of God! But then we often give only minutes of thought to the selection of the music we sing or we roll the dice hoping that the music leaders will pick selections that suffice. And yet, as my friend helped me to see, it is the music that is more easily learned and likely to be remembered for years to come.
As a Lutheran pastor, I have a great love for the depth and richness of our theology. I love how Lutheran thought embraces the Law and the Gospel, a theology of the cross instead of a theology of glory, the many wonderful mysteries and paradoxes of the faith, a rich understanding of how we as believers are at the same time both saint and sinner, a belief in Gods presence and work in the means of grace, etc...
Do you sing that?
In your church, do you have a good selection of singable songs that reflect that rich theology? I'm not saying that they don't exist or that there aren't good songs being written today. But I am saying that there aren't enough of them.
We need good theologians and musicians to produce more good music for the church. Perhaps you aren't musical like me, but maybe you can write lyrics that a song writer can use. Perhaps you aren't a savvy theologian but you can put music to a well thought out set of lyrics. I hope you both get together soon.
"Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us." - Martin Luther
Friday, November 25, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
WORSHIP
Eugene Peterson writes, “We’re never wholly ourselves until we’re open before God, attending to the reality of God, responding to the action of God in us, receiving the word of God for us. Worship is the strategy by which we interrupt our preoccupation with ourselves and attend to the presence of God. Worship is the time and place that we assign for deliberate attentiveness to God – not because he’s confined to time and place but because our self-importance is so insidiously relentless that if we don’t deliberately interrupt ourselves regularly, we have no chance of attending to him at all at other times and in other places.” (Leap Over a Wall: Earthy Spirituality for Everyday Christians p. 152)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
I Heard Myself Saved
When I hear God's Word proclaimed... both the law which shows me my need and drives me to despair and the gospel which meets my need and gives me life, I find myself believing it. It isn't a decision on my part, it simply happens. In other words, I didn't believe, then I found myself believing after the hearing of the message of Christ.
That "experience" of hearing myself saved, occurred at my baptism and it occurs regularly when I hear the gospel. It is life to me. I love to hear it again and again.
I'm told that there is an old word or expression in Norwegian that means just that: "I heard myself saved". I don't know that word, but I'd love to learn about it. (If anyone knows it, I'd love to hear from you)
This thought has significance to me in these ways:
It impacts my idea of evangelism. There is enormous freedom in it. Evangelism no longer carries with it the idea of needing to convince or somehow persuade unbelievers to decide or accept or respond in a particular way to God's redemption story. My only responsibility is simply to proclaim His word, both the Law and the Gospel. It does it's work. I don't always know when it is doing its work to hearers and that's okay. I simply proclaim the message God has given us to proclaim.
In much of 'evangelicalism' today, there is a western idea imposed upon the gospel that demands a purpose driven, decision making, evidence showing, prosperity producing, particular way of doing evangelism and living out the Christian life. I think that way works against the gospel because it clouds the message and makes hearers feel more like a project than recipients of the best news they have ever heard.
"Conversion" may look much different than what we've been conditioned by our 'evangelical culture' to expect. It may look more like a nod, a smile, or a simple sigh of relief. I think many of the passages of scripture used to tell people exactly what they need to say and do to be saved, were meant to be assurances for believers rather than a club to beat unbelievers. Indicative statements have been made into imperatives.
My experience in ministry has shown this whole idea to be true. I've known many individuals with a disdain for Christ who, after hearing the message of the gospel again and again, found themselves eventually resonating with Him. I didn't always know when it happened, it just did. The good news had its effect. That makes me want to tell it more and more.
All of this doesn't fit nicely into a graph or a year end annual report on numbers of conversions. It doesn't jive with our bottom line ways of thinking but I'm confident that in God's economy no one is missed.
That "experience" of hearing myself saved, occurred at my baptism and it occurs regularly when I hear the gospel. It is life to me. I love to hear it again and again.
I'm told that there is an old word or expression in Norwegian that means just that: "I heard myself saved". I don't know that word, but I'd love to learn about it. (If anyone knows it, I'd love to hear from you)
This thought has significance to me in these ways:
It impacts my idea of evangelism. There is enormous freedom in it. Evangelism no longer carries with it the idea of needing to convince or somehow persuade unbelievers to decide or accept or respond in a particular way to God's redemption story. My only responsibility is simply to proclaim His word, both the Law and the Gospel. It does it's work. I don't always know when it is doing its work to hearers and that's okay. I simply proclaim the message God has given us to proclaim.
In much of 'evangelicalism' today, there is a western idea imposed upon the gospel that demands a purpose driven, decision making, evidence showing, prosperity producing, particular way of doing evangelism and living out the Christian life. I think that way works against the gospel because it clouds the message and makes hearers feel more like a project than recipients of the best news they have ever heard.
"Conversion" may look much different than what we've been conditioned by our 'evangelical culture' to expect. It may look more like a nod, a smile, or a simple sigh of relief. I think many of the passages of scripture used to tell people exactly what they need to say and do to be saved, were meant to be assurances for believers rather than a club to beat unbelievers. Indicative statements have been made into imperatives.
My experience in ministry has shown this whole idea to be true. I've known many individuals with a disdain for Christ who, after hearing the message of the gospel again and again, found themselves eventually resonating with Him. I didn't always know when it happened, it just did. The good news had its effect. That makes me want to tell it more and more.
All of this doesn't fit nicely into a graph or a year end annual report on numbers of conversions. It doesn't jive with our bottom line ways of thinking but I'm confident that in God's economy no one is missed.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Music... What's the Message?
When I attend a Christian concert or worship service, I am neutral about the "type" of music. To me, whether the music consists of hymns, country, gospel, rock, classical or any other genre is irrelevant to me if the message of the lyrics are understandable and theologically sound. In other words I attend an event to hear the message. If the message isn't sound or understandable, it's irrelevant to me if the guitar player was masterful or if the vocalists were American Idol quality.
The musicians at a concert I attended awhile ago came from another church in another town and were talented and sincere. I had no issue with them or their musical ability. I listened intently to the lyrics of the band. Unfortunately it was difficult to understand the words and no lyrics were provided in print or projected form. I listened intently to what lyrics I could understand and the message was fairly consistent from song to song. For the most part the lyrics throughout the evening were:
"You know MY heart..."
"You know MY desire..."
"I'M gonna lean on Him"
"Meet ME at the river"
"I will reach out to You"
“I'M leaving my doubts behind"
“I'M giving You..."
“I will follow..."
“Share the love”
“WE need to be His hands and feet”
“I'M lovin life”
“I give my life”
“All I have is Yours”
“You are MY reward”
“I surrender all”
It's was all "good" stuff.. but it was very "me" centered as it dealt primarily with what I get or what I give. By the end of the concert, I was a bit discouraged by the message even though the 'music' was fine.
It strikes me that the message of the songs that evening began, continued and ended with the message of Romans 12. The first word of Romans 12, "Therefore", which refers back to all that the apostle Paul laid out as the foundation to chapter 12 was neglected in the message of the concert. Romans 1-11 was assumed and never stated verbally or vocally.
After the concert I felt like I ate cake and frosting for 90 minutes with no nutritional meal preceding it. The lyrics primarily focused on our response to all that Christ is and has done for us without ever really singing about Him. If I was an unbeliever, I would have left the concert thinking that these people are excited about someone, but I have no idea who or why. There was no law to convict and no gospel to save.
It’s a tragic mistake when the subjective side of the Christian life (our feelings and response to the Gospel) is emphasized with little attention given to the nature and character of God, His Holy law, the depravity of man, the objective message of Christ, the cross and the resurrection or other truths found in Romans 1-11.
This is my criticism of too much of the music written in these times by Christian artists. There is a tremendous need for lyrics that effectively convey the whole counsel of God...
At a concert like this, one of two things need to happen:
At worst, something should be said at the beginning of a concert as a qualification... something like: "We're assuming all of you are Christians and have been convicted of sin, convinced of your utter depravity and hopelessness, and amazed by the life giving message of the cross and overwhelmed by the grace, mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation provided by Jesus Christ and therefore we won't be singing about any of THAT."
At best, the lyrics of the songs themselves will explicitly tell THAT message with a small proportion of the songs dealing with how we may respond to that good news. It seems to me that if it took Paul eleven chapters to lay the groundwork for chapter 12, at least that proportion of our music should convey the objective truths of the faith and 1/12 as much should deal with our response.
My purpose for writing this isn't to say: "Lets not have concerts anymore" or "I hate contemporary Christian music" or "Songs can never deal with our response to the Gospel". RATHER, my purpose is to say, lets make it better, let's encourage sound theology in music, let's encourage musicians to write lyrics with theological depth.
I don't want to discourage the good efforts of those who organize concerts or lead music in worship. I simply want what we do sing to reflect the essentials of what we confess.
Also, the point of this isn’t to pit contemporary Christian music against traditional hymns. Both can be theologically sound or theologically shallow. The point is that whatever we sing, we should convey HIS story.
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like ME.
PS... As a "help" to musicians in my congregation who select and lead music in our worship services, I have rated all the songs/hymns we sing and any new ones that come along. I give a song that is rich in theological depth about God and what He has done a rating of #1. I give a song with moderate theological depth a rating of #2. I give a song that deals primarily with our response to the gospel a rating of #3. In every worship service I want there to be at least one #1, as many #2's as they want, and no more than one #3. I limit the #3’s because of the over abundance of them in our Christian culture already. #4's are unbiblical and untrue and get thrown out.
The musicians at a concert I attended awhile ago came from another church in another town and were talented and sincere. I had no issue with them or their musical ability. I listened intently to the lyrics of the band. Unfortunately it was difficult to understand the words and no lyrics were provided in print or projected form. I listened intently to what lyrics I could understand and the message was fairly consistent from song to song. For the most part the lyrics throughout the evening were:
"You know MY heart..."
"You know MY desire..."
"I'M gonna lean on Him"
"Meet ME at the river"
"I will reach out to You"
“I'M leaving my doubts behind"
“I'M giving You..."
“I will follow..."
“Share the love”
“WE need to be His hands and feet”
“I'M lovin life”
“I give my life”
“All I have is Yours”
“You are MY reward”
“I surrender all”
It's was all "good" stuff.. but it was very "me" centered as it dealt primarily with what I get or what I give. By the end of the concert, I was a bit discouraged by the message even though the 'music' was fine.
It strikes me that the message of the songs that evening began, continued and ended with the message of Romans 12. The first word of Romans 12, "Therefore", which refers back to all that the apostle Paul laid out as the foundation to chapter 12 was neglected in the message of the concert. Romans 1-11 was assumed and never stated verbally or vocally.
After the concert I felt like I ate cake and frosting for 90 minutes with no nutritional meal preceding it. The lyrics primarily focused on our response to all that Christ is and has done for us without ever really singing about Him. If I was an unbeliever, I would have left the concert thinking that these people are excited about someone, but I have no idea who or why. There was no law to convict and no gospel to save.
It’s a tragic mistake when the subjective side of the Christian life (our feelings and response to the Gospel) is emphasized with little attention given to the nature and character of God, His Holy law, the depravity of man, the objective message of Christ, the cross and the resurrection or other truths found in Romans 1-11.
This is my criticism of too much of the music written in these times by Christian artists. There is a tremendous need for lyrics that effectively convey the whole counsel of God...
At a concert like this, one of two things need to happen:
At worst, something should be said at the beginning of a concert as a qualification... something like: "We're assuming all of you are Christians and have been convicted of sin, convinced of your utter depravity and hopelessness, and amazed by the life giving message of the cross and overwhelmed by the grace, mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation provided by Jesus Christ and therefore we won't be singing about any of THAT."
At best, the lyrics of the songs themselves will explicitly tell THAT message with a small proportion of the songs dealing with how we may respond to that good news. It seems to me that if it took Paul eleven chapters to lay the groundwork for chapter 12, at least that proportion of our music should convey the objective truths of the faith and 1/12 as much should deal with our response.
My purpose for writing this isn't to say: "Lets not have concerts anymore" or "I hate contemporary Christian music" or "Songs can never deal with our response to the Gospel". RATHER, my purpose is to say, lets make it better, let's encourage sound theology in music, let's encourage musicians to write lyrics with theological depth.
I don't want to discourage the good efforts of those who organize concerts or lead music in worship. I simply want what we do sing to reflect the essentials of what we confess.
Also, the point of this isn’t to pit contemporary Christian music against traditional hymns. Both can be theologically sound or theologically shallow. The point is that whatever we sing, we should convey HIS story.
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like ME.
***
PS... As a "help" to musicians in my congregation who select and lead music in our worship services, I have rated all the songs/hymns we sing and any new ones that come along. I give a song that is rich in theological depth about God and what He has done a rating of #1. I give a song with moderate theological depth a rating of #2. I give a song that deals primarily with our response to the gospel a rating of #3. In every worship service I want there to be at least one #1, as many #2's as they want, and no more than one #3. I limit the #3’s because of the over abundance of them in our Christian culture already. #4's are unbiblical and untrue and get thrown out.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Odds, Lottery Tickets & Judgment Day Predictions
I confess... I've bought a lottery ticket before ... and...
I know, I know... it's bad stewardship.
I know, I know... it's a tax on stupidity.
I know, I know... it's a tax on people who are bad at math.
I know, I know... that all the people who talk about all the "good" they will do with the money they win probably won't.
I know, I know... that if you're not faithful with "little" you probably won't be faithful with "much".
But still, when I did buy one, it was kind of fun, for just one dollar, to imagine for a few days... "what if?"
Let me be clear... I'm not advocating buying lottery tickets. The odds of winning are incredibly bad ... between 18 & 120 million to 1 odds... that means that you are 6 to 45 times more likely to die from a lightning strike than you would be to win a state or national lottery. You can do MANY better things with your $1 than to blow it on a lottery ticket.
Speaking of odds...
I have never made a judgment day prediction, but a guy named Harold Camping has. He and his "Family Radio" network have sent caravans around the country distributing tracts, erecting billboards, and filling his radio station airwaves with the message of coming doom. He has done his "biblical" math and has concluded that judgment day is in just a couple days... Saturday, May 21, 2011 to be exact... and most likely it will happen around 6:00 PM (somewhere). He calculates that this date is the 7000th anniversary of when the rain started to fall at the time of Noah's flood.
Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour... but apparently Harold doesn't think He was talking to him.
What are the odds?
Well, if Jesus doesn't return before the year 49282 (roughly 18 million days after Jesus said "I am coming soon") Harold Camping has better odds of being right about the day of judgment than I do of ever winning the lottery.
What does all this mean? not much
It's fun to think about it though... "what if?"...I look forward to that day... whether it's Saturday or not until my great great great great grandchildren are alive. It will be a good day for all (dead or alive) who are in Christ (the odds are 1:1).
Come to think of it, I'm going take an extra $1 and put it in the offering plate on Sunday, May 22, 2011. See you then (probably) !
I know, I know... it's bad stewardship.
I know, I know... it's a tax on stupidity.
I know, I know... it's a tax on people who are bad at math.
I know, I know... that all the people who talk about all the "good" they will do with the money they win probably won't.
I know, I know... that if you're not faithful with "little" you probably won't be faithful with "much".
But still, when I did buy one, it was kind of fun, for just one dollar, to imagine for a few days... "what if?"
Let me be clear... I'm not advocating buying lottery tickets. The odds of winning are incredibly bad ... between 18 & 120 million to 1 odds... that means that you are 6 to 45 times more likely to die from a lightning strike than you would be to win a state or national lottery. You can do MANY better things with your $1 than to blow it on a lottery ticket.
Speaking of odds...
I have never made a judgment day prediction, but a guy named Harold Camping has. He and his "Family Radio" network have sent caravans around the country distributing tracts, erecting billboards, and filling his radio station airwaves with the message of coming doom. He has done his "biblical" math and has concluded that judgment day is in just a couple days... Saturday, May 21, 2011 to be exact... and most likely it will happen around 6:00 PM (somewhere). He calculates that this date is the 7000th anniversary of when the rain started to fall at the time of Noah's flood.
Jesus said that no one knows the day or the hour... but apparently Harold doesn't think He was talking to him.
What are the odds?
Well, if Jesus doesn't return before the year 49282 (roughly 18 million days after Jesus said "I am coming soon") Harold Camping has better odds of being right about the day of judgment than I do of ever winning the lottery.
What does all this mean? not much
It's fun to think about it though... "what if?"...I look forward to that day... whether it's Saturday or not until my great great great great grandchildren are alive. It will be a good day for all (dead or alive) who are in Christ (the odds are 1:1).
Come to think of it, I'm going take an extra $1 and put it in the offering plate on Sunday, May 22, 2011. See you then (probably) !
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Monday, May 31, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
AddThis
