The evangelical church has struggled with its worship music for decades. Should we sing the old and great hymns that Christians have been singing for years, or should we sing contemporary songs with modern tunes and lyrics? The issue has largely been decided. Very few churches stick to just the old hymns. I'm pretty sure most evangelical churches don't even have hymnals. And for churches offering two styles, often in two services, it's just a matter of time before the old guard dies off.
I'm 43 right now. I grew up on hymns. I've also sung and played and enjoyed plenty of contemporary choruses over the years. But, given the choice, I'll go Watts over Tomlin. But I also prefer a Chopin etude over Kanye West, and I'm much more likely to watch Columbo than CSI (is that show popular still?) I think I'm already one foot into the dinosaur camp.
There is the reformed crowd, hunkered down with the regulative principle and liturgy. But even that has its gradations: only chanted Psalms with no instrumentation, or metrical Psalms with simple instrumentation, or metrical Psalms plus traditional hymns like A Mighty Fortress, or maybe A Mighty Fortress updated to modern musical tastes like a steady 4/4 beat. And the variations stretch all the way to the contemporary reformed music of Sovereign Grace Ministries.
I don't think the challenge for evangelicals is traditional vs. contemporary. I don't think it's a choice of hymns or choruses. I suspect at the center of the problem is simply the loss of the hymnal. We have rushed to the digital age with hardly a thought of the consequences. If we can project some lyrics from a laptop, isn't that better than being stuck with the old and fraying hymnal we can't afford to update? Clearly there are advantages to the digital age, but I think the dangers are easily overlooked.
A central feature and flaw of contemporary music is that it is consumed. It's easy to change, so we do change. We no longer have a tradition of songs which shape our faith and form our community. Instead, each generation has its own music: the youth sing a totally different set of songs than the adults, and their kids will surely sing another. And because the music is changed quickly and easily, the criteria for that change are light. Hardly any effort at all. It's easy to pick a song because it has an appealing sound, or has lyrics which really speak to us, or is the newest release from a publishing group or worship band we really like. The consequences are that our worship music must constantly change to follow the popular sound, the lyrics are increasingly experience focused, and Christian music corporations report quarterly profits and losses on the NYSE. We consume our worship music like we consume just about everything else in this digital age.
My proposal is for the evangelical church to create a modern hymnal. Not a bound book of old songs, but a well-defined list of songs that communicate our faith and form a church tradition. Put it on the web site or Power Point projector, but make sure "it" is actually defined. The list should include traditional and contemporary music. It can change over time, but do not let it change lightly. Musicians will play a key role in the formation of the hymnal, but it cannot be left only to them. Give our hymnal the full attention and scrutiny of the pastorate, including our best theologians. It doesn't mean you can't ever sing outside the hymnal, but choose to make it the exception. I'm calling for a robust theology of music and its role in the church, embodied in a collection of songs.
Colossians 3:16 says "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." This is not a command to only sing old hymns. But it is clear teaching that the Word of Christ ought to be planted deep within us through the songs we sing with each other and to each other. What do our songs teach us about our faith? What do they say we believe? Or how we should live? Let's sing it. It will help to shape us as Scripture moves in and through our minds and hearts.
Every age group in the church should learn the new hymnal: children, youth, adults and seniors. We sing it together. And learning includes not just the words but the music. Just like everyone can learn to read, everyone can learn to make music. Don't leave musicianship for just the few on stage. To achieve this vision of a broad musical literacy requires notes on the page, not just words on the screen. Do you want to learn how to play the guitar or piano or trumpet? Here's our hymnal; let's work on it together!
I also believe that if our singing was given the full weight and consideration it deserves, we will also see the need for a broader, richer musicality. We can't always sing happy, upbeat music. We need a broader palette. Our music can help us feel and truly believe the weight of our sinful condition and the mournful condition of the world. But these musical considerations will naturally follow from a proper attention to the Word of Christ dwelling richly in our lyrics.
Finally, what about music as outreach? What will be welcoming and attractive to the outside world to come in and hear the gospel? Whatever it is, I don't think a hip musical style is the answer. Rather, let's be concerned about what kind of people our music is forming us to be, and trust that God will use the living witness of a people who are joyful in God, mournful over their sin, loving towards each other, and thoughtful in their faith and living.
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