Now that I have the place in a proper uproar, let’s apply the tools of Jesus shaped spirituality thinking to this question of music and discipleship.
My contention is that the evangelical emphasis on music did not play a major role in the disciple-making process as Jesus intentionally practiced it.
So my basic approach is that we not give music a major responsibility in the discipleship process. But as a “supporting” or “secondary” process that is extremely useful in our human experience and culture, we should think through how we can use it.
Not let’s but the whole business of music on the table and use the C.I.A. toolkit.
I. Connection: How can music be connected to Jesus?
a. It can be about Jesus, and give an accurate, Biblical expression of who he is.
b. It can repeat the teachings of Jesus.
c. It can retell the Gospel story of Jesus.
d. It can emotionally engage us with Jesus. (In praise, prayer or lament.)
e. It can allow us a corporate expression of faith in and confidence in Jesus.
f. It can express the larger Biblical theology in which Jesus comes to us as savior and Lord.
II. Imitation: In what way is possible to imitate Jesus (taking account of all the variables)?
a. We use the Psalms/new testament hymnody and poetry as a guide for artistic, poetic, prayerful and liturgical expression.
b. We imitate the simplicity of worship that Jesus taught in his overall emphasis on spirituality.
c. We obey Jesus’ admonitions about public, “showy” piety, and we repent/aboid the seductions of entertainment culture. We constantly work to be sure we are teaching/leading worship rather than participating in entertainment.
d. We value music in its place, but we do not give it a place that would imbalanced in the evaluation of Jesus. (It is important to know that I haven’t dealt with discipleship processes that Jesus did use and invest in. When these become part of our discussion, the actual place of music will be clearer.)
e. Our use of music can encourage imitation of the faith and love of Jesus for God and others, but it must be careful to not make the act of singing the meaning of discipleship. (As one girl said to me, “I’m a Christian. I know all the songs.”)
III. Application: How can this be applied in a Jesus connected, Jesus imitating way in the present?
a. It is the job of every Christian and leaders of Christian communities to go to the step of application, especially in working with worship leaders, so that connection and imitation honor the central message of Jesus, the Kingdom and the Gospel.
b. That application will differ in different cultures, settings, circumstances and in relation to the artistic and musical resources at hand.
c. One of the best suggestions I could give is to have worship leaders work out the C.I.A. process in detail and then discuss that process with other leaders and the whole community.
d. Be sure that application is a moving toward Jesus, and a turning from pragmatism and the corruptions of culture.
e. Set boundaries where music will not go. For example, music should never be used to manipulate the emotions for “decisions.”
My prayer is that these posts have begun moving your mind toward what it means to have a Jesus shaped spirituality in as many areas as possible.
Awesome! Great connection(s) and the applicability to spiritual formation is awesome. I’ve always though that Christian spirituality was too segmented and compartmentalized. There needs to be a connection between spiritual formation and worship.
Prayer answered for me. Thanks.
“Set boundaries where music will not go. For example, music should never be used to manipulate the emotions for “decisions.”
I understand where you are coming from, but where do you draw the line? Stained glass windows, attractive architecture, holding service in a historic old church; all of those things can manipulate someone’s emotion and guide them to make “decisions.”
Likewise, certain music (or musical instruments), bells after passages of scripture, incense, kneeling, etc., can make a particular service/mass/liturgy appear mystical and holy. Do these things distract someone from Jesus, or make His reality more accessible? In other words, is Sunday morning JSS best practiced in a stripped down Baptist church, a formal liturgical service, or something else?
Charley,
I’m obviously not going to endorse someone’s particular worship tradition. I believe all have certain points of validity and certain points of departure.
But Jesus is very clear about public piety, both its opportunities and dangers.
Engaging the emotions towards persuasion and manipulation are two completely different things. One invites the Holy Spirit, the other replaces the Holy Spirit.
For what it’s worth, I think Jesus was starting a movement, not a denomination or an institution. That’s not to say those can’t serve his purposes, but I think Jesus’ movement looks pretty simple and missional now just as it did in his own time.
I don’t believe we should spend time trying to relate Jesus to what we already to. We should start with Jesus and then look at what we’re doing, considering if the connection/imitation and application are there.
peace
MS
Worship should offer forgiveness of sins, because that’s what Jesus did. His miracles were a manifestation of the fact that He really did have the authority to forgive.
There are several formal demonstrations of this forgiveness which I enjoy in my church’s worship service, but sometimes the most humble demonstrations of forgiveness speak the loudest. For example, not complaining when the kickin’ worship team wasn’t quite kickin’ last Sunday is a demonstration of forgiveness. Not griping to other members when the pastor’s sermon didn’t hit a home run for you is forgiveness. Not turning around and glaring at the teenagers behind you who can’t keep quiet through service is forgiveness. Warmly greeting the single mother whose child fussed and cried through service is forgiveness (that one is actually a real-life example Eugene Peterson gave in an interview that I read). That is probably the real disappointment that I have with communion services: we all go forward to receive that assurance of Christ’s forgiveness, then we can’t seem to share that forgiveness with each other. It so easy to miss the forest for the trees.
Michael,
What about non-lyrical music. Does the analysis still hold?
Grace and Peace,
Raffi
I’m not mounting a critique of types or kinds; just that Jesus didn’t do what evangelicals do with it.
In its place, all kinds of music honors God.
I think this gives an person involved in a worship ministry a good idea of the questions that should be asked before any song selection is done. I would want to add a few to the Connection slot:
1. Is Christ being specifically named (not just personal pronouns)?
2. If the church calender is being used, does the song fit into the
current season?
3. How does this song glorify the Gospel message of Christ instead
simply inserting personal action?
Again Michael, great thoughts
Or, we can say “Music that honors God honors God.”
For what it is worth…
I think we often fall into the mistake of confusing the motivation with the action when Jesus talks about praying and giving to be seen, ect. It may look exactly the same from the outside to watch someone truly worship with music and to watch someone try and show you how quickly they can play complex chord changes.
I really have issues with the whole passive spectator model of gathering in general, and do think even in the best cases, that the proportions and priorities should change, but when looking at most of the things that make up our gatherings individually (musical singing and instruction in this case)we have to be careful to make sure we are not bothered by what someone does because we really think we know their motivations.