The Puritans exclusively sung Psalms without instruments during the 1500’s and 1600’s. Then came along Isaac Watts with his new and controversial hymns in the 1700’s. Rather than singing scripture alone, he created songs that were scripturally themed. What a contrast and stark change to prior worship forms. It was scandalous that he’d do this and many frowned upon this innovation and form. Yet today, those songs are revered by many and rightly so.
Over a century later the organ was introduced into Baptist churches and scandal broke out again as some songs were put to popular tunes people were accustomed to. The organ was viewed as a worldly instrument and costly. Yet if you lived on the 1950’s you wouldn’t have known anything else and considered it to part of your godly heritage.
Eventually praise choruses erupted on the scene played by a guitarist who looked like a hippie during the Jesus Movement in the 1960’s and 1970’s. And these hippies, or Jesus Freaks, were frowned upon with their folk worship music and innovation. Those accustomed to organ and hymns did not care for this new trend. Eventually, it came to be accepted as normative in churches to sing songs by Randy Stonehill, Larry Norman and Keith Green. Many of these songs are still sung today.
Now in the 21st century, we have complete music teams with drums, keyboards, electric guitars, violins, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles. These songs sound very poppy or rocky...and guess what, they’ve had their moment to be frowned upon as well, by my generation and the one before.
I’m not sure what the future holds for music in the church, but as I look down through church history I can clearly see that what was once new and innovative and considered scandalous by the previous generation soon became the norm and tradition of the next generation. And then that generation considered what they did as right and considered new forms as scandalous.
Perhaps there are times when forms are not scandalous at all, just different than what we are used to. The Lord is delighted with new songs that arise out of God's Word rightly understood and applied to current situations. Creativity is part of who God is and I believe that is one reason why our Creator advocates for new songs, while we sometimes cling to tradition and forego innovation in music and songs. Jesus radically changes people in all generations, right where we are. God doesn't yank us from our current context and call us to sing like Europeans did several hundred years ago. He doesn't call us to time travel and live like previous cultures. In fact, he calls us to live within the culture we find ourselves and to express Biblically guided love and devotion to Him. The fact that Gentiles were not required to live like the Jews upon faith in Christ makes that abundantly clear under the New Covenant. Certainly, there's nothing wrong with singing older songs and connecting the living saints to our heritage and spiritual ancestors. May we never forget the price many paid to pass on the faith. May we take joy in singing to God through songs they have written during their lives within their culture. But may we also embrace what God is doing now within the hearts of His people.
I pray that I am discerning enough to know that the next generation’s form of music will be different from what I know now so that I’ll be gracious to foster their soon-to-be godly and beloved traditions. Trust me, there’s coming a day when those who love praise bands are going to be upset that something like a DJ will be leading people in music. Don’t call me crazy just yet, but there will be a revolt over such a scandal! Why? Because sometimes we worship the form of music more than the Creator to whom we sing. If you don’t think so, just look back at the history of church music. Hymns were once hated and considered worldy. We just weren't around to witness the transition and worship wars of centuries gone by. The organ, guitar and praise band have all been accused of the same worldliness and compromise. There's nothing wrong with tradition, but there's also nothing wrong with innovation. Barring content, there's nothing wrong with old songs and there's nothing wrong with new songs. So, will we be part of the protestors or part of embracing those that will outlive us and continue to pass on the faith of Christ within the culture they find themselves? Do we want to foster protesting in them against forms that we know will fade away...or will we foster in them an embracing of the truth through forms that are culturally acceptable to God while being preferentially different that their own personal tastes? Because one day, they too, will be faced with a revolt of the new while clinging to the past. Why can't both be accepted?
I’ve grown up with hymns, sung the Jesus Movement hippie music, transitioned to modern praise music while never letting go of the past. I’m not sure how I’ll embrace the next change, but I hope it’s with grace. I don’t want to be a part of worship wars. We have an enemy already and it's not Jesus' church. I just want to be a part of passing on the torch of the light of Christ through preaching and songs that teach us the Word of Christ and help us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
I pray that I am discerning enough to know that the next generation’s form of music will be different from what I know now so that I’ll be gracious to foster their soon-to-be godly and beloved traditions. Trust me, there’s coming a day when those who love praise bands are going to be upset that something like a DJ will be leading people in music. Don’t call me crazy just yet, but there will be a revolt over such a scandal! Why? Because sometimes we worship the form of music more than the Creator to whom we sing. If you don’t think so, just look back at the history of church music. Hymns were once hated and considered worldy. We just weren't around to witness the transition and worship wars of centuries gone by. The organ, guitar and praise band have all been accused of the same worldliness and compromise. There's nothing wrong with tradition, but there's also nothing wrong with innovation. Barring content, there's nothing wrong with old songs and there's nothing wrong with new songs. So, will we be part of the protestors or part of embracing those that will outlive us and continue to pass on the faith of Christ within the culture they find themselves? Do we want to foster protesting in them against forms that we know will fade away...or will we foster in them an embracing of the truth through forms that are culturally acceptable to God while being preferentially different that their own personal tastes? Because one day, they too, will be faced with a revolt of the new while clinging to the past. Why can't both be accepted?
I’ve grown up with hymns, sung the Jesus Movement hippie music, transitioned to modern praise music while never letting go of the past. I’m not sure how I’ll embrace the next change, but I hope it’s with grace. I don’t want to be a part of worship wars. We have an enemy already and it's not Jesus' church. I just want to be a part of passing on the torch of the light of Christ through preaching and songs that teach us the Word of Christ and help us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth.
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