An Earnest Plea to Everyone Who Loves Hillsong and Bethel Music

Summary

The script delves into the contentious debate surrounding worship music within churches. It challenges the common arguments based on personal preferences and proposes a set of criteria to determine the best form of worship music. These criteria include the richness of biblical truth, prioritizing God's preferences over personal tastes, reflecting God's character and nature through the music, considering the highest form of human communication and musical expression, and adapting to the available means and context while preserving the essence of worship as an offering to God. The script advocates for a thoughtful approach that transcends subjective opinions and aims to present the most excellent and God-honoring form of worship.

Takeaways

• 😇 Worship music is a highly contentious issue within churches, causing division over preferences like traditional hymns versus contemporary styles.
• 🤔 Rather than simply voicing preferences, the speaker suggests deeper consideration of what we are presenting to God in worship.
• 🎶 Contemporary worship churches tend to prioritize criteria like evoking emotions, lighting, repetition, and musical elements aimed at eliciting feelings.
• 📖 The speaker proposes focusing on biblical truth and intellectual engagement through lyrics, allowing emotions to follow from knowledge.
• 🙏 Key criteria for evaluating worship music include: biblical depth, audience focus (God or self), God's preferences over human preferences, and reflecting God's character.
• 🎻 Music should reflect the highest form humans can produce, both in sound quality and lyrical content (poetry).
• 🌍 Worship should consider limitations like available musical talents and cultural context while still striving for excellence.
• 🕰️ Preserving ancient hymns connects modern worshippers to historical believers, though new compositions are encouraged.
• 🎼 Variety in musical styles is acceptable as long as the criteria of truth, excellence, and God's preferences are met.
• ✨ The ultimate goal is to offer worship that is a sweet aroma to God, not based on human preferences alone.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion in the provided transcript?

The main topic of discussion is about determining the best form of worship music for churches.

What are the criteria that contemporary churches often use to determine their worship music, according to the transcript?

The criteria mentioned for contemporary churches include: making people feel the presence of God, using dim lighting and special effects, using synthesizers and repetitive lyrics, choosing keys that elicit emotions, and having the worship leader engage the audience to evoke feelings.

How does the speaker suggest worship music should aim to produce emotions, as opposed to contemporary churches?

The speaker suggests that worship music should aim for the intellect by teaching great truths about God first, and then emotions will follow based on that knowledge, rather than directly manipulating emotions.

What is the first criteria suggested by the speaker for determining the best worship music?

The first criteria suggested is whether the song is filled with 'milk' (simplistic) or 'meat' (robust biblical truth).

What is the second criteria suggested by the speaker?

The second criteria is determining for whom the worship is being done - for our own preferences or for God.

According to the speaker, whose preference should be paramount when choosing worship music?

The speaker suggests that God's preference should be paramount, not our own subjective preferences.

What is the third criteria suggested by the speaker?

The third criteria is that the musical offerings should reflect the character and nature of God, providing an example of a lofty, royal sound versus a chaotic sound.

What is meant by the term 'anthropological issue' in relation to worship music?

The term 'anthropological issue' refers to the idea that worship music should reflect the best efforts of humanity as God's creation and image-bearers, both in the sounds produced and the lyrics (described as poetry).

How does the speaker suggest accounting for varying means and resources when determining worship music?

The speaker suggests that churches should endeavor to produce the loftiest worship they can based on their available giftedness, means, and even zip code/location, while still adhering to the suggested criteria.

What is the speaker's view on incorporating both new and old hymns/songs in worship?

The speaker suggests that while new songs should be created using human creativity, old hymns that have been sung by believers for centuries should not be neglected, as there is something special about that connection to the past.

Outlines

00:00

🎵 Contemporary Worship Music: Emotion vs. Intellect

This paragraph contrasts the approach of contemporary worship churches, which prioritize eliciting emotions and creating a spiritual atmosphere through techniques like lighting, repetition, and musical keys, with a more intellectual approach based on the Psalms, which aim to engage the mind with theological truths before evoking emotion. The paragraph sets the stage for a deeper discussion on what should drive the criteria for choosing worship music.

05:01

🙏 Criteria for Evaluating Worship Music

The paragraph offers alternative criteria for evaluating worship music, focusing on the substance and biblical truth conveyed in the lyrics, considering whose preferences should take precedence (ours or God's), and assessing whether the music reflects the character and nature of God. It encourages moving beyond personal preferences and considering the loftiness and excellence of the musical offerings presented to God.

10:03

🎼 Anthropological and Artistic Considerations

This paragraph suggests that worship music should reflect our highest human capabilities and forms of communication, combining theological depth in the lyrics with excellence in musical composition and performance. It acknowledges practical limitations in resources and giftedness while encouraging the pursuit of loftiness within those constraints. Additionally, it advocates for incorporating both new and ancient hymns, valuing the rich heritage of songs sung by believers throughout history.

15:05

🕊 Worship: An Offering to God

The final paragraph emphasizes that worship is ultimately an offering to God, not for our own preferences or entertainment. It encourages seeking to present our best efforts in a manner that honors God's character and deserves His pleasure. The paragraph concludes by reminding us that diversity in musical styles is acceptable as long as it aligns with the criteria of loftiness, excellence, and biblical truth.

Keywords

💡Worship

Worship refers to the act of expressing reverence, adoration, and praise towards a divine being, typically God. In the context of the video, worship is a central theme, as it discusses the various approaches, styles, and criteria for worship music within churches. The speaker emphasizes that worship should reflect the character and nature of God, rather than solely catering to personal preferences or emotions.

💡Contemporary Worship

Contemporary worship refers to a style of worship music that incorporates modern musical styles, instruments, and production elements. The video suggests that contemporary worship churches tend to prioritize eliciting emotional responses and creating an experiential atmosphere through elements such as lighting, repetition of lyrics, and synthesized music. The speaker contrasts this approach with a more intellectual, content-driven approach to worship.

💡Emotions

Emotions play a significant role in the discussion of worship music. The speaker argues that while emotions are a natural consequence of worship, they should be derived from an intellectual understanding of biblical truths about God, rather than being the primary focus or goal. The speaker suggests that contemporary worship churches often aim directly at evoking emotions, bypassing the intellect, which he considers an incorrect approach.

💡Biblical Truth

Biblical truth refers to the teachings and doctrines derived from the Bible. The speaker advocates for worship music that is filled with robust biblical truth, as opposed to simplistic or superficial lyrics. He suggests that the more truth a song contains about God's character and nature, the more it will engage the intellect and produce genuine, unmanipulated emotions during worship.

💡Preference

Preference is a central concept in the discussion of worship music. The speaker acknowledges that individuals have subjective preferences when it comes to musical styles or instruments. However, he argues that these personal preferences should be set aside in favor of God's preferences, which should be the paramount consideration when determining the most appropriate form of worship.

💡Character of God

The character of God refers to the various attributes and qualities that define God's nature, such as holiness, majesty, excellence, and perfection. The speaker suggests that the music offered in worship should reflect and align with God's character. This means that the music should strive for loftiness, excellence, and reflect the grandeur befitting of the supreme being that is being worshiped.

💡Anthropological

Anthropological, in this context, refers to the consideration of human nature and the essence of being human. The speaker argues that worship music should reflect the highest form of human communication and expression, which he suggests is poetry combined with the most excellent musical forms that humans are capable of producing. This approach acknowledges the unique position of humans as God's creation and image-bearers.

💡Means and Giftedness

The speaker acknowledges that churches have varying means and giftedness when it comes to producing worship music. Means refer to the resources and capabilities available, such as instruments or skilled musicians. Giftedness refers to the natural talents and abilities possessed by individuals within the church community. The speaker suggests that while striving for excellence, churches should also consider their limitations and work within their available means and giftedness.

💡Tradition

Tradition is mentioned in the context of incorporating ancient hymns and songs that have been sung by believers for centuries. The speaker suggests that there is value in preserving and continuing to sing these traditional hymns, as they connect modern worshipers to their spiritual ancestry and provide a sense of continuity within the broader Christian tradition.

💡Variety

The speaker recognizes the importance of variety in worship music, acknowledging that while there should be criteria for excellence, there is room for diverse musical styles and expressions. He suggests that different settings, cultural influences, and available means can shape the specific form that worship music takes, as long as it aligns with the broader principles he outlines, such as reflecting biblical truth and the character of God.

Highlights

Contemporary worship churches tend to bypass the intellect and aim directly for emotions, focusing on criteria like eliciting feelings, lighting, synthesizer effects, and repetitive lyrics.

The Psalms aim for the intellect by teaching great truths about God, and emotions follow from that knowledge.

A criteria for determining best worship music: Is the song filled with robust biblical truth or simplistic?

Criterion: For whom are we doing worship - our preferences or God's preferences?

Worship music should reflect the character and nature of God - the loftiest, most excellent being.

Worship is an anthropological issue - our music should reflect our best efforts as God's highest creation and image bearers.

Our lyrics should be the loftiest form of human communication - poetry filled with theology.

Limitations like available musical talent and setting should be considered in determining the best we can offer.

There's value in singing ancient hymns that have been sung by believers for centuries, connecting us to our ancestors.

New compositions reflecting our creativity and productivity are also valuable, not just ancient hymns.

Variety in musical styles is acceptable as long as the criteria for excellent, lofty worship to God are met.

We shouldn't condemn each other over musical preferences but seek to offer our best to God based on the criteria outlined.

Worship isn't for our preferences but for God, so we should aim to please Him, not ourselves.

Examples are given of diverse styles (southern gospel, contemporary, choirs, orchestras) that can meet the criteria when done excellently.

The call is to pursue lofty, excellent worship reflecting God's character, rather than favoring personal stylistic preferences.

Transcripts

which worship music is best that's right

it's time to have a worship conversation

which is the single most acrimonious

issue inside of the church churches have

divided over carpet colors whether you

should buy a frigid air or a Kenmore

refrigerator but there is no subject

that has caused more

consternation than worship music

traditionally the conversation about

worship tends to sound like

this that music's really stupid man the

old hymns are better on the other hand

you've got people who will respond

you're just a funy duddy you're a kudin

who doesn't know how to really have

joy I think I nailed it so I would like

to offer a different approach to this

entire oh this word conversation perhaps

some questions that will cause all of us

to actually think through the issue more

than just what is my preference so this

is an offering for all of us to consider

what are we presenting to the Lord let's

dive in with the mindset not to just poo

poo somebody's preference but instead to

go deeper and to sort out what is indeed

the best work worship the answer to that

question it depends on your criteria I'm

going to try to be fair with this but in

contemporary worship churches they

absolutely have a set of criteria that

drives what they present on Sunday

morning it's not that they don't have

other considerations but what really

determines what we're going to present

on Sunday morning tends to be driven by

these criteria One how can we make

people

feel the presence of

[Music]

God lord All I

Want You number two how dim should the

lights

[Music]

be and speaking of Lights should we have

lights that accent the worship

oh

three how long should the synthesizer

play in order to bring people into the

presence of

God four how many times should we repeat

one

sentiment good good father it's who you

are it's who you are

it's who you are it's who you

are it's who you

[Applause]

are five what key of music is best to

elicit

[Music]

emotions

[Music]

hallelu

Hallelujah

six when would a key change really

affect and move

people and the SE will walk at the

sound on your

[Music]

name of your seven how should the

worship leader sing in order to engage

the audience that's go one

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

two now this is not to suggest these

churches don't ever consider the content

of the music or the form but those most

of the time are secondary or tertiary

the theme that tends to drive

contemporary worship churches focuses

primarily and sometimes exclusively on

feelings now these churches see

worship as something that they have to

present almost almost like a

performance to get you to feel something

in other words contemporary worship

churches tend to bypass the intellect

and aim directly for

emotions I would offer that's just not

the way the Psalms which is basically

God's Himel were written do the Psalms

produce emotions they should but the

question is how do they do that and the

answer is the Psalms aim for the

intellect by teaching us great truths

about God and then once our brains are

filled with knowledge then our emotions

follow worship feelings which we can and

should have must in my opinion be

produced based on

knowledge not

manipulation thinking first feelings

second that I think is the biblical

order and so to that end I'd like to

offer a different set of criteria for

determining what worship music is indeed

best and again I offer

these not so that we can be shouting at

one another again but so that we all

actually just think this thing through

maybe on a level that we haven't

considered to date so here's criteria

number one for your

consideration is the song filled with

milk or meat is it simplistic or is it

robust in biblical truth there's a big

difference between say

[Music]

this and

this

[Applause]

[Music]

setting preference aside you you have to

admit one was just a little smarter

loftier contained more biblical truth

about God the more truth our music

contains the more our brains will be

engaged until it produces es the correct

unmanipulated

emotions criteria number two for whom

are we doing worship got to answer that

question because I bring my preferences

it look I'll I'll just put my cards on

the table if I had my DRS you would be

singing to a pipe organ because that's

God's inspired instrument it's actually

in the Bible don't you know that's

that's my

preference but I have to set that aside

this is an easy trap to fall into I need

to answer the question what am I doing

on Sunday morning who is this for we all

have subjective

preferences but we got to lose those

which actually leads us to criteria

number three whose preference should be

Paramount ours or God's in other words

if we can conclude which type of worship

songs God prefers then our subjective

opinions go in the trunk because it's

not about our preferences we're offering

up an aroma and it's either going to be

sweet or it's going to stink based on

God's nostrils not our preferences so

for instance just

because I love the pipe

[Music]

organ

much as I love that if we can conclude

from the Bible that God hates the organ

and loves Hard Rock then I swallow my

preferences to offer what God likes and

conversely let's just say I hate bag

pipes because I do I I really hate bag

pipes but no matter how much I hate bag

pipes if I discover that God loves them

then guess what I'm going to scrap in

and worship with bag pipes I'd prefer to

not wear the Kilt and you'd prefer that

too but I will worship to what God wants

and that brings us to our third criteria

to help us determine what God

likes our musical offerings should

reflect the character and the nature of

God I understand this can feel a little

bit subjective but what we offer to God

the music I'm not talking about lyrics

I'm talking about

music it it should somehow reflect an

attribute or the overall character of

God so knowing that God is the single

loftiest being in the universe our music

should be as lofty as we can possibly

make it and you say well that's

impossible to determine well let me ask

you which of these sounds more like

God

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

[Music]

ask yourself the question which one

better reflects God's character and

nature and then you're charted in the

right direction to determine are we

offering the loftiest we can one sounded

like music for a king like royalty the

other sounded kind of chaotic what

attribute does a wailing guitar solo

represent but I know you object music is

really subjective and I agree that there

is subjectivity in music but only as it

regards my preference there are simply

some forms of music that are objectively

better than others and while you may not

personally in other words subjectively

prefer say

this no doubt you'd recognize the violin

makes a better sound than

[Music]

this

we should offer to God the music that is

most reflective of his Excellence our

next criteria worship is an

anthropological issue you say what does

that have to do with what we sing on

Sunday morning well we're God's creation

in fact we're the height of God's

creation we alone are image bearers and

and our music should reflect our best

efforts that reflect who we are example

is this man's

bestel God or is this

[Music]

better hallelujah hallelujah

hallelujah

additionally we need to ask the question

what is the loftiest form of human

communication so we got two things going

on when it comes to music you've got the

sound that we produce it should reflect

what we are capable of as human beings I

I I could just sit and bang a pot on

Sunday morning but that's hardly the

best music that human beings can produce

and we also need to consider what are we

communicating in other words the lyrics

what is the best that people can produce

and I think the answer to that is poetry

it's just requires more thought and

creativity and knowledge and even

artistic gifting so we should combine

our highest form of communication filled

with theology accompanied by the highest

form of music that we can produce but I

know what you're thinking

hey isn't there any variety furthermore

we don't have an

orchestra I get that there are

definitely limitations here's one of the

considerations what you have at your

disposal what are your means how many

people do you have that are musically

gifted can anybody play an instrument so

I get it there's definitely

limitations to what we can all produce

Grace Community Church basically has

half of the Los Angeles Symphony at

their

Church

[Music]

conversely our church it doesn't have

any of those means so we at our church

we just Endeavor to produce the loftiest

worship we can based on

giftedness and means and even to a

degree zip code there are different m

musical stylings so this brings in

another component we should have some

criteria

recognizing that setting is going to

make a difference now let's say you have

a 12 string guitar cool my encouragement

is that we play it in a way that simply

meets the aforementioned criteria you

can play a guitar like

this

or you can play a guitar like

[Music]

this which one comes closer to meeting

God's

criteria than the other one now does

this mean that we can only play old hym

no it doesn't mean that if a song meets

these criteria it doesn't matter if it's

new or ancient I will say this there's

something kind of special about singing

a song that's been sung by Believers for

centuries how encouraging is it to know

that Believers have been singing this

Hymn for

1,400

[Music]

years my heart hold on we can you can go

back further here is a hymn that was

sung by our ancestors you want a link

you want

ancestry your ancestors sang this song

since the fth

century Father's Love

begot and the words began to

be he is alha and

omeg

thece the

end does this mean all of our Tunes need

to be ancient no they they don't in fact

I would say they shouldn't we should

continue to use our human productivity

and creativity to create even more

Psalms hymns and spiritual songs I'm

just saying we shouldn't neglect the old

stuff because it's old I say that's a

benefit not a negative should all of our

music be absolutely monolithic no it

shouldn't there's a ton of ways to

fulfill these

criteria it can express itself in so

many different ways so we don't want to

be legalists we we don't want to be

banging our Fist and condemning one

another simply because we don't prefer

that type of music you can do lofty

southern

gospel

[Applause]

[Music]

turn you can you can do lofty with

contemporary instrumentation you can do

lofty with a choir and an orchestra

based on means and your zip code and

your giftedness so let's not squash

those elements that I think are a sweet

sent in the nostrils of the Lord but let

us simply seek to do the best we can

because worship isn't for us it's for

God

[Music]

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