Hard to Leave, Part 6

The three Scriptural ingredients below have helped me to work through the strengths and weaknesses of Contemporary Christian Music and its role regarding public worship. These same matters also keep a Biblical grid before us on positive steps to take about choosing selections of worship music. The three are: 1) truth, 2) purpose and 3) people.

Let me illustrate the use of these three points of Biblical ingredients: In the Westminster Confession of Faith, a summary of the Bible’s system of faith, at chapter 16 we are told that a good work acceptable to God done by man must conform to three ingredients. A good work must be done 1) according to the Word of God, 2) for the purpose of glorifying God and 3)with a new heart. These three fit nicely with the triangle below with respect to worship music selections for public worship: #1 the music text and musical composition should comport with God's Standard, the Word, #2 requires that we keep in mind the occasion or setting of public worship; it's a public service for the glory of God, and #3 worship music offered to God requires that it be offered with a new heart in Christ.

#1 Truth/Standard
#2 Occasion/Purpose

#3 People

These three ingredients are to be held together, serving as complementary principles for our reflection and practice for music and singing for public worship. One side of the triangle serves as a counter-balance for the two others.

So, for example, we might find the text and tunes of a hymn or a Scripture Song or contemporary worship hymn biblically and theologically sound, and it may fit well for the occasion and purpose of public worship, but in terms of the people, let’s imagine that only the seven members of the praise ensemble have the knowledge and skill to sing the piece. Due to the Biblical principle that worship singing, for the occasion of public worship, is for all of God’s people, not a few, we won’t sing the song until the congregation has been trained. Or take another instance, let’s imagine that the worship song comports nicely with Scripture, God’s truth; and the people love the text and tune, they know it well, but it doesn’t fit the setting and occasion of public worship. Because of that deficiency we conclude that it's inappropriate for public worship.

G. Mark Sumpter