Mars Hill pastor Mark Driscoll writes a recent article about 16 things he looks for in a preacher. There's actually some pretty interesting stuff here, worthy of some consideration.
But there is what can only, to me at least, be regarded as an accidental admission. He says,
It sounds to me like an admission that music has meaning. After all "wedding songs" and "melancholy hymns" are descriptions of music, and an acknowledgement that certain types of music don't fit certain occasions.
This seems a point we should all recognize. And in fact, we probably all do.
I think this statement by Driscoll is at the heart of the music discussions that are (increasingly less frequently) taking place in churches.
Now I can be remarkably flexible about what music you and your church use. Of course that doesn't mean I would use it. It simply means that God hasn't appointed me the bishop over your church.And you might not use the same music or kind of music I would use. I am actually okay with that.
But we need to quit with the silly little comments that "music is neutral" or "any kind of music is okay if you put good words to it."
My guess it that you don't believe that when you put your kids to bed at night. And you don't believe that when you are in the gym getting a good hard workout. And you don't believe it when you are taking your wife out for a nice romantic dinner.
So why pretend like we believe it at church?
But there is what can only, to me at least, be regarded as an accidental admission. He says,
If we do wedding songs after a funeral sermon, I’m emotionally confused. Likewise, if we’re singing melancholy hymns after a big motivational sermon, I’m also emotionally confused. So, you and the guy in skinny jeans with the guitar have got to get this figured out together.What's this?
It sounds to me like an admission that music has meaning. After all "wedding songs" and "melancholy hymns" are descriptions of music, and an acknowledgement that certain types of music don't fit certain occasions.
This seems a point we should all recognize. And in fact, we probably all do.
I think this statement by Driscoll is at the heart of the music discussions that are (increasingly less frequently) taking place in churches.
Now I can be remarkably flexible about what music you and your church use. Of course that doesn't mean I would use it. It simply means that God hasn't appointed me the bishop over your church.And you might not use the same music or kind of music I would use. I am actually okay with that.
But we need to quit with the silly little comments that "music is neutral" or "any kind of music is okay if you put good words to it."
My guess it that you don't believe that when you put your kids to bed at night. And you don't believe that when you are in the gym getting a good hard workout. And you don't believe it when you are taking your wife out for a nice romantic dinner.
So why pretend like we believe it at church?
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