Comments on: Are We Responsible for Musical Literacy in the Church? http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/ Resources for Leading Worship from Bob Kauflin Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:13:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Sean Steeves http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-3041 Sean Steeves Tue, 13 Nov 2007 02:34:19 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-3041 I am very passionate about the education and of musicians in the church as I am a private piano and brass teacher and church worship leader. I find if very easy to mix these two roles and be a teacher in our church music rehearsals. This is incredibly important. Like Bob said, it is the church's responsibility to train musicians who have the potential to serve in public worship. For me, education is a lost aspect of not only music and public worship but theology and worship. This is important because I believe that the excellence of our music says something about what we think of God. We all know there is a myriad of reasons to strive for excellent sounding music and we can only make something excellent the best way WE know how. I think this is something that is decided upon from church to church ( I also believe this is a downfall of the Protestant nature). There is no real measure of musical excellence for all churches. What we know is what we listen to on the radio and CD's and this is very deceptive as it digitally manipulated and hard to duplicate live. At any rate, music says something about God and God can be described as a loving father in one instance and completely indescribable in the next. So, our music can be diverse. It can speak of God's ancient ways with deep, passionate hymns or God's provision in the now of the moment with simple, succinct melodies. We must do this the best way we know how and musical education is an important key to achieving excellent music the public worship. I am very passionate about the education and of musicians in the church as I am a private piano and brass teacher and church worship leader. I find if very easy to mix these two roles and be a teacher in our church music rehearsals. This is incredibly important. Like Bob said, it is the church’s responsibility to train musicians who have the potential to serve in public worship. For me, education is a lost aspect of not only music and public worship but theology and worship. This is important because I believe that the excellence of our music says something about what we think of God. We all know there is a myriad of reasons to strive for excellent sounding music and we can only make something excellent the best way WE know how. I think this is something that is decided upon from church to church ( I also believe this is a downfall of the
Protestant nature). There is no real measure of musical excellence for all churches. What we know is what we listen to on the radio and CD’s and this is very deceptive as it digitally manipulated and hard to duplicate live.
At any rate, music says something about God and God can be described as a loving father in one instance and completely indescribable in the next. So, our music can be diverse. It can speak of God’s ancient ways with deep, passionate hymns or God’s provision in the now of the moment with simple, succinct melodies. We must do this the best way we know how and musical education is an important key to achieving excellent music the public worship.

]]> By: Bob Kauflin http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2879 Bob Kauflin Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:44:21 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2879 Matt, Excellent point. Thanks for contributing to the conversation. Matt,

Excellent point. Thanks for contributing to the conversation.

]]> By: Matthew Westerholm http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2878 Matthew Westerholm Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:35:25 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2878 Perhaps another wrinkle to add to the discussion (which is pretty wrinkly already!) would be this: discern your situation. If you church has a high-percentage of home-schooled and church-schooled children, you have a larger responsibility for their complete education that if you have an excellent public school or large Suzuki academy nearby. Also, let's not forget the importance of dreaming in front of our children. I'll never forget when my youth pastor said to me "God gave you a gift to play piano. He wants you to use it to do great things for Him and His kingdom." Perhaps another wrinkle to add to the discussion (which is pretty wrinkly already!) would be this: discern your situation.

If you church has a high-percentage of home-schooled and church-schooled children, you have a larger responsibility for their complete education that if you have an excellent public school or large Suzuki academy nearby.

Also, let’s not forget the importance of dreaming in front of our children. I’ll never forget when my youth pastor said to me “God gave you a gift to play piano. He wants you to use it to do great things for Him and His kingdom.”

]]> By: Stephen http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2709 Stephen Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:49:50 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2709 thanks for answering the question, Bob. Those of us in Louisville can't wait for your next trip down, whenever that may be. Thanks again... thanks for answering the question, Bob. Those of us in Louisville can’t wait for your next trip down, whenever that may be.

Thanks again…

]]> By: Michael Cheng http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2689 Michael Cheng Mon, 05 Nov 2007 01:21:32 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2689 The question of musical heritiage is complex and its variables are numerous, especially if musical heritage is shared within and across dynamic communities based on values, language, expression, etc. I appreciate the forward-looking hope expressed in heavenly worship in the post. The question and its corresponding points also wonderfully address the issue of stewardship (especially points #1 and #2). As able musicians we are responsible to serve, share and train others. I think however if I feel the motivation to pass musical literacy within the church is to herald the banner of music, I can be swayed to replace gospel-centricity, which is the calling of the church. This makes me appreciate point #3 that although music is significant, it is nevertheless not foundational. That being said, serving, sharing and training towards music literacy can also be a general grace that God works through us as able musicians for the good of the community. The question of musical heritiage is complex and its variables are numerous, especially if musical heritage is shared within and across dynamic communities based on values, language, expression, etc. I appreciate the forward-looking hope expressed in heavenly worship in the post. The question and its corresponding points also wonderfully address the issue of stewardship (especially points #1 and #2). As able musicians we are responsible to serve, share and train others. I think however if I feel the motivation to pass musical literacy within the church is to herald the banner of music, I can be swayed to replace gospel-centricity, which is the calling of the church. This makes me appreciate point #3 that although music is significant, it is nevertheless not foundational. That being said, serving, sharing and training towards music literacy can also be a general grace that God works through us as able musicians for the good of the community.

]]> By: Wally Joiner http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2650 Wally Joiner Sat, 03 Nov 2007 10:46:40 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2650 I believe the church has a duty to remember the past, to cherish church history as the history of redemption, and song is a way to simplify and distill it, which will aid our memory of it (Exodus 15, Psalm 68, 78, 104-107, etc). And this would be to fill our mouths with His praises. “I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all His wonders.” Which wonders? Exclusively my deliverances (which ought not be forgotten)? Are those the only wonders I care to remember? Psalm 78:1-7 lays the duty of remembering His wonders and law (Word) on us, and the rest of the Psalm is a recounting of those wonders to be remembered and how Israel perpetually strayed by forgetting them. Verse 7 connects our confidence in God to knowing His history and obeying His word. No history in view, no confidence in God, no obedience. Read the Psalm. That is the lesson and warning. On the musical skill side of the question, a good read is John Piper’s, “Fine and Folk in Worship: Thoughts On Worship And Culture”, http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Seminars/1724_Gravity_and_Gladness_on_Sunday_Morning/#FineAndFolk . I think the extremities are pure musical muscle and artless angst; serious chops and serious passion. I don’t think we are looking for the middle ground here, but the bandwidth of usefulness between the two extremes. Both fine and folk music are useful but we need wisdom as to when to employ which one. The Piper article informs us here. The fine is more tedious mentally, but being better articulated, has a longer shelf life. The folk is more immediately accessible because more culturally intelligible, but has a generational shelf life. The first alone can lead to cold intellectualism, and the latter can lead to shallowness and emotional burn out. As the Puritans said, we need both light and heat; information and inflammation; knowledge that begets passion. So, if the fine is needed, then chops are needed. I think what Ken Boer is doing with the Music Academy is excellent. Edwards said that if a Christian cannot sing then he is in sin. His logic ran thus, “Is it our duty to pray? Do we need to learn to pray? Is it our duty to sing? Do we need to learn to sing?” The answer is, “Yes”, to all four questions, and singing is not mumbling or reading from a hymnal. This is no different than asking, “Is it our duty to bring our children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Do we need to learn how to do this?” Yes, two times. So, do we go outside the church to learn how to perform our musical duties? Ideally, “No.” So as churches can serve worshipers by training them in the things necessarily involved in worship (theology, yes, but also the playing of instruments and singing and song-writing), then it should, indeed, must be done. … and again, Bob, we must all thank you for helping us here in so many things that pertain to public worship. Thank you! Wally I believe the church has a duty to remember the past, to cherish church history as the history of redemption, and song is a way to simplify and distill it, which will aid our memory of it ( Exodus 15 By: Kyle http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2639 Kyle Fri, 02 Nov 2007 20:07:47 +0000 http://www.worshipmatters.com/2007/11/whats-happening-to-musical-literacy-in-the-church/#comment-2639 Great post and thank you for your balanced assessment. What I would add to this is that we as musicians and songwriters, especially as it relates to songwriting, need to value "traditional" training, theory, songwriting method. When we have that training and rooting you then are able to go outside those confines with much more success. Simply put, once you know the rules you can brake them with success, but if you are operating out of ignorance it's a much more difficult path. We should strive for excellence in this. For example, a simple chord progression for a worship song should be an intentional songwriting technique not a unintentional consequence(which becomes the only possible outcome) of our lack of commitment or devotion to our art form. Great post and thank you for your balanced assessment. What I would add to this is that we as musicians and songwriters, especially as it relates to songwriting, need to value “traditional” training, theory, songwriting method. When we have that training and rooting you then are able to go outside those confines with much more success. Simply put, once you know the rules you can brake them with success, but if you are operating out of ignorance it’s a much more difficult path. We should strive for excellence in this. For example, a simple chord progression for a worship song should be an intentional songwriting technique not a unintentional consequence(which becomes the only possible outcome) of our lack of commitment or devotion to our art form.

]]>