Do you think music is an essential part of worship?

Question

Or could our churches do without it?

As a musician myself, I think it is an important aspect according to the church design as laid out in the book of Acts.

But our main concern is sitting under the teaching & preaching of the Word.....and growing in grace because of it.

Your thoughts.......

Quella....
I just play the piano until my fingers are red

Riegan...
I know we don't always see eye to eye but....if you get a thumb's down here...it wasn't from me.

I don't have the exact passage from Acts but....I know it's something to the tune of "And when they had sung a hymn........"
It always followed the reading of scripture...which to them in that time was the psalms or Isaiah...or whatever letters were circulating around the churches.

Fireball....
I had to do a double-take when I saw how many points you've racked up.
How on earth did you compile 96,000 points? Have you been stealing mine?

Answer 1

Dear Primo,

I have to say that your timing on this question is absolutely perfect! If you had asked this question a week ago I would not have said that music is an essential part of worship even though it is nice to have.

I really appreciate people who can sing or play musical instruments because I have absolutely no musical abiblity whatsover.

But last Sunday (Memorial Day weekend) we had our former pianist back at the keyboard in church. We've missed him a lot since he moved to FL last year but he was home for a brief visit.

He played
Shine Jesus Shine
Standing on the Promises of God (one of my favorites)
America the Beautiful (this was especially meaningful to me with my youngest brother in Iraq and my son in an undisclosed location with the Guard)
Mansion over the Hilltop (another ones of my favorites)
Because He Lives

I'm actually still replaying all of the music in my head today (Thursday) as I answer your question. Yes, music definitely is an essential part of worship. Yes, our main concern is sitting under the teaching & preaching of the Word but worship and JOY are not silent. It is not possible.

There is synergy with the teaching and the music. It reminds me of King David with he danced before the Lord when the ARK was returned to Jerusalem.

The only thing missing last Sunday was my 18 month old grandson who would have taken the flag off the keyboard where the pianist had placed it and he would have had the whole congregation dancing around in JOY.

For His glory,
JOYfilled

Answer 2

Could you qoute the acts passage of church design please? Honest request seriously.

I find music important as a part of worship but then I've always been moved by music. Other people would disagree. I think a balance needs to be struck. Things like the public reading of scripture and prophecy and teaching and preaching all need to be included.

Music belongs in worship if you don't think so (some feel musical instruments are of the devil, seriously) read Psalms 149 and 150. They are short it won't hurt much.

Oh yes and dancing in worship is also an essential part.

TG - you are guilty of removing part of Gods Word. Remember that the church you read about in the new testament is a Jewish sect not a new religion. They used instruments. Repent!

Edit - Acts 15 disproves your point about what was read as scripture. Further more The letters were not yet scripture and the gospels were not yet written. When Paul tells him not to neglect the public reading of scripture there was only one thing in existence that all churches had. The Torah meaning the first five books of the bible. Some had isaiah scrolls but you seem to forget that they didn't have books like we have and animals had to die for them to make a scroll to read from.

Answer 3

Utterly essential. "Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob" (Isa. 48:20). Psalm 150 lists the instruments one should use -- and it is by no means an exhaustive list. The Psalms are songs and as worshippers climbed up to Jerusalem for festivals they would sing them. The temple had official temple musicians: "These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there.They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them." Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn (psalm) before going out to the Mount of Olives on that last evening before the crucifixion. The music is there to inspire us and help us in our worship and we have been created with a need for music inside us. Sometimes it evokes in us thoughts and responses where mere words fail us, as any Christian will know if he has been present at a worship session where people sang in the Spirit (another form of praying in tongues). No, the churches cannot do without music -- apart from the Quakers, that is! I'm grateful for the ministry of people like you.

Answer 4

Essential. I do have some concerns about how though.
I have seen many begin to turn the church into their personal stage. Some also wish to be "seen".
People do not seem to realize the theological meanings in music...the words should convey truth, and much of this "modern" stuff is very repetitious and says nothing at all. Ex: a song where you were supposed to sing "Let us pray" for roughly 2 minutes. Then they never got around to actually DOING it!
Musicians in the church, as well as singers, I believe should be heard, but never seen by the congregation.
As I was up in front, I got the creepy feeling people were paying more attention to me or my instrument than to God.
Yes, the MAIN concern is to get truth, and that is the purpose of many hymns. But not all, not nowadays.

Answer 5

I think music is essential to worship as it has been from the beginning. No matter what those who preach "No instruments" say.
There is absolutely no reason for God to change the requirements from the book of Psalms that talks about praising Him with cymbals, harps, horns, and drums. Yes there is singing too. God created us with musical abilities and a desire to make music with instrumentst we make with our own hands. He tells us there will be a song that only the 144,000 can sing. and Paul admonishes us to sing hymns to each other for edification of the church. (1 cor. 14:26). By the way, the passage you are speaking about is in the gospels and it is regarding the last supper. Jesus himself led the disciples in a hymn before going to the garden of gethsemane. (matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26 Your role in leading the people to worship is very important. Hope this helps.

Answer 6

The worship music prepares my heart for the teaching and preaching of the Word. It washes away the busyness of my week, that so often keeps me from drawing close to Him as often as I should.

I used to have a job where I had to drive for 45 minutes three times a day between locations, and I listened to the local Christian radio station all the time. I was having church in the car! Those were good times for me and the Lord.

My daughter's church is a very multicultural body, so they sing songs in English, Spanish, French, and Swahili. Their music is incredibly energetic and joyous, and unites the members. I always look forward to my visits there.

My other daughter and her husband lead the worship time in their church as they both sing, and he also plays guitar. This is how they share their passion for Jesus. They have a back-up band sometimes too, which the youth group really loves, and some of the older members really hate.

Also, one of the ways I kept my daughters and their myriad friends interested in the things of God was going to all the concerts that were in the area. We saw DC Talk when they were playing as a lead-in band for Michael W. Smith. We saw Carman, Wayne Watson, 4Him, Truth, Chris Rice, Steve Green, and even now, we go to see Third Day, Jeremy Camp, David Crowder Band, etc. but now it's my granddaughters tagging along, falling asleep in the pew, or on the bleachers. So I guess I'm saying that Christian music has become a major part of our family's culture.

Thanks for listening!

Answer 7

Music is very important... however in the Lutheran church we do have guidelines as to what can be used during a worship service. The words must follow along with the teachings of the Bible and with the teachings of the Lutheran church. It can't just be "a really cool Christian song". And I do have to agree with that. We do have some contemporary music that some congregations use, as well as the hymns that are hundreds of years old.
Besides, it's very easy to learn when things are put to music. How many of us can still sing "conjunction junction" or can sing the preamble to the US constitution. (thanks School house rock!) Same with worship music...

Answer 8

I think it's necessary because I know my brain needs to be quieted and focused on the Lord before going praise and worship....music gets my mind focused on the Lord so by the time it's time for the sermon, my mind is ready to hear it and not thinking about what I'm doing when I get out of church.

I go into work early so I can sing and have praise in the car on my way and then sit in the car and have my devotions and that music gets me in the right frame of mind to be able to get something out of my devotions.

I'm learning to be still and know that He is God and in the midst of that I changed my alarm from a tone to the song be still and know that I am God. So I wake up everyday with that as my first thought instead of Oh God why do I have to get up? The day I didn't set my alarm I woke in a grumpy mood and realized that I hadn't been still and acknowledged Him first.

I think music can calm our soul and prepare us for worship even if that worship is doing the best we can at our everyday job.

Answer 9

Yes, music is an essential part of worship. Everything created sings. That includes everything in the universe. There is a sound to everything.

One of my favorite Bible verses is Revelation 5:13
"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,
Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."

This means every created living creature from man on down to the minnow in the sea or the amoeba will praise the Lord.
My little Chihuahua that my family loves very much will raise his little voice and praise the Lord. That will be a joy to my family. I can see us all on our knees praising the Lord and looking down and seeing that little dog praising the Lord also.
God knows how to bring joy to our hearts with music and worship and praising His name.

If you ever feel frustrated, stop what you are doing and start praising the Lord. It cures the frustration everytime.

Answer 10

The irony of this question is that Lucifer was the chief musitian in heaven before he got sent to hell. Music sets a mood....it is both calming and exciting. Do you need music to worship.....no because you can worship through your everyday actions. Does it help to get into the spirit........to a certain extent it does but praying is the key to that. Music is a way to have your mind focused on the action of worship.....so to some people yes and to others no. God bless.