ARMON: So, music…. What have I to say about music? Well, I just wish that I had that musical geek side. Sadly, I don’t have for now… even with all those dreamy MTV antics that we shared, Gen. Hopefully, I would acquire it and sing with the angels. Wow! But I have to distinguish first what music is from what is noise… what Adventist music is from what isn’t.
JEAN: Dream on, Armon. But as to your last statement, let’s delve into it as far as we can. No question about rock music because we can simply refer to it as noise. So sad because some rock songs have really nice and deep lyrics, but then, lyrics will never be the whole music. So, what do you think of the drum-like beat of church music nowadays? That is, good lyrics plus fast beats and a louder bang.
JOYCE: Wish I could reread “The Christian and Rock Music: A Study of Biblical Principle of Music” edited by Dr Samuele Bacchiocchi. I think the scholars who wrote the book explained in it why we shouldn’t use secular music when worshipping at home, in church, etc.
PASTOR RON: As far as I am concerned, I am not comfortable with a worship program using music with a drum-like beat. Music has its own language and, for me, my preference is soft and meditative music wherein I can concentrate on the message. Anything that will lessen the message of the music, for me, is to be avoided. Yes, other cultures use drums in their worship. But, as a Filipino who is worshipping in the Philippines, I feel comfortable with well-prepared and inspiring hymns, spiritual songs and praise songs without drums.
GEN: Yeah, our music has been liberated compared to the music that we heard when we were kids. Where do we draw the line between what is acceptable as a form of worship and what is not? I did a lot of reading about this way back as I thought I needed some kind of guidance since I love music. I ran across something wherein Johann Sebastian Bach said, “Music’s only purpose should be the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit.” And it awes me that someone so musically talented devoted his music for God’s glorification, which should be our yardstick in offering our music to God.
JOYCE: I sometimes imagine our church doing something a bit “poppy”. Maybe that will make us look and feel like good children of God. I mean, you know, in a kinda-cool-but-still-sweet-somehow way. But something nags at me that using such types of music may not be right as I grew up being told that they are a big no-no. I worshipped with a few non-SDA acquaintances once. And, if I remember right, they were swaying to this music and stuff and I so didn’t like it. But what’s really weird was that I didn’t feel like I didn’t belong as how I sometimes feel at our worships.
PASTOR RON: Numbers six and seven of the Principles to Guide the Christian as taken from www.adventist.org are the following: “Vocal music employs lyrics that positively emulateintellectual activities as well as our emotions and our will power. Good lyrics are creative, rich in content, and of good composition. They focus on the positive and reflect moral values; educate and uplift, and correspond with sound Biblical theology. Musical and lyrical elements should work together harmoniously to influence thinking and behavior in harmony with Biblical values.”
ARMON: Perhaps music can be analogized with reason. Music is something that gives us conviction and persuasion. Like any valid argument there is, music must be founded and flavored by correct syllogisms or logic or principle. Unfortunately, I see people who are much into feeling. They equate spiritual height with what they feel. I don’t judge but it seems that the focus is not to honor God but to serve their nerves. This time, I believe that music becomes endangered to the effect of a misleading notion of emotionalism.
JEAN: Hmm, feeling. What if music only makes sense to them when they feel it? You’ve made your point that our music should not be about us; rather, it should be about God. Anyway, it’s for Him. But, before we offer it to God, it should make sense to us, isn’t it? What about that case?
ARMON: Really, does God have standards on music? Or are the standards we have now just man-made, like the traditions the priests of Christ’s age followed that Jesus Himself condemned? Are God’s standards on music known to men?
JEAN: Well, it’s extremely unfortunate if there aren’t. It’s like singing to a tune completely strange to you.
PASTOR RON: Yes, Armon, we do have! Seventh-day Adventists follow these two Biblical principles: first, “All music the Christian listens to, performs or composes, whether sacred or secular, will glorify to God. ‘So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God’ (1 Corinthians 10:31). This is the over-riding Biblical principle. Anything that cannot meet this high standard will weaken our experience with the Lord”. Second, “All music the Christian listens to, performs or composes, whether sacred or secular, should be the noblest and the best: ‘Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is right, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things’ (Philippians 4:8). As followers of Jesus Christ who hope and expect to join the heavenly choirs, we view life on this earth as a preparation for, and foretaste of, the life to come. On these two foundations—glorifying God in all things and choosing the noblest and the best—depend the other principles… for the selection of music by Christians.
GEN: According to Ephesians 5:19-21, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Isn’t it that music is some form of communication? Words spoken from one heart to another? Hehe. Getting emo. For me, music is like a prayer, something that should raise us and others who are within earshot. Our music should be a plea, a reflection of our gratitude to God, and the sole purpose is to glorify our Creator for all He has done for us. Hahaha! Kinda unbelievable coming from me, I know! Considering that I’m very fond of secular music and I hardly memorize gospel songs.
ARMON: Music is made to serve a holy purpose. But is holiness subject to a nation’s tradition? I remember former GC President Robert S Folkenberg’s answer to a question about music in a press conference at AUP back in 1998. Whew, a decade ago! It was featured in Volume 75 Number 4 of College Voice. Please react on this. Question: “Are bands, drums, guitars, et cetera a taboo in our worship service? Why? What are the parameters to safeguard to solemnity of worship but also acknowledge individual expression?” Answer: “That all depends on where you go. If you go to some churches in the United States and bring a drum on to the platform, half of the congregation will leave. Now, if you go to other parts of the world, like India, and bring the drums, it is acceptable. The drum is the only one that is considered holy enough and respectable enough to have on pulpit. You see, the problem is we want to have behavioral rules. Then we want to attach more values to those rules. There is a principle and the principle is, ‘Does it reverently glorify God?’ Now, it is possible to take that same instrument, have it on their minds and still have the respect and reverence that the others do. So it is not the instrument that is bad, but its effect. Are we trying to glorify the individual and the attitude that is not reverential or are we trying to glorify God? So beware of those who are trying to attach a moral value to the instrument itself because I can take you to the islands of Papua New Guinea where they play the drum and that’s the only thing on the platform.”
JEAN: So, is it relative to one’s culture then? Hmm, I’m tempted to think that it should be absolute. But then, it makes sense to bend your notes according to one’s culture. For instance, according to 2 Samuel 6:14 and 15, “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.” And this far-from-mellow scene was not regarded as sinful. It was their culture then.
PASTOR RON: The ninth of the Principle to Guide the Christian states, “We should recognize and acknowledge the contribution of different cultures in worshipping God. Musical forms and instruments vary greatly in the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist family, and music drawn from one culture may sound strange from someone from a different culture. Seventh-day Adventist music-making means to choose the best and above all to draw close to our Creator and Lord and glorify Him. Let us rise to the challenge of a viable alternative musical vision and, as part of our holistic and prophetic message, make a unique Adventist musical contribution as a witness to the world regarding a people awaiting Christ’s soon coming.”
GEN: Although I agree that music is practiced according to culture, in the Bible, we also have guides as to how we should conduct ourselves disregarding our culture. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
ARMON: How about the subtle ways of Satan? PASTOR RON: One should be careful in his music preference because it is an issue in the great controversy. Why? The main issue in the great controversy is worship and you cannot worship God without music. Satan will do his best to deceive God’s children even in this area. He has a subtle way of doing it. Yes, rock music should not be sung in our worship services but I believe that Satan will not limit his deception through this kind of music. He will use every means, subtle means, to deviate our worship from God to ourselves and, later, to Satan himself. According to Ellen G White, music “has power to subdue rude and uncultivated natures; power to quicken thought and to awaken sympathy, to promote harmony of action and to banish the gloom and foreboding that destroy courage and weaken effort” (Education, pp 167-68). “Music is one of the most effective means of impressing the heart with spiritual truth” (Education, 68). Since it is powerful, Satan will not fold his hands and do nothing about it.
GEN: We should not be deceived as Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man but, in the end, it leads to death.” I think we can avoid Satan’s tricks if we adhere to 1 Corinthians 14:26: “When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. All these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” Although we have different styles according to our culture, we still have one aim and that is to do what should strengthen our church.
JOYCE: We have radio stations, right? Hope our programs aren’t boring. But I hope they’re not “worldly” either. Oh, now, that reminds me, “video killed the radio star”! Hehe. Anyways, so what do you think of music videos? What if we make some? Do you think that will spiritually help us?
ARMON: I love reading “Mind, Character, and Personality” and, there, “by beholding we become changed” lingers. And perhaps psychological researches can back this up. Our constant time with the kind of music we enjoy becomes a part of our subconscious and it later becomes the trigger that sets off our behavior. Perhaps we should ask, “Am I pleasing God or myself?”
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*Written by: Ptr Petronio Genebago, Armon Perez Tolentino, Genevieve Macalintal Tolentino, Jean Bernardo Martinez, and Joyce Reyes Ramos.
*Published in: Central Light (Volume 2 Number 2), Gray Matter.
*Ripped off from: Jennifer Love Hewitt, etc
