Today we went to TTC, and Dr. Simon Chan spoke on how a theological education was important. He raised many important points on how we often apply and display our theological realities in direct and indirect ways. When Dr. Chan spoke on how the songs we sing need to be theologically consistent with the verses they take their inspiration from, I began thinking about the songs that we sing every week. They hold a power over us, and yet we often choose songs by emotion and “feeling”, without stopping to consider its truth.
Songs hold a high position in our hearts and minds. We may quote song lyrics as often as we quote Bible verses, and for many, the songs they sing on Sunday are how they remember the truths of God. Andrew Fletcher, Scottish politician and poet writes: “Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”
Music is a direct conduit into our heart, piercing through the intellectual barriers we erect, straight to where it hits us the hardest. Even men know the power music has on others, and themselves. Music and the heart are bound together, and God intended it so, so that we may worship Him with music, with our heart.
The composer of the hymn “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder”, James M. Black, describes an “inner voice” calling him to write a song, and obeyed it. He says: “The words came to me effortlessly…The tune came the same way – I dared not change a single note or word.” God uses music, and encourages us in His Word to worship Him with “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.” We need to ensure that we sing songs that contain truth, and protect the backdoor to our hearts from emotion based on falsehood.
Sin has wormed its way into our songs, and not all Christian music we hear is good. Artists are temperamental, and may not bear the same theological rigour that our clergy has. Just compare the old hymns with some of the contemporary Christian music (CCM) that we hear. Hymn-writers would take great pains to craft lyrics that are full of truth, and it is these truth-filled songs that endure the test of time, not the trashy, individualistic and emotionalist music that permeates CCM today.
Despite our Presbyterian background, I think that in many churches there is no system in place to analyse incoming worship songs for consistency within the song and with God’s Word, especially in the youth ministry. Without the wisdom that comes with being an experienced worship leader, or the support of a network of mature Christians and clergymen who are passionate about the arts, it is easy for the youth worship service to degenerate into a purely emotional experience.
I have not even begun to talk about the indirect aspects of theology that our songs imply, but for now I think that is enough. I have realised the importance of rigorous theological analysis and critique of the lyrical content of the songs in church. New material is great, but we must never forget that we must never compromise the truth.
Truths about God are timeless, and neglecting the hymns and singing only ‘emo’ or ‘exciting’ songs is a surefire way to forget what worshipping “in truth” is supposed to be like. True adoration and praise occurs when the truth in our minds connects with the convictions of our hearts, and our emotions arise from truths in the Bible. Without theologically consistent lyrics, our worship is idolatry, and we are only pouring adoration upon a man-made god that makes us feel good.
Matthew Saw
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