Sword Defending: Church: Worship Songs & Discernment

TROWEL & SWORD

Resources - Leadership

May 2001

SWORD DEFENDING

Worship Songs & Discernment

Rev. David Groenenboom

Travelling around the CRCA today you will find quite a variety of songs, hymns and psalm variations. That variety is generally healthy, and it displays a growing maturity in using song material of different genres and styles. From time to time, though, I am left wondering whether some of the material used really should be used.

I want us to think about the words of the songs we use, and call you to be discerning about what you sing in corporate worship. I do so knowing it is not easy to be discerning today, because most people respond “in the moment” to what is happening. Their reactions are often gut level and subjective, and this is true whether we are talking about those who love traditional worship songs or those whose tastes are more contemporary. Most people, at least initially, begin with the questions: Does it sound good? Does it draw me into the worship experience? We need to realise that songs do not only communicate “in the moment”. They communicate through what they actually say, through the words used.

As a preacher, worship leader and (somewhat half-baked) musician I feel this tension from time to time. Some songs are musically brilliant and communicate Scriptural truth accurately. A few examples will help. I have a few Hillsong CDs at home. Some of the Hillsong pieces are great: Jesus You Gave It All; I Will Bless You Lord; Shout to the Lord; This Kingdom; The Potters Hand; My Redeemer Lives, etc.

Other pieces are equally musically brilliant, but the lyric really lets them down. Think for example of “Holy Spirit Rain Down”. While it communicates strong musical pathos, the song continually asks for the Spirit of God to rain down and touch God’s people in worship. Now, I always want people to be touched and moved by the Spirit as they worship the Father. I always pray for the Spirit to speak through me and make His Word effective in the lives of Christ’s people. But this song is really written with the idea that the Holy Spirit is poured out again and again on groups of Christians in worship. This is totally against what we read in Acts 2, where the Spirit of God was poured out once for all on the church. Or think of the song “He is Alive”, one that really gets the movers and shakers moving and shaking – but what do the lyrics say? The first verse speaks of worshipping the Lord with the heavenly host – OK as far as it goes, the second verse speaks of Jesus coming that I might have life, and life to the full – no worries there. But verse three: “He has promised power from on high / to those who receive the Holy Ghost”. Again, God does give power to His people to live in the likeness of His Son – this is one of the wonderful implications of new life in Christ (see Rom.6 for example). My struggle, however, is how the song links the promise of power with receiving the Holy Spirit. It communicate the Pentecostal view that after conversion the Hoy Spirit still needs to be received in a second experience (i.e. the teaching of the “second blessing”).
There are also examples in the Book of Worship – beloved hymns that simply communicate the wrong things, and seeing that we’re on the topic of Holy Spirit, go to 346 “Holy Spirit, truth divine / dawn upon this heart of mine; voice of God, and inward light / wake my spirit, clear my sight” – this can really only be sung my someone who is not a believer. Or even 207 “Holy Spirit Come” – is the Holy Spirit not there before we call Him? What are we singing? If it’s easy to misunderstand, should we be singing it at all? Still other songs have us promising what most really do not want to give: 215 “Take my wealth, all I possess / Make me rich in faithfulness” – so, why are most church budgets in the red? Do we mean it, or don’t we? In contrast, 192 “Out of need and our of custom” presents a delightfully realistic understanding of God’s people gathered “love and laughter, grief and pain / some believing, some rejoicing, some afraid and some in doubt” and “We have come our masks displaying, fearing that we shall be known / foolish games forever playing, feeling meanwhile so alone”. We should sing that one more often!

So, what does it mean to be discerning in the songs we use and sing? I’ll have to develop this with my next instalment. For now, make sure you have a good look at the lyrics in the songs you use, and ask how effectively and responsibly they communicate Scriptural truths to all the people gathered, especially to those who are new in the faith.

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