Can We Rock the Gospel? – Chapter 7

Some blogging commenters have asked why it is that I persist in dealing with a book that some deem to be a complete waste of time. At this point I would saw that for me as a worship pastor I think it is important to think through these issues as fringe as they may be.

Chapter 7 is entitled, “Red Flags” and their first one is that rock music, “so easily encourages worldliness” (p.144). Using Romans 12:1 as a proof text, they claim that we need to not “conform to the pattern of the world”. I am no Biblical scholar but my first inclination is to that assume that Paul is talking about the content of our character being in line with the Spirit and not the world. This says nothing about preferred musical style of a person. Are not unsaved classical musicians worldly as well?

Second, they claim that rock music promotes a spirit of “exhibitionism and self-promotion” (p.150). Again, this is a danger for all performers of all styles of music. Exhibitionism and self-promotion spring from the heart where those leanings already exist, they are not created or put there by a notes, sounds, and rhythms.

Third, they are concerned that, “the rock idiom mixes worship and evangelism with a stimulating form of entertainment”. They then draw on the definition of entertainment being “to hold the attention pleasurably”. A few sentences later they say, “…worship is characterized by reverence, modesty, and humility…”. I say Amen and Amen to this, but then they say, “…and has nothing that even remotely aims at our pleasure and entertainment”. Entertainment, maybe, maybe not, that depends on what you mean by entertainment, but “pleasure”? I think Psalm 34:7 and 90:14 have something to say about this. I am convinced that God strongly wants us to pursue pleasure IN HIM (in fact it would be sin if we did not) through worship as this honors him as the true source of “living water” to give him the most glory and us the most joy.

Also, I have to strenuously ask, ENTERTAINING FOR WHO? Does rock music somehow universally entertain all people while other forms of music (the style you use at your church, I presume) do not?

Their fourth point is completely insane. They say, “rock music tends to water down the holiness of God and the cross of Christ”. (Excuse me; I have to have some sort of a release here to my growing tension) AHHHHHHHH!!!!! I can’t take it anymore!!!! PEOPLE, USING WORDS, water down the gospel and the cross!!! Musical forms don’t water down anything because drums and electric guitars can’t talk!!!! I hate to have to say this about a book written by a couple of brothers in Christ, but I am beginning to think that this book is about on the same level as a book that holds to the idea that the world is flat. Ok, I’m done now with my temper tantrum.

Their fifth and final point is that rock music “widens the generation gap and splits the church into musical camps by age groups”. I can’t believe this stuff is actually in print. Ok, so rock divides and the unnamed musical style that you use and approve of at your church does not? All the people, from the 8 month olds, to the 80 year olds are completely unified on the style of music? ALL music divides because we are people created by God with differing preferences. They say on page 165, “Rock n’ roll was the first music in the history of the world specifically aimed at the teenage market”. Which proves what? Hmm, I guess teens didn’t like music or have strong preferences before 1950.

In closing, there are many reasons that musical styles are amoral. One of the biggest ones being the fact that God’s word did not come to us in the form of music; it came to us in the form of words. Thus, God does indeed look to the heart where the “over flow of the mouth speaks”. Music is deemed moral or immoral by the content of the heart that is revealed through lyrics, not through sounds and notes in and of themselves. If God revealed himself in a preferred musical style then we could make a case for his preferences, but is it not clear biblically that God is not nearly as concerned about externals as he is the product of the heart that brings them about? I think I remember Jesus saying a few words like this in the Gospels.

I’d also like to publicly call these authors to repent. I believe that like the Pharisees, these men who are leaders in the church, are heaping up heavy legalistic, extra Biblical burdens on their people that are called to follow them. It’s extremely dangerous and it’s very sad really.

I’d like to close with an insightful comment that was left in response to an earlier post. Scott Sterner, pastor of Worship and the Arts at Parkview Evangelical Free Church in Iowa City, IA says:

At the root of these arguments is an air of ethnocentricity. In other words, there is a core assumption that ones own preference and cultural heritage (i.e. conventional western harmony) is the most evolved form of music. Seldom do the writers of these kinds of books acknowledge that the ancient music forms in the scriptures preceded conventional harmony and tuning. To do so would be to admit that they would hate the music that David danced to.