Christianity is often referred to as “a singing religion”. This is because singing and music accounts for a considerable proportion in most worship services, small group and fellowship group gatherings, Sunday schools and other meetings. Music always carries a very special amazing power and Christian songs and hymns are God’s great gift for us.
Rev. Irene Wong Ging Chai, a graduate from the Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music in Manila majoring in “Worship and Music”, attaches special importance to church music. She believes that church music is not for performance but is a carrier to worship.
She shared with us her pastoral experience and said that there was a physically and mentally handicapped young man who was always listless when listening to sermon but excited and lively when singing hymns. “That’s why John Calvin believes that music has great force and singing will move and inflame the hearts of men to invoke and praise God.” When we sing our thoughts and ideas will be awakened to show our thankfulness, our praise, obedience and trust to our God.
During her past visitations she often encountered people who would not respond much to normal conversation or prayer. However when she led them in singing hymns, they would calm down and some even shed tears. Song brought so much comfort and encouragement to them.
“If the church worship services or meetings were without music and singing and the whole service process was done in words alone, such a gathering would be so boring.”
Music manifests God’s glory
In fact music and singing during worship is not just a modern practice, it was a practice since the Old Testament era. During Solomon’s time the people worshipped God with songs and hymns. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 says: “13The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.” Then the temple of the LORD was filled with the cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.”
“It would be so amazing, awesome and moving if God’s glory would also fill the sanctuary during our worship service. Such glory is manifested only by the harmonious playing of music and singing of songs. ”
She continued to emphasize that church music should be a perfect dedication to God and a blessing to glorify God and to benefit man. It is not music that is to be consecrated, but those who serve in this ministry also need to be consecrated. 2 Chronicles 5:11 says, “11The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.”
Music ministry members
“After King Solomon built the Temple, a group of priests were specially selected to be in charge of musical instruments and singing in the Temple. They were the Levites, God’s consecrated servants. They dedicated themselves full time to God.”
Therefore the church members involved in music ministry such as the orchestra members, choir members, praise and worship team, pianists and others have to be “consecrated” together with their music. Church music is sacred because God is a holy God. Not only so, church members involved in music ministry are holy too.
Therefore church music ministry team members must hold the attitude that “God must become greater, I must become less” and not be self-centred. They must have a team spirit, be cooperative and harmonious. They have to be consecrated in their ministry as well as their daily life.
“We can’t serve with a sincere heart on the stage if our daily life is in a mess. God is pleased when people honour Him in worship, but God is more pleased when people live out His words and His love in daily life.”
Musical instruments
“3And all the Israelites came together to the king at the time of the festival in the seventh month. 4 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the Levites took up the ark, 5 and they brought up the ark and the tent of meeting and all the sacred furnishings in it. The Levitical priests carried them up.” (2 Cor 5:3-5) From these verses we can understand that not only the music ministry teams have to be consecrated, the musical instruments are holy too.
In the original text sacred furnishings and holy vessels are likely to include not only the altar of the tabernacle, the golden lampstand and the sort, but also all musical instruments. So we see that these musical instruments have to be dedicated to God!
“Those musical instruments that we use like pianos, keyboards, drums, guitars and even hymnal books, hymns, Bibles, microphones, sound systems etc all belong to God. We must use them carefully, with love and respect. This Bible passage is a good reminder to those church members who use these instruments at will and do not put them in order after use.”
She also doubted whether the church should use expensive musical instruments. Whether the church needs to spend so much money on the musical instruments is one difficult question and sometimes it is not easy to reach a consensus. Some people may think that musical instruments are very important while others think that other matters are more important.
“In either case, we can still worship in spirit without these expensive musical instruments.” She recalled that when she was shepherding in the rural area, the church only had the foot pump organ and the congregation could still worship and praise our Lord.”
The centre of worship
“Worship during King Solomon time was so grand and glorious but did Solomon continue to worship God? No! He turned to worship man made idol. What went wrong? Did those priests and Levites who were consecrated to serve with music continue in faithful worship and serve God? Not so.”
Rev. Wong quoted the metaphor of “the good Samaritan”. That man who was beaten up was left by the road side. The first person passing by was a priest and the second was a Levite. Perhaps they served well in their music ministry in the Temple or perhaps they were rushing to the Temple to serve and could not help the injured man. The point was they failed to reflect the love of God in their life.
Worshipping in music and musical performance are so close that one may accidentally be doing a performance and the person may become proud. She has been very careful of this issue after serving a long time in music ministry. “In the past I had the opportunity to sing solo in the choir and to be the conductor of the choir. These opportunities could be my chance to ‘express’ my musical talent.”
During the worship service she would be very worried about her singing and she also worried about whether the choir members made any mistake. If she sang well she would be proud and happy and if otherwise she would be frustrated and annoyed. “I may appear to be very holy and others may have been touched by my singing. That was actually an illusion because I focused upon my musical performance rather than worshipping God.”
To her those in music ministry are obliged to practice hard on regular basis. Any mistake made during worship is not a major issue because most people can’t tell. On top of that music is not the centre of worship.
“We often forget that the centre of worship is God alone. Music is only a carrier to worship and is to supplement the solemnity of worship, to lead people to be more devoted and to get closer to God.”
If church music were to become a performance, those who attend the service would also be watching with an attitude of a consumer. “We often forget our role in our worship. Are we an audience, or a member of the appraisal committee? No, we are there to worship God.”
Rev Wong reminded that there is only one audience in the worship service, that is God. God is looking at each of us worshipping before Him to see if we worship Him in awe and with a pious attitude? In fact choirs, orchestras, praise and worship teams and pastors are not performing for us but helping and leading us to worship God attentively.
Our heart and life witnesses
On the other hand some people may like classical music while others like contemporary music; but what kind of music does God like? Is there any contemporary music or some musical instruments that God does not like?
In fact down through the ages the church has been arguing about this issue. Some churches even argued over the style of worship and music with many disputes and the issue was not really resolved. To resolve the disputes some churches hold two or more services with different styles of worship and then mark it as “contemporary worship,” “traditional worship,” or “blended worship.”
In the past many churches were arguing whether jazz drums and guitars could be placed in the sanctuary. They felt that drums or guitars were a little secular and might not be suitable for worshipping God.
“However hundreds of years ago churches were talking about whether a piano should be placed in the sanctuary in the chapel because back then churches were using the pipe organ and the piano was used in the secular world. That was why some people thought it was not suitable to use it in worshipping God. In an era of, religious reform some churches were discussing whether the pipe organ should be placed in the sanctuary because John Calvin, the religious reformer, believed that the pipe organ was a secular musical instrument and should not be used in worship. So his followers dismantled the organ in these churches.”
Rev. Wong pointed out that whether a certain musical instrument is secular depends much upon our daily living. In our generation we see a lot of pianos in the churches since our childhood so we don’t think pianos are secular musical instruments. However to the past generations they might see these instruments outside the church more often.
No matter which kind of instrument the church is using, the most important points are that it has to be suitable for divine use, it has to be in line with the church’s tradition and be beneficial to the believers.
“What kind of music does God like? I am not God, I don’t know; but I always think that maybe God likes the testimony of our heart and life more than music.”
Rev. Wong said that God ordered the Israelites to stop singing and stop playing the musical instruments because their spiritual life were in poor state and did not live out their testimony of faith. They were not righteous and did not have a compassionate heart. This is God’s strict warning to today’s music ministry team.
Music of love and unity
And how is the glory of God manifested? She pointed out that it is not through music alone, but more importantly through “love and unity.” Music of love with the music of unity brings about the glory of God to fill the temple.
“We can easily become proud because of our musical talents and when comparing to that of others. But it is love that reminds us to be righteous, compassionate, self-denying and to help others. We do not need to assert ourselves but have to learn to cooperate and encourage others.”
She emphasized that music may bring expenses or criticism but love brings acceptance and responsibility. “If we see that someone else has a problem, whether it is about music or attitude, by love we should not only comment but will accept him, pray for him and even help him.”
Each person may have his own likes of music but it is by love that we encourage, appreciate and support each other. It’s okay that we are not used to other’s music but we can still affirm each other in love. This is the new commandment that Jesus gave us.
The early Church Father St. Augustine once said, “Singing belongs to one who loves; voices of musicians, the flame of love.” That is to say church music can expand and enhance man’s love for God and love for others. If there is no love in the church, the church loses its inner vitality and loses its sacredness.
She stressed that to compose, to play or to sing church music, the prime condition is to love everyone, to love worship and prayer and let this love become the soul of the church. Otherwise church music will only become “secular music” or “noise”.
“It is OK that our love and music are not perfect and we are not perfect too. We can’t give love of ourselves. Our love must come from God. In God’s love we don’t have to worry about making mistakes or incompleteness. We can learn slowly and progress in steps.”
Interviewer: Menglei
Interviewee: Rev. Irene Wong Ging Chai
Recorder: April Lu
Translator: KT Chew