Music man

Bob Kauflin has become a familiar name to church leaders and music groups in recent years. His songs, books and CDs, through Sovereign Grace Music, have been some of the most helpful resources for churches. Jonathan Carswell interviews him exclusively for EN.

EN: You’re Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace (SG). Can you explain what SG is, and what your role involves?

BK: Sovereign Grace Ministries is a family of 80+ churches, led by C.J. Mahaney and a leadership team, devoted to proclaiming the gospel and glorifying God through the planting and care of local churches. I serve in three ways: the training of worship leaders and songwriters, overseeing the production of Sovereign Grace Music products, and leading worship at conferences and events.

EN: How does the music fit into the wider ministry of SG?

BK: Our basic goal is to provide local churches with songs which reinforce the biblical truths they’re being taught on Sunday mornings. In that way we support the task of our pastors. Of course, our albums can also be listened to individually for personal encouragement and devotions.

EN: After learning the piano for six years and not even reaching Grade One, I’m always envious of musicians! Have you always been musical?

BK: I think I started playing around at the piano when I was six, when I wrote a simple song. The next song I remember writing was when I was 12 years old. Since that time, I’ve always wanted to be a songwriter. God was very kind to allow me to do what I’ve always wanted to do. I took piano lessons from the time I was eight until I was 21.

EN: How did you become a Christian?

BK: I was raised a Roman Catholic and thought I was going to become a priest. Obviously, I didn’t. When I was in my first year of college, a guy from a college ministry called Campus Crusade asked me if he could talk with me. He shared from Romans how eternal life was a gift from God that was to be received by faith and could never be taken away if we truly trusted what Christ did for us on the cross. I was surprised that, even though I had read the Bible, I had never understood this important truth.

That was the beginning of my taking the Bible seriously and trusting in the finished work of Christ. I believe that’s when I was regenerated by the sovereign grace of God.

EN: Christian music so often divides and, more seriously, can split churches and ministries. Why do you think it can be so divisive, and how can this be avoided?

BK: I think worship music divides us for at least three reasons. First, we’re deficient in our theological understanding of what worship is. It’s not the music, it’s not the band, it’s not the event. It’s the response of God’s redeemed people to his self-revelation that exalts God’s glory in Christ in our minds, affections, and wills — in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Second, our hearts are idol factories, as John Calvin says, and we exalt things other than God. Things like musical styles, arrangements, traditions, etc. But when we can’t sing in the same room together, we are saying that music’s power to divide us is greater than the gospel’s power to unite us.

Third, I think leaders can contribute to division by not teaching what worship is and by making their primary concern the sound of the band rather than the sound of the congregation.

EN: What are the key elements for a ‘good’ song?

BK: Easy to sing, hard to forget, lyrically solid, Scripturally faithful, impacting. I put the last word in because there are many songs that have all the good elements but don’t seem to impact people’s hearts.

EN: You have written a book with Crossway, Worship Matters. Tell us more about this.

BK: My close friends suggested I write a book on worship in song, so I did. I showed it to C.J. Mahaney and he thought the audience I had in mind was too broad. I was addressing pastors, worship leaders, musicians, church members, non-Christians. It was pretty scattered. So we started over (almost), enlisted an outside editor to help me, and Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God was the result. I’m indebted to C.J. and Jeff Purswell for their invaluable input in the process.

It’s primarily written for those who have responsibility for leading corporate worship, including pastors, worship leaders, vocalists, planners, etc. It’s my attempt to share in a down-to-earth manner what I’ve learned about the theology and practice of leading musical worship over the past 25 years. It was released in April 2008. I’m encouraged that some seminaries have started using it in their courses on worship.

EN: How real is the danger of becoming a ‘Christian celebrity’? Musicians are so often idolised. How should this be avoided?

BK: There are no ‘great’ worship leaders who are great because of something they’ve done. The ‘great’ worship leaders are those who make us most aware of how great Jesus Christ is. It’s an oxymoron to promote the glory of Jesus and my own glory at the same time. Yet the celebrity culture exists because we think idols will satisfy us more than God, and because, as leaders, we want people’s attention to be on us, rather than the Saviour.

We should do everything we can to resist the mindset and culture of the ‘Christian celebrity’. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong to be famous. It means that no one who is famous should think that makes them better than others, or better in God’s eyes. The primary way to do that is by making sure that the gospel is central to our lives, our songs, and our leading. The gospel — Jesus enduring God’s wrath in our place to purchase our forgiveness and reconcile us to God — reminds us that we ultimately bring nothing to God but the sins that put Jesus on the cross.

The gospel humbles our offerings because apart from Jesus they wouldn’t be acceptable (1 Peter 2:5). The gospel exalts our offerings because God accepts them through Jesus Christ as though they were his own. Therefore, we can draw near to God with full assurance (Hebrews 10.19-22).

EN: Music must not become simply an emotional, outward response and fail to be a deep, life changing, heartfelt response? What advice do you have for leaders?

BK: While music is a gift from God designed to develop and deepen our relationship with him and each other, we should be very careful to make sure that corporate worship is more than a musical fix or an emotional high. We don’t gather to see what music can do for us. We gather to remember what God has already done for us in Christ. That means our lyrics should be thoughtful, biblically rich, gospel-centred, and understandable.

Through well-placed spoken comments, leaders can direct people’s attention to the words they’re singing, so that people don’t focus merely on the music. We can also avoid long instrumental interludes that are unconnected to any specific thought or theme. It’s also good to mix up musical styles and tempos so people don’t assume ‘worship’ only takes place when a certain musical pattern is followed.

Sovereign Grace products are available at many Christian bookshops, as well as at http://www.10ofThose.com. As a special EN offer, 10ofthose are offering Bob’s book Worship Matters for just £8.50 including postage (RRP £10.00). To order, email sales@10ofthose.com quoting ‘Kaulfin offer’.

An interview with Bob Kauflin