In Depth:  music

Matt MacGregor

J.C. Ryle used to worry about people misreading the Parable of the Talents: “The word ‘talents’ is an expression that has been curiously turned aside from its original meaning. It is generally applied to none but people of remarkable ability or gifts: they are called ‘talented’ people. Such a use of the expression is a mere modern invention. In the sense in which our Lord used the word in this parable, it applies to all baptised persons without distinction. We all have ‘talents’ in God’s sight: we are all talented people.”

I think those last five words are crucial for any Christian to ponder, but it is especially helpful in how we think about musical talent.

Tom Brewster

Recently a member of our congregation approached me after the service. She had come to offer a word of encouragement. I wasn’t feeling especially discouraged – in fact, the service had run smoothly, and the music and tech had worked well. But this gentle word of encouragement from a sister in Christ brought me joy and filled my heart with thanksgiving to our generous Father. It was an application of Proverbs 12v25 "Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up."

Many of your musicians and technicians will feel anxiety on Sunday mornings – their minds are probably filled with the “what-ifs” of a church service. Amidst those anxieties your voice, dear reader, can cheer their hearts. How? By offering encouragement that follows two simple rules:

Ben Slee

There is an extraordinary ordinariness as your church gathers for congregational worship.

Our church was part of the revitalisation of a church in Wembley. It’s an ordinary church of ordinary people, especially compared to the huge stadium just around the corner where great multitudes gather to see the rise and fall of some of the greatest sports men and women in history.

Tom Brewster

All musicians know that they should. But the truth is, practice is difficult.

As with any worthwhile skill, nothing comes for free. Practice is the price a musician pays for the ability to participate in the musical life. The beginner cannot play Beethoven, and even the skilled pianist must grapple with Scriabin. How then should we, as Christian believers, think of practice? Here are some of my initial thoughts:

Ben Slee

The sense of grief in the room was palpable. News of the tragic and unexpected death of two young missionaries – known to many – had left a significant proportion of the congregation devastated and bewildered.

I was there leading the sung worship only as a guest; I knew neither the couple who had died nor most of those in the room, but I still found myself deeply affected.

Tom Brewster

In 1976 Elton John told us that “Sorry” seems to be the hardest word. I think he was probably onto something. But perhaps he ought to have written a follow-up song about “Thank you” being the second hardest (pair of) word(s). The title needs some work.

How do you seek to encourage your musicians and technicians who serve week to week? Paul instructs us to “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess. 5:11). But practically speaking, how do we do that? Sometimes the simplest answers are the best, and here’s my top tip: say thank you – a lot.

Ben Slee

How can we prepare well to lead congregational worship?

Someone asked me that recently, and after some prayer and reflection here’s where I got to:

Matt MacGregor

Providing good feedback to the musicians who serve your church is essential. It helps nurture their God-given gifts and ensures that their service is a blessing and not a burden to the church.

This is not an easy task, nor is it only the responsibility of leaders. With the help of the Proverbs, here are three (conveniently alliterative) principles to help all of us in the church to get this right.

Tom Brewster

In the coming weeks and months, as we emerge from singing carols and advent hymns, we will probably start getting back into the habit of learning new songs in our churches.

But in a church with a huge variety of musical abilities, how do we do that well? Let me suggest three ideas:

Ben Slee

I define ‘manipulation’ in congregational worship as: causing people to have an emotional response apart from the root of the truth and the fruit of long-term change.

God has designed music to move us emotionally. What a gift! The error of manipulation comes when the emotional power of music replaces the truth, so that what stirs us is not the glory of God in Christ, but the vibe.

Matt MacGregor

We need to talk about Taylor Swift. Much ink has been spilled as to how appropriate her music is for Christians; I am not getting into that debate here. Instead, my attention is on the incontrovertible fact that Swift’s music is beloved by a phenomenally large number of people.

In a culture that is hallmarked by individualism and fragmentation, Taylor Swift has garnered an unprecedented popularity and ubiquity. Her impact has been compared to that of the Beatles, an impact she has sustained for 18 years, eight years more (and counting) than the Fab Four. The New Yorker goes even further, saying that she is best compared to the likes of Napoleon or Julius Caesar.

music

Ben Slee

In July, I had the privilege of attending the Worship God conference run by Sovereign Grace Music in Louisville, Kentucky.

We dwelt upon how our union with Christ shapes our Christian lives and our congregational worship. It was a blessed time of faithful preaching and rich times of singing. Two things in particular stood out to me:

Matt MacGregor

Would you sing a hymn written by a computer? I wonder how you would back up your answer to that question. I suspect the instinctive answer of many would be ‘no.’ But why not?

The answer cannot be because a computer won’t be good at it. AI technology probably became a better songwriter than you some years ago. I took the liberty of asking ChatGPT to write a hymn in the style of Charles Wesley about penguins:

Matt MacGregor

‘I want mystery; I want weirdness; I want strangeness.’ This is what British Christianity’s favourite historian Tom Holland looks for in a church. Holland claims no Christian faith of his own, but there are many in the church who (with some genuine warrant) reckon he’s onto something.

Ben Slee

Did you see John Piper’s tweet at the end of 2023 about whether we should drink coffee during worship services? (en November 2023).

Tom Brewster

Over the course of 1722-23 a 19-year-old Jonathan Edwards (the American pastor-theologian) wrote 70 resolutions.

Matt MacGregor

‘Your choice of career is the biggest ethical decision you’ll ever make.’ So says 80,000 Hours*. ‘All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us,’ says J.R.R. Tolkien in The Fellowship of the Ring. ‘A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil,’ says Ecclesiastes 2:24.

Ben Slee

Should we sing songs that are Biblical, singable and compelling, but come from a source that is questionable theologically or in ministry practice?

Matt MacGregor

‘And in this gospel the church is one…’ (CityAlight, 2022). ‘I believe the church is holy, one communion in God’s love…’ (Emu Music, 2023)

Ben Slee

I recently joined Emu Music for a webinar on teaching new songs in local churches. 

Matt MacGregor

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August is often a month where things slow down, and we have a chance to pause and plan. Why not use this month to try and think of some creative musical ways to engage your community with the good news of Jesus?

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Writing this during The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, I was struck by how many times the Queen must have heard the National Anthem.

We have missed the fellowship, the young people’s work, and the church fringe. But we’ve also missed singing God’s truth to one another. So, what will you sing after lockdown ends? This review points you in some helpful directions.

At the time of writing it will be just over a year since Christian congregations sang together.