People love it! Starting off their Sunday morning to the tune of a precious song of praise to Him, The Almighty! What started off as a few songs before the regurgitation of your weekly evangelical pacifier has some how turned into a 1 hour concert with a full blown band and symphony. You have superstars and celebrities from the church up front singing showing you just how modest and humble they really are... or wait, that can't be right. Well I got news for you: singing songs in church is childish, I'd call it first grade material.
But wait, He needs our praise!
Most people say they need to praise God to please Him and show their love for Him. Point taken, but really think about what is going on here. How is the song getting you any closer to God. What are you getting out of it? Singing is EASY and EASY is never the path to God. Sure, it may be beneficial to some people, and they are called first graders.
New converts to a church or religion are super into the singing because they think, "oh cool, this is EASY, I can sing my way to heaven!" Okay fine, whatever, sing your songs and have your fun but realize that at one point you have to outgrow your diapers. Why is it then that so many people are into singing? It's because most people are of the flesh and have flaws. People are inherently weak.
So then, is it bad to sing in church? For most people I think so. This is because they are ready to move on, but they're not. They're in eternal stagnation preparing for eternal stagnation, or so they think.
But wait, singing isn't hurting anything so how's it bad?
People will say, "but if it's not hurting anything what's wrong with it." Simple: it's not helping anything either. You could sit around your whole life and not hurt a single thing and you would die a wasted life. I get the sense that somebody's religion may be limiting them once again. If this is the case it may be time to get out or move on. You shouldn't be singing songs if you're not growing from it, or helping others grow.
But it puts me in the right mindset
I've also heard people say that singing to the Lord puts them in the right mindset and makes it better for them to understand His Word. Okay, whatever, maybe it helps you, maybe it doesn't. But IF it doesn't you should stop it and move on. And let me tell you, just by watching these church people I can tell you that 90% of them are not opening their minds for God. They're singing because they think it's necessary because their master told them so. And they wouldn't want to keep themselves from heaven now would they?
My Final Thoughts
I have a simple question: Is singing essential to me getting closer to God? The answer that I've found is a big fat NO; therefore, I don't have to waste my time with milk while I can be out searching for meat.
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18 Comments
I think singing helps people
I think singing helps people get more closer to God, they are actively involved into prayers through songs and I think that helps. Sure, there are a lot of ways to praise God but I don't think the hardest way is always the best way into praising God. God wants us to be happy loving Him, this is what I learned in our Jesus church congregation.
People think the church of
People think the church of Christ strange because we do not use an instrument of music in our worship services. I hope the reader will open his heart to this message and try to understand, without instruments our music is the proper way in our worship to God. We are not against music, nor are we opposed to instruments of music, but we do believe that, 'in worship', our praise to God should be without instrumental accompaniment.
Too much hostility
I agree that a lot of church's do put way to much emphases on singing and it irritates me when people refer to it as praise and worship because they are two completely separate things. Praise is when you sing and praise God because he's God and he's so magnificent and wonderful, worship is your life, if your living for him and seeking him and following his will and not going after what your flesh want's you to do that's true worship. And thanks is thanking him for his blessings you don't praise him for blessing you that's why when Jesus gave us an outline for prayer he said hollowed be thy name first praise him just because he's God and he deserves it, not because he gave you a house or a car or whatever thank him for that. (That was my own rant) but I disagree that it's useless. The bible say's you must Worship God in Spirit and in Truth. And I believe the church needs to take that to heart when we gather. Ever church needs to marry the Spirit with the truth you can't have one with out the other, most church's have one or the other though and it's why they don't succeed. It's either all song and dance and shouting or all straight from the book everybody repeat after the pastor with no conviction. If the church is real it needs a time of corporate praise God's people coming together to show our love to him by telling him all together how great he his, and their should always be conviction, the Holy Spirit came to convict the world it's what changes you, it's that driving force within you that's pointing out the things you need to weed out of your life to grow in Christ. the American church especially is in need of conviction coming from the pulpit. So you had some good points but singing is affective and it does have a purpose. I say this next thing in a nice way so please do not be offended, next time you want to share your opinion try not to come off so hostile it just makes people who read it defensive and it really stops your point from getting to the heart of the reader.
Why Not?
I suppose your ending sentence isn't there for us commenters to take literally, but I think I will anyway. It can be my symbols.
Milk is meant for calcium, right? And meat gives you protein, correct? So we can think of MILK as being our singing and praise to God, and maybe our Quiet Times and Church Services as our MEAT. Both MILK and MEAT are meant for different things, but both help you. Calcium-- in the MILK-- helps restore bones and teeth. Protein-- in the MEAT-- restores muscle and and help that muscle tissue grow and reproduce. Both are essential to life and maintaining balance. Yes, MEAT is more useful, but in ways different than MILK.
That's what I think about Singing and Praise to God. Do you believe that prayer gets one closer to God? I do. That's what I do in a majority of the Praise & Worship songs I sing: I close my eyes and pray, lifting the lyrics straight up to God. It makes for a lively, upbeat way of worshipping the Creator. I suppose that, since He created all things, He created music as well. We as His creation whom He loves more than any other thing in the world or universe are commanded to use it to HIS glory. So why would music and songs be any different?
Ephesians 5:1 says this, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved CHILDREN..." To God, we are His children. The chapter goes on talking about what we should and should not do, and then verse 8 says, "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."
Luke 19:37-40: "Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
I, personally, don't a rock singing in MY place.
So I guess that, in a sense, you may be correct, but only conditionally. Just like obeying with delay or with an attitude is not right and not obeying, singing just to be singing and not meaning the words, is not helpful and won't further God's Kingdom. If you really do have a passion for Christ, why wouldn't you want to praise Him and lift Him up? Singing is just another way God has provided us with to give all glory and honor and praise to Him, the One who created it all!
Don't underestimate the
Don't underestimate the importance of singing as worship. David is described in the Bible as a man after God's own heart. He also spent a lot of his time in worship writing songs to the Lord/singing to the Lord. That's what David did; he sang. And the Lord thought that was just fine. and why? Because David's heart was in it.
singing in church
music is so powerful - I can't think of anything i repeat on a day to day basis more than lyrics to a song. it's my strongest encouragement through the day. sometimes when i'm down or discouraged, a simple tune helps me get through.
Just a quick note on what's
Just a quick note on what's been said from someone involved in church music: I agree with one point you made slayer, and that it's wrong for a church service to become a full fledge 1h concert, where songs and verses are repeated to exhaustion, with lyrics without any real content or meaning, supported by superstar-singers, who try to show off as if they we're praising God when in reality they're praising themselves, or just doing what they like and making other people feel good about it.
Church music is serious "business" and even though I'm into a contemporary worship service, mixed with some good hymns, I really hate going to another church and be unable to sing along because the music is just to darn loud, and people are just enjoying... a concert!
I'm not against Christian music concerts (although I hate the terminology of "Christian music" as if it was the music who was Christian after all!) or contemporary worship. I just feel that music should not replace the content... be it the lyrics, the message being brought or your personal relationship with God through Jesus. I *DO* disagree with "music for self enjoyment" and the confusion between "spiritual lifting" and "emotional awareness"... People should sing TO PRAISE not to *just* feel good with themselves. And the "feeling good" state is often confused with "the moving of the Holy Spirit"... It sickens me...
I don't know of your spiritual choices, but I do believe that you're definitely seeking something, and using these controversial posts to stir something. I do believe that you should seek God (through Jesus) and not a religion. Religion is, in my opinion, a consequence of one's relationship with Christ: you develop it among others from where you learn about the Bible, and not interpretations of it. I'd gladly chat with you about it as I feel strongly about this issue. :)
Sorry for any mistakes, as english is not my "mother tongue"!
Cheers m8
PS: sorry for the darn long post LOL and I started by saying "just a quick note..." haha
I really like your post and
I really like your post and your view on religion. I would agree with you in full. Thanks for sharing your view :).
Maybe Singing Doesn't Suit First Graders
There was lots more I wanted to address in my last comment, but wanted to focus on the Bible that time.
This time I take issue with this bit:
Is the song getting you any closer to God. What are you getting out of it? Singing is EASY and EASY is never the path to God. Sure, it may be beneficial to some people, and they are called first graders.
The first thing I will point out is that Church is not about you. It is not about you getting closer to God - you can read the Bible, listen to sermons, and pray at home. Church is about God and others. We meet to worship God (one way of doing this is singing) and to build each other up - Hebrews 10:24-25 (and again, singing eternal truths is immensely encouraging!).
If you personally get something out of Church, that is wonderful (in fact, if you don't, maybe the Church isn't a good church) but it is not the main point. God is. Singing, and enjoying singing, is one (Biblical) way in which we can glorify God.
The second issue I take is with how easy it is: "Sure, it may be beneficial to some people, and they are called first graders."
Yes, some people belt out a chorus without thinking and talk during the verses. But the problem is with them, not the singing.
Songs, when well written, become more and more meaningful, more and more edifying, as you grow in knowledge and faith. In fact, if someone doesn't find them challenging and fuel for growth, it is perhaps because they are young in knowledge and faith (provided, of course, they are well written).
The best hymn writers were theologians, after all.
The music team at my church put loads of thought into which songs they sing, when they sing them, and why. I reccommend to you the blog of the music leader of one service, Dan. He considers many issues about church music, and it is very interesting even for non-musos like me. Some good posts are this one, this one, this one, and this one
Thanks for your reply you
Thanks for your reply you Crazy Australian ;).
I see your perspective and do agree with a lot of what you are saying. I certainly do not see singing as a bad thing and can definitely see the good in it.
I guess my main argument would be people taking that too far, and as you said, just because some people take it too far doesn't mean they all do.
I appreciate your post as it has helped with my understanding of Church :).
Its a difficult question!
Its a difficult question! Certainly God doesn't /need/ us.
The question was answered much better than I possibly could by John Piper in his book Don't Waste Your Life. (Its a great book btw!)
The book is available for free download here (from www.dontwasteyourlife.com - though I recommend the hard copy version if you plan to read it).
The section I refer to starts on page 32. Here is an excerpt:
What does it mean to glorify God? It may get a dangerous
twist if we are not careful. Glorify is like the word beautify. But beautify usually means “make something more beautiful than it is,” improve its beauty. That is emphatically /not/ what we mean by glorify in relation to God. God cannot be made more glorious or more beautiful than he is. He cannot be improved, “nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything” (Acts 17:25). Glorify does not mean add more glory to God.
It is more like the word magnify. But here too we can go
wrong. Magnify has two distinct meanings. In relation to God, one is worship and one is wickedness. You can magnify like a telescope or like a microscope. When you magnify like a microscope, you make something tiny look bigger than it is. A dust mite can look like a monster. Pretending to magnify God like that is wickedness. But when you magnify like a telescope, you make something unimaginably great look like what it really is. With the Hubble Space Telescope, pinprick galaxies in the sky are revealed for the billion-star giants that they are. Magnifying God like that is worship.
It goes on, but you can read the rest yourself.
My own response is this: there is no shortage of Biblical basis for the claim that we are called to worship God. In the NIV the word appears 250 times (eg, Matthew 4:10 - Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."
It seems unequivocal to me that we are called to worship God in everything - and, as I showed in my first post on this topic, singing is part of that.
My point in the last post wasn't necessarily that God 'gets something out of church' but that our purpose in going was to worship and glorify him.
Does that make sense?
(ps thanks for the comment on my blog :) )
I appreciate this reply. I
I appreciate this reply. I am going to sleep now but will reply to this in the future. Thanks :).
Singing is an Offering of The Lips
I agree with the crazy Australian, the Bible is filled with examples where we should offer our songs of praise to God.
I think you actually do have an argument about how singing in church has become, to some, just a vocal exercise. It is meant to be something more that pleases God. When it's heart felt, it is something much more then I think you give it credit. Just as non-fervent faithless prayers are not as powerful, singing without your heart isn't offering God much. You have to truly mean the praises you are offering God.
When you praise God with your singing you shouldn't be looking for anything in return. You are not trying to sing your way into heaven, that time is about Him, not us.
So thank him for the wonderful talents he has given you, and sing to Him a new song.
P.S. Sweet site Slayerment.
true, for the most part
As much as I think you're other posts are bull, this is most likely legit.
I don't mind a small amount of singing at church, but what really gets me pissed is when churches sing EVERY DAMN VERSE of every damn song they have to sing.
Come on folks, lets cut down on 20 minutes of bullshit by just singing the first verse.
based on your language and
based on your language and your view of worship, you're just there to get in and out anyways, and don't really care about the point of worship. Of course you feel that way then. It's a shame you can't see the beauty in being in church for God, and God only.
Put it this way: you feel 20 minutes of your time is so valuable you can't spare it to God because you don't like to sing? Now, my math is bad, but there's about 40,320 minutes in a month. If you go to church every week, which is generous bc most don't, that's 480 minutes of time you give back to God. 480 OUT OF OVER 40,000. And you feel the 20 extra minutes those "damn songs" add on are too much? I say this in the most respectful way possible, but Maybe you are at church for the wrong reasons.
Why sing for 20 minutes and
Why sing for 20 minutes and selfishly help myself when I could spend 20 minutes with a more selfless act of helping others?
I don't spend 20 minutes a day singing for God and I don't spend merely 1 day a week serving God. I spend every day living as close to God as I can. It's not a time thing or a church thing, it's a lifestyle and I am here to model my life as close to truth as possible.
But if you're into doing rituals that's fine. I'm not here to tell you what's right or wrong for you, everyone is at their own level of development.
Thanks for the comment, what
Thanks for the comment, what posts do you think are bull?
Singing in Church
I agree that singing is just a one part of worship (which, I hope you agree, is at least one of our purposes in life
And I agree that some churches spend too long focussing on this.
But it worries me that you do not look to the Bible for answers. What does it say about singing?
One thing is that, as you rightly suggest, it is not everything:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12)
But what does Ephesians 5 say?
18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Or Romans 15:11
And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples."
Or Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
What will we do in Heaven? Sing!
Revelation 5:13
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
I found those with a quick concordance search (this
There is also a massive book (the longest!) devoted entirely to songs of praise to God!
Be encouraged! It is wonderful to see someone thinking about God. But let you also search the scriptures for what God himself has said. It's a wonderful privelige!
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