The Purpose of Church Music

Have you ever stopped to consider what the point of your church music program ought to be? What should a "mission statement" for the music department look like?

Biblically, the aim of our music is to:

• Praise the Lord (Psalm 69:30)
• Worship the Lord (Psalm 66:4)
• Remind believers of the goodness of God (Psalm 145:7)
• Reflect our personal thankfulness for what He has done (Psalm 28:7)
• Teach sound doctrine (Deuteronomy 31:19-22, Colossians 3:16)
• Be a convicting testimony to the lost (Psalm 40:1-3)

Everything that is done musically in your church ought to revolve around these concepts. If you have never done so, you need to read and study all of the references to music in the Bible. God is very clear about what is acceptable music.

Please note some of the concepts that are conspicuously absent from the previous list. Church music is NOT about:

• Entertaining
• Drawing a crowd for a special occasion
• Appealing to a worldly audience
• Hosting concert tours
• Raising money
• Selling recordings
• Increasing weekly church attendance
• Keeping the interest of young people
• Impressing visitors
• Creating newsworthy events
• Manipulating the emotions of the congregation
• Creating interludes or "bumper music" between events
• Promoting "Christian" celebrities
• Giving favors or positions of prominence to certain church members

Every so often, it is good for us to reflect on how we use music in our church services. Let's not trivialize or cheapen this powerful tool of communication by imitating the world's philosophy of music. Keep your music clean, purposeful, God-honoring and Biblical.

copyright © 2009 by Asaph Music Co. 

Bible guidelines for Christian Music:

Here's a summary of Bible guidelines for Christian Music:

BIBLE GUIDELINES FOR CHRISTIAN MUSIC

CHRISTIAN MUSIC SHOULD PRAISE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST — NOT MAN The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my SONG will I PRAISE him.Psalm 28:7  CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS FOR THE LORD — NOT FOR THE WORLD Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts TO THE LORD. Colossians 3:16  CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS A NEW SONG — NOT AN OLD SONG I will sing a NEW SONG unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. Psalm 144:9  CHRISTIAN MUSIC'S MESSAGE SHOULD BE CLEAR — NOT VAGUE OR DECEPTIVE I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the UNDERSTANDING also. 1 Cor. 14:15  CHRISTIAN MUSIC SHOULD EMPHASIS THE MESSAGE — NOT THE MUSIC — NOR THE MUSICIAN Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Psalm 66:2  CHRISTIAN MUSIC IS IN THE LOCAL CHURCH — NOT CONCERT HALLS, NIGHT CLUBS. Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the CHURCH will I sing praise unto thee. Hebrew 2:12  CHRISTIAN MUSIC SHOULD FEED THE SPIRIT — NOT THE FLESH Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and SPIRITUAL songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16  CHRISTIAN MUSICIANS SHOULD BE DEDICATED TO THE LORD — NOT WORLDLY 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Ephesians 5:18-21

Copyright © 1995 Dial-the-Truth Ministries

Easter Morning - Up From The Grave He Arose

Up from the Grave He Arose (Low in the Grave He Lay)

Text: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899 
Music: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899 
Tune: CHRIST AROSE, Meter: 65.64 with Refrain

Click the song title for the music

1. Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,   Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!  

Refrain:  Up from the grave he arose;   With a mighty triumph o'er his foes;   He arose a victor from the dark domain,   And he lives forever, with his saints to reign.   He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2. Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior,   Vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!   (Refrain)   3. Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;   He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!   (Refrain) 

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Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

Charles Wesley

Click the song title for the music

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
All creation joins to say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, O heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now your sting? Alleluia!
Dying once, He all doth save, Alleluia!
Where your victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Things That Are To Be

--Editor's note: This fine example of worship and worship leadership was taken from a sermon preached by Rev. William Branham in Rialto, California 05DEC 1965. 

THINGS.THAT.ARE.TO.BE_  RIALTO.CA  V-4 N-6  SUNDAY_  65-1205
¹⁵⁴      Satan, you are defeated. You are a defeated being. Jesus Christ conquered you at Calvary. You have no power. You're a bluff. We're calling your hand, tonight. In the Name of Jesus Christ, come out of this people here, you sickness and diseases. And may they go, free, in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
¹⁵⁵    Hallelujah! Feel the glory of God! Feel your prayer answered. You believe God answered the person setting by you? How many believe it? Raise up your hands. [Congregation rejoices--Ed.] There you are. Oh, wonderful!

		I love Him, I...

With your hands up now, sing it to Him, with all your heart.

		Because He first loved...

Do you mean it, with all your heart now?
 
¹⁵⁶      How many of you feel that God has forgiven your iniquities, the things that you've done? "And from this night on, O Lamb of God, I promise to walk upright. I'll walk in honor of the Name that I'm called, a Christian, Christ-like life. I'll raise my hands, God. I dedicate myself anew to You, tonight. I'll walking in the Light." Amen.

		We'll walk in the Light, beautiful Light,

		Come where the dewdrops of mercy are bright;

		Shine all around us, by day and by night,

		Jesus, the Light of the world.

		We'll walk in the Light, It's such a beautiful Light,

		It comes where the dewdrops...

Where He's gone to prepare a place for us.

		Shine all around us, by day and by night,

		Jesus, the Light of the world.

		Come, all ye saints of Light proclaim,

		Jesus, the Light of the world;

		Truth and mercy in His Name,

		Jesus, the Light of the world.

What will we do then?

		We'll walk in the Light, such a beautiful Light,

		Comes where the dewdrops of mercy are bright;

		Shine all around us, by day and by night,

		Jesus, the Light of the world.

Oh, don't you feel all scoured out, feel good? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]Oh, my! Let's shake hands, as we sing again.

		We'll walk in the Light, such a beautiful Light,

		Comes where... (God bless you, brother.)... of mercy are bright;

		Shine all around us, by day and by night,

		Jesus, the Light of the world.

Let's just close our eyes and hum it. [Brother Branham and congregation begin to hum Jesus, The Light Of The World--Ed.] We'll act like children. We are children.

		Oh, it's such a beautiful Light,

		And It comes where the dewdrop of mercy are bright;

		Oh, shine all around us, by day and by night,

		Jesus, the Light of the world.

Don't you love Him? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]

		My faith looks up to Thee,

		Thou Lamb of Calva-...

Just close your eyes and sing it. Worship in the Spirit.

		Saviour Divine;

		Now hear me while I pray,

		Take all my sins away,

		O let me from this day

		Be wholly Thine!

		While life's dark maze I tread,

		And grief around me spread,

		Oh, be Thou my Guide;

		Bid darkness turn to day,

		Wipe sorrow's fears away,

		Nor let me ever stray

		From Thee aside.

¹⁵⁷    Oh, my! I know I'm just an old-fashion guy. I like... I think that's got all the new, chopped-up, fandangoed, rock-and-roll impersonations beat, a million miles. Them old poets that wrote them songs, the Holy Spirit touched that pen, begin to write. Oh, my! Think of Eddie Pruitt and all them; great! Fanny Crosby:

		Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,

		Hear my humble cry.

 
¹⁵⁸      One time they was trying to get her. She didn't--she didn't do like the Pentecostal Elvis Presley, sell her birthrights for a mess of Cadillacs. She... Come to her and wanted her to write--write worldly songs. She said, "I would not do it, for nothing."
Said, "Why, you're blind. When you get to Heaven, how you know?"
She turned around, inspiration, so she said:

		I shall know Him, I shall know Him,

		And redeemed by His side I shall stand;

		I shall know Him, I shall know (How?)

		By the prints of the nails in His...

Otherwise, "If I don't see Him, I'll feel His hand."

		I shall know Him, I shall know Him,

		And redeemed by His side I shall stand;

		I shall know Him, I shall know Him

		By the print of the nails in His hand.

¹⁵⁹    Don't it make you love Him? Gone to prepare a place for us! "And if I go and prepare a place, I will return again, to receive you unto Myself."
 
¹⁶⁰      Little children in travail now, re-obey the commandments of God. And pastor, here, if none of you has been baptized, the water will be ready. And--and membership for the church, or whatever you want to do, or whatever, you do it. You haven't got the baptism, the Holy Ghost, this is the night to receive It. Don't you believe that? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
¹⁶¹    "Oh," you say, "Brother Branham, it's late. You done preached too long."
Paul preached all night, one night, this same kind of Message. And a little... A young man fell off of the wall and killed himself. And Paul, so anointed with that same kind of Message, laid his body upon him, and the life come back into him again. He is still "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever."
Don't you love Him? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Let's just, once more, with our hands up, "I love Him. I love Him."
Where's the pianist? There, if you will, sister, ever who it is. Give us the little chord, if you will.
How many love Him? Just raise your hand. Say, "I really love Him. I just love Him, with--with all my heart. I love Him."
 
¹⁶²      Now let's just sing it, to the glory of God. Now, with our eyes closed, our hands up to Heaven, "I love Him. I love Him." We'll worship Him. When you preach, and cut, and tear, and pull like that, this is the balm that God pours in, just heals. "There's a Balm in Gilead, for the soul." Let's sing it now. Give us the chord.

		I love Him, I love Him

		Because He first loved me

		And purchased my salvation

		On Calvary's tree.

¹⁶³    "And in this will all men know that you're My disciples, when you have love, one for the other." That's right. If we can't love one another who we do see, how we going to love God Who we can't see?

		I love Him.

¹⁶⁴    [Brother Branham speaks to a brother on the platform--Ed.] God bless you. [The brother says, "Being here tonight is a real honor from Heaven."] Thank you, brother. ["It's really nice."] Now, I think the church, every one, was strengthened. Don't you?["Yes. Really."] God bless you, Brother Boone. I'll turn the congregation to you. God bless you.   

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--Editor's note: This fine example of worship and worship leadership was taken from a sermon preached by Rev. William Branham in Rialto, California 05DEC 1965.