Thursday, 26 June 2008
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Power of Music
from shipsklutz
Do you believe that music has the power to move people? Does music move you?
Some people are also more susceptible to this than others. I am SUPER vulnerable to this because music is so moving to me. I am a musician: I sing, play the clarinet, do audiovisual tech stuff. I live and breathe music. The most intimate times that I have had with God are those where my hands are lifted high in worship and complete abandon. I cry during worship at church regularly. I can't help it! Music brings me close to God in a way that I can't explain. And because of that, I have to be careful with what I listen to. VERY careful.
Music moves me... lyrics sung move me, and I know if I am not careful, what I am listening to can move me AWAY from God instead of toward Him. I listen to a lot of worship music, because I like it and because it keeps me close to my Savior. I listen to mostly Christian music, but that's preference over rule.
Think about what you're listening to for a day, for a week. Does it glorify God? Does it drive you closer or drive you away? Does it take you places you shouldn't go? Really concentrate on the words, not the tune. And if not... really consider why you listen to it. If it's because of the style, ask someone that is more into the Christian music scene (you can ask me, I'll be able to find out) to help you find alternatives that are well done and are similar in style.
If music moves you... think about what you listen to outside of church stuff. It may be affecting what's inside of you the other 6 days of the week.
Do you listen to more Christian or secular music? How much of an effect does music have on you?
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Comments (22)
I listen to most forms and styles of music. I find that God is in most of it anyways....
John wrote in Phillipians, "I have become all things to all men that by some means I might save some"....the reality is, I find that to be so true. God shows himself to anyone...by any means...so that His truth can be revealed to that person.
Personally, I tend to listen to Third Day...one of my favorite Christian bands. However, I do like other forms and bands / artists.
Blessings.
When my 16 yr old sister died last year music became huge in my life. It's a comfort and reminder that connects me somehow with who/where she is now. Also it draws me close in worship to the Father knowing that He is in control and He knows what happens and why. Nothing is just a freak accident to Him...music somehow closes the gap within those two worlds deep in my heart.
I can definitely relate to that. That is one major reason I am cautious where, how and with whom I worship anymore. Especially since American Christianity has become a multi-billion dollar business, and the churches have become copies of each other.
Singing the same exact songs, in the same exact way, sunday after sunday. And its all choreographed and designed in order to produce and reproduce, the exact emotional responses desired.
'Sing unto the Lord a new song.' -From the heart.
Good thoughts! I am a musician as well. In fact, I'm in training to be a music therapist. I believe strongly that God wired human beings to be sensitive to music. Thanks for this reminder to be vigilant when it comes to the music I myself listen to.
That was amazing to read. I totally moved by music. I honestly think music is a way of life. It always speaks what you are going on. Music=life
Music is powerful.
But.
I think partly the reason why it is so powerful to us is because we made it that way.
And sometimes the things we make can become monsters.
Now some people think that they can only worship/praise God if they have a good sing to sing out.
And that's just not true.
I don't mean to be a party pooper. I'm a musician myself actually. I've played with a christian praise and worship band for many years and I write music frequently.
But God has rocked my world lately when it comes to how I view music.
Christian music can become just as harmful as any other kind of music...the difference is mostly just in our hearts.
Am I listening to this music because I enjoy it, or do I feel a sense of spiritual necessity to listen to it, that I must have a beat and a melody to worship God?
It's a tricky subject for sure...but sometimes I can't help but feel that music becomes an addiction that pervades even our servitude to God.
So...yes. Music is extremely powerful.
Sometimes...too powerful. To the point that it becomes dangerous and clouds our understanding of what God has really required of us.
Definitely Christian music. And yes, it moves me beyond words. For me the service starts in the worship part of the service.
A question I wrestle with is how much of my "response" during singing is a programed emotional response and how much of it is a sincere connection between my heart and God's. I believe we must be careful and ever discerning of allowing our emotions to become our gods as we seek to "feel" God. Music is incredibly powerful and a great tool to connect with the heart of God both individually and corporately but we must must must always be wary of deception that is so prevalant even in many churches today. Truth must always be the foundation of our singing. Too much of worship as singing has become an individualistic battle when it was never meant to be. The focus has turned back onto ourselves and how things make us feel or sway. God forgive us for worshiping worship and not the God Who Saves. Something else I want to throw out there too....worship is so much more than singing, so much more. I'd challenge everyone to put away the ipod for a second and take a walk outside, sit down and journal, go find a quiet place and just be still and know that He is God. Music is amazing, a tool God uses to reach His people, but when it becomes singular we lose out seeing so much more of who God is.
I listen to both secular and Christian music. I find that most of it has the same messages, but secular music is a little less "God did this and you should worship him, or else". But maybe that's just the music I listen to...
Honestly, I don't like alot of forms of music. I got into some aweful music when I was a teenager and that's kind of affected me since. I really can't stand anything with much of beat. I don't even like most Christian contemporary music. I love to sing and I love to worship God, but loud music with a heavy beat takes me away from God, even if the words are Christian. But that's just me.
I listen to so much different music, but I have to say that Christian music definitely affects me the most. I too cry during worship sometimes, and that's because it seems to speak to me so much more than anything else I listen to. I never used to listen to "Christian contemporary" or whatever, but once I got into college my best friend took me to this church, and I fell in love with it. I grew up in the old church with hymns and organs and such, and so it was a big difference for me... but what I loved about that church was the passion, the love, the glory. I never witnessed such amazing faith! so now I take into heart every time I listen to Christian music, because it's something special that other music doesn't give me... and that's hope. God... speaking to me through music. It's an amazing feeling.
i listen to a mixture of music, anything from Christian to alternative rock to country to the Top 40 to instrumentals. music is very important to me, it keeps me grounded and i have a song for every mood, emotion and occasion. i find that music moves me, but not in away that is detrimental to my relationship with God. it helps me to sort out what i'm feeling and thinking. i find that if a song doesn't have lyrics that are meaningful in some way or that i can't relate to a least a little, i generally can't stand listening to it. there are secular songs that make me feel at peace just as much as a worship song because i can relate to what it was written about. Christian music helps me to find a Godly peace because i'm focusing on Him, while secular music helps me find an emotional peace, if that makes sense. hymns do nothing for me because i can't get into the actually music behind it. that's another point, the music (not the lyrics, but the actual sound, the beat, the instrumentation) is what draws me into a song more than anything. hymns leave me at a standstill, because i know they are good, Godly songs, but i can't get into them and often times can't relate to what they are saying, there's no emotional connection, so it doesn't interest me in the least. basically what i'm saying here is that listening to secular music doesn't push me away from God anymore than a hymn brings me closer. i feel, that as long as the songs don't hinder your relationship with God, then you can listen to what you want and be fine, but if it's creating a stumbling block in your life, it's time to find something new. it just depends on the individual.
yep. music is like the air i breathe.... gotta have it.. especially at church. it is the BEST part of it.
Well, I'm not a Christian, so my answer might be a bit irrelevant. I listen to mostly secular music. I did go to a Christian high school and college though, and so I do listen to some CCM on occasion. I have a few Anberlin, Switchfoot, and mewithoutyou songs on my mp3 player. I think I might even have two DCTalk songs on there. XD
I tend not to listen to overtly Christian / worship songs. I mean, I don't believe in god so it'd be a bit strange to listen to worship songs. XD I do like many hymns, though. And I can't get enough of Christmas music (the old ones--O Come O Come Emmanuel, O Holy Night, Joy to the World, etc. Not the new stuff. I can't stand those! ).
I listen to Christian music almost always, otherwise I like listening to the Rock radio station. I really only listen to it while working in the library - and because the only good Christians radio station annoys me by playing punk music constantly (and punk is way annoying to me!).
However, songs do get stuck in my head.. and I would rather have it be Christian then secular music
I'm more a classical music fan, myself. (Does J.S. Bach count as "Christian music"?)
Music has inspired me more than I ever could have imagined. My life would not be complete without music. In fact, on two occasions, I've completely broken down during church because certain songs were sung. It's kind of embarrassing, but at the same time, it's very purifying. I don't know if I'd be alive without music.
This is Absolutely true!, Music can transform you for good or evil...
So, how does one get brainwashed and through what means does music affect a person?
Satan can disguise himself as the angel of light, and these are some of the areas that are openly related to it...
1. Drugs
In one example, Ex-Beatle George Harrison explains the origins of his Krishna faith when
he says, "When I was younger, with the after-effects of the LSD that opened something up
inside of me in 1966, a flood of other thoughts came into my head which led me to the
yogis" (Rolling Stone magazine, November 5, 1987). After this he wrote the songs My
Sweet Lord. One famous Yogi said to George Harrison – “ I don’t think it is possible to
calculate how many people were turned on to a Krishna consciousness by your song “My
sweet Lord” – Mukunda Goswamy – The power of Mantra meditation, 1982 page 32.
In another example, The Beastie Boys best-selling album Licensed to Kill contains over
ninety references to drugs and alcohol abuse.
The Grateful Dead has become synonymous with marijuana and LSD use. A newspaper
wrote of them: "For many of the camp followers, The Dead are a religion and their lyrics a
Bible. It is generally accepted that The Dead are tapped into some profound LSD-inspired
truth" (The Washington Times, Concert Souvenir Edition, 1986). Grateful Dead captain,
the late Jerry Garcia, said in their biography (Playing in the Band) -- "I can't deny that
there is a moment when I'm transformed; when all of a sudden God is speaking through my
strings”.
And, legendry band "[Rock music] is the strongest drug in the world", Steven Tyler of the
group Aerosmith, Rock Beat, Spring 1987, p. 23.
2. Blasphemy
Founder of Satan’s church, Anton Szandoz Lavey, says in the Book of Satan or Satan’s
bible:
“I dip my finger in the watery blood of your impotent mad redeemer & write over His
thorn torn brow the true prince of evil, the king of slaves”
Chap1: 10 – I gaze into your glassy eyes of your fearsome Jehovah, I uplift my broad axe
& split open his worm eaten skull,
Storm the gates of heaven hold your head up high; storm the gates of heaven look God in
the eye – Wayne country
Venom: “Album – Welcome to Hell “Were possessed by all that is evil, the death of Your
God we demand, we spit at the virgin you worship and sit at lord satans right hand”
Exodus: ALB - Bonded by Blood - Deliver us to evil...
Pat Gloria: Jesus died for some bodies’ sin and not mine
Nine Inch Nails: Song - Closer: Shows monkey hanging on the cross-tied like Christ
Jimmy Buffet: My head hurts, my feet stink & I don’t love Jesus
Madonna, Girlie show, I am gonna beat my drum gonna ring my bell and I don’t care a
F*** if I go to hell
3. Rebellion
4. Sex
5. Suicide, and more...
I was totally into "rock" music, but thank God I'm not listening to it now
From Hard-Rock, to black metal, and gothic serins,...
Music is a very powerful tool, and it must be used in the right way
Good post!
Thanks for bringing it up...
eh...I'm aware that I posted earlier...but I felt the need to add this.
Musical style to me is irrelevant. There was a study that was done which showed that music(any style) affects different people different ways, the same way as food or physical activity or any other pleasurable thing. Yes, there are definitely different types of music that some people identify with more than others.
What concerns me most about music today is the over-spiritualization of it. A well written song is going to generate emotions in people whether the song is "christian" or not. I think it is highly dangerous to equate an emotional response to a good song as being synonymous to a worship experience. I think many people would do well to know that worship doesn't have all that much to do with sentimental feelings. We don't have to have a great stirring up of emotion to worship God, worshipping God is simply just laying ourselves down to Him in whatever means He gives us through His grace.
one thing I would like to note is that any music, regardless of style, has this ability to stir up emotion in us that, let's be honest, 9 times out of 10 is just mere emotion with no commitment. Amazing Grace on a piano or organ can have the exact same effect as "The Thunder Song" by Todd Agnew(just an example)...the answer isn't in the style of music, it all lies with what is in our heart.
Psalms instructs us to sing praises to God.
To God. Not to ourselves, not to make ourselves feel good about God. I think many times our worship songs become directed towards ourselves because we depend so heavily on our desire to feel emotional because we tend to think that our experience was more legitimate when it happens.
Christian music many times is nothing more than a distraction, even with good lyrics...and it's not the songwriter's fault, it's ours.
Has God Himself really brought us joy, or is it merely just the thought of Him expressed romantically in song?
The answer is not the abolition of songs, it is instead the understanding that God still expects us to worship with or without Chris Tomlin, with or without music. Our reasonable act of worship, as laid down in Romans 12, is ourselves.
I agree that we should be careful of what we turn our ears to. After all, that then leads to the brain. And Paul reminds us in that we should fill our minds with whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable...(Phillipians 4:8). I mostly listen to Christian music, but now and then, it's nice to do a little thinking on secular music as well. It's a good comparison of this is what the world tells us, but this over here is what God says. A nice reminder of what direction I should head, and what I should avoid.
I listen to both. I really got into contemporary Christian music when I was 13-14. Our youth group went to several Christian concerts, and they were so much fun.
Chris Tomlin and Hillsong are my top favorites right now. I am also starting to like hymns, too. I used to really not like them because they weren't my "style" and such, but the lyrics are beautiful.
hey I think I know how you feel. I love music and I love Christian contemporary music. me and my one friend went to a conceret and it was soo awsome. Casting Crowns sang and alot of the people raised there hands and people got converted it was soo awsome. l8er