Songs in Christain Life (original) (raw)

Sing a New Song: Towards a Biblical Theology of Song

Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, 2004

Reprinted by permission. 2 In common, of course, with many other countries throughout the world. I trust that readers will contextualise my remarks as appropriate. 3 See the helpful discussion of S. R. Guthrie, ‗Singing, in the Body and in the Spirit' JETS 46/4 (2003): 633-46 and the literature he cites. 4 One well-known critique of modern popular music is J. Blanchard, Pop Goes the Gospel (Darlington: Evangelical Press, 1983). Others from a similar theological perspective have, however, not been so negative in their judgement of modern popular music. See, for example, A. J. MacDonald, Love Minus Zero (Fearn: Christian Focus Publications, 1989) 120-34. MacDonald makes frequent reference to another significant book which considers popular music from a Christian perspective, S. Turner, Hungry for Heaven (Eastbourne: Kingsway, 1988). 5 Unless stated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from the NIV.

Christian song in a global church: The role of musical structure in community formation

International Journal of Community Music, 2009

While recognizing the importance of musical style in congregational singing, this article suggests that the underlying structure of the people's song influences how they receive theology and the relationship of song to ritual action. The author, after introducing sequential, cyclic and refrain structures, defines the characteristics of each and proposes ways that each structure may enliven a ritual and enable community building.

CHURCH MUSIC AND MINISTRY: A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE

Journal of Christian Musicology, Ajilaoorun Pub. Ltd. Ile Ife, 2020

Church music plays significant roles in social, religious, and social gatherings in Africa. God gave people the gift of music and commanded its usage for the edification of man. The term “Church music” covers three major aspects of ministry within the context of a local church, namely; Congregational music, choral music, and instrumental music. A piece of music with appropriate biblical text can serve as a response of prayer, praise, a testimony of God’s faithfulness, or a response to an initial revelation of God during worship, or any Christian convergence. Although there may be a lot of confusion on what may be termed as church music, this study seeks to identify the term and discuss the ideals of church music in worship and other Christian convergence from physical and non-physical (spiritual) perspectives of Church music and ministry addressing the problem of lack of structure in the organization of church music ministry. Church music ministry allows Christians to be stewards of their gifts and is a valid medium of propagating the gospel. The study adopts literary and theological approaches and notes that music gives room for the edification of Christians, contributing its quota in building a network of musicians as they unite with other church leaders in raising offerings of praise and thanksgiving to God. It notes that church music should carry a message, express heartfelt praise to God, and/or a divinely inspired message of God to parishioners. It argues that Church music, of necessity, should be from disciplined Christian minds, to prepare true worshippers, reconciling them back to God.

Examining Contemporary Congregationsl Song - beyond sung theology

2013

What Christians sing as they worship is a focus of considerable attention in the contemporary church and yet it has been a contentious issue at almost every period of Christian history. Since the mid-twentieth century, significant social, cultural, and technological changes, all against a backdrop of increasing global consciousness, have affected the way music functions and the ways opinions about repertoire and performance practices are formed. The primary focus of this project is the analysis of eight songs composed between 1983 and 2001. The essential question is how musical analysis contributes to a greater understanding of the nature of contemporary congregational song and various performance practices. This project will focus on analysis of harmonic structures as the major element. This will provide a framework from which comparisons of other musical elements can lead to a greater awareness of the issues of music and worship, and of music and theology. Developing a greater und...

Missional character of Music in Worship: Perspective from the New Testament

The overall objective of this paper is to investigate and outline New Testament principles regarding the missional character of music in worship. In this paper, we are going to conduct a survey of music in worship in the New Testaments, which will help us see the growing use of music in worship to achieve God's mission. The exegesis of selected New Testament texts that are more relevant in defining the missional character of music in worship will be employed. While the focus of this paper is to outline the missional character of music in worship, it will reflect on the New Testament perspective of the missional church and worship as a basis upon which this article is based. This is premised on the fact that the missio Dei (the mission of God), gives birth to the missional ecclesiology and worship, which ultimately gives birth to the missional music. And at the same time, when we are conscious of the missional character of music in worship, it helps us to shape our theology and praxis of our missional ecclesiology and worship. This article is divided into five sections. The first introduces the article as a whole; section two deals with the New Testament perspective of the Missional Church. The third section is on New Testament perspective of the Missional Worship, and the fourth section deals with New Testament perspective on the Missional Music. Section five concludes the article.

CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE ON MUSIC AND SPIRITUALITY

Across time and geography, people have known the power of music for evoking God and acquiring spiritual insight. Whether arising as a text less chant by a single voice or a percussive auditory event for ritual dance, music in its various modes is a virtually ubiquitous companion to spiritual practices and commitments. Not only a constant accompaniment to one's spiritual trek, musical compositions from the great oratorios of Handel to the soundtrack to the Christian calendars, rituals, occasions and worship also serve as powerful metaphors and inspirations for music and its vitality in spirituality.