Randy Bell
30 Jul 2017

Narrow Road Insights

WORKS: How Valuable Is Your Church To God? Part 3

Now let’s look at the fifth church Christ examined, the city church at Sardis.
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Revelation 3:1-2 (NKJV)

“The inhabitants of Sardis bore an ill repute among the ancients for their voluptuous modes of life.” [ Notes on the New Testament Explanatory and Practical.] In other words, this rich, sin city of ancient times offered everyone a life “given to or spent in enjoyment of luxury, pleasure, or sensual gratifications” [Merriam-Webster] With this atmosphere around the Christians, it is not hard to understand why Jesus made it clear the church’s reputation of being a great church was false, because they were actually spiritually dead!

And looking at Paul’s writings makes it clear why they were spiritually dead. “But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives.” [1 Timothy 5:6 (NLT)] Instead of working for Christ, they spent their time and money on pleasure, and even, spiritual pleasure. They probably had the best church parties in the region! Their annual religious celebrations and festivals were extravagant and intended to glorify the Lord with all the trappings available. They were probably a very popular church and the community accepted and loved them. But like Korah, they created their own spiritual worship and were only spiritual zombies.

Sadly our Lord faced the same situation in Jerusalem while He walked the earth. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. In the same way, on the outside, you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” [Matthew 23:27-28 (HCSB)] True grace and repentance were missing from their souls and the deep love of God was absent from their hearts. They were blinded by their culture and sold out to it.

God’s Word explains His spiritual worship and culture. “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” [Romans 12:1 (HCSB]) The Lord has not changed his will, He looks at His churches and wants living disciples sacrificing their time, energy and money working for His namesake. What a contrast! Live in pleasure and you are really dead to Christ, even when you can’t be judged as a liar, thief, or cheat. But dying to yourself for him in sacrificial service means you are ALIVE! They had good intentions, but they never completed [the meaning of perfect] any of Christ’s commands or mission. Their default was another great Christian fellowship party, great worship gatherings, and banquets in honor of Jesus, but they could not see the great danger of eternal judgment that they and their city were really in.

“Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. But if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come against you.” [Revelation 3:3 (HCSB)] They knew about the messy gospel and how Jesus led his disciples into the lives of tax collectors, prostitutes, widows, the poor and sick. They knew his story of healing, forgiving, feeding, restoring, and preaching repentance to a hard hearted world of rebels. But that is a lot of hard work and sacrifice. And as far as we know, only a handful actually followed Christ, while the rest I fear ignored the Lord’s call to repent. This church failed the Lord miserably.

Next, Jesus examined the sixth Church which was in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:8 (HCSB) “I know your works. Because you have limited strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name, look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close.”

Wow what an exciting word from the Lord. The scorecard explodes with high approval ratings causing rejoicing all the way in heaven! Even though they had a small amount of strength, meaning they were still humbly receiving His grace, they still kept working at reaching their community for Christ. Yes, they were of humble surroundings because they were farm folk in a small city that never really recovered from an earthquake in 37 AD. No wealthy contributors, just hard working people. And praise God, they did not cave into the temptations of their culture. Also, they did not give up when it seemed no one would hear the Good News of Jesus in their city.

But Jesus would use them for a huge spiritual blessing in their area. He promised, “…look, I have placed before you an open door that no one is able to close.” Revelation 3:8 (HCSB) Yes they were a very poor church with very little natural talent, no apostle Paul type preachers, and they definitely were not the church others would think God would use in a powerful way. Sure they were of little significance, considered a failure by the big city churches and probably small in numbers, but it did not matter, they stood their ground for Jesus and now they were His instruments for a major victory for His Kingdom.

Revelation 3:9 (HCSB) 9 Take note! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—note this—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.

In spite of severe persecution by the local Jews in political power, they would not deny the Lord. “When Christians were brought before heathen magistrates in times of persecution, they were required to renounce the name of Christ and to disown him in a public manner. It is possible that, amidst the persecutions that raged in the early times, the members of the church at Philadelphia had been summoned to such a trial, and they had stood the trial firmly.

It would seem from the following verse, that the efforts which had been made to induce them to renounce the name of Christ had been made by those who professed to be Jews, though they evinced the spirit of Satan. If so, then the attempt was probably to convince them that Jesus was not the Christ. This attempt would be made in all places where there were Jews.” – Notes on the New Testament Explanatory and Practical.

As the Lord protected and released convicting power in Jerusalem at the beginning of the church, Christ promised the same mighty blessings for this little church. While the Jews persecuted the first Christians, God’s Holy Spirit was poured out and thousands were converted, even the priests. And their promise was not just victory in their present need but also continued supernatural protection in the future. This little church was valuable to God and so can any church today with enduring obedience and faith in His Word.

,
Randy Bell
29 Jul 2017

Narrow Road Insights

WORKS: How Valuable Is Your Church To God? Part 4

The seventh church seems to be the most infamous, Laodicea.

Revelation 3:15-19 (HCSB)
15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot.
16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.

17 Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,
18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent.

Laodicea was an important Roman city and in fact “it became one of the most important and flourishing cities of Asia Minor. One of its citizens, Hiero, bequeathed all his enormous property to the people, and adorned the city with costly gifts. It was the seat of large money transactions and of an extensive trade in wood. The citizens developed a taste for Greek art, and were distinguished in science and literature. Laodicea was the seat of a great medical school.”  [Word Studies in the New Testament]

Indifference is the hollow religion of Bible study and worship, with no application, zeal or passion for the dying world around you. “You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact, you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless.” [Revelation 3:16-17 (MSG)] They heartlessly gathered together in worship services bored with what the preacher said, bored with the same old songs, and anxious for the church gathering to end so they could get back to what they really loved. But they still wanted to go to heaven!

It is plain and simple, with all their wealth, they were indifferent to the world around them. They held their money tight and ignored the most important things of life. But the scripture is clear, “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.” [1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NLT)]

Their money could not buy what they needed from Christ! And if they actually sacrificed and generously shared their riches, and became rich in good works instead, they would have found true riches. “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” [Luke 12:48 (NKJV)]

This church and all churches today like it are sickening to the Lord. More than worthless, and more than a failure, they were nothing like Jesus. “The image is intensely strong, and denotes deep disgust and loathing at the indifference which prevailed in the church at Laodicea. The idea is, that they would be utterly rejected and cast off as a church: a threatening of which there has been an abundant fulfilment in subsequent times.” [Notes on the New Testament Explanatory and Practical]

Isn’t it sad, the Lord’s reaction to a Biblical sound church is more repulsive to Him than a compromising, sinful church. Having head knowledge and doing little for the dying world heading straight for hell, is so foreign to the loving God, He cannot tolerate it. “Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” [Philippians 2:2-5 (NLT)]

The saddest church is the one so blind that it thinks it is overflowing with God’s blessings when in reality it is a church Christ cannot stand being with! “What a difference between their thoughts of themselves, and the thoughts Christ had of them! How careful should we be not to cheat our own souls! There are many in hell, who once thought themselves far in the way to heaven. Let us beg of God that we may not be left to flatter and deceive ourselves. Professors grow proud, as they become carnal and formal.” [Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary]

The only promise this church received was “The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God!” [Revelation 3:19 (MSG)] Their scorecard was blank, and they completely failed. Maybe a few would turn around and hear His voice, but this church needed to close down, it did enough damage to the name of Christ Jesus.

EVALUATE YOUR CHURCH WITH CHRIST’S SCORECARD
To properly measure our local churches we must use the same measuring instrument Christ used. We can think our church is blessed and assume God is happy with us by our human wisdom or standards, and yet like the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, be surprised by our Savior. Consider Revelation 2:19, The Lord evaluated a church with this five point score card, “I know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience;” Jesus tells us He will build His church and tells us how to join him. How does your church stand up to Christ’s evaluation?

1/ Works – from a primary (but obsolete) ergo (to work); toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication an act :- deed, doing, labour, work. – Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
John 4:34 (HCSB) “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work,” Jesus told them.

[   ] My church spends 20% or more of our ministry budget on reaching the community with the Good News of Jesus.

Matthew 28: 19,20 (KJV) “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

[   ] My church plans and creates environments that attract unchurched guests.

Luke 13:32 (HCSB)
32 He said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look! I’m driving out demons and performing healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will complete My work.’
Acts 4:29 (MSG)
29 “And now they’re at it again! Take care of their threats and give your servants fearless confidence in preaching your Message,

[   ] My church focuses its prayer meetings on the unchurched and asks God to give us boldness and power to spread the Good News.

Matthew 24:46 (NCV)
46 When the master comes and finds the servant doing his work, the servant will be blessed.
Luke 11:23 (NLT)
23 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

[   ] My church uses 20% or more of our staff and volunteers on outreach projects.

2/ Love – from (agapao); love, i.e. affection or benevolence; specially (plural) a love-feast :- (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love. – Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
John 13:34-35 (MSG)
34 “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. 35 This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.”

[   ] My church actually gets involved in the lives of the congregation and sacrifices and helps each other with real needs on a consistent basis.

3/ Service – from (diakonos); attendance (as a servant, etc.); figurative (eleemosynary) aid, (official) service (especially of the Christian teacher, or technical of the diaconate) :- (ad-) minister (-ing, -tration, -try), office, relief, service (-ing). – Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
Matthew 25:34-40 (NLT)
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me.I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Matthew 5:15-16 (NLT)
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

[    ] My church does events to do good deeds for the community

[    ] My church actively gathers clothing to help the poor and homeless

[    ] My church actively cares for the sick if no one is helping them

[    ] My church actively has food or grocery store cards available for the hungry

[    ] My church actively supports and helps Christian inmates

1 Timothy 5:9-10 (NKJV)
9 Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, 10 well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

[    ] My church actively cares for the physical needs of the people of the church

[    ] My church actively holds up families suffering from whatever reasons

1 Timothy 5:16 (Phillips NT)
As a general rule it should be taken for granted that any Christian, man or woman, who has a widow in the family should do everything possible for her, and not allow her to become the church’s responsibility. The church will then be free to look after those widows who are alone in the world.

[    ] My church keeps a role of widows and helps them regularly in their loneliness and needs

James 1:27 (Phillips NT)
27 Religion that is pure and genuine in the sight of God the Father will show itself by such things asvisiting orphans and widows in their distress and keeping oneself uncontaminated by the world.

[    ] My church actively loves the orphans locally or globally

1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)
10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

[    ] My church encourages us to serve each other

4/ Faith – from (peitho); persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstract constancy in such profession; by extensive the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself :- assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity. – Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

Matthew 28:19-20 (MSG)
19 Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 20 Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
2 Corinthians 4:13 (AMP)
13 Yet we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I have believed, and therefore have I spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak,
Galatians 1:20 (Phillips NT)
20 All this that I am telling you is, I assure you before God, the plain truth. Later, I visited districts in Syria and Cilicia, but I was still personally unknown to the churches of Judea. All they knew of me, in fact, was the saying: “The man who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they thanked God for what had happened to me.2 Thessalonians 1:11 (NLT)
11 So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.
2 Timothy 4:6 (Phillips NT)
6 As for me, I feel that the last drops of my life are being poured out for God. The glorious fight that God gave me I have fought. The course that I was set I have finished, and I have kept the faith. The future for me holds the crown of righteousness which God, the true judge, will give to those who have loved what they have seen of him.[    ] My church ignites faith in our people to speak out and do good things because that is what faith is2 Timothy 2:2 (AMP)
2 And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also.[    ] My church skillfully equips people in the faith and raises up leaders from inside the church

5/ Patience – from (hupomeno); cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy :- enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting). – Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.

James 1:12 (AMP)
12 Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
Luke 8:15 (AMP)
15 But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.[    ] My church has a clear vision and plan to keep on track to work for and please the Lord

*Add your own scorecard questions and statements based on the Lord’s Five Point ScoreCard. Make sure you are not satisfied with yourselves, but instead open your eyes to what the Lord Jesus actually rates your church, repent, and change to make sure you are highly rated and valuable to Him in these last days. God Bless!

Randy Bell
29 Jul 2017

Narrow Road Insights

Why 2/3 Of Your Kids Will Quit Church

The hard facts are in, the Bible believing churches of the U.S. will lose two-thirds of all their children to hell! “The next generation is already calling it quits on the traditional church…” declares Ken Ham, the head of Answers in Genesis. His researchers lay down the grim assessment in his book, Already Gone, that we are losing our kids while attending elementary, middle and high school. And the saddest part is the statistics prove the church is making it worse, and driving them away to be hardened and resistant to the church.

Josh McDowell already published his warning, titled, The Last Christian Generation. He declares, “The majority of our young people no longer embrace true Christianity. We must reintroduce them to who Christ really is. They know the facts, but they don’t know him.” He goes on to say, “They have redefined what it means to be Christian. The majority of our churched young people do not believe Christ is the Son of God, do not believe the Holy Spirit is a real entity, and think “doing good” earns them a place in heaven. Their attitudes and behavior are virtually no different than those of non-Christians.” With great concern, Josh McDowell documents the urgency of the crisis!

Sunday school and children’s churches are not teaching the kids the foundations of scripture, therefore, many by middle school doubt the Bible because they have everyone telling them the Bible is not accurate, has mistakes, it was written by men, and science has proved the Bible is false. Government [Public] controlled schools demand evolution is true and force it upon every child in science classes. Immoral sexual standards are forced on them in health classes. The American history courses have been rewritten to remove all positive facts of God and the founding of our nation.

While little Bible stories with little substance or personal application are taught in the children’s ministry of most churches, the kids DO NOT hear answers or evidence of Biblical truth. According to Ham, 39.8% of churched middle schoolers have stopped believing all the accounts and stories in the Bible are true.  Then add 43.7% more of churched kids who jump ship as high school students and reject the Bible stories as truth. Only 10.9% more do this by the time they enter college. 83.5% were lost way before they got to the universities.

Drastic measures must be taken right now by true churches, or we will be like modern Great Britain, within 30 years. They have multitudes of abandoned church buildings that have been converted to everything except the worship of the living God. Only a tiny remnant of the population go to church. Every church leader must call their church to emergency prayer and an immediate reformation of their education departments.
It is not a babysitting ministry, but a ministry that must have dollars plowed into it for a complete overhauling of purpose, direction, and practice. You must enlarge your vision to equip the parents to train up their children in the way they should go. You must wed the power and resources of the church to the fathers and mothers of the children. You must capture their attention with powerful life changing truth.
This is the only way you will save them!
Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord [the only Lord].
5 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.
6 And these words which I am commanding you this day shall be [first] in your [own] minds and hearts; [then]
7 You shall whet and sharpen them so as to make them penetrate, and teach and impress them diligently upon the [minds and] hearts of your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8 And you shall bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets (forehead bands) between your eyes.
9 And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deut 6:4-9 (AMP)
An obsession toward teaching the truth is the recognized way according to the Lord. I am sure there are a few solutions to this epidemic spiritual disease. Most parents ignore their teaching responsibilities. A spiritual revival must happen in the home that spills over into the local church. A concerted effort to see our children and grandchildren meet us in heaven must begin NOW!
The core of change for every home and church is this: we must clearly answer the doubts that the government schools are pounding into the kids heads [remember Satan did this to Eve], and we must develop character through a specific plan of action and education, as we clearly teach the Good News of Jesus.
We must decide if the government indoctrination is what our children need to hear day after day. We must put into the hands of parents, simple, easy to use resources to teach their kids during the week the powerful truth of scripture. The crisis is real, the kids are losing their faith right under your noses! Rise up and change, and do it now!
, ,
Randy Bell
29 Jul 2017

Narrow Road Insights

What Music Do We Sing in Worship? And why?

If you define “worldly” as rock or rap music styles, certain hair styles, clothes, cars, boats, golf, football, food, etc… well then you include Jesus as “worldly.” Let me explain…

In Revelation 1, John describes Jesus as He is in heaven and it was nothing like he was on earth! Jesus left heaven and came to earth and did not bring His glowing face, amazing heavenly clothes, or glorious heavenly music. ” Jesus did not introduce the heavenly clothing line, the heaven sent hair cut, nor the Heaven Gates record label of out of this world special music.

He left it all there and became a worldly man wearing worldly clothes, worldly hair styles, singing worldly music, eating worldly food, etc and etc. Jesus left everything behind and we are told to do the same.  “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” [Phil 2:5-8 (NKJV)]

I am tired of the argument inside the church about “worldly” music.

1/ All the music that we sing, in all of the churches around the world, is worldly. It did not come down from heaven with Jesus. All of it was created by people in and of this world. Jesus did not give seminars on godly and heavenly music styles but sang the songs he learned from his worldly family, friends, and the Jewish people.

All people from all cultures create a huge variety of styles and sounds of music. And the Bible does not give musical notes, ballads or a written cantata in its pages. Psalms are words to songs, but no music is given! If God put the music in the Bible that He wanted us to sing we would have a clear revelation from God. But He left it up to us, the people who love Him!

God gives a new song in peoples’ hearts and old songs from 200 years ago do not prove special favor from God or superior godliness compared to the modern day church music. And check out history, the music style of 200 years ago was the same or similar inside and outside the church here in the USA. No one sang 200 AD style music in America 200 years ago. And, no one in the church 200 years ago sang the same songs or styles that Paul sang 2000 years ago!

2/ The Bible orders the church to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. God’s Word commands, “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.” [Col 3:16 (NKJV)] This is not a multiple choice question. We are told to sing all three types of songs to each other and the Lord. But the rhythm, musical notes, and style are left to us. The themes are given to us in the Bible, but not the music.

psalms = (psallo); a set piece of music, i.e. a sacred ode (accompanied with the voice, harp or other instrument; a “psalm”); collective the book of the Psalms :- psalm.—Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary

hymns = (humnos); to hymn, i.e. sing a religious ode; by implication to celebrate (God) in song :- sing an hymn (praise unto).—Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary

spiritual songs = SPIRITUAL (pneuma); non-carnal, i.e. (humanly) ethereal (as opposed to gross), or (dæmoniacally) a spirit (concretely), or (divinely) supernatural, regenerate, religious :- spiritual—Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary

SONGS (aido); a chant or “ode” (the genitive term for any words sung; while  (humnos) denotes especially a religious metrical composition, and (psalmos) still more specially a Hebrew cantillation) :- song.—Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary

The three types of music are describing content, not musical style. If we sing a psalm it is the words of the psalmist set to music with musical instruments for worshipping, crying and praying for help, remembering God’s promises, etc…

If we sing a hymn, it is actually praise and celebration music by definition, which is not what people think today. Most think a hymn is from hymn books of old Christian songs still loved by church people today. But this is a  false conclusion and those old tunes are not why the songs are sacred, but instead, it is the themes and words. The modern movement of praise and worship music is actually the heart and definition of a hymn.

And, spiritual songs include a variety of themes outside of praise and worship music, such as testimony songs of God’s salvation, invitation songs to follow Jesus, creeds and confessions, songs of victory over the devil, etc.

Because you like old fashioned hymns does not make your taste spiritually superior to your fellow brother’s taste. But instead, we are told to love each other, and build up each other in the faith.

Remember these words, “For though I am no man’s slave, yet I have made myself everyone’s slave, that I might win more men to Christ. To the Jews I was a Jew that I might win the Jews. To those who were under the Law I put myself in the position of being under the Law (although in fact I stand free of it), that I might win those who are under the Law. To those who had no Law I myself became like a man without the Law (even though in fact I cannot be a lawless man for I am bound by the law of Christ), so that I might win the men who have no Law. To the weak I became a weak man, that I might win the weak. I have, in short, been all things to all sorts of men that by every possible means I might win some to God. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel; I want to play my part in it properly.” [1 Cor 9:16 (Phillips NT)]

3/ What does music have to do with reaching the lost? Who is really spiritually superior? I bet the Christian who gives up his style and blesses the immature and guests with wholeheartedly singing music, in their style. By every possible means, I surrender my likes to win the lost. No one is talking about sinning, you must stop hiding from change by claiming it is “worldly.”

During the 1800’s in America the same type of music was sung inside and outside the church. It was what everyone was familiar with. Try starting a church or change your music in your church by playing traditional Chinese music in the average American town and see who comes. Try playing modern American music in English in China and see who would come to church. We change and do all things to win some!

That sounds like Jesus to me! He did not start a new “Christian music” invasion in Israel, like the Beatles did in the U.S. in the ‘60’s, but instead preached the word of God. There is no record of nations changing their music styles after Jesus came to earth, but like a hurricane, there are amazing  stories and events of people changing all around the world as they stopped their sin and joined the church in a brand new way of life. Salvation flowed through cities as people’s hearts were healed, justice grew, conflicts waned, neighbors cared, and crime slowed. Jesus’ words and teaching spread like wildfire because that was important and people repented and left sin.

Historically, the Christians from the different cultures kept their music. There was no change in music styles, clothing, etc. The Jews still dressed the same and sang Jewish style music. The Arabs still dressed the same and sang Arab style music. Same with the Chinese, Romans and Greeks. So I ask, do you love your local world enough to sacrifice your likes to win people to Jesus? Or do you ignore them and hope there are some Christians in some other church who will do that?

4/ With so many types of music what should we do? Listen carefully to the Word, “When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.” [1 Cor 9:22-23 (NLT)]

Common ground in music style is essential! To drive everyone away from your church, except a handful, because of your music style or your church’s music choice is not what God intends. Remember  “love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.” [1 Cor 13:4-5 (NLT)]

Surveys here in south Florida found over 50% of the population would never visit a church with old-fashioned piano and organ music. We changed!

Look at the community you live in and find out the cultural music style of the general population, their likes and what they would tolerate. Build common ground! What I mean is, if you love and want to have a “rap” worship experience and only two people in your town listen to it, and 99.9% of the population hate that music and find it disgusting, then well come on, you get it.

Unless your love has turned to selfishness, you prove your love for the lost by finding common ground with them and not insulting or irritating them. Music is a tool to glorify God, and a tool in the hand of a slave to serve the weak and for teaching and admonishing one another. It is not a hill to kill or die on.

You do love your community, and trust God’s Word is true, don’t you? I do!

, ,