Evaluating Christian Music
Seven Elements of Music
1.
Melody: Series of tones heard as a musical thought
2.
Harmony: When two or more tones are sounded at the same time
3.
Rhythm: The orderly movement of music through time (measures/beats)
4.
Dynamics: Volume and properties of sound (notations/rest/length)
Contemporary Christian Music/Rock:
a. Excessive repetition
b.
Dominant beat
c. Back-beat
d. Bass tones drive the music
5.
Form: Arrangement of the parts to achieve the best effect
6.
Text: The words/message and implied communication
7.
Performance: The singing or playing of the music
Seven
Questions Examining the Text:
Does
it give an inaccurate view of:
1.
How God made each person and all things with a design to fulfill His purposes?
DESIGN
2.
Our total responsibility for our words, thoughts, and actions? RESPONSIBILITY
3.
God's established order of authority in the family, church, job, gov't
relationships? AUTHORITY
4.
Our need to fully forgive any offender as we experience God's grace in
forgiving and cleansing us? SUFFERING
5.
God's ownership of everything our stewardship and accountability to yield our
rights? OWNERSHIP
6.
Our need to love properly and maintain moral purity? FREEDOM
7.
The importance of meditating on God's Word which is the ultimate standard for
our faith and practice? SUCCESS
Seven Questions for Godly Music
1. Is it orderly? “Let all things be done decently and in
order” (I Corinthians 14:40)
2.
Is it glorifying God? “Do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31)
3. Is it true to
God’s Word? “God is not the author of
confusion” (I Corinthians 14:33)
4.
Is it edifying or just entertaining? “Let all things be done unto edifying” (I
Corinthians 14:26)
5.
Is it enlightening to the mind? “I will sing with the understanding [mind] also” (Psalm 46:7;
I
Corinthians 14:7)
6. Is it appealing
to the flesh? “The flesh lusts against
the Spirit” (Galatians 5:17)
7. Is it worship
fit for the presence of God? “Come before
His presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2)
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