Several months ago a friend asked if I had anything to offer about the use of music in worship. If I consult the books on worship most of them say yes, music is used in worship. But books on worship may reflect scripture but they are not scripture. Many of them give specific details on how to create “the precise attitude of worship.” I have done sound reinforcement in churches for over half of my life so you would expect me to say music was important. But here I reject the Cliff Notes and go back to the test book - the Bible.
Although the Apostle Paul talks of singing psalms and spiritual songs and Jesus and His disciples sung a hymn before going to the garden the New Testament is almost void of mention of music except in Revelation and that is dealing with the time at the throne. Hmmm. But let me ask this. "Aren't we to be before the throne now?" Think about that.
The Old Testament is full of music, in fact loud music is not uncommon. But with the absence of this being mentioned in the New Testament can we say it is a part of the new covenant?
Let me give you something from the practical and from experience. When the scripture is not specific I tend to go with the “what works” question. Then I see if the scripture speaks to what works.
If we look at how Jesus approached those who would be in His inner twelve we see He approached each of them in a way they would respond. He met them where they were. He met them on their level.
Maybe this is a model for meeting Him. We meet Him where we are.
I have been in worship a few thousand times in my life. And some of them have been in a church or religious service. Some of them have been in my car, alone with God. Some have been in small groups. Some have been in groups as large as nearly 20,000. I have participated in a communion service that spanned the globe. And I have worshiped with about 20 people in a Mash tent in a swamp. I have been where the music was loud and bouncy. I have been where it was provided by a stately pipe organ. I have been in worship in an airport boarding area. I have been in worship in the back hall of an office. I have been in worship where the music was on a headset to a cassette player and I have been in worship where there was no music.
I have worshiped in all of these settings and found God's presence to be real.
Why? Because God is not in the sound or the lack of it! He is not bound by music or quiet. He is in the hearts of men and women who will bow their knees, actually more important, their hearts before Him. He is there when they call upon Him with a heart of thanksgiving for His goodness.
