Worship is not Meant to Teach
I have a feeling that I am stepping in it again with this post, but-well, I’ve never been one to run from controversy! I’ve noticed an interesting trend as more and more Reformed churches come into the realm of modern contemporary worship. Reformed churches, like every other denomination jumping into the worship movement (dare I call it a movement?) bring their unique songwriting tradition into their worship. I’m so glad that they are bringing a new voice to worship music, but I have to say that I have a tremendous disagreement with an assumption that I think that Reformed songwriters have.
I could be attacking a straw man here, but as I listen to some of the worship music written by the likes of Bob Kaufflin (don’t get me wrong, I love me some Bob), I have to wonder if the old Sunday School fires are still burning within the Reformed songwriting movement. It seems to me that a lot of Reformed songwriters create theologically rich songs that, whether intentional or not, are designed to teach theology to the congregants singing the lyrics. The congregants of these churches are educated about the Trinity, Sanctification, Propitiation, etc. This springs from the historic classical trivium movement, which incorporates singing into the grammar school component. This singing and chanting helps students memorize and recite facts in song, and I think that songwriters have, perhaps sub-consciously, taken these educational techniques into corporate worship.
I find this approach problematic. First of all, worship is not about teaching or learning anything. Preaching is designed to teach us about theology; worship (at least in the context of musical worship) is designed to require us to recognize and humble ourselves under God’s mighty glory. It is possible that I can learn something new about God during worship, but that is not its primary purpose. The Psalms have theological content within them, but one does not ever get the idea that the book of Psalms is a collection of systematic theology. If we only had the Psalms to rely on, we would have tremendous difficulty ascertaining the intricacies of theological concepts, because the Psalms were not designed to teach us about God. They were designed to praise, celebrate, and worship God.
My second problem with the use of worship to teach is that personally, I have significant difficulty with systematic theology as a form of worship. I have a lot of respect for great theologians, and I frequently read the writings of teachers such as Ben Witherington, a great and humble theologian. My difficulty with systematic theology is that it relies on structures that man create to understand God. In man’s attempt to codify and functionalize God through intense academic study, I find that we cheapen Him and His glory. Hermenuetic study is essential, but I have tremendous difficulty with the post-Enlightenment view that God can somehow be grasped through the Scientific Method. We might grasp God in this way, but I find that the more that I think that I understand about God, the less glorious He appears in my eyes.
Every worship songwriter, including myself, should take a refreshing look at the Psalms of praise to God. The Psalmists didn’t spend a ton of time explaining how God works; instead, they spent time magnifying the fact that He does work.
What do you think? Does systematic theology have a place in corporate worship music? I’d love to know your thoughts.
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June 24th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I’ve gotta think that songs were intended for teaching: “[T]eaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” (Col. 3:16) Seems that singing was used specifically by the early church as a means of instruction. Both instruciton and worship are present in the verse as well, so they aren’t mutually exclusive.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I think that you may have a point. When I consider the hymn fragment found in Phillippians 2 (”Let this mind be in you,”), I do see a teaching element in the hymn itself. I’m not sure that this trumps my claim about focusing our attention on God instead of theology, thouhg.
June 24th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
While Mitch makes a good point, there is a distinction, I think, between “psalms and spiritual songs” and a true worship moment.
As a children’s pastor, I use song frequently use songs to teach. Not only children’s songs, but many modern worship songs can be used as teachable moments. I could do a whole lesson on Heart of Worship! But as a worship musician, that is not my goal in the context of a worship service. That goal is to be a facilitator for the “worship moment.” People can get to know God through worship, yes - by a personal interaction with Him at that time.
June 24th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Isn’t teaching going to be a natural by-product of whatever songs you ask your congregation to sing? If you ask them to sing songs that are written as teaching songs then they may learn more, deeper, insightful things about the character of God but even if you are inviting them to sing songs which are not “theology to music” you are STILL teaching them, no?
There is a great amount of theology that is both directly and indirectly learned from congregational worship. Anytime church leadership puts words on a screen or a songsheet and asks the congregation to sing those words together, there is definitely the assumption that the leaders are approving the words and the sentiments of those words.
Can the church not be expected to grow in their knowledge and understanding of who God is through the singing of songs AND through the preaching of the word?
I’m not here to wave the flag of the Reformed songwriter-teachers but I think there’s a general assumption being missed - whatever songs we sing, those are the songs which will teach.
June 24th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
[…] up a fight, but I gotta severely disagree with my buddy Jeremy. He asked for responses to his post, Worship Is Not Meant to Teach. This is something I’m hugely passionate about so check the response […]
June 25th, 2008 at 8:02 am
I’ll post the same response here that I posted over at Billy’s.
Worship does teach.
Worship is worship, nothing more, nothing less.
Worship is not worship unless there is an object to be worshiped.
In the case of the Christ follower, the object of worship is not inanimate, but alive and powerful. We worship The Living God.
In it’s simplest form worship is responding to God. In it’s most complicated form worship is responding to God.
Because worship is not an overly complex “action” or formula, we shouldn’t over analyze it.
We worship because of God.
When we study the Scripture (worship) we are only able to do that because He gave us the Scripture.
When we pray (worship) we are only able to commune with God because He has initiated the conversation.
When we sing, play or dance musically (worship) we are only able express and experience because He created creativity.
When we gather together to fellowship and to study, pray, and sing corporately (worship) we are only able to because He poured out His Spirit and birthed the Church.
Our worship is worship because God is God.
All that being said, we probably learn more about God in worship (all types) than we do when we’re not worshiping. Worship wasn’t created to “teach” us. It facilitates moments of teaching. The worship itself doesn’t teach us, but the Spirit of God reveals more about God to us during and through times of worship.
Worship is just worship. Moments of teaching and learning just happen during worship because the LIVING object of our worship is the greatest, most unfathomable being in existence, and each time we respond to Him, be it through study, prayer, song, or fellowship we can’t help but to learn if we are open.
I think, as I ponder this, I’m willing to acknowledge that teaching and learning moments just happen during worship because of the object of our worship, not because of worship itself.
Kind of like Chris from Canada says, teaching (or learning) is a natural by product of worship (in its musical form).
If worship is focusing on the glory of God and praising Him for who He is and what He’s done, than the very fact that we are singing about GOD incorporates “theology” into our worship songs.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:13 am
I posted at Billy’s, then came here. To add to what I said over there, you can look at many hymn fragments and songs in the New Testament, as well as the psalms and O.T. prophecies, many of which scholars believe were accompanied by music when orally delivered, and see the sound biblical teaching in the lyrics. Look at the Christ Hymn (Colossians 1:15-20):
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
As I said in Billy’s blog, I do understand your point. And I think there is a danger and there is a lesson for songwriters to learn here: don’t make your song a dry statement of systematic theology. In other words, let’s not get carried away.
Although I have to say, just so no one gets the wrong idea (since Bob Kauflin’s name was brought up) that I don’t think the songs I’ve heard from Sovereign Grace move too far in that direction.
Great topic, Jeremy!
June 25th, 2008 at 8:24 am
[…] first post = Worship is not Meant to Teach […]
June 30th, 2008 at 10:36 am
I am at a lack of what to say except for the fact that this is all good discussion and I enjoyed both Jeremy’s and Billy’s posts. I think I’m leaning more towards Billy’s thoughts but, boy, Russ had some great things to say!!
July 13th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Looks like I may be a little late to the party, but I’ll throw my two cents into the ring…
We would know NOTHING about God unless He revealed Himself to us. His word is the revelation of Himself to mankind - including the Psalms. While the Psalms may be filled with emotion and adoration and praise - they are equally filled with clear compelling images of who God is and what He has done. IN FACT - I would go so far as to say that the DEEP hearfelt emotions that people encounter when they read the Psalms are ultimately rooted and grounded in the KNOWLEDGE of God that the Psalmist is addressing.
It is the knowledge and understanding of an unfathomable God and what He has done for us that provokes the deepest of affections inside of us. We find in the Psalms - a worshipper who is worshipping in spirit and in Truth. Therefore, it is ESSENTIAL that worship songs teach us about God and theology. Without a correct understanding of Him and how to engage Him on His terms then we draw close to the lines of idolatry - worshipping a god that we prefer than the One that has revealed Himself in scripture. We will begin to love music and songs more than the God we have gathered to worship. Music and songs are gifts that God can use to TEACH us more about who He is and why He alone is worthy to be worshipped. The longer I lead - the more I learn. The more our people gather to worship - the more they will learn too. Theses thoughts are based on the assumption that we are discussing corporate worship. Are songs sung during corporate worship meant to teach? I would say, YES. We have gathered to worship God - and the entirety of the service is worship - singing is only one aspect of our engagement with God in the corporate worship service. However, they teach us, rightly or wrongly, how God is to be worshipped, how He is to be engaged, why He is to be worshipped etc…
Application to leadership - - THINK about what you are leading your people to do. Why are we singing this song? What will people learn about God because of this? How will this affect their emotions, attitudes and lives? Is God biblically portrayed in this song? Will this cause confusion in the people that are singing?
We must be aware at all times that we are building a worshipping community - - we, therefore, must be extremely intentional about every song sung, every prayer prayed, every creative element planned etc… why? because when the body of believers gathers together to worship God - we as leaders take on the task of TEACHING them about God and how to approach Him - this includes our songs! How humbling a task - we need to prepare well so that we serve those we lead as biblically as possible.
This is a great topic and a great discussion - thanks for asking the question! It’s one that more leaders need to think about.
Brad Loser
www.thinkworship.com
September 10th, 2008 at 10:08 am
[…] ideas.