The material I want to present here is not original with me. It comes from several sources--monographs, sermons, and music classes. By way of introduction, let me relate a personal experience.

After a Sunday morning service at my church, I complimented that morning's soloist on the choice and delivery of the song he sang in the 'special music' portion of the service, which immediately precedes the sermon. He thanked me, and then went on to castigate himself over a couple of artistic elements of the solo. I reminded him that those minor faults were really of no importance; what mattered is that he delivered the message clearly and plainly. He thought about it, and then expressed his agreement and appreciation for the words I had said.

Emotions run high whenever church music, or any part of Christian life, is discussed. It is with a spirit of love for God's people, and for those who are not yet part of the family, that I temporarily step outside of my comfort zone and presume to instruct others about music that will glorify God and help draw souls closer to Him.

Why is music important? Is it required? What kind of music is prescribed?

Ephesians 5:18-21 (KJV)
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

In the above passage, we see that music is both an indication of being under the influence of the Holy Spirit and a replacement for being under the influence of alcohol. Reciting the Psalms and hymns [perhaps poetry similar to that found in anthems?], and singing spiritual songs [those that tell the gospel, admonish sinners to repent and be saved, exhort and encourage the saints, as well as praise God?] is commanded. So, too, is singing and making melody. In doing so, we give thanks to God and submit ourselves to each other.

Of the three major components of music--melody, harmony, and rhythm--the only one specifically mentioned here is melody. Melody appeals to the spirit; without doubt, a melodious song can lift one's spirits--an effect that lasts long after it has stopped playing. So the most important technical element in music is melody.

But man is comprised of three entities--spirit, mind, and body. The element of music that appeals to the mind is harmony. In order to follow the blending of voices and the progression of chords one uses intellect. Chord changes follow several forms, and some of the most interesting songs involve unexpected deviation from the expected sequence of chords. Simply changing key, or modulating, generates a curiosity about where the music is headed and assists in returning our attention to the melody and where it is going.

The body, especially emotions which control and depend on the release of hormones, is most affected by rhythm. "The New Year Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra...is a concert of classical music that takes place each year in the morning of January 1 in Vienna, Austria. It is broadcast around the world to an estimated audience of one billion in 44 countries (as of 2006)." [Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna_New_Year's_Concert, 6 July 2007]. It always ends with Johann Strauss' "Radestky March". During the playing of the march, the audience claps in time with the beat of the music. It is virtually impossible not to do so, just as it is impossible to be unaffected by the beat of a Sousa march or the rhythm of Latin dance music.

Now, this is the relative balance of the basic elements of good music, at least from the theoretician's viewpoint. Melody alone can simply be intoxicating; I think the flute part in Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune", or "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun", is a good example. Music that is heavy in the harmony department, notably that which is performed by barbershop quartets, is quite 'heady' and typically requires a fair amount of concentration to appreciate. Music that emphasizes rhythm can be quite hypnotic; Maurice Ravel's Boléro, as well the previously cited march and dance music, simply demands a physical reaction--toe tapping, head bobbing, clapping in time, or dancing.

The proper order of emphasis, then, is a melody that affects the spirit without making it drunk, a harmony the keeps the mind's attention without distracting from the melody, and a rhythm that gives a sense of life without invoking an overly emotional response.

Going back to my introductory story, what ultimately matters is the message. That which reinforces the message of the music is good, while that which distracts is undesirable. A good instrumental arrangement of a hymn or song can cause one to think of the words and the spirit of the piece because the styling follows the meaning. But an arrangement that is too 'showy' draws attention to the performer instead. Which is more important, the message or the messenger? Obviously, it is the message.

This brings us to the most important aspect of music, the message. Music is often referred to as a universal language. If you had a limited amount of time to share a musical communication about God with someone, what do you want them to remember? The virtuosity of the pianist? The haunting melody? The irresistible rhythm? The intricacy of the harmony? Or would you rather have them remember the message?

What is good Christian music? First, it must contain truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in its lyrics. Remember, it's the message that matters. The message must not only be memorable, it must also be truthful. Some lyrics of songs popular in my lifetime have been "He'll always say, 'I forgive'", "Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right", and words to effect of God always providing what you want. Would lyrics like this pass muster with the Truth in Adverting Act? I don't think so.

Good Christian music exults and exalts in God. The focus is on God, His goodness, and His grace, not on man, his accomplishments, or his technical skill.

Finally, the music must match the message. Can you imagine a funeral in which words about God's love and provision are sung to the tune of "Happy Birthday" as the coffin is lowered into the ground? Yet, I have heard "Amazing Grace" sung to the tune of "The House of the Rising Son" while that song was fresh in the minds of people.

So far, I think I have managed to posit principles that everyone will agree should characterize good Christian music. But here is where I fear I may lose a substantial part of my audience, because I want to discuss connotative meaning and context. If that which you have read so far has given you food for thought, stop reading now, digest what you have eaten so far, then come back later for the rest of the meal.

Christian music should, and must, sound different from the world's music. Upon first hearing, the difference should be apparent. The words should be intelligible--clearly heard, properly enunciated, and understood; grammatically correct--so as not to devalue the message; intelligent--causing the listener to think and consider their own life in light of the message; and informative--some aspect of God's character, His creation, love, provision, purpose, or holiness should be revealed. Christian music does not have to uniform and formulaic, but it should not sound like what one would hear at a disco, a popular music concert, on a typical television program, at a Broadway show, or in a movie theater.

Having said that, there must also be the realization and acceptance that music sensitivities vary across nations, races, socio-economic standing, and individual maturity. Everyone has a different starting point, but all should all the same goals--glorifying God by offering Him the your best, educating and edifying fellow believers, challenging the belief systems of this world and pointing, and inviting, sinners to come to God for salvation, justification, and glorification.

Lord, teach us how to use all of our talents, including music, to praise You, to prepare the saints, and to preach the gospel to sinners. May your Holy Spirit work through each of us, using the talents and spiritual gifts you have bestowed on us, to point others to Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.