Music as an expression of Worship

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a. Music to express praise, gratitude and thanksgiving. Moses and the Israelites sang to the Lord after crossing the red sea and seeing the great power of the Lord against the Egyptians (Ex 15). Other examples of praise and thanksgiving: Psalm 92, 95, 98, 150.
b. Music to express repentance, sorrow and transformation. David's repentance when Nathan the prophet came to him after his sin with Bathsheba (Psalm 51).
c. Music to express spiritual warfare. King Jehoshaphat of Juda appointed the singers at the head of the army on their way to battle. Their enemies were defeated (2Chr. 20:21). The Israelites went around the city of Jericho seven times in procession with the Ark of the Covenant, singing and praising the Lord for seven days and the walls of Jericho collapsed (Joshua 6:15-20). In praising the Lord, we declare to the devil that we belong to God. And praise is the throne of God, for He inhabits the praises of His people.
d. Refer to and explain recommended classification of songs in Glory songbook after Table of Contents. Praise and worship songs have appropriate use for a particular message, occasion, season or as a response to what the Lord has done or is doing to you or to the community.

>>Choosing the Right Song at the Right Time:

a.Life in the Spirit Seminars.
- Choose songs that are simple and easy to learn. Remember, participants are new and adjusting to a new culture of expressive worship through vibrant songs of praise. Simple songs usually have one refrain repeated after each verse that have the same tune.
- Choose songs that somehow are related to the topic of the talk.
- Choose songs that have evangelistic messages. Songs that tell about what God has done to us. How he loved us, that He gave His only begotten son Jesus Christ, so that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have life everlasting.

b. Prayer Meeting
- Gathering songs are familiar songs like "I Will Call Upon the Lord" or "Build your throne" that tell everybody to set aside what they are doing, stop their conversation and sit down. The Lord is waiting on us to begin our worship.
- Take 10 to 15 minutes to teach a new song. Sing the whole song first. Then teach the song line by line and let them echo the line. Be sensitive in identifying difficult tune so you can repeat teaching the difficult parts only.
- Praise and Worship: (Coordinate with the prayer meeting leader)
Two (2) Lively Songs of Praise and one (1) slow worship song as usual pattern. But be flexible as to start with a slow majestic song then build up, or add another fast song after the worship song, singing in tongues and after a prophetic exhortation.
- Response Song after a sharing or after a prayer. Always be watchful and attuned to what the Lord is doing in the prayer meeting and be ready to respond with an appropriate song.
- Closing Song denotes the central message of the Lord through the Leader's exhortation, readings, prophecies, prayers and sharing.

....to be continued.

The Ministry of Music:

Ministry of Music is a SERVICE to God (Psalm 100:1-2). It is not something that we do for ourselves. We worship him whether we feel like it or not, whether we feel blessed or not. Music is something that we do for God. We worship God in music because God is most worthy to be praised. Singing praise and worship songs is a direct service to God, it's actually singing to God.

Ministry of Music is not just an opportunity to develop one's talents and skills.
~It is not playing music for the sake of pleasure and personal fulfillment. (It requires sacrifice and commitment.)
~It is not a spiritual opportunity for glamour, prestige and popularity. (We are servants not masters.)
~It is not something "I have to do" because of my gifts and talents.
~It is not talent oriented, not ability oriented, not even music oriented. Ministry of Music is GOD CENTERED. If it is to be true worship, then it must be acceptable, pleasing and glorifying to God.

Ministry of Music is a SERVICE to the church or community.
~It is to support the community in praise and worship. The songs to be sung and the styles to be used should be those that the whole community should be able to participate in the worship of God. It means setting aside your preferences in beat, style, volume or arrangement for the sake of the common good.
~It is not to call attention to itself.
~It is to keep the community Musically alive. Learn and teach new songs regularly.
Prayerfully discern the songs that are most helpful to the spiritual life of the community. The music ministry should be able to choose the right song at the right time.

Biblical Origin of Music

Biblical Origin of Music:

When God founded the earth, while he was working, there was background music (Job 38:4-7 "While the morning stars sang in chorus and all the sons of God shouted for joy.") Music started with God through eternity. God loves music. He loves us to sing to Him.

As early as Genesis 4: 21 there was Jubal whose name means "sound". He is eighth in line from Adam and is said to be "the ancestor of all who play the lyre and the pipe."

In King David's time we see organized singers and musicians (Levites) ministered day and night in the tabernacle and later in the temple.(1Chr 9:33, 15:16,27, 16:4-6, 23:2-5,30-31, 2Chr5:12-14, 20:20-30)

Some insights:
~ Levites are the priest as well as musicians - household heads are encourage to buy a good sounding guitar, study and learn how to play. Playing the guitar is not an inborn talent but a skill that any one can learn. When you go on evangelization mission it is an advantage.
~ During King David's time there were no song books. Israelites have to memorize the songs. We are blessed, for today we have our own songbook.
~ King Jehoshaphat placed the singers and musicians at the head of the army when they went down against the attacking Ammonites, Moabites and inhabitants of Mount Seir, and they were victorious. Music ministry should see their important role in spiritual warfare. They are not just providing music during evangelization, but they are intercessors and prayer warriors.

Thus christian music has its deep roots from the Old Testament.

17-years in ministry-my first blog.

Welcome to my first blog.

Ever since God called me personally in 1992 and did a drastic change in my life, I felt I am restless if I can not share His blessings that made the kind of life that He gave me and my family now - a renewed christian...from the ways of the world to the ways of the Lord.

Christian Music is just one instrument that attracted me so much in the renewal process and is just one of God's gift to me,my wife and one of my daughters and hence it becomes part and parcel of our way of life as we dwell in this transit life.

We'll be covering a lot of things in this web log.


God’s Love made flesh coming your way… in this Blog.

God Bless....