“We need to call attention to the forgotten reality that worship is primarily prayer.”

Five Standards for Music

1. The lyrics must be consistent with Scripture and compliment God.

Five Standards for Music

2. The music must be congruent with the lyrics.

Five Standards for Music

3. The melody must be singable by a congregation.

Five Standards for Music 4. The music genre must be considerate

of the musical tastes of the significant segments of the congregation (Philippians 2:3-4).

Five Standards for Music 5. The musicians must have the skills to

play it reasonably well, well enough to keep the congregation together singing on key and not being a distraction.

Problems with Contemporary Worship Music

1. “Contemporary worship music sound like the world’s music.”

Problems with Contemporary Worship Music

2. “The contemporary worship songs don’t have as much theological depth as the hymns.”

• I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart

• Sing praises to the Lord

• I will sing to the Lord

• I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

• Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name

• Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.

• Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

• I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

• It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

• Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:

For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;

His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,

On earth is not his equal.

As the deer panteth for the water

So my soul longeth after Thee

You alone are my heart's desire

And I long to worship Thee

Cream of the Crop

500,000

600 hymns

0.12%

Problems with Contemporary Worship Music

3. “Contemporary worship music is so repetitive.”

Problems with Contemporary Worship Music

4. “The music is too loud.”

Messing Up the Hymns

1. Rearranging old hymns to be sung to contemporary sounds.

Messing Up the Hymns

2. Singing selected stanzas.