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THE MUSIC CONTROVERSY The controversy over the use of rock type of music in church services was evident even at the General Conference session. For the sake of accuracy it must be stated that the music at the two Sabbath morning services, as well as at most of the evening services, was of superb quality. There were few programs, however, where inappropriate beat music was played. Many fellow believers came to our booth to express their concerns about the type of music played, especially at youth programs. Let me share with you the email message received from a 22 years old young man living in Toronto who attended the youth program at the SkyDome on the first Sabbath, July 1, 2000. He wrote: "I am a 22 years old young man who just recently graduated from university. … I attended the youth program at the SkyDome on the first Sabbath, July 1st 2000. The program opened with the singing of Hymns. Different choirs went on the stage to sing hymns to the glory of God. However, soon some of these "choir" began singing with very loud background beat music. I know that each person is different with regards to the tolerance level for certain beat type of music. But the music was very loud, and the beat reminded me of songs that are usually played on today’s rock radio stations. To my surprise however, many people responded positively to this style of music by means of hand clapping or waving. . . . "I sincerely doubt whether all the cheering, hand clapping and screaming that took place that morning showed much reverence towards God. I felt embarrassed to being there. I was certainly glad that the few friends (whom are not church member and whom have never attended any of our church meetings) I had asked to join me on that one Sabbath, ended up not being able to come. When I was baptized I did so with the idea that Sabbath was the day when we put aside our daily concerns and attend church to express our gratitude to the Lord in a reverent manner. Attending that meeting on that morning showed me that the behavior of some people is too extreme and irreverential." The problem was not limited to the youth programs. A colleague from Andrews who teaches at the Seminary told me that he walked out from one of the meetings of the World Ministers Council because the music was very offensive to him. It appears that the Ministerial Association of the General Conference supports the use of beat music for worship and evangelism as part of the church planting strategy to reach the Baby Boomers who have grown up addicted to beat music. This issue is discussed at some length in our new book The Christian and Rock Music: A Study of Biblical Principles of Music, where recent articles from Adventist publications are examined. My wife and I were deeply offended by the African children's choir that was featured to introduce their report of the Trans-European Division on Saturday evening, July 1, 2000. Together with a good number of other people we left the meeting after their dancing. The children had been staged to sing and dance a bugi-bugi type of beat dance that I have never seen played at Adventist church gatherings in Africa. I have traveled extensively through Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, but I have never seen young people or adults dancing at the sound of beat music for worship. I asked several of our African leaders if our congregations in Africa are now adopting rocky type dancing music for their church services. Their answers were unequivocal. No beat, dancing music is ever played in our African church services, because such music is associated with their former pagan life-style. However, in rare instances there are bands recently organized by people who want to introduce the Western style of pop and rock music to Africa. But they have not been well received so far. The native music and singing of our African believers, may sound monotonous to Westerners because of the small range of notes, but it is their sacred music for worship. Such music is clearly different from the secular dancing music of their pagan neighbors. The music issue was deeply felt during the GC Session. Many people came to our booth to share their distress and to buy copies of our new book The Christian and Rock Music: A Study of Biblical Principles of Music. The demand was such that our supply which was meant to last for 10 days, run out after only two days. Even the second shipment we received lasted only few hours. People would buy a copy of the book, read few pages or chapters at night, and then they came back the next day to order a case of 26 copies at the special price of $170.00, postage paid. This translates to $6.50 per copy, instead of the regular price of $20.00. Incidentally this special offer is still valid. If the book has thrilled your soul and you wish to order a case for your church, call us at (616) 471-2915, and we will mail you a case immediately. The special $170.00 for a case of 26 copies, includes the mailing expenses, even overseas.
http://www.biblicalperspectives.com/endtimeissues/eti_50.html |
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