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A Lasting Impact on an Uncertain World: A Philosophy of the Power of Music and

How it Affects the Church

Daniel Brandon

God’s Bible School and College

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Abstract

Music appears in a variety of ways and has a substantially large potential of affecting our

behavioral. Currently, there is a massive shift, that is continually changing, from the use of

hymns and gospel music to more contemporary styles of worship Before we make

comprehensive changes, we should evaluate if we are doing so out of personal preference and a

means to please sinners, or honoring God, Who is worthy of honor and glory. An important

question to ask when comparing the CCM (Contemporary Christian Movement) with church

music of the past is “How is the style different, and for what reason has it been changed? If the

church as a whole expects to move forward, I think it’s time to ask ourselves important

questions, such as, “What do I, personally, feel is important in Church music?”, “Does my

worship leader believe that church music holds power and that this power should be respected?”,

but, more importantly, I feel the most important question that every Christian should ask is

actually a question we should ask ourselves: ​ “What can I do to make a difference?”

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A Lasting Impact on an Uncertain World: A Philosophy of the Power of Music and How it

Affects the Church

In the world around us, we are continually affected by an invisible mysterious force. This

invisible force has been found to influence us in multiple ways. We hear this force when we

wake up in the morning, when we are riding in an elevator, when we turn on the radio, when we

attend a wedding or a funeral, and even when we walk past certain areas in a mall, this

mysterious force is present when we least expect it to be. As you may have guessed by now, this

force is commonly referred to as music. Depending on the genre or the form of music, music

makes us react in certain ways. An upbeat song, for example, can cause a person to react by

tapping their feet or even clapping, while a slow, smooth song can make us sad or possibly even

cry if the setting is right. Whatever the reason, Since we know that the way we feel can

oftentimes affect our actions, we can be quite sure that music holds the potential of altering our

behavior . Through careful research, let’s explore the mighty power that is held in this invisible

force.

Music - the Driving Force of Life

What is Music? Is music simply an alarm that wakes us up in the morning or a tool used to put a

child to sleep? Is it merely a “product” of man “controlled” by major industries to make money?

Is music simply a common-approach method used to teach an adolescent mind an educational

topic? We can undeniably confirm that music is indeed a wonderful tool capable of affecting a

number of everyday situations in our lives but is music really only this? Is music simply a tool?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines music as “the science or art of ordering tones or sounds
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in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having

unity and continuity”

According to a scientific experiment illustrated through the ​College of Agricultural &

Environmental Sciences​, Dr. Diane Bales explores a unique approach into the importance of

music at an early age:

Children who grow up listening to music develop strong music-related connections in

the brain. Some of these music pathways actually affect the way we think. Listening to

classical music seems to improve our spatial reasoning, at least for a short time. And

learning to play an instrument may have an even longer effect on certain thinking skills.

(​http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=C1053-06​)

Based on Biblical explorations and even historical examples, one can assume that music can alter

our thought processes positively or negatively. Music is not different from other art forms and

media; it is wise and crucial to carefully guard what music children are exposed to at an early

age. On another note, it is fascinating to explore the calming effect that music has on a child. We

find from the earliest of years that playing slow music (such as a lullaby) can calm even the most

upset child and cause him/her to drift to sleep. We can assumedly conclude that music holds a

certain power on children that no one can fully comprehend.

Music Brings about a Seemingly Diverse Outlook.

In our world, it is natural for people to develop a love for certain genres of music. An

older person may develop a love for classical music while a young teenager is drawn to heavy

metal rock. In a study (see Example 1) conducted by Time Magazine, it was discovered that in

the United States alone, a shocking 52% of Americans prefer rock music over other genres of
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music. It is amazing to comprehend the fact that when music is being played, it is drawing

people. This is best summarized by an article written by Gary Kaplan through ​Transcendental

Meditation ​where he writes, “To whatever extent music reflects that absolute level of life, we are

drawn to it, much as we are drawn to the bliss that characterizes the state of pure awareness as

we settle down during the Transcendental Meditation technique.”

​Example 1
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[As illustrated in the above images, we find that a shocking majority of Americans

prefer to listen to rock music while R&B music holds a firm second place]

​ht​tp://time.com/3697123/music-genres-around-the-world-grammy-awards/ 

​ ​https://www.pinterest.com/pin/516577019730723911/ 

​Music Affects our Lives in General

Another interesting topic to explore is the effect music holds on our day-to-day lives. In a

multiple-test scientific experimentation, Dr. Charles M. Diserenes and Harry Fine records in

their book “Psychology of Music” fascinating discoveries. It was discovered that even our

handwriting appears to be influenced by music. Through this experiment music was played in

both high and low octaves. It was discovered that when music was played in a low range, the

subjects’ handwriting appeared to decrease in size. When the music was played in a higher

range, handwriting appeared to increase dramatically in size. [Diserenes and Fine 265] Through

this experiment, it was also discovered that when faster music (metronome set at 138) the

subjects’ accuracy in movement appeared to improve significantly more than when slower music
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was played (metronome set at 60). [Diserenes and Fine 261] Because music holds significant

advantages when used correctly, one cannot deny the fact that music holds the power to calm our

nerves. Through many investigational reports it has been proven that music has been found to be

very relaxing and even therapeutic. This being said, it is hard to deny the fact that music moves

us a significantly large amount in our everyday lives.

​ Music Affects the way we Think

Undoubtedly confirmed by some of the greatest and most highly-respected minds of the

scientific world, both now and of times past, we come to this topic - music ultimately affects the

way we think, but is music the best treatment? Through fascinating investigational reports

through amazingdiscoveries.org, we find this report from a recent scientific investigation

conducted by Dr. Neil Nedley:

​By far the best treatment of her crisis was music, the effects of which were almost

uncanny. One minute would see Miss D compressed, clenched and blocked, or jerking,

ticking and jabbering like a sort of human bomb; the next, with the sound of music from a

wireless or gramophone, the complete disappearance of all these obstructive, explosive

phenomena and their replacement by a blissful ease and flow of movement as Miss D

suddenly freed of her automatisms, smilingly "conducted" the music, orrose and danced

to it.​ii

Music can also have powerful negative effects, as Dr. Neil Nedley tells us:

A study of 121 Midwestern high school students’ music preference indicated that 75

percent of the girls who preferred heavy metal music had considered suicide compared

with 35 percent of the girls who preferred other types of music. Nearly 50 percent of
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the boys who preferred heavy metal had considered suicide compared to with 15

percent of the boys who listened to “non-metal” music.​iii

The bottom line? Music speaks where words fail. As stated before, music is powerful:

whether we use this power for good or bad is really up to us.

​Music Holds both Positive and Negative Attributes’

​We know that since we are constantly exposed to music on a day-to-day basis and

music has such a tremendous affect on our mind (even from infancy), we can be absolutely

certain that music can hold both positive and negative effects on our mind. Simply stated,

people react differently when they listen to music. In 2015 alone, 8 people were killed in

Thailand for singing “Country Road, Take Me Home”. One time, A Malaysian man died

from stab wounds in a bar and a guy in Seattle was punched simply because a woman didn’t

like his rendition of the song, “Yellow” by Coldplay. Yet again, we find that a popular song

entitled“My Way” (popularized by Frank Sinatra) has led many people into committing

suicide and some were killed while singing it in a karaoke concert.

[​http://sylviagaile.expertscolumn.com/article/disadvantages-music-human-behavior​]. You

might ask, “What would cause a person to even consider reacting such a way to music?” To

this day, no one is quite sure how music can set a mood or a thought generation in a person

to influence them toward this line of behaviour, but we can once again come to this fact -

people react differently when they listen to music. On another note, however, we find that

there are many positive, even healthy, advantages to listening to music. According to an
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investigation conducted by collective=evolution.com, we find that listening to music can

provide the following health benefits:

1) Improves visual & verbal skills. ...

2) Keeps an aging brain healthy. ...

3) Music Makes You Happier. ...

4) Heartbeat, Pulse Rate & Blood Pressure. ...

5) Improves Sleep Quality. ...

6) Boosts Your Immune System & Reduces Pain. ...

7) Reduces Depression & Anxiety. ...

[​http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/03/13/seven-reasons-why-music-benefits-your-

health/​]

The Former Era: What Set Music Apart

We are approached with a new method of worship that almost seems to be a constant

shift from gospel music to contemporary Christian music. As the church gradually accepts this

movement, one tends to ask the question, “Why not?”, “ If the church finds it justifiably

acceptable, why not embrace this movement to reach more people and draw a larger crowd?”

Undoubtedly, these questions are surprisingly common in the midst of the CCM (Contemporary

Christian Movement) , but is it possible to stand for both sides without actually taking a side at

all? It is important to thoroughly investigate every aspect of a complex situation such as music

before coming to a hasty judgement. An important question to ask when comparing the CCM

with church music of the past is “What made church music great to start with?” If we base the
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conservative Christian music on the past, our claims would merely be unstable accusations

without a foundational standard. Through Robert Berglund’s “A Philosophy of Church Music,

we find these words, “ In evaluating the state of church music, one should strive not only to do

so on the basis of professional expertise but also on the basis of the underlying principles of the

Word of God.” It is clear to see that the former era of Christian music held a high standard for

the church. In the book “Practical Hymnology”, Hubert Poteat clarifies the purpose of devotion

in the hymns of the church:

...In short, every piece of music played or sung in the house of the Lord should be

regarded as an act of worship, and should be chosen and rendered with absolutely no

other object than of making a real contribution to the inspiration and the spiritual power

of the service.

As we can see through the lives of many authors of numerous hymns, it is accurate to say that

God has blessed countless lives with the message of the goodness of God reflected in such

hymns. Another major difference we can see through the Conservative Christian Movement is

the constant illustration of the Gospel of Christ clearly evident through the words of these songs.

Finally, we know that this style of church music was unique in its own way due to its simplicity.

Song after song reinforces the ideological truth that in music, simplicity is strength. Even

through some of the easiest lyrics such as “Jesus Loves Me” and “Jesus Never Fails”, Albert

Bailey reminds us, “As a working formula for salvation, how superior this gospel [hymns] is to

the former preachments of theologians and evangelists!” God has used simple, yet powerful,

words to bless the hearts and souls of millions of Christians around the world, simply because
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men and women were willing to carry the torch of Christian music no matter how hard or easy

the task appeared to them.

​ The New Era: How the Church has changed

In our conservative Christian churches, one could undeniably state that music has

somehow changed the way that services are conducted. The lifestyle of the church as a whole

appears to have changed from a morally secure threshold to an amoral flexible setting, which

some people feel is a satisfying standard. We see churches as they gradually change from what

used to be a fiery, Bible-based doctrine to almost a lukewarm feel in the way the gospel is

presented. One may ask, “How could this have happened?” “How could such a terrifying, radical

shift have taken place in our church today?” I am a firm believer that a major factor in this

unsuspecting movement has been a shift in church music. As we find more and more, our

churches today have steadily moved from an old-fashioned form of worship to an almost

radically contemporary style of worship, but what has caused this in our music? Can we

innocently search out one single person in history to pin with this seemingly hideous crime? The

answer, of course, would have to be a solid no. To pinpoint one person to blame would be

inequitable and unreasonable on our part. In Church Music and the Christian Faith, Erik Routley

makes the following statement, “If we set out to make judgements about church music, there are

two false trails we may follow. The first, the mere exposure of error, is inadequate. The second,

substituting generalized moralism for criticism, is encouraging when positively stated but

collapses when one tries to use it for a guide.” I believe there are three factors that have led up to

the occurrence of immorality of church music in our churches today. The first factor, I believe,

is largely in part of the change of importance from preaching to music. As Americans, we are
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undoubtedly attached to music, but do we really stop to think that maybe music was not meant to

be the most important quality in a service? Music absolutely holds a world full of possibilities

and limitless enjoyment, but when it comes to church services, music simply has to become

secondary. We must never forget that the one and only part of a church service that should bring

about the most complete and detailed representation of the gospel of Christ should be the

sermon, even though music can sometimes hold this ability. The second reason I believe that

church music has degenerated is simply the fact that instrumentation has commenced to become

a priority over the lyrics of a song. The more I have become involved in music ministry, the

more I have learned just how powerful a simple gospel song played on an instrument can hold,

but no one can ever correctly deny the fact

that the lyrics of a gospel song can hold just

as much power. As newer songs have been

produced, we find that (especially in

Christian rap/rock genres) the sound of

mainly electric guitars and drums have

overcome the lyrics so much that hardly any

one person can hear the words breaking

through. Thirdly, I feel that our churches

appear to be attracted to physical movement

in worship more than they are to ,​http://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/2014/05​ the message

displayed in the worship​ ​service.

In “Music of the Bible in Christian

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Perspective”, Garen Wolf writes, “... some writers deny the use of dance in public worship on the

basis that some of the words that should have been translated ‘pipe’ have been translated ‘dance’

in the various modern versions. Others believe that machol refers to a round dance, and

therefore we are commanded to dance in worship.” I want to be absolutely clear when I say that

there is nothing wrong with an individual who is under the anointing of the Holy Spirit running

the aisles of a church or even jumping, walking, or any movement that a person may feel helps

them to worship, but I feel that when physical movement in a church resorts to a self-pleasing

“jumping to the beat” movement or anything resorting to a self-gratification form of worship,

than maybe it’s time to ask ourselves if this is even worship at all. I believe with all my heart that

true worship to God is evident of surrender. Before we worship maybe it’s time to evaluate if we

are following the crowd or if we are truly praising a God worthy of honor and glory.

​ Can/Will the Church Embrace Change?

One question that has been most frequently asked in the Conservative Christian church is,

“How can we expect the church to change if change is an unembraceable topic?” If we want to

change music in a more applicable method, how can the church accept it?” One important

characteristic about music that is easily forgotten is that music itself never changes, only the style

and the method of musicing changes. I believe that people assume too quickly that it is their job

to change music, but I think that our duty as Christian musicians may be simply a calling to help

fix music. Wes Bayers presents a direct conclusion to this topic:

Some people just hate to change, even some changes might be for good reasons. Some
become unteachable because they live in the past, still thinking what they used to do is
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the way to do it right. I don’t have sympathy for that kind of emotional attachment and
pride. If a change means more effective to communicate the gospel, just deal with it.
My point is: If people in your church don’t learn instruments that aim at the traditional
church music, then why bother forcing it just because? If people at your church only sing
hymns, and if your targeted non-church goers and the vision of the church is to
“attract/evangelize to” people who likes hymns, then why bother doing contemporary?
...​The issue here is not types of music employed, but to Whom is worship
directed...Whenever division is a result of music preference, it is never God’s desire.
Unity and one accord is His preference. Music is just a vehicle that moves people to
worship. Here is a hint- almost every place that the word “worship” is used in the Bible,
it denotes being either on our knees or on our face! How mistaken we have become to ask
people to “stand up and worship!” Wrong direction, folks!!!
It is important to realize that it is frankly impossible to fix music without the power of God
behind us. Simply stated, we can’t do it on our own. Music holds a certain power that is too
powerful for us to expect to change without the power of the One who created this force to use
us to make a difference.
​ Is There Still Hope for the Conservative Christian Church?
So, the question remains - after it is all said and done, can one really hope to see a

positive change in the Conservative Christian Church? In his book, “Church Music Matters”,

Garen Wolf addresses this topic:

All team efforts should cause the people to desire to express laud and honor unto God.

All team efforts (choirs, orchestras, instrumental ensembles and praise teams) should

come under the leadership of a minister of music who is a capable leader and an

experienced, trained, energetic conductor who has magnetic leadership skills as well as

excellent, meaningful conducting skills.

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From this perspective, I believe it is safe to assume that if we expect to turn church music in a

positive direction, having good, solid, and consistent worship leaders in the church is a crucial

requirement. If the church as a whole expects to move forward, I think it’s time to ask ourselves

important questions, such as, “What do I, personally, feel is important in Church music?”, “Does

my worship leader believe that church music holds power and that this power should be

respected?”, but, more importantly, I feel the most important question that every Christian should

ask is actually a question they should ask themselves: “What can I do to make a difference?”

When we come to a point in church music where we want a change, I can’t help but wonder if

we really realize just how much of a difference one person can make. Do we really take for

granted our helplessness in our church or do we realize the “domino effect” that one person may

strike if he simply stands up for what he knows is right? So where does the answer lie? Where

can we expect to find the key to this seemingly locked door of conservative holiness music? I

believe the answer lies in each and every one of us. If we desire to see a clear open path of clean,

wholesome church music, do we really think that standing by silent is the answer? If we expect

to move forward in the Holiness movement, sometimes, it may take merely one person standing

up for what he/she knows is right. Hans B. Hansen once made this following remark, “It takes

Nothing to join the crowd.It takes Everything to stand alone” So the question is left, what will

you do? Will you hold fast to music instilled with conservative, holiness principles, or will you

continue down the music of the world? Let us never take for granted the principles instilled in

Holiness music that has indeed made a lasting impact on an uncertain world.
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​ ​References

Admin, P. B. (2012, July 23). Contemporary worship not a fix-all. Retrieved May 10, 2017, from

https://churchexecutive.com/archives/contemporary-worship-not-a-fix-all

Bailey, A. E. (1987). The Gospel in hymns: backgrounds and interpretations. New York:

Bales, D. W. (2014, September 28). The Role of Music (C 1053-06). Retrieved May 8,

2017, from ​http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=C1053-06

Diserenes, C. M., & Fine, H. (1939). A Psychology of Music: The Influence of Music on

Behavior. (self-published).

Grammy Awards: Which Music Genres Are Popular Around the World. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8,

2017, from ​http://time.com/3697123/music-genres-around-the-world-grammy-awards/

Kaplan, G. (n.d.). Why does music attract our mind? | Transcendental Meditation® Blog.

Retrieved May 8, 2017, from

http://www.tm.org/blog/research/why-does-music-attract-our-mind/

Liljequist, K. C. (n.d.). Does Music and Lyrical Content Influence Human Behavior? Retrieved

May 10, 2017, from ​http://www.positivemusicassociation.com/resources/article_lijequist1.htm

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Lucarini, D. (2002). Why I left the contemporary Christian music movement: confessions of a

former worship leader. Darlington, England: Evangelical Press

Macmillan.Berglund, R. D. (1985). A philosophy of church music. Chicago: Moody Press

Nedley, N. (2010, February 02). Can You Feel the Music? Retrieved May 10, 2017, from

http://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception-music_emotion_power

POTEAT, H. M. (2015). PRACTICAL HYMNOLOGY. S.l.: BOOK ON DEMAND LTD.

Routley, E., & Marty, M. E. (1995). Church music and the christian faith. Carol Stream Ill:

Agape.

The Disadvantages Of Music To Human Behavior. (n.d.). Retrieved May 9, 2017, from

http://sylviagaile.expertscolumn.com/article/disadvantages-music-human-behavior

Wolf, G. L. (1996). Music of the Bible in Christian perspective: a biblically historic study of

music from antiquity, with philosophical application to twenty-first century church music.

Salem, OH: Schmul Pub. Co

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Wolf, G. L. (2005). Church music matters: a music philosophy in Christian perspective. Salem,

OH: Schmul Pub. Co.

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