Show me your songs and I’ll show you your theology
That quote comes from Bob Kauflin while speaking at the 2008 Desiring God conference last weekend. Watch or listen to the whole thing: "Words of Wonder: What happens when we sing ".
He likewise makes the point that the theology on your doctrinal statement is essentially of no effect if you sing something different on Sunday mornings. We do actually sing our theology, and that is what people take home with them — the daily theology of your local church. The power of words. The power of music. The wonder of the two mingled together. That is what can fill a mind.
How true it is that we often thoughtlessly throw together "worship sets," and even more thoughtlessly enter them corporately as God’s people and just sing along without having a mind for God and for the words we sing. We truly can attend a worship service without ever worshipping. Do you think about the words you are singing? Do you have any gracious feedback, and not just "I like this song, _____. Can we play that one?" Rather, pointing out that perhaps some of the words are not in-line with Scripture, or are true-but-shallow, and doing so with a humble, gracious tone. (Plus, doing it infrequently, and probably not every week, or for every song!) I know, it’s not en vogue to be discerning like that, but if we come with hearts of grace, and especially also affirm what the worship leader is doing right , we can perhaps help shape the theology we sing and thus by default are (actively or passively) filling our minds with.
- If you are a worship leader, how would you respond to this criticism? Do you welcome it? Would you receive it?
I find myself sometimes when the theology is poor or too me-centered in a song, closing my eyes and substituting better, more God-centered, creative language to move me past myself. Perhaps we don’t know our Bibles enough to notice, or simply don’t care. Inclined to think it’s both.
(John Wesley has some words for us.)
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Here’s an unedited brief interview with Bob Kauflin, given just after his talk:
Interview with Bob Kauflin from Mike Anderson on Vimeo .
3 comments
I understand his point. No one should thoughtlessly throw a set together and song lyrics do present a theology. But more important than singing theology would be providing an environment in the music that allows people to enter into God’s presence. Having good theology and a good environment should be the goal. I don’t think it is wrong for people to just want to do a song. Sometimes a song holds a lot of meaning beyond just song lyrics to a person and singing that song takes them right to the foot of the throne. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
Tyler, Good point: “Having good theology and a good environment should be the goal.” I would clarify perhaps that is a one goal, but the overarching goal is to ascribe worth to the Worthy One (declaring His infinite worth, 1 Cor. 10:31), which when stared at transforms us (2 Cor. 3:18).
These don’t have to be competing emphases. (Nor am I criticizing your church, mine, etc.) But, it is interesting that some churches have a God-centered doctrinal statement, but then sing primarily me-centered lyrics (not even about “us,” just me/I only).
That can’t help build deep disciples of Jesus. When the songs fade, the words are gone, will they be able to withstand when they have absolutely nothing left but Christ. Is He enough, and have they/we been trained to see Him as our all-consuming passion.
This has to do with far more than words, and even musical talent. Having skilled musicians is important (Psalm 33), and they can drive home, as lead worshipers taking us with them, to escape ourselves and set our whole mind, affections and will on Christ. To behold who He is, what He has done, and how crazy amazing it is to even be loved by Him for an instance let alone for eternity.
Thanks for your input, Tyler.
I like Kauflin’s quote a lot. It actual resonates a lot with what a professor of mine here at RTS, Reggie Kidd, says. He modifies the Latin phrase lex orandi, lex credendi (or, the law of prayer is the law of belief) and changes it to lex canendi, lex credendi (more like, the law of singing is the law of belief). Kidd’s point was clear: “show me what you sing, and I’ll show you what you believe.” I too have always been of the firm belief that the Church confesses what it sings and so we need to really think about our worship.
But another thing Kidd always says is, “learn to praise; understanding will follow.” If our churches worship in a way that does not reflect our doctrinal statements, there is going to be a serious division between confession and practice which, of course, has serious implications for helping people to live faithfully before God. But if our songs and worship are true reflections of our beliefs and convictions, then, as Kidd says, people can engage in worship and it will lead to a deeper knowledge of our faith.
By the way, if you haven’t read his book, With One Voice: Discovering Christ’s Song in Our Worship, I recommend it.