Messenger and Adventist Review Articles

Here are various articles dealing with the subject of this website, namely worship and music styles. I haven't reprinted them in their entirety but have chosen key sentences to give you an idea of the context.

If you really need an article for study, resrearch or a debate you can contact me and I can send you a photocopy of the particular article that interests you.

Music to His Ears: Just how should the halls come alive?
By Steve Case Adventist Review, October 30, 1997
• "The book of Psalms provides us with a hymnal of 150 songs. We have the lyrics, but we don't have the music. Some consider this unfortunate. If we had the music, we would know what music God desires or requires for appropriate worship. In actuality, it might be God's intention to keep the music unknown. If we had the musical scores, we might think they provided the only sound God approved. We would limit acceptable music to a minor key, antiphonal chants with a typical range of six tones, no set rhythm, and no deliberate harmony."

• "Elements absent in the worship of the golden image in Daniel 3 but present in Psalm 150 to praise Yahweh include strings (are you thinking of violins or guitars?), cymbals, resounding cymbals, and dancing."

• "The Bible simply isn't clear on what the music of heaven sounds like, or what our music on earth should sound like in our praise to God. Feeble attempts to identify the sound usually color the presenter as someone whose mind had already been made up and who then looks for verses of Scripture that could be ripped out of context to provide authority for one's preconceived opinion."

• "When program planners target the youth in selecting musical groups, some adults are certain to object because they consider such music inappropriate (translation: "I don't like it as an adult") or satanic (translation: "This style came after my teen years").

• "Some criticize music with a "rock beat" because it bypasses the mind to work directly on the body (emotions). We would expect cognitively oriented people to be alarmed by such a possibility. We deny our emotions rather incorporating them into our worship. This becomes comical when we try to use cognitive reasoning to explain behaviors motivated by our emotions. Shouldn't our worship music include our mind and our emotions? Emotionless music might be a form of godliness that denies its power."

• "Some Adventists are so weary of worshiping with dull, boring, and meaningless music (level 4-note:levels were explained earlier in the article-webmaster) because influential members of the congregation consider their choice of worship to be unpleasant or offensive (level 5) that they now attend concerts for a meaningful, moving worship experience rather than their church. Congregations would do well to stretch their parameters of musical styles. This should be done gradually, in a way similar to introducing new foods to an infant. The context needs to be set, and members need to see how powerfully personal taste erroneously colors what we believe God would accept.

• We would do well to place the emphasis on the motivation of our music and worship, and to welcome and accept the gifts of praise offered by sincere hearts. That's what God does."

  Steve Case, Ph.D., is president of Piece of the Pie Ministries, Carmichael, California.
  
  
  Ready to Rumble: They'd help fight the good fight-
  if they ever got the chance. By Andy Nash Adventist Review, October 1997

• "With such an army of workers as our youth, rightly trained, might furnish, how soon the message of a crucified, risen, and soon-coming Saviour might be carried to the whole world!"-Ellen G. White, 1902.

• "We finally got rid of those noisy kids."-A church member in Oregon, 1997.

• Growing up Adventist- I think what partially blinded me to the problem is the affirmation and acceptancce I have found in the Adventist church. Last year I wrote a column, then a book, about the childhood church that taught me "faith, love, and laughter." Those memories are all accurate. I loved "growing up Adventist"-not only in Minnesota, but in Florida, Tennessee, Thailand, Michigan, and now Maryland. I love the Adventist people in my life, and I'm indebted to them for the kindness they didn't have to show me, but did.

  Upon review, though, I'm beginning to understand why my experience was more enjoyable than that of many of my peers: because the fairly traditional package I came in was the package the church wanted. Because what I had to give matched what the church thought it needed.

  It's been a hard lesson, and I shrink at my former naïveté. But now, as I watch 38 to 50 percent of my peers drift from the Adventist church-and thousands more bob aimlessly on the edges-I'm convinced that the problem runs much, much deeper than "those selfish, slacking Gen Xers."

• A Disabled Body- "To put it simply: We haven't allowed God's kingdom to be as big as it needs to be.

  Or to use the language of 1 Corinthians 12, we've disabled the body of Christ. Sure, we recognize that "there are different kinds of gifts," "given for the common good" (verses 4, 7), but, to paraphrase Orwell, we've deemed some gifts more different than others. And because these "different" kinds of gifts (and service and working) are usually found within a "different" generation, we've decided that we don't need either.

  It isn't our decision to make. "The eye," counseled Paul, "cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.

  . . . If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it" (verses 21-26).

  We're suffering. We might not realize it, but we are. Too many feet are being waved away, leaving the body of Christ walking on its hands. Their gifts slighted, accused of wanting only to be entertained (a giant myth), thousands of young Adventists wander off.

• There are of course, glimmers of hope. It's refreshing, for example to find many churches involving young adults in efforts to meet the various needs and learning styles existing within any congregation.

  But inevitably, several self-designated "gatekeepers," instead of attending the worship service they like, will attend they service they don't like. Frowns on their faces, tongues clucking at the smiling young adult playing bass, they're determined that Ellen White's "rightly trained" (see opening statement) means that the church's youth must be clones of themselves-thinking, talking, dressing, praising exactly as they do.

  Adding to the gatekeepers' fire is when a young, newly baptized Adventist, fresh from a drug-filled, heavy metal background, testifies that all he needs is a King James Bible, a King James hymnbook, King James instruments, and other assorted King James items.

  I don't question such testimonies; I affirm them. If some contemporary worship elements remind these people of their former lifestlye, they should steer clear of them-just as many war veterans steer clear of Fourth of July fireworks. But for this same mentality to be urged on every young Adventist goes against everything Paul counseled and the wonderful variety with which God created us.

  This isn't to say that youth and young adults in your church won't ever be wrong. They will be. Some will be wrong, some lazy, some simply impossible. But please, longtime Adventists, don't judge the whole lot on the basis of a few bad eggs-or even on several.

  Andy Nash is an assistant editor at the Adventist Review.
  
  
  The Church of the Future May 1997 Messenger

• The Grade 10 Bible class at Fraser valley Adventist Academy was asked to describe the church of the future. As this class is our future church, they wrote describing how the church would be when they assumed leadership positions. Note: Not every letter is written in its entirety but the context has been kept intact-webmaster.

• I think that in the church of the future, the church will have changed. More changes in the actual church service will also be seen. Right now, most services have the same pattern, but I think that a variety of worships will be arranged later on. Kristen Bunker

• I believe that the church of the future will be more open. People will be able to express their emotions. If they feel like clapping after a song, they will, and they won't feel embarrassed about it.

  The older people now are always saying that the youth are the future of the church. Then why aren't they letting them do the stuff they want? Aileen Almargro
  
  
  The Church of the Future: The discussion continues July/August 1997 Messenger

• The grade 12 Bible class at Parkview Adventist Academy recently spent a week considering the ways people worship in Christian churches today. The students finally focused on how we worship in our church-the Seventh-day Advenist Church. We were inspired by the contributions on this topic by the students from Fraser Valley Academy in the May issue of the Messenger. Note: Not every letter is written in its entirety but the context has been kept intact-webmaster.

• The following student responses are the result of this assignment. I believe they are genuine and can give us insight into the thoughts of our Canadian Adventist young people. Please read them thoughtfully and prayerfully.

• As I read each student's comments, I was touched by the desire of all of them to have a personal and meaningful relationship with Jesus. Isn't that what every Christian parent wants for their children? I trust you will appreciate and value the opinions of some of our future church leaders and supporting members. Donna Jeffery-Religious Studies Teacher

• I believe that in the future the church will change to accomodate the setting people want. Traditions would be done away with, and even though people raise their eyebrows at this, I mean traditions, not doctrines. Though it often may seem doctrine is driving churchgoers away, it is tradition.

  In this world everything is subject to change. There was once a time that the organ was not wanted in church, just as drums are not wanted, and now we are unable to give up the formerly-unwwanted organ.

  ...I do not imply we change doctrine, as so many churches like this have done (celebration churches), or that we be filled with holy laughter. I am merely suggesting that we take a more contemporary approach to worship instead of being stuck in a time warp, because doesn't the Bible say to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Carlene Ramsay

• Although I'm sure we will have traditional services with a sermon and such, worship services will be a lot more flexible. Songs will be more likely, and more diverse musical instruments will be used. The primary goal of worship will no longer be ritual or tradition but on developing a deeper relationship with Christ.

  I think the power of the Holy Spirit will be more visible in the church of the future. As the world comes to an end, there will be an increase in evangelism.

  This is what I hope for the church. It will only be possible if the church allows God to work within it and recommits their life to Christ as individuals. Otherwise we will continue to be a church in a stagnant mode, continually complaining about rules and going nowhere. Christina Waller
  
  
  Lettem' 'em Loose: Are we stifling people? Or energizing them? At church, at work, and at home, how can we help others discover and use their personal gifts? Five scriptural principles can guide us. By Chad McComas Adventist Review, January 1997

• Volunteers who are given responsibility that matches their ability find great joy in their volunteering and are very productive.

• In the church people have often been asked to fit into an existing job or ministry rather than have a job developed to match their interests or abilities.

• Nothing takes the heart out of a family member, a volunteer, or a leader more than being given a job to do but denied the authority to carry out the job.

  In a congregation, for example, we ask someone to do a job, but refuse to allow that person to make any decisions without a board's approval. How long does a person want to try to lead a ministry with a group looking over his or her shoulder?

• Apparently it is better to allow people freedom to take risks and make mistakes than to hamstring them with fear and red tape. We learn best by trial and error. We will grow personally and spiritually when we have the authority to carry out our responsibilities.

  Notice that the parable (see Matt. 25:14-30) doesn't tell us if the two productive servants made any mistakes or not along the way. They probably made many. But the bottom line is that they used their abilities and their authority to carry out their responsibility-and they were productive!

• The five scriptural principles are: 1. People need to discover their abilities. 2. People need to know they are highly valued. 3. People need to be trusted. 4. People need to be free to be creative. 5. People need to be affirmed.

  Chad McComas is pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Medford, Oregon.
  
  
  Practical Pointers for Building Relationships with youth "We don't care how much you know. We want to know how much you care." June 1998 Messenger

• In the November/December, 1992, issue of Group magazine, Dick Gibson described 55 ways to love your kids: Note: Only a few have been selected-webmaster.

• "7. Forgive and forget. "Love keeps no record of wrongs" (1 Cor. 13:5). If you model authentic forgiveness it'll give your kids the courage to do the same."

• "17. Listen. You don't need all the answers, just two good ears. Empower your teenagers to talk through their problems with someone they can trust."

• "20. Affirm spiritual growth. Everyone can use a spiritual "pat on the back." Commend godly character you observe."

• "21. "Unwrap" kids' giftedness. When you detect latent talents or abilities in your kids, give them the encouragement and opportunity to explore those gifts."

• "24. Focus on their interests. Investigate your group members' hobbies and ask for pointers. They'll be happy to oblige, and you'll gain new insights into them."

• "26. Laugh together. Don't be so serious that you miss humorous moments."

• "27. Cultivate kids' opinions. Invite honest feedback and keep an open mind. God may want your young people to teach you something."

• "31. Give positive reinforcement. Some young people are lightning rods for criticism. So look for something praiseworthy in every group member."

• "32. Keep confidences. Develop a reputation as someone who's reliable with confidential information. Nothing is more destructive to your credibility than breaking a trust."

• "40. Be attentive. It's frustrating to talk with someone whose actions demonstrate they're not interested. Make sure your body language reflects concern."

• "43. Watch your words. Real affection is often exercised through what we determine not to say. Your careless remarks could leave lasting scars."

• "45. Give kids respect. This is a "boomerang principle"-give and you will receive in return."

• "46. Take them seriously. Any problem, no matter how trivial it may seem to you, is your kids' biggest concern at the moment. Don't brush it off."

• "47. Admit your mistakes. Don't be fooled. We're usually the last to acknowledge what others already know."

• "55. Resist favortism. If pressed, you'd admit feeling "closer" to some kids than others. Budget your time and attention to everyone equally."

  By Shelly Nolan-Messenger editor