A Good Report For The New Year

I would like to start the New Year with a praise report. Last summer I wrote a series of articles about worship in which I shared my concerns about some popular trends in church music production. I expressed my distress over the widespread use of various types of enhancement tracks and audio stems to make our singers and instrumentalists sound better or to compensate for a lack of preparation or time. Little did I know that we were only weeks away from getting a new worship pastor who would take us in a direction that is totally counter cultural. I realize now that God was preparing my heart, and hopefully using my writing to begin preparing the hearts of others. In no way do I mean to disparage any of the wonderful and godly church musicians and leaders I have had the privilege to work with, nor do I wish to take anything away from the wonderful Christmas services I have been a part of through the years. I, myself, spent years not understanding what a special privilege it is to select, prepare and present a Christmas concert or program. But mature Christians can learn and grow together from our shared experiences and in that Spirit, Philippians 4:8 tells us that if there is anything true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent, worthy of praise or of GOOD REPORT then we should dwell on these things. We should think on them and live our lives with the encouragement that comes from them. So Here is my good report. 

This Christmas at NRH Baptist Church, for our program "Let Their Be Light," we used ZERO enhancements. There were no audio stems, no recorded tracks of professional instrumentalists or vocalists, no canned choir or orchestra, nothing pre-recorded, no sound effects. EVERYTHING heard in that program was performed live. And I believe that God truly blessed us. Here are some ways that we were blessed:

1. Musical Growth

It has been my experience that when enhancements are being used, rehearsals lose their sense of purpose and urgency. Trouble spots are let go and the ensemble does not receive the full benefits of preparing. The first time our instrumental ensemble rehearsed our Christmas music together with the choir, I was astonished at the level of musical growth and the quality of sound production in the choir. They have always been good, but they had improved so much in just a few short months that I was, quite frankly, amazed. Likewise, the instrumental ensemble rehearsed with more of a sense of urgency and attention to detail. We are all better musicians for the experience.

2. Saved Rehearsal Time

We eliminated so much frustration and wasted rehearsal time trying to coordinate our performance with tracks and figuring them out that we were able to use that time to work out musical trouble spots, and important musical moments. 

3. Musical Nuance

There is not, nor will there ever be found on this earth, a replacement for a good conductor. When you aren't trying to play along with a track, there is time to develop musical subtlety and nuance. At important tempo changes, song endings and meaningful moments, our drummer cut out the metronome clicking in our ears so that our skillful conductor could work his magic, and it was wonderful. With the time we saved in rehearsal we were able to focus our attention on dynamics and musicality. Without tracks to worry about, our director was free to create meaningful musical moments and to take charge of the performance to ensure that it went smoothly. Each time we presented the program, it became more beautiful and nuanced. We were able to express more emotion to better portray the meaning of the text. 

4. Comradery

Working together with a sense of purpose and mission is the best team building exercise I know. It is important for a group like a band or choir to feel a sense of accomplishment. Enhancements always make me feel guilty and ashamed and throw a wet blanket on the experience, but working together with other believers to present an authentic offering of worship is a great feeling. There was a noticeable improvement in the dynamics and friendliness of the worship department from the bonding that occurred throughout our months of preparation. Work is a good and God-ordained institution. Ephesians 4:2-3 teach us to be humble, patient, and gentle as we bear with one another in love and to carry on being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Working together with integrity is one way to do this. 

5. Musical Excellence

Everything is bigger in Texas. It was quite an extraordinary risk to take, with a Texas congregation and their Texas sized expectations, to go cold turkey, throw away the crutches and cut all enhancements. The result was that we sounded tremendously better.

Technical Note: It is difficult to tune instruments to a track because they are altered and often full of effects which are sometimes pitched, but non-musical. Tracks are also mean tuned and good instrumentalists and vocalists use just intonation. (For example, we slightly raise the 7th scale degree in melodic lines because it is the leading tone). Intonation is always much tighter when we rely on either the natural abilities of the human ear, good training or both. There is give and take with the rhythm section of course. But what it boils down to is that our human ears are more sensitive and capable of making subtle adjustments that a computer cannot and a programmed track will not. Chords can be more carefully balanced and adjustments can be made to fit the natural acoustics of the hall or venue. 

The choir was so much easier to hear without all of the tracks muddying up the soundscape. A sound system can only handle so much and like soundwaves cancel each other out--so recordings can actually cover up the sound of a live choir. Every part of the performance was cleaner, better balanced and inherently more beautiful. It was better prepared, better performed and more enjoyable without the tracks.

6. JOY

It was so much more fun, less stressful and genuinely a pleasure to present this worship offering

7. Blessing

There was no Santa, no Frosty, no Rudolph, no Olaf or any other fictional characters in our church Christmas production. This was another big risk with an audience in an area that is accustomed to big celebrations that include both secular and sacred (worldly and religious) entertainment and traditions. But it was well-received. The standing ovation began before the last piece was even concluded and I truly felt in that moment that it was more of an affirmation of the content in the message than of anything else. It felt more like a hearty Amen than an applause. The most special moment was when the children and youth choirs sang 2 songs that were the center point of the evening, Beautiful Savior and We Have a Savior. In a culture that trends to assign children to sing secular songs from Christmas cartoons, there is nothing more precious than children singing all about Jesus. It was wonderful for choirs of all ages to join their voices and sing part of the program together. It was a heart warming and special evening.

8. The Good News

Because we didn't use tracks and relied on our conductor, we were able to perform the program outdoors at NRH city hall for a few hundred people gathered to hear the Gospel message. The performance went off without a hitch, even without a metronome click or any helps. I have never felt more confident or excited about presenting the good news of Jesus. I would have felt silly singing about Santa, but there was nothing awkward about playing for Jesus. It was such an honor and I was overjoyed and glad to be there. The message was clear and beautiful on a rare cold Texas evening and no one left early. The gathered crowd stayed until the end and received the message with enthusiasm. It was one of my all time favorite Christmas performances. Though, at this point, I should call it what it really was: A Worship Event. 

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Here are the links to some of the other articles in this series that I mentioned above. The 1st is an article on the ethics of using tracks and enhancements. Tracks are ok to practice with and fine to use as necessary accompaniment. Tracks should not be used to deceive, only to assist. What is ok and what is not? The 2nd is on the use of secular Christmas music and characters in church. What is appropriate and what is not?:
http://thetrustworthyword.blogspot.com/2017/07/milli-vanilli-worship-thoughts-on.html

http://thetrustworthyword.blogspot.com/2017/06/christmas-planning-in-july.html

Redeemed

Imagine you were lured away from the safety of your parent's home by the promises of a good-looking, smooth talking charmer, only to end up being kidnapped. What if your parents never wanted you  in the first place and abandoned you as an infant, but instead of being rescued by a benevolent family, you were picked up by dishonorable men who raised you with no education, giving you just enough food and shelter to survive until you were old enough to sell for a profit. Maybe your own father, who was supposed to love and protect you, sold you instead to a creditor to pay off his debts? Perhaps your husband fell on the battlefield and you were brutalized and violated by enemy soldiers. Now you find yourself on the auction block, stripped naked, humiliated, treated as less than a human being while men wave money and the auctioneer sells you off to the highest bidder.

As you are led away, you walk toward your hapless future, trying to avoid the leering gaze of the gathered crowd as they stare at your nakedness. You know your fate. There are no jobs for unmarried women in your culture. Without a family, you were doomed from the beginning. There is no one looking out for you. All marriages are arranged in your society and without a father around to arrange a marriage for you, your prospects are hopeless. You cannot own land or earn a living in your country. You have been sold. You will be a prostitute. Your life will be endless suffering and misery as you are used for the pleasure of men who care nothing for you.

You are handed over to the man who has just purchased your life for money. Even if you weren't too weak and starved to run, there would be no where to go, no hope of escape. You are surprised when he takes the key and releases you from your shackles and chains. He clothes you with a clean robe and quickly whisks you away from the din of the crowd and city. When you pass the city gates, he gives you a drink, gently lifts your chin, looking into your eyes as he wipes away the tears and promises you that everything is going to be alright. You ride in quiet, stopping at a peaceful oasis about half a day's journey outside the city. He prepares a simple meal for you and after you have eaten your fill, he begins to talk.

He explains that He is part of a nation with different laws and a different God than all the other nations. His God has outlawed forced slavery. His God forbids prostitution. He assures you that you will never be used as a concubine and that no man will ever touch you without your consent. He explains that He has a special covenant with His God that provides protection for you. He let's you know that you will be working alongside his own daughters and his one and only wife in his household. You will eat the same food, sleep under the same tent and be provided with the same clothing that they are. He tells you that his son and heir, saw you in the caravan as you were being hauled off toward the slave auction. He goes on to say: My son had great compassion on you and asked if I would purchase you for Him with the dowry money we had saved up to arrange for his marriage. He's a good looking young man and kind. If the two of you get along, He would very much like to marry you, IF that is agreeable to you. We want you to be part of our family. He will never be allowed to divorce or abandon you. You will have the right to his marriage bed and can have as many children as you would like to surround you and care for you in your old age. You will always be part of our family even into your old age. You will always have plenty of food,  and your portion will never be reduced. You will be kept in good clothing and have an honored place in our family which can never be taken away. If something happens to my son and he dies, our family will care for you and one of our close relatives will even marry you if that is what you desire. Your children will be valued and viewed as equals and have an inheritance among our people for all generations. Your daughters and your grand-daughters and your great-grand-daughters will never be sold as prostitutes or mis-treated as you were. Your sons will have land and an inheritance and a future among our people and will never fall into debt slavery like the boys in other nations. All generations of your family will rise up and call you blessed because of the future you secured for them by accepting this marriage covenant here today. Take this cup of wine and drink from it if you are willing to accept this covenant and I will be a father to you and these promises will belong to you forever.

This young woman's purchaser turned out to be her Rescuer. He was her Redeemer, the one who sets things right. The price to purchase her out of slavery, has become the price of her redemption. He was her Savior. She wasn't purchased to be a slave, she was ransomed, rescued to become part of a family. What I have just written is an example of how the Old Covenant was meant to work. It is intended to demonstrate the mercy, compassion and care of God for those who have been walked all over and abused by this world. Every provision I detailed in that marriage covenant the Father offered is what the Bible teaches and required of Hebrew men. I just wanted to present it in a cohesive, easy to read manner. The only way they could legally purchase a woman from another nation off the auction block was to redeem and rescue her. God's law provided protection against human trafficking and provided hope and a way out for those trapped by it, and the death penalty for the traffickers. Rahab was a prostitute who was rescued out of Jericho when it fell. She was married into the tribe of Judah and her descendants were part of the nation of Israel. Her children did have an inheritance among God's people. Her son was Boaz, one of the most stand-up guys in the Bible. Her descendants also include King David and the entire line of Kings all the way to Jesus, Himself.

And that brings us to the point. While God, the Father, never abandoned us or sold us for money, ALL of us have been lured away from our heavenly Father by a smooth talking charmer called Satan. We have all ran away, gone astray. We have all been slaves to sin. But Jesus, God's only Son and heir, saw us in our humiliation, defeat and slavery. He paid the price, the ransom for our lives. He has already paid the price to redeem us from slavery and release us from the shackles and chains of sin. Those of us who have already accepted His covenant, collectively as the church, are his bride. Just like the man in this story, or just like Hosea who rescued a woman of prostitution and took her outside of the city to speak to her softly, proposing a new covenant of marriage, Jesus calls to us, in that still small voice through His Spirit, asking us to accept His covenant. Trust in Him. Ask for forgiveness for your sins. Accept the price of redemption He has already paid for you with His own life and choose to be part of His family. Just like Rahab, future generations of your family will be blessed because of your decision.

Hanukkah in Jerusalem, The Lighted City On A Hill

Jerusalem must have been a spectacular sight during the festival of lights, breathtaking to behold. I can only imagine what the city must have looked like during the Feast of Dedication--the highest city for miles around, situated on a hill, with each window having a Menorah burning away in it at night. When I see beautiful Christmas lights, I often think of Hanukkah and of the beauty of this city on a hill. Jesus said: You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. The church, spiritually IS Jerusalem. We are meant to shine like lights in the windows, illuminating the darkness all around.

Jesus, Himself was present for this special festival celebrating the cleansing and rededication of the temple and it is specifically mentioned in Scripture. 

Then the Festival of Dedication (Hanukkah) took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews surrounded him and asked "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them "I did tell you and you don't believe." -John 10:22-25

Many Jews look at Judah Maccabee, "the Hammer," as a type of savior for taking control of Judea from the Seleucid empire and cleansing the temple. They expected the Messiah to be a warrior like this who would free them from Roman rule, but Jesus' said His Kingdom is not of this current world. He compared Himself to a humble Shepherd in this incidence. I think it no coincidence that in the passage from John 10, the only time this festival is mentioned in Holy Scripture, Jesus asserts that HE is the Messiah, HE is the ultimate and final Savior, and they rejected Him and picked up rocks to try to stone Him to death. The truth is, we are all very lucky that Jesus did not come as a warrior. There will come a day when He will return in all of His glory to utterly and completely destroy his enemies, but we were ALL once one of those enemies.  The message the angels brought to the Shepherds on the night Jesus was born was a mission statement for the type of Messiah He would be:

Do not be afraid, for behold, I proclaim to you GOOD news of great joy that will be for all people. Today, in the city of David, a savior is born who is Christ (Messiah) the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Suddenly their was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest and on earth, Peace, GOOD will toward men. 

When God came to us in the form of a humble man, He chose to exercise grace. He had compassion on us and came offering salvation and to make us part of his heavenly kingdom. He did not come to save the Jews from Roman rule. He came to save all of us from our sins. He did not come as the savior they wanted, He came as the savior we all needed. If you have never accepted God's grace and welcomed Jesus as your Savior, I would encourage you to make that decision.

The fact that this festival celebrates the rededication of the temple after it had been desecrated is significant to me. Antiochus IV Epiphanes had set up an alter to Zeus, sacrificed pigs in the temple and made the temple vessels filthy and unclean. When they took control back and purified the vessels and cleansed the temple, there was only enough oil to light the sacred Menorah (a golden lampstand in the temple with 7 lamps) for one night, but it miraculously burned for 8 nights, giving them time to find more oil. This is why Jews now light the Menorah, though they light a 9 candle Menorah, instead of a 7  lamp Menorah. We, as Christians, are now God's Holy temple. He has cleansed us and rededicated us for His holy purposes. Now we are the vessels Jesus has made clean and fit for service. Have you been made clean?

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. -2 Timothy 2:21 

The lampstand in the temple held 7 lamps like the one pictured below. The oil which keeps them lit up represents the Holy Spirit. Our lights burn bright because He shines through us and is at work within us, with a never-ending supply of His Spirit. I like to think that part of our Christmas light tradition comes from Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. As we enter into this season, let us remember that we are meant to be the city on a hill. We are the lamps burning brightly with a supply of oil that never runs out. We are Jerusalem, the Teaching of Peace, the City of Peace, ruled by the Prince of Peace, Jesus.