On Church Music and Loving One Another

Church music has always been a point of contention in local churches. Worship wars have raged for centuries. You can go back and read about when many churches fought about putting organs in their worship services because they were too contemporary, used in bars, and an instrument of the devil! For centuries, people have pushed for newer music in church services, even fought amongst themselves about it, to “bring in younger people.” In their plight, previous generations feel lost and as though they are not cared for. I am blessed to be part of a church family that is not fighting about music. I don’t think I would write this if there were a current controversy raging. I do fear, in large part, that many churches’ overemphasis on type of music actually perpetuates our immaturity in Christ. Consider James’s words to the early church:

1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members?

2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

The organized church in large part today makes the church service about filling people’s pleasures through musical genre. When churches make the musical preferences of people their goal, those churches begin facilitating conflict, which always results from people trying to fulfill their own desires. Scripture always calls us to selfless living. Since we are a local church and not a concert hall, we want to follow Jesus, not the trends of society.

Ultimately as the pastor of ASBC, this is why I work hard not to try making the church in my image according to my own preferences. Instead, I try to personally model what it means to be a living sacrifice, put others first, and raise others up. I hope that is the goal of every member.

Church music is important. The goal of church music is not to draw people in. The Holy Spirit has enough authority and power to do that. The goal isn’t to entertain. It isn’t to make a service more palatable for one generation or another. We hope people are present because they love Jesus and one another, not because the music is good. In fact, a liturgy with church music in it is not prescribed anywhere in Scripture for the church gathering. In the West, music has become more important to us than Christ. It is our idol, and that becomes painfully apparent when we observe many churches in our time. Love for music has replaced our love for Christ and one another.

At ASBC, we want people to love Christ and one another, not losing sight of the things that actually matter. I’m not claiming it is wrong to have skilled professionals leading church music. I am claiming that if music style or skill is our contention in the church, we need to look a little higher. Christ has saved us, not a melody.

Consider Ephesians 5:15-21

15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;

21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

There is a difference between unwise and wise living. The unwise get drunk with wine. They fill their own appetites and pleasures so they care not about living a worthwhile life. Those who are wise are filled with the Holy Spirit. When they are filled with the Holy Spirit, they speak to one another in songs, hymns, and spiritual songs—making melody with their hearts to the Lord. This melody is filled with thanksgiving. When we are filled with the Spirit, we are also subject to one another in the fear of Christ. In essence, when we really live in relationship with Jesus and have the Spirit, we care less about filling our own preferences and more about considering others more important than ourselves. Proper praise to one another and to God isn’t then what leads us into sincere worship but the outpouring of sincere worship in our lives. At that point all genres and generational divides break down because our gathering has become about glorifying God and edifying others rather than filling our near-sighted musical preferences.

We got to talk about some of this at our music and media ministry meeting yesterday. At ASBC, our goal is not to be the most contemporary or traditional. We have multiple generations, and we already try to have a good mix of songs, contemporary and traditional, that are led to the best of our ability. We recognize that music is an outpouring of praise, not a performance. This year, we are taking one step to better glorify God and edify one another. Along with our usual rotation of song leaders, we are opening the door for youth and adults who desire to sing to join the song leader on stage to be part of our praise team.

We have also invited our children to sing more. Every so often, we will also have youth led worship services.

I am excited about 2026 as we grow closer with Christ, grow more mature in the faith He has given, and continue to grow in our ability to edify one another—especially in the context of the gathering on Sunday mornings.

I pray you are blessed this week. See you soon.