part 2

More thoughts. And while they all tend one way, the conclusion tends the other.

We think "how sad" that hymns are considered in such low-esteem, and they think it is sad that these non-hymns are considered the same way by us. Is their culture truly wrong? Will we condemn many cultures? The big thing here, is that though they don't use hymns, they don't condemn them either. We do. We condemn everyone and anyone that is not like us. This is part of our fundamentalist nature. I understand being separate. But what are we being separate from? What is the "world"? Is it the Hispanic culture? We can't do that.

Yes, I understand that many chapels are not to be times of worship, but this man that I share an office with truly wants to worship God and encourage the kids to do so. Whether anyone else is, he is trying to worship.

I agree that hymns are sung with enthusiasm and that it ministers and edifies, but that also mimics our music preferences and that of those around us. Because the Hispanic culture, which is everywhere down here, is always more active and involved, our English old fashioned services may not in their minds provide ample opportunity to worship. This is what missionaries come back and tell us. They tell us that in adapting to the culture of the people things that are fine here are not there, and things that are not here are there. It is a part of the culture. America is not just English anymore, with the traditional services. Is God American? We know Hes not. Is this bad, to leave the traditional? I don't know. Of course we must be extremely careful when leaving, yet, it may be necessary to include other things. I'm not talking about a complete abandoning even on this narrow topic, but rather an inclusion of some other things.

We aren't Israel. We don't have the straightforward law to tell us how to worship. We have principles. Further, we aren't pulling from the Muslims, or Catholics, etc. This type of music I am speaking from is not a denominational difference as much as it is a cultural difference. Just being down south, I have heard things in independent fundamental baptist churches that I wouldn't hear up there. The social aspect of the south is integrated into the church. God doesn't say that in Jerusalem is the way we ought to worship. He says in spirit and in Truth. We have the southern aspect and then the cross-cultural aspect with the Hispanics.

Then we have the rock bands/culture. And here is the kicker for me. For some reason I wanted to hear/see the song again. So, I remembered the words to a song and a quick google search revealed several different youtube videos of the people who did the song singing it.

What I came up with is that I am far to ignorant about the other cultures, but after a tiny bit of discussion, I realized that what takes place in our chapel with these songs, is not cultural. It is something else. And, that something else I cannot agree with. Now, can I justify condemning it? Well...let's see.

The actions, atmosphere, and attitude (yes, three "a"s; good for me) of the people who "perform" these songs is not what we should be wanting or expecting. Rather, the actions are performance based. The atmosphere is that of the rock-and-roll world. This is an anti-christian world. If you wanted to argue that it is not "anti-" you still could not come to the solid conclusion that it is "pro-". If it is not strong Christianity, than we are conforming to the world, are we not? Are we to live apart from the world? We are not to be "of" the world. Is rock and roll of the world? I'm pretty sure. It is not of the church. It is not "of God." The attitude is not the attitude of solemn, holy, and reverent worship of almighty God. Rather, it is the attitude of a star.

Of course, there are obstacles.

Is all worship supposed to be done in solemnity? I think here, we must be extremely careful with the differences between joy and light-heartedness. The difference between celebrating God's greatness and forgetting God is holy and is only approached through Christ. In much of the music from chapel and the same type, even though the words may talk about God's holiness, that thought is not in mind during the song. We don't see evidence that the song is meant to actually consider God's holiness.

Can we say that Classical or Jazz or Country is "of God?" We would admit that music is "of God." Why is classical ok?

What is the reasoning behind the music appealing to the body over the soul? We know that different music does appeal differently. Do we find Scripture backing up the thought that one is wrong though? God knew that this music debate would come up. He knew that we would be discussing this. What parameters did he leave us with? Psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs. Singing and making *melody* in our hearts to the Lord. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Perhaps the emphasis could be on melody? If the beat outweighs the melody, then it should be avoided in the house of God?

Consider another fact. It is a fact that Godly people (generally the older generation) tend to have a problem with rock, rap, metal, etc. Why is this? Is it because they are old? Why is it that Christians who we would say are close to the Lord tend to shun those things?

I recently had a discussion with someone about the Bible issue. We were discussing the self-authentication characteristic and the comparison that I make is that the saints that look into the aspect and are not pushing away from the "rules" of the "old generation" tend to find this chapel music the wrong fit. I don't want to say "The more spiritual recognize that this is bad music." However, there is truth to the fact that those closer to God see their sin and those things that displease God much easier and clearer. Why should we be debating the music in our churches when we aren't doing our devotions regularly, or handing our tracts on a regular basis, or giving to the poor we drive by weekly, etc. Is our worship music really the big debate? I could say the same thing about all sorts of things we debate. Is it really worth discussing?

Well, YES! Let me clarify, that YES it is worth debating. The problem is, that we cannot often see clearly the issues on this stuff because we aren't even walking with God. It is like walking through the woods completely avoiding the path and then trying to argue with three other people in the woods about what to do about the tree in the way. The guy on the path sees that he can just step over it. The other guys think they need to chop it up, or go way around. (Bad analogy? Maybe.)

So, my conclusion as of now, is the same as it has been for years. That is basically that unless we have good and weighing reasons to abandon the standards and principles of our parents and grandparents and the saints before us, then we should instead uphold those. If in upholding those, we come to a place of oppressing the saints then it needs to be evaluated. For this discussion then, those genres that I listed several times should probably not be used in church, or to attempt worship. The logic, and reason behind this is not a simple verse, and bang you are done. Instead we have a long row of questions and complicated issues in order to try to arrive at a simple conclusion.

Compare this to the argument for wearing a suit to church. Why? Does the Bible say to? No. We say that we should wear our best into the house of God. People hear that and say "It doesn't matter. It shouldn't matter. God doesn't care about the clothes, but about our hearts." Yes, but we respond that it is not a rule. But for me, to enter the house of almighty, holy, God, I should shave, do my hair, and look my best. We do the same for any person of importance. We dress up for special occasions. Anyway, it is a matter of people with a heart attitude desiring to please God. We don't look down on people who don't wear a suit. We just try our best to do right and please God.

I got tons more to say, but blogging while I'm watching Numbers with my wife tends to take more time than I wanted to plan on blogging to begin with. Maybe later.

So much other stuff though...

I am tired of being where I am. I was in a meeting that made me think I wasn't sticking around much longer. Of course, the problem with the meeting was fixed soon after, but I hate being in that spot where it is so bad that that thought occurs to me. Of course, that is misunderstandings, and that is expected.

I talked to Joe. He's frustrated. He told me that we know that several of us all think that we should be doing something bigger, and since we all think that, maybe we should. It obviously isn't coincidence. It is preordained that we are where we are knowledge-wise, positionally, etc. We are all somewhere, and lots of us are wondering why we are where we are. We are wondering where we should go. We are wondering what to do. We don't know what to do, but we want to do more. Much more!! It drives me crazy. I want more than this. I don't know what it is I should do. I don't know what it is God wants for me. Yet, I feel the tug of discontentment. And I am content here. Grandma told me that God uses discontentment to get us to move. To prevent us from settling somewhere for longer than He wants. It was a good reminder.

Mike VK says we don't have time for degrees. He says we don't have time to teach the saints. He says our churches are too full of itching-ears and the wheat and the tares are too close that all we can do is preach. Indeed. I second that. But WHERE!?! I don't have a church. None of us do. What church would take us with our old-fashioned preaching, with our stand on God's sovereignty and man's wickedness, and our believe in the self-authenticating Scriptures? Are there people out there? I was asked that this weekend. I was asked if there are people left. We can't find them. I work at a "Christian" school, and I don't see a lot of Christ-likeness there. I see what I might see anywhere else. People are human. I am torn.

When we come to the end, will I stop going to church? Will I fear what man can do unto me? What will my daughter do? Will she be old enough to understand, or will it come too quickly? Do we have another 60 years where I might see my grandchildren? The state of the world, the country, and the church, and there is nothing worth saving. God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah for 10. 10! How many left does America have? Israel had thousands and yet the famine came. Israel had thousands and yet was rules by wicked leaders who cursed God. Israel was the chosen nation of God. We are heathen. lol, what are our chances? Will God spare America for 100? There have to be 100 true Christians, right? I mean, we should be able to count them if we really try. . .Can I count 100 Christians? I remember at a big family gathering -- don't remember which, but it was a big one -- we counted 80 people. 80. I wish that I could write with 100% certainty that they were all saved. In fact, I would say with most certainty, that apart from God's future working, we should assume some are not saved. That leaves us with -80. Start adding Christian friends from states far and wide, and you start to hope. You start to count families, and see another 5 there, and another 7 there. But, then you wonder -- can you really be sure about them all? Or just the ones you know? How many families seemed all saved and then one, two, or more abandoned the faith? 100. It doesn't seem like too much to ask for 100 souls that belong to Christ. What if we expand, maybe God would spare a state for 100, but the whole country? How about 100 families? 100 families dedicated to God. We know we aren't the only ones. If Elijah teaches us nothing else, it is that even when we feel alone, not only is God present, but God has a remnant. 100 families. Maybe. Maybe there are 100 families. Maybe they love God and will die for him. What about us? The questions isn't even so much do we love Christ? The question is, are we walking so close to Christ that when threatened with death and our families death we would not deny Him? The disciples failed. I don't know if we can do much better. How hard to turn from your family to die at the stake!

One of the saddest things I can ever remember reading was when a husband was going to the stake, his wife was crying and begging him to deny Christ. What could be worse for that man than to hear his wife abandon him during that time? Yes, it was sad and emotional, but when he did the right thing, one of the hardest things a man with a family could do, she begged him to sin.

Often, I have wondered if America would turn that way. I read some Nietzsche today. "Great Philosopher." lol. Supposedly, this stuff is can be so deep that it frustrated the faith of Christians. It was horrible stuff. It really was. But, this is what the world is reading regularly. This is why our scholars in seminary say that you can deny the virgin birth and go to Heaven. They say that God can die. Really. This is where America is. And I'm not talking about mainstream liberal democratic America. I'm talking about the theology of the scholars that teach almost every pastor standing in a pulpit. They are all wack. Currently, I am in direct opposition to degrees. I want nothing to do with them. Here, I see where Baptists went astray in the past. Baptists shunned the false teaching of higher learning. They found the heresy there to be more than they could bear and they exalted the unlearned minister. Ah, the fault there. Fault can be found everywhere.

I got off topic. 100 families. That's in America. Think of the rest of the world. I think that this is where I would hope to guess America is. I think from Elijah's point of view that I should be estimating way higher. From Abraham's point of view, I am too high. We see two individuals that estimated the number of saints. Both were off. And both had lessons to learn. Abraham arose and saw the smoke and PRAYED. Prayer still works. Prayer is what we need. And to remember that God is here. God is always here. But, what can we say/do? Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

35Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

"Even so come Lord Jesus. Amen."