These days, it seems that music is the most important element at the typical Sunday morning church gathering.   Don’t believe me?   Try this:  take your watch and time each element of the service:  announcements, singing, the message, prayer, etc.  The time alloted for singing at many churches is often the winner.  Usually, we give the most time to that which we consider the most important thing.

If we ask why music takes such a prominent role in our gatherings, one of the answers we are given is that non-christians like good music and it draws them to church.  If we want to reach them with the gospel (who doesn’t want to do this?) then we have to have a great band!  I disagree with this.  Non-christians do not come to our services because we have a great band.  They really don’t.   As a full-time musician, I can honestly say that the music in our church services is largely VERY unimpressive to the christian let alone the non-Christian.  Plus we don’t serve alcohol!

The great Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon himself, declared that Jesus Christ does not need a great worship band to reach the lost.   Well, he didn’t use those exact words.  But that is what he would say today.  Consider his argument: Read the rest of this entry →