The Baby and the Bathwater

Led Zeppelin is one of my favorite bands.  Particularly the first four albums.  The music is memorable and historically significant.  My listening and study of their music has taught me a lot about guitar playing, instrumentation, arranging, and recording techniques.  In fact, if you know where to look on YouTube, you can find a video of me performing a solo euphonium arrangement of Stairway to Heaven at my college senior recital!

This band is also known for being pioneers in the “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll” landscape.  And their main creator, Jimmy Page, was a heroin addict who became quite obsessed with demonic activities of the occult.  

I’ve pondered over the years my interest in their music.  Is it appropriate?  Is it dangerous to my faith? Does it undermine my credibility or integrity? 

To not throw the baby out with the bathwater, I’ve come to a point of feeling comfortable separating the music from the music-makers.  Both in my personal listening and for the music I am responsible for in our church. 

THE BABY

As we consider the unique songs we sing week-to-week in our church, I evaluate each song on its own merits.  Not the merits of the songwriters, publishing company, or the pastor who leads the church this song came from.  But simply the musical and lyrical content of the song itself.

I actually have a rubric that I created years ago that I use.  Sometimes I use it formally and fill it out as I listen, other times it’s done internally.  But I ask this set of questions about the songs being considered for our times of worship:

Theological

1.       Are these lyrics true only of our Triune God?

2.       What are the scripture passages that this song draws upon?

3.       Does this song represent a necessary aspect of the Christian experience?

4.       Is there theological substance to this song that grows our understanding of God?

5.       Is there a relational nature to this song of God’s call and our response?

6.       Does this song rehearse the Story of God?

Lyrical

1.       Are the lyrics able to be understood while simultaneously being sung?

2.       Does the imagery of the song bring clarity rather than confusion?

3.       Do the different sections of the song work together logically and biblically?

4.       Is the message of the lyrics reflected in the overall tone of the music?

5.       Do the lyrics generally fit modern vernacular?

Musical

1.       Is the vocal range of this song singable by a congregation?

2.       Is the melody memorable?

3.       Is the harmony compelling?

4.       Is the rhythm interesting?

5.       Does this music allow volunteers to use their gifting to support the music?

6.       Is the music representative of who we are and who we want to reach as a church? 

And frankly, that is all for which I feel responsible.  The scope of trying to evaluate the morality or ethics of the composers, songwriters, or publishing entities is just beyond what I could or should do. 

The Bathwater

The lives of great songwriters and hymnwriters are soaked in sin. 

Then again, so is mine. 

And so is yours. 

To attempt to purify our artistic consumption with a standard of holiness of its source would leave very little in the way of art to experience.  In fact, to play that line of reasoning out to its logical conclusion would be to listen to no music, read no books, watch no movies. 

One of the critiques of allowing the music of certain artists into our worship services is that this may lead people to seek out other music and become “lead astray” by questionable theological practices of their larger church organization.  And I can empathize with that.  Especially when these artists are still alive and ministries are still active.  But these artists are not singing in our church on Sunday, nor is their pastor doing the preaching.  Which is why the songs can be evaluated separately from the artist. 

Nor can I control what you seek out when you leave the church service.  You are a thinking being who, if you are a Christian, has access to the Holy Spirit and Christian Community to guide and guard what you assimilate into your life of faith.  And I think that the LORD is gracious enough to keep our faith from being shaken by exposure to a single song or artist. 

PERSONAL NOTE

All of the above reasoning is what and how I apply discernment to selecting songs for our church to sing.  But, I listen to music on my own for my own enjoyment.  Do these principles carry any bearing there?

Yes, but this becomes far more about personal preference and personal convictions.  Personally, I can listen to a song that references or even celebrates something sinful without 1) condoning that sin and 2) without feeling compelled to participate in that sin.  I may choose not to listen to some of that music because that subject matter is offensive or distasteful to me.  But that is my own personal preference and conviction.  

For some of you, the Holy Spirit will guide your line to a different place than mine.  And I think we can land in different places while still being faithful to scripture and obedient to the LORD. 

So, this is my way of attempting to not throw the musical baby out with the songwriter’s bathwater.