Presentation 5
How can we apply the principles of Biblical
music-making to Christian worship in the cultures in which we live or
work?

Purpose:
for
students to consider their own cultural musical styles; what types of
songs are sung in their home cultures; and how they might encourage
congregations (in their own culture or in other places they may
serve) to sing with understanding from their hearts as they worship
the Lord

Open w/ several examples of indigenous Christian music
around world

1. PNG –
   Korafe/The Light of the World is Coming (Cairn2014)

2. Pakistan
   Psalm 8 (Cairn2014)

3. Mongolia/Psalm
   117 (Cairn2014)

4. Senufo/Nyarafolo
   (Cairn2016)

5. what do
   these have in common? Singing 1) in mother-tongue 2) music of heart

1. Introduction

What language
will be spoken in heaven? Rev 7:9-10 All languages!

God gave the
peoples of the world:

• languages

• can be used
  to express good or bad

• beautifully
  created w structure

• Jesus is the
  Word of God

• God speaks
  to us in words

• how do we
  see structure in language?

• music –
  another form of language

• can be used
  to express good or bad

• beautifully
  created w structure

• God-designed
  acoustic foundation

• how do we
  see structure in music?

Each music
style unique (just as the language)

Did you think
PNG music is from Africa?

Language you
grew up with = heart
language

• You can
  express deep emotions w/ those words

Music you grew
up with = heart
music (speaks
to you most deeply)

• Music has
  1^st of all an emotional appeal

• Church needs
  music that directs our emotions to the Lord

Ps 30:11,12 You turned my wailing into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.

Lord my God, I will praise you forever.

God gave the
peoples of the world their various cultures. & recognizes them
Rev 7:9-10

• People are
  made in God’s image – but are rebellious

• Cultures
  reflect various aspect of the glory of God – but are rebellious,
  idolatrous

So, we must be
careful that we are worshipping God in music making.

2. Music and meaning

Music has two
levels of meaning

• text/words

• tune

they must
agree

Sing “Hanoyen
Rre….”
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord

Music (without words) also has strong cultural
­­­­­­­­­­­associations.

Many problems arise b/c of the association we have w/ a certain type
of music

Jamaican ”reggae”

Do you know of
any examples of this in your cultures?

3. Each culture has different types of songs to
be sung for a variety of activities

When do people
sing in your culture?

• wedding

• birth

• work
  (planting, hoeing, harvest, house-building, fishing, etc)

• lullaby

• love

• recount
  history

• proverbs

• war &
  victory

• death

Music is
present at most of the important life events – birth, marriage,
death

Certain styles
of music for certain events:

• Music for
  each of these events is not the same

• You wouldn’t
  sing a birth song while hoeing, would you?

4. Inventory of students’ vernacular musical
styles

What language
groups are represented here? (gather in groups)

What are the
names of the different types of songs people sing in your
culture?
When are these songs sung?

For 5-10
minutes, list as many song types in your culture that you know of.

Make master
list.

5. What styles of song are sung in your churches
in your home area?

Ask if anyone
wants to sing one

6. Think about your vernacular song styles; can
any be used in worship?

Are any of
these song styles being used in worship in your area?

Which of these
song styles could be used in worship?

Why or why
not?

Discussions
abt new vs old music aren’t new…

This “new
music,” he said, “is promoting the moral degeneracy of our
adolescents.” –Plato, Greek philosopher, b. about 428 BC

7. Read BurkinaFaso Ex in Resources & Watch
Brian Schrag “The Love Choir”

ask for
comments/discussion