“Down with your fine music and your pomp…!”
“Down with your fine music and your pomp and your robes and your garments and all your ceremonials. But up, up, up with the doctrine of the naked cross and the expiring Savior!” —C. H. Spurgeon
I sometimes get hung up on the fact that music in contemporary churches is a variation on “Kumbaya” with some dilute, ultra-mellow guitars and/or keyboards—give me hymns! Give me four-part choral harmony, hymnals, organs, brass, the works! But I’m humbled by comments from even Spurgeon, who reminds us that it’s not about the music at all, anyway.
No Responses to ““Down with your fine music and your pomp…!””
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BJ Says:
March 5th, 2006 at 14:47:04I would have to say that I completely agree. Even though I can get caught up in the pomp of ceremony it is the “meaty” hymns of old that drip with doctrine. My soul needs music, but my mind needs the meat on which to gnaw. Thanks to Spurgeon for helping us get our perspectives aligned.
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Jacob Says:
March 7th, 2006 at 10:35:48I have had a big problem with the church that I grew up in for several years. When we
would go on youth retreats we would bring along the band. Thats all well and good until they play
horrible music for hours and many times the same song over and over. Then our church made the decision
to remodel the pulpit to accommodate the orchestra and the youth band. Needless to say I now hate
going to sunday service to listen to orchestra and a terrible band play. For the most part I like music
but not when it interferes with me worshiping God. -
Michael Says:
March 7th, 2006 at 11:45:40That’s a shame to hear, and I understand. Music is very powerful; it is an integral part both of experience and of worship. When something interferes with that, we feel it more than if we had been slapped in the face.
*(I haven’t forgotten your email; only swamped around here lately!)
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Jacob Says:
March 7th, 2006 at 12:57:18And slapped in the face is a great analogy.
No hurry on the e-mail. I know that swamped feeling.
March 5th, 2006 at 14:47:04
I would have to say that I completely agree. Even though I can get caught up in the pomp of ceremony it is the “meaty” hymns of old that drip with doctrine. My soul needs music, but my mind needs the meat on which to gnaw. Thanks to Spurgeon for helping us get our perspectives aligned.
March 7th, 2006 at 10:35:48
I have had a big problem with the church that I grew up in for several years. When we
would go on youth retreats we would bring along the band. Thats all well and good until they play
horrible music for hours and many times the same song over and over. Then our church made the decision
to remodel the pulpit to accommodate the orchestra and the youth band. Needless to say I now hate
going to sunday service to listen to orchestra and a terrible band play. For the most part I like music
but not when it interferes with me worshiping God.
March 7th, 2006 at 11:45:40
That’s a shame to hear, and I understand. Music is very powerful; it is an integral part both of experience and of worship. When something interferes with that, we feel it more than if we had been slapped in the face.
*(I haven’t forgotten your email; only swamped around here lately!)
March 7th, 2006 at 12:57:18
And slapped in the face is a great analogy.
No hurry on the e-mail. I know that swamped feeling.