Musos and reading
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
I am still getting some responses back from the last post so I should be able to put up some thoughts by Friday.
I've been reading through a series of posts Bob Kauflin wrote in January last year about Christian musicians and why they don't read theological books. He said that in his experience musos don't read many christian books as a general rule. He then explains several reasons why he thinks this is the case. His reasons are:
1. We don't understand the purpose of theology
2. Studying theology is harder than learning a new riff
3. Learning theology takes time
4. We think we can know God better through music
You can look them up here and read more.
One thing I'd like to point out and expand is why Christian musicians should read more theological books.
The musicians and singers at church lead the congregation in magnifying God's name and his glory together as a people. We are the ones who choose which songs best fulfill that role and which ones don't. We arrange the music depending on what we are wanting to teach the congregation about God and how their affections should be ignited towards him.
Too often the musos in church are the guys who want nothing to do with deep thinking. They are the shallow, touchy-feely people who sit through the sermon thinking about the awesome arrangement they have put to the next song. They love vibe over truth. They enjoy the feeling of a good set but miss the cut of a faithful sermon. They love the idea of God because the idea fills them with a sense of mystery and love and awe but if you start talking to them about doctrine they yawn. This is all of course a generalisation.
First and foremost, Christian musos (or Cruisos) should be people who love God's word. It should be God's revelation to them that inspires them to praise him.
If I spent all of my married life telling my wife I loved her - I loved her so much that I just had to sing - all my days the only relation I have with my wife is to sing to her about how great she is, but I never spend any time getting to know her, then whats the point! How much do I really love her? Perhaps I just love singing about her.
Cruisos should want to sing because they have a passion for God's word. I wish more guys came to me and said 'I have been reading ... in the Bible and it has made me feel overcome with a passion for God's glory. I'm so keen to sing to him with his people tonight!'
And if Cruisos are people that are passionate about God's word then their next greatest passion should be those things that help them read it better - those things that help them get to know Christ better. If I loved my wife then I would do anything I could to get to know her more. And if I love Jesus the way that so many songs I sing say I love him, then I will be doing all I can to know him better.
That's part of the reason why I revamped this blog. I want it to be resource for musos not just to help them think about music, but rather to help them think more about Jesus. I pray for a music team that exists for God's glory above all things. I pray for a music team that love to read God's word and love to read those books that help them see him better.
Posted byDan at 10:32 PM
Cruisos = Vunny
good post. amen.
Vunny - Vilarious
I just thought I'd share something Dan:
Your infectious love of learning has infected me. I saw, through your talks at youth, that you loved learning about Jesus, loved nutting out the hardest stuff, loved learning about the heroes of the faith who have paved our path, and loved growing.
And your enthusiasm has made me share your love. Thanks!
So be encouraged, and keep up your philo-sophy (love of - knowledge).
Andrew