Yo! For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
[The following comes from Jim Watkins, worship leader and writer for REV magazine.]

Churches may sing “we are one in the bond of love,” but there are definite divisions in the body of Christ about music: hymns vs. choruses, traditional vs. blended, choir vs. worship team, hymnals vs. video projector, organ vs. Band.

So pity the pastor or music director who has to select music for worship! It’s easy to feel like a referee at a WWE Wrestling match. Fortunately, the church of god has survived centuries of “worship wars.” Critics of contemporary church music have complained as loudly as a 300-pipe organ with all the stops pulled out. Maybe you’ve heard one or more of these complaints:

“Guitars have no place in worship services!” That complaint was first voiced in 200 when instrumental music was banned in most churches due to it’s association with, and I quote, “debauchery and immorality.” Lyres were considered pagan and associated with prostitution. And everyone knows that sex and drugs lead to rock ‘n’ roll!

“I don’t like all those new praises choruses!” Ambrose of Milan (339-397) first introduced hymns with metrical stanzas, which were often sung while marching. He’s often referred to as the father of hymnody. Until the 300s almost all church music consisted of Psalms chanted with a cantor voicing a line and the congregation repeating it—sort of like today’s rap music without the electronic drums and the #*+@&%@! Lyrics.

“I can’t hear the words over the music!” Congregational singing itself was a radical departure from tradition. From Solomon’s temple (950 B.C) to the Gothic cathedrals of the 1300s, music was left to trained professionals. Ordinary people could only participate in worship with responsive readings and, of course, the offering. And as music became more complex and sophisticated, John Wycliffe (1324-1384) complained, “No one can hear the words, and all the others are dumb and watch them like fools.”

“That music doesn’t belong in the church!” During the 1600s many of the more liturgical churches began using the organ as a part of worship, often as a solo instrument rather than accompanying singing. Reformed churches, of course, fought against this “worldly” instrument. Isaac Watts (1674-1748) crated a stir by freely paraphrasing Scripture in his “manmade” hymns. Charles Wesley, song leader for the John Wesley Evangelistic Association during the late 1700s, took English pub tunes and added Christian lyrics, many paraphrased from the Church of England’s Prayer Book. Did you know you can sing “100 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” to the tune of “O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing”? Just a coincidence? I don’t think so! William booth (1829-1912), who founded the Salvation Army and dared to use brass bands in the streets, responded to critics with “Why should the devil have all the best music?” Booth was probably inspired by the worship band found in Psalm 150.

So for over 2000 years, those endowed with the “gift of criticism” have complained about music in the church. My guess is that the sour notes will continue until George Beverly Shea records The Best of Relient k.