The Vocal Coach - Dec 08
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Written: 12/01/2008 
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The Vocal Coach
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Sometimes I wonder just how much prayer and thought we, as Gospel Singers, put into what we sing, the way we write our songs and the way we sing them.
When I was teaching in the Music School, I often taught a workshop on just what Gospel Music really is. I would like to address that very subject this month, because I believe in order to sing the music right, you must have the right music, and you must know what Gospel music really is, according to the scripture. In order for the music to be right, it must be written by people who know what the music really means, and sung by singers who know the man that they are singing about. I'll grant that a song written by a person who knows the subject personally can be sung by any singer and others will receive the message. I believe the Bible tells us that "God will not let His word return void",
However, to be the most effective witness you can be, LIVE IT. The story,when sung by someone who lives it,always does the work that it was originally designed to do, and that is to win the hearts of men and women who are lost; to comfort the weary; and uplift the soul who is battling with some outside problem such as health issues, financial issues, or just general interference in their lives by satan and his minions.
What is music? Webster says: "The art of putting tones together in various melodies, rythms, and harmonies to form compositions for singing or playing on instruments".
That is the secular definition.
However, if we look into the Greek word used for music or singing in the Bible, we find that it is always used to mean "Praise To God". That particular Greek word is actually ADO.
There is another Greek word used for singing in the Bible and that is PSALLO. It literally means to sing " Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual songs,singing and making melody
IN YOUR HEART to the Lord". This quote comes from Ephesians 5:19. Note here that real music comes from THE HEART. This explains why genuine annointed Gospel music is music that comes from someone's heart who has experienced the subject.
Colossians 3:16 says: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdon; teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing ,WITH GRACE IN YOUR HEART , TO THE LORD."
What does this mean? It literally means that when you receive the grace of the Lord in your heart, the singing that you should be doing is what comes from your heart that has been cleansed, through Jesus blood, by the grace of God. Therefore the singing would necessarily be Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. All gospel singing should be a form of worship to God. Now I know that some of you think that we can have Gospel singing as entertainment. I believe that is possible, but the singer, even though he or she is very entertaining with their singing, will have to have something good (God) in his or her heart, in order to really fulfill the mission that God has set forth for us as Christians, and as a consequence of that, he or she will sing that good news in a blessed and anointed way. When done this way singing will minister to people in the way it is supposed to, even though it seems to be entertaining also at the time.
A. SINGING GOSPEL MUSIC IS IMPORTANT TO WORSHIP, AND MINISTRY , BECAUSE WE, AS the SCRIPTURE COLOSSIANS 3:16 SAYS:
- Speak to one another through it
- We admonish or build up one another through it.
- It brings melody from our heart (inner being), which builds up the individual singing as well as those listening.
- It helps "the word of Christ dwell in us with all wisdom".
(a) GOOD SONGS LIFT UP THE LORD! - We teach one another through music. Especially through music that is Bible based, and isn't necessarily promoting the latest fad in worship or ministry in the modern church.
Singing in the Bible was used to describe what different parts of God's creation do to acknowledge that God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent. He is in ,and He has created ,everything. Therefore, everything has someway to sing to and about God. The following scriptures acknowledge this fact. Notice that we as believers and redeemed have songs to sing to Him, For Him, and about Him. He places them in our hearts.
- Birds sing, Psalm 104:12
- Trees sing ,1 Chronicles 16:33
- Mountains sing, Isaiah 55:12
- Believers sing, Ephesians 5:19
- The Redeemed sing, Revelation 5:9
- Angels sing, Job 38:7
Occasions for singing in the Bible:
- Times of Victory , Exodus 15:1-21
- Revelry , Exodus 32:18
- Imprisonment, Acts 16:25
- Joy , James 5:13
- The Lord's Supper, Matthew 26:30
With all of this in mind, I believe that it behooves each one of us, who call ourselves Gospel Singers, to dedicate our selves daily to the mission that God has assigned to us. He has given us a talent, and He wants us to use it for Him. My prayer is every day, that God would use the talent that he has so generously given to me to minister to someone to see them come to a knowledge of His saving grace. I believe that is the prayer of each and every Gospel Singer that I know. May God richly bless each and every one of you that are spreading the Gospel by singing about our wonderful Lord. Whether it be on a local level, regional level, or a national level, God needs all of us to spread His word through the musical talents that he has bestowed upon us. May the Lord Bless You Real Good.
I pray that each and everyone of you will have a blessed Christmas season.
I will have more next month on this topic. Please stop by and take a look at the column in January. I have just scratched the surface here, and will be going into more detail in the coming months.
Remember: Psalm 118:6 "The Lord is on my side" He is on your side too.
In Christian Love
Bill Baize
Reader Comments
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Great article, Bill. I remember interviewing you about this very subject once in 1978 when I was a teenage wannabe music writer, and you were the minister of music at the Lord's Chapel in Nashville. You said the same things about gospel music being a ministry first and foremost. Thirty years later, I still say, "Amen!"Chris J. Becker
Cedar Rapids, IA
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