The Common Denominator
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Written: 07/02/2008 
Author: Donald Frazier
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Golden Nuggets
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Why do we feel that we have to throw the baby out with the bathwater? Why is it that something old seems to only have value when it has the word “antique” preceding it? Why do many of our worship leaders believe you must choose between either/or in song selection? Can’t we still sing some “antique anthems” (hymns and Gospel songs) along with our contemporary praise choruses? Why have we developed such disdain for the songs of the previous generations?” How often do the worship leaders consider the first-time visitors when they plan their song selections? Who decided that “Faith of Our Fathers”, “A Mighty Fortress”, “Tell Me the Story of Jesus”, “At the Cross” or “He Is Lord” have become obsolete?
These are questions that resonate within me when I visit various churches across America. In almost any major radio market, you can find an “oldies” station that pumps out the hits of yesteryear. They have found their niche because they know audiences still want to hear songs they sang along with in the past. Too bad many of our worship leaders cannot seem to get this through their myopic perspectives. Great songs still minister to people whether they were written five minutes or five centuries ago.
I know I am not alone in wishing I could hear something I am remotely familiar with when I go to church. With the exponentially increasing number of “new/ original” songs available, it seems we quickly discard last month’s entries from the worship catalog. Many times, I have longed for a familiar refrain that I could sing along with in order to be an active worshipper instead of a passive member of the audience.
The Bible records approximately 300 directives for the Christian to sing. There is NO instance where we are told to “sing unto the people.” People are never our audience, unless we are simply giving a performance. If we are involved in Worship, then His imperatives were to “Sing unto the Lord.” These are commands that are hard for the committed Christian to ignore. However, I believe these instructions presupposed that we would, at least, recognize something on the song list. It was bad enough when every church had their own version of “This Is the Day.” Thankfully, all had some sense of continuity so the visitors could participate.
For hundreds of years there was a common denominator existing in the vast majority of churches. From the Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Nazarenes, to the Pentecostals you would usually find that the songs helped bridge the theological gaps and allowed you to worship with those not of your own denomination. Now, if most of us miss a Sunday at our local church, we fall behind on the “Contemporary Chorus Learning Curve.” I submit that somewhere in the caverns of the musical elitists, there has been written an Eleventh Commandment: “Thou Shalt Not Repeat Choruses So As To Make Them Considered Standards.”
This was followed quickly with the Commandment 11.5 Version Update stating, “There can never be anything remotely akin to collusion or collaborating with other churches whereby we all use some of the same choruses in our services. We may use the same Bible, but we MUST not sing the same songs.” How unfortunate for those of us that travel that we have found this to be the rule more than the exception. Churches seem to have arbitrarily ascribed a “shelf-life” to their repertoire of songs. It is not measured by time but by congregational familiarity. Case in point, when everyone can sing it without being dependant on the words, its time to shelve it and introduce another unfamiliar song.
There are seven verses (Psalm 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1, Isaiah 42:10) in the Old Testament (The Septuagint or Greek Version of the O.T. ) and two in the New Testament that use the term “New Song or New Hymn.” On the surface, these would seem to suggest that we must always be writing original, previously non-existent material for our worship services. As we will see from our Greek text, this IS NOT what the Holy Spirit implored through the Scriptures. God did not forbid writing original songs, but neither did He command it in any of these Bible references.
Let us look at just one verse since the others use the same contrasting Greek words. In Revelation 5:9 it states, “And they sung a new (Greek: kainos, Strong’s 2537, meaning ‘fresh, new in quality, different by nature,’) song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
This New Testament instruction involves newness in quality, not newness in time (Greek: neos, Strong’s 3501, meaning, ‘new in time, current, recent or young’). Neos is the word that would be used if you went to your car dealer and bought a “new” 2008 vehicle. Kainos is the Greek word that would describe your purchase of a “new” 2005 vehicle. The first car is new, as in “brand new” or recently made. The second car is new to the purchaser but is actually a “used” car. Being new to the purchaser, it is therefore new in quality, freshness or a different car, but not new in respect to origin or time.
It is this word kainos that is used in the New Testament to describe our worship songs to the Lord. Songs do not become obsolete if they carry the message of the Gospel. If the point needs to be proven just consider “Amazing Grace.” It is ancient but still quite effective. How many times has the great evangelist, Dr. Billy Graham, changed his invitation hymn? After more than fifty years of unparalleled ministry, he continues to utilize “Just As I Am” because it still moves respondents to surrender to Christ.
When Dr. Graham’s powerful message of the Gospel is preached, there is a sense of newness (kainos) to this song every time the massive crusade choir begins singing. Isn’t it phenomenal that people of all ages from teenagers to the elderly, are moved by a song written in the mid 1800s? This fact handily disputes the false notion that our music must be contemporary to reach this modern society. It doesn’t take contemporary music; it takes anointed music!
Whether music is contemporary or traditional is totally irrelevant. For every argument supporting the shelving of traditional songs and hymns, there is an equally effective counterpoint affirming that people STILL enjoy the “oldies” no matter what the genre. This same fallacy of musical obsolescence is what moved ministers some years ago to conclude that the Bible was no longer relevant. They began to change their messages from a Redemptive Gospel to a social gospel. The proof of that wisdom is evident to all.
Remember, God did not forbid us to write neos songs. He did, however, command us to sing kainos songs. How is this done? While using updated arrangements and chord structures can add a sense of “freshness” to the songs, I believe the real secret to singing the way God likes to hear you sing, is to sing from your grateful, devoted, passionate heart with the unmistakable anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Without the anointing of God, new songs or old songs are merely words set to music. His Spirit and His Presence can make all songs anthems of praise, glory and honor to Him: the One who sits on the Throne. When I attend Church this week, I want to hear some wonderful, powerful, heart-felt, familiar old, “new songs” sung with the accompaniment of the Holy Spirit. How about you? I would like to hear something that serves as a common denominator for all who are in attendance.
I think this may have been what Paul had in mind when he penned these two verses to the early Church leaders. In Ephesians 5:19 he said, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord...” In Colossians 3:16 he wrote, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” The Holy Spirit revealed to him what people needed to do and what God wanted to hear. We cannot improve on this instruction!
Keep digging in the Gold Mine of God’s Word to learn more about singing. Believe God’s Word today: you can’t go wrong by believing what’s right! There is more you can explore in this rich vein.
****A Personal Word to Our Readers from Dr. Frazier****
There are great insights to be derived from the study of the Greek New Testament. Each month I will endeavor to share a nugget of truth from the Book of Truth, God’s Eternal Word. These will be concise and should not intrude into your time or opportunity to explore the richness of the vein from which they were extracted. That is for you and the Holy Spirit to excavate together. These nuggets are just to let you know where to begin the digging, if you so desire. They are NOT designed to be an exhaustive commentary providing all the answers on the subject. The Spirit will guide you in how deep to dig. Please feel free to share your questions, observations or insights with our readers and me.
Website: http://www.donfrazier.com
Reader Comments
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How refreshing to read what I have espoused for years! Why does it seem there must be the either/or? Throw a bone to the old folks once in awhile by including a hymn, but usually the rhythm and chords are so altered as to make it difficult to sing, let alone harmonize. And yet when you find a church that sings hymns it's like stepping back in time 30 or 40 years. Seems to me a good worship leader should be able to meld the styles and not always have to be either stuck in time or all new. Thanks for the article!
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