when polyphonic was EVIL!

There was a day worship music was a chant. Monophonic voices, without harmony and often without accompaniment. It was believed harmony was evil.

The chants were eventually incorporated into polyphonic music and over time, entirely new polyphonic compositions took center stage.

Music has always been a key component in worship and church life. In our life time we have gone from piano and organ to drums and electric guitars, from hymns in hymnals to brand new songs on screens, from suited ministers of music to untucked worship leaders. ;-)

I even served a fellowship where the pastor said the true worship of a believer is how he/she lives, not in the type of music he/she sings. I'm sure we woud all agree. But then he said we were starting a second service and the early service would offer traditional hymns and the late service would offer contemporary music with drums and guitars. How funny is that?!?

Pastor Dave said yesterday, "love is as love does." In like fashion, "worship is as worship does." Worship is giving something or someone worth and value. At the risk of sounding heretical, we "worship" those we love when we respect, honor and serve them over something or someone else.

And our worship of God is the same - we give Him worth and value and presence in our lives when we live the Christ-life, when we live according to the "praxis" of love we read 1 Corinthians 13 ... we worship Him.

There was a day when "Amazing Grace" - a traditional hymn in virtually every hymnal - was a NEW song. The first time it was sung by a minister of music, people in the pews sat and listened because they didn't know the melody and they didn't know the words and they weren't sure if they were going to like the song.

As the love song of your life is played, as you live your song of humility to THE Audience of One, remember there are listeners hearing your rendition of "Amazing Grace" (maybe for the first time, maybe for the 100th time). They may be unfamiliar with the melody, uncertain of the words, and they may even be trying to decide if they are going to like the song.

Worship is as worship does ... on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays ... every moment of every day. So play on!