Music

The reigning theme of all creation and redemptive history is that of the true worship of God. The word worship encompasses at its core the verbal idea of ascribing worth to the object of one's adoration, and since it is God who created the heavens and the earth and the seas and the springs of waters, He alone must be worshipped by His creatures. We find that God's purposes of speaking creation into existence are found in Himself, that is, He made creation for His own pleasure and self-glorification. Therefore, the heavens continually recount the glory of God and His worthiness to be praised, and as a part of God's creation, man himself was created to worship God and enjoy Him forever.

It is our desire, at Pilgrim Bible Church, to uphold a ministry of music that is most pleasing to the Lord our God. The subject of music in worship has been a very challenging one in recent years. However, we do believe that there are some very clear principles in Scripture that inform us concerning the place and importance of music in worship.

Men are not free to worship God as they see fit, rather they must ascribe to God His worth according to God's divinely revealed means. When the saints of God gather they are to give attention to the priorities of worship found in the teaching of the Word of God, fellowship, the breaking of bread, prayer and the singing of His praises. Regarding this last component of worship, God's people are clearly commanded to speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts towards God.

The corporate worship service is directed by the Lord Jesus Christ, by means of the sacred Scriptures as they are illuminated by the Holy Spirit and taught by those men who have been called to teach God's people. We believe that the role of the worship leader is a very important one. The worship leader's responsibility is to direct the congregation in the matters of teaching, exhortation, the pedagogy of sound hymnody, scripture readings and any other aspects of corporate worship that revolve around the proclamation of God's Word through the singing of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. We find clear examples of such worship leadership in the book of Psalms.

It is seen in the examples of worship from the Old Testament that it was the responsibility of the director of music or choirmaster to provide leadership, exhortation and direction for the people of God in the matter of corporate worship. Such a ministry was, and is, a remarkably important one that requires the servant of God to direct and teach the congregation in a kind of para-pulpit ministry, administering the Scriptures and directing the people of God in song throughout the worship services. As he leads the body in worship, his goal must be to uphold the true object, essence and priority of worship.

The centerpiece of our worship is always the Lord our God. He is our audience whom we seek to please. What we do as the corporate assembly, we do not for our pleasure, but for His. It is our continued prayer that the Lord would continue to leas us in Christ centered worship that draws our attention clearly on the Savior and no one else.

Soli Deo gloria

Scott Rogers, Worship Leader