Some Thoughts about music in the church from Dr. Bill Blount

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:19

It is quite interesting to realize that music in the church has for centuries been a source of both argument and great blessing. In one period of time it was considered absolutely wrong for open congregational singing because you could have women singing openly and women were after all to remain silent. There was also a time when it was thought completely improper for open congregational singing because it would allow for the possibility of both saved and unsaved to sing together which would be an unscriptural yoke. Other times allowed for only the trained qualified singers to be allowed to sing.

We know that John and Charles Wesley were not Baptists but as we trace some periods of their lives we find that they were Missionaries before they were by their own words really born again. In time as they grew in the Lord they were responsible for the beginning of the use of Hymns and Hymn books the way that we use them today. In their mission work trying to reach the thousands of their own Englishmen who were of a totally different class system they came under great criticism. Their whole society was locked into a class system that made this something that was not thought of as a good thing to do. But they were greatly burdened with reaching these lost souls. Many of these “peasants” had very hard lives where they worked very hard for very little at mostly menial jobs. There were thousands of them who worked in the coal mines. Coal mining has always been a dangerous matter but in that day it was unbelievably dangerous. Very few of these peasants could read or write. The Wesley’s found that they were able to reach many of them with the gospel of Christ and they did. As they began to see the numbers of these peasants grow, they faced many problem. One was the fact that they were not welcomed into the higher societal churches of England so they very soon began to meet at other places which started other churches. This was not completely legal by some reasoning under their system of government which sometimes caused problems. There was another problem they faced that was huge. However, this problem ended up producing something that had not been done. This was the problem of teaching these new converts bible doctrine. They could not read or write so this presented a real challenge. After all, the great commission from our Lord said “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you”. The solution to this problem was solved by the Wesley’s by the writing of hymns. During his life Charles wrote over 9000 hymns. Sometimes tunes that were already known from some other source could be used but new words would be written that would through the verses teach key bible doctrines. Sometimes he would need to originate new tunes to go with these bible doctrinal words. What a truly wonderful thing. These new unlearned peasants who could neither read nor write could very easily be taught to sing a song. As they learned these songs they were also learning a new precious bible doctrine that now could bring new joy and peace and proper scriptural growth to their new born again hearts. Some of these illiterate people became some of the strongest stalwarts of Christian example the world has ever known. I know that we are not trying to become Methodist and we know why we are Baptists, but I must say, Oh that God would impress upon our hearts today the same kind of Spirit led motivation in choosing and using the music in our services.

“Preaching The Glorious Gospel Of Christ And Making Melody Along The Way”