Over the past couple of years I remember hearing people talk about popular pastors in quite a negative way. And one argument I have heard raised against them is this: "They may seem powerful face to face or have a powerful tone, but if you were to turn their messages into a manuscript you'd see just how powerless their words actually are. The bare words are shallow and meaningless, just like their ministry."
I could take this quote and spend time discussing a number of different topics, and I will make an application of this concerning music later on, but I want to focus this portion of this blog on the topic of "presentation matters." I heard a quote once, I do not remember by whom, that said something to the effect of "People don't retain what you say. They retain what you are passionate about." Context really does matter. And many people think of context only as if it applies to the context of the Scripture passages. However, context within a message, whether formal or informal, does not end with the historical/grammatical framework. It broadens to encompass not just the message, but also the messenger.
Let's say you are approached by a friend. He comes to you as though he is on a relaxing stroll through the park. His hands fill his pockets and his eyes are half shut as though he just woke up from a nap. After yawning he quietly states that he has something important to tell you that will change your life. Would you find him to be serious? Would you be prone to hang on to the gravity of his message from beginning to end?
Now lets say the same friend approaches you like you were the finish line in a marathon. Sweat is dripping off of the end of his nose, and he is speaking in a rushed and voluminous manner, saying he has something important to tell you that will change your life. Would you listen intently to his message from beginning to end?
In either case, we are prone to mirror the passion of the messenger. The presentation of the message is not just a sham or a theatrical production. It is the picture of what the Gospel has done to that messenger. If the preacher hasn't gotten much from the Gospel, then the people will not get much from the preacher. That preacher who is expressive, excited, and loud because of Christ may not say anything more profound than a 9 year old, but his presentation of the Gospel reveals a profound work on his life that is worth more to him and his congregation than literary profundities wrapped in a stiff, starchy suit. PRESENTATION MATTERS.
This is not to say we can only muster a passion for the Gospel if those around us are passionate about the Gospel. But this includes a discussion of how we read our bibles. Do we read it as a stale, starchy documentation of historical events and antique ethics that is to somehow have an impact on our lives today? Do we treat it as a daily devotional book that is supposed to leave us a nugget each day? Do we treat it as "basic instructions before leaving earth" - that it gives us a means of making life work until we die? All of these responses to the Bible focus on US. But the Bible is something that is focused on Christ and His finished work. It not only establishes the knowledge of a Theos and some specific facts about Him, but it goes on to show how He relates to us and how we relate to Him - both through Jesus Christ. Do we see the great Messenger in the message? Do we get His point? Or do we just try to take away something that is supposed to make our life come together and make us feel better about ourselves and our spiritual life? If so, we miss the Messenger, His passion, and His Gospel. Finding the passionate Messenger in our personal scripture reading comes much down to how we read. He is there, but most of the time we miss Him because we avoid Him altogether in the process of seeking a better self-image.
Concerning music, I tie this together with the above in response to another quote I heard a while back from a popular name in his equally popular discipleship series. He said something to the effect of, "They may have impressive poetic form and an artistic use of words, maybe even rich theological content, but the song is not Spirit led because of the wordly compromise of the music." In my opinion, this is a perfect example of pharisaical judgmentalism. But that is off subject. My point is, poetry, artistry, theology, and good music should make their way into every song we sing because PRESENTATION MATTERS. Much of our music is like the stiff, starchy preaching that we've all seen in the pulpit. Zero passion is downloaded from the song to our lives. Many hymns, though theologically rich, are probably the products of writers who have not been energized by the Spirit. Not because they are not theologically accurate, but because they do not imitate the passion of the Gospel in their presentation of the message. I cannot judge specifically, just like I cannot look at a preacher and say for sure whether or not he is filled with the Spirit. But my point is, music can do just as much justice or injustice to the message of the Gospel as a preacher can do with his presentation. Pastors need to be careful to preach with passion just as much as congregations need to sing with passion as well as pick songs that have presentations that agree with the passion of the message. And we cannot confuse a contemporary style with the influence of the world. It may just be something that is more passionate and artisitic than we are used to. And we should get used to it. Be careful not to judge the heart of the song-writer on either end of the stylistic spectrum, but be careful to choose music that actually PRESENTS the Gospel, rather than just saying it with words, because PRESENTATION MATTERS.