Churches, the Last Frontier for Race Relations – Part 3

Let’s say that we finally solve all the problems of race relations in the church.  Everyone feels completely comfortable with each other.  There are equal representations of black, white, Hispanic, and Asians.  Socio-economic classes and ethnic cultures do not divide us but unite us.  What songs shall we sing to celebrate the great work of Christ to bring every tongue and tribe together?  And how shall we sing those songs?

Music defines cultures and people groups.  Jamaicans have Reggae, Latinos have Salsa, and Americans have Rock and Roll.  What is music?  It’s a language that we all know.  It is beauty made audible.  It’s the heart reaching to the mind.  It is heaven’s gift to mankind.  We cannot escape music, for it plays in the background of our lives.  I heard a professional opera singer tell me that singing is nothing but sustained speech.  Singing makes music communicable.  Yet part of the paradox in the uniformity of music is its diversity of voices.  We each have our own voice, and we all want to be heard.  If the church of Jesus Christ is to ever be a place where race meets grace, then this paradox of unity within diversity must coexist and coalesce, there is no either or. 

Churches split over this very issue.  What style of music speaks to the broadest group of people?  This issue becomes especially difficult if your congregation represents many cultures.  Do we allow drum, clapping, and self expression and sacrifice the comfort of some of the congregation’s members?  African Americans don’t feel comfortable in an all white PCA praise and worship service because everyone seems so subdued and fears spontaneity.  White Americans feel uncomfortable in multi ethnic PCA churches because there isn’t a sense of order, structure, and consistency of theme within praise and worship services.  And both white and black Americans feel uncomfortable in a Korean PCA church where everyone is singing in another language!  What is the ultimate answer to put all worries to rest when it comes to race relations and church music?  Do we have to give up our cultural musical heritage in order to sing next to someone who looks different than me?

First let me say that the object of our worship (God) does not have a preference of worship style, as long as it is directed to Him and brings His Son, Jesus Christ glory.  Scripture teaches us that Jesus is highly exalted above all things.  Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  We would do well to exalt Jesus as Lord in our praise and worship services and invite others to do the same.  When it comes to the proper style of music in a worship service, the exaltation of Christ should guide our focus with the utmost humility.  I must say it again; the exaltation of Jesus Christ should guide our focus with the utmost humility. 

Worship is not about us, for we are the worshipers.  Worship is about God.  We sing to God for God’s glory and our enjoyment.  How do we do this?  Well, I believe we must do it with a heart of love…and not just any kind of love, but Christ’s love working in us.  Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”  Loving our neighbors must be our next priority in the worship of God.  We cannot worship God fully until our neighbor has been loved completely.  So let’s change our question from what style is the best style for race relations in the church to, how can we honor God (Father, Son, and Spirit) and respect our neighbor when choosing which type of songs to sing and what style to sing it in?

Some might argue that classical music is the best style for worship services because it is timeless and reaches a broad group of people groups.  I agree that classical music is timeless, but I do not believe that it resonates with every culture in the same way that their indigenous style of music does.  I mean think about, I grew up in the Bahamian culture where the junkanoo and calypso rhythm dominated every aspect of music.  If you want to communicate to the heart of a Bahamian, play some junkanoo music and give them a whistle…then WATCH OUT!  Cuz dey ga break it down bey! (Bahamian slang)  One cannot impose their own cultural style of music on everyone else and expect for them to enjoy it like they do.  One cannot assume that their particular cultural style speaks to the heart of everyone.  I like classical music, but that doesn’t mean that every Bahamian will like it, especially in a worship context.  I also like Bahamian junkanoo music, but that doesn’t mean that everyone in my church in Chattanooga will like it.  Again, I revert to my aforementioned point about honoring God and respecting our neighbors when it comes to this topic. 

If one’s church is a missional church trying to reach out to other cultures, then that church should be sensitive to the cultural styles of music represented in the congregation.  If one’s church is not trying to reach out to other people groups, but is focused on their own cultural traditions (most churches are like this) then they shouldn’t feel forced to have music that does not resonate with their members.  For example, a white church should not feel guilty if they don’t have hard core, foot stompin, black gospel music; and similarly, a black church should not feel guilty if they don’t have Handel’s Messiah every Christmas with a full orchestra.  Please don’t miss the point though.  I do encourage churches that are homogenous to branch out to other people groups, especially if you are a missional church that seeks to be cross cultural.  But not all churches are missional, cross cultural churches…I’ll deal with that issue in my next blog :)