Brandon Wells

Texts that Teach and Tunes that Inspire

I've always been a big propenent of choosings songs that either teach us about who God is or at least give us a language with which to praise/approach him. Those who know me could argue that I am guilty of emphasizing the text over the tune. Perhaps that is because in the Reformed tradition the Word has always been given primacy in the worship of God's people; not the Eucharist and not the music. That's an important value for me. I am always telling the worship team of my church that music is part of what we do but not the heart of what we do. But in recent weeks I was reminded of that passage in 1 Samuel 16:16 where Saul's servants said, "Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well." Other passages talk about musicians who prophesied with their instruments (cf. 1 Chron. 25:1). In our corporate worship gatherings we often use guitar solos, long turnarounds, and improvisational sections that are instrumental in nature to lead in worship. There was a time when I would have felt the need to make apologies for that, but not anymore. Scripture warrants and encourages, I believe, texts that teach and tunes that inspire.

God's Presence and the Power of Music

This is a quote from a book by Harold Best entitled, "Unceasing Worship." I don't know a whole lot about Harold Best, except that someone I deeply respect (Bob Kauflin, former member of the well known acapella group Glad and Worship Pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, MD, pictured left) thinks the world of him. Needless to say, this quote, though lengthy and a bit verbose, gets to the heart of music's true role in worship in a perceptive way.

"We make and offer art because we worship; we should not make it to lead us into worship. We can carry [this concept] into the weekly corporate gathering. Since Christians come to such gatherings as continuous worshipers, it should now be obvious that it is erroneous to assume that the arts, and especially music, are to be depended on to lead us to worship or that they are aids to worship or tools for worship. If we think this way... music or some other artistic or human device bears the responsibility for doing the starting or the facilitating...Music and the arts have a kind of power in themselves that can be falsely related to or equated with Spirit power, so much so that the presence of God seems all the more guaranteed and the worshiper sees this union of artistic power and Spirit power as normal, even anticipated. This thinking lies behind comments of this kind: “the Lord seemed so near during worship time.” “Your music really helped me worship.” And to the contrary: “I cold not worship because of the music.” Senior pastors, ministers of worship and worship teams must do everything to correct them. If we are not careful, music will be added to the list of sacraments and perhaps with some Christians become another kind of transubstantiation, turned into the Lord’s presence. Then the music, not the Holy Spirit, becomes the paraclete and advocate. God is reduced to god and music is raised to Music. Thrones are exchanged, lordship reverts to its fallen hierarchy, and conditioned reflex replaces faith. (p. 119)"

Preaching the Gospel

Recently I did a study in First  Thessalonians chapter 2 with some gentlemen in my church. Something about Paul's tone in that chapter struck me. He was especially gracious. Granted Paul is gracious in other places throughout the N.T., but here I found something different. He used 4 metaphors to describe his ministry to the young believers. They are as follows: 1) a steward; 2) a mother; 3) a father; and 4) a herald. You can read more about this in John Stott's commentary series. Suffice it to say that in this chapter Paul provides every man, woman, boy, and girl with a template for personal ministry. What are the distinguishing marks of your life and ministry? Do the methaphors Paul uses describe the kind of Christ-centered care you demonstrate to the people around you?

As for worship ministry, I particularly zeroed on the picture of a herald. In case you're wondering a herald is simply a person who announces important news. Typically we liken preachers to heralds. But I think we do leaders in worship a disservice if we think of ourselves as anything less. As singers aren't we heralds of the word of God? Our songs are our sermons. As instrumentalists isn't the accompaniment we offer a kind of 'heralding' ministry also? When we play aren't we saying that this text is worth a tune? Of course, to say that we are heralds of God's word is not to say that our words are infallible. They are subject to as much error as the words of a preacher. But we trust as we sing and play that we are singing and accompanying words that accord with Scripture. If we don't believe at least that much then what's the point?

Next time you 'take the stage' think about the all important responsibility and privilege you bear as a herald of the gospel. I pray it causes you to sing and play with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Our Chief Liturgist

My buddy, West, does a great job of posting on his blog regularly. The main reason for this is that he keeps it brief, helpful, and to the point. I'll attempt to do the same. This is a quote from Reggie Kidd's book "With One Voice." It's a great thought for those of us who are leading in worship each week. I've tried to reinforce this idea at some level in our times together, but I've never been able to say this well.

Here's the quote: "By virtue of his resurrection, Jesus is alive in such a way that he can be both 'with us' and 'for us.' Simultaneously he is 'in the midst of the assembly' and in the heavenly Jerusalem ever interceding for us. A permanent Singer has been installed. From one perspective, he sings with us in the church; from another he intercedes for us in heaven. When the church gathers in worship earth and heaven converge. When we sing we are not singing by ourselves. There is a higher song going on above ours and a deeper song going on beneath ours... Somehow our singing is more his than ours. It is unspeakable joy for me to take my place as a worshiper among my brothers and sisters, knowing that Jesus, the Chief Liturgist, has already taken his place. My Sundays would be miserable if I thought otherwise."

I'd love to hear from some of you how this truth ought to practically impact your service on Sunday.

Our Prayer Warrior

As for yesterday, what a precious time together. Doing one line from the hymn 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus" (kind of impromptu) was glorious. Kudos to the band and vocalists for facilitating that song with such sweetness. I swear that I heard the congregation sing that one line with greater passion and fervor than any of the others. It was a tender moment in our worship service. Even though we could not hear their prayers (because they were being offered in the quietness of their own hearts) I know that many people were laying down their lack of peace and needless pains at the feet of their gracious and mighty Savior.

Let me conclude by drawing your attention to one Person in particular who was praying yesterday, and I mean, in earnest. You talk about a prayer warrior. It's more than fair to say that he takes the cake. To be sure, Jesus prays for his ransomed people with zeal. He wants us to make it to the end, not "like someone escaping through a wall of flames" (1 Cor. 2:15b). He wants us to unearth our burdens and lay our anxieties down because he cares for us. So, while we pray (and even while we do not) he prays for us. I leave you with these words from the great Reformer, John Calvin. Read them patiently and carefully. "Since no man is worthy to come forward in his own name, and appear in the presence of God, our heavenly Father, to relieve us at once from fear and shame, with which all must feel oppressed, has given us his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to be our Advocate and Mediator, that under his guidance we may approach securely, confidently that with him for our Intercessor nothing which we ask in his name will be denied to us, as there is nothing which the Father can deny him... Unless our hope of obtaining what we ask is founded on him, it deprives us of the privilege of prayer... Hence, the sense of our own unworthiness must keep us far away, until Christ interpose, and convert a throne of dreadful glory into a throne of grace."

Blending

My goal ever since coming to New City has been to cultivate a Christ-centered, music community. Not only is it practically impossible for us to operate any other way but this is also the call of the gospel on our lives. Great bands will come and go, but gospel-centered bands will (to borrow the apostle John’s words) abide forever. Being and becoming a gospel-centered community is the will of God (1 John 2:17).

I’ve also been saying from the beginning (not always out loud) that it’s easier to become a good band without Jesus than a gospel-centered community. In fact, without Jesus working in each of us by his Spirit we absolutely cannot be a gospel-centered community. We came into this world unable to relate to one another in a manner worthy of God. But can we go out of this world differently than we came into it? It will be a process. Everyone will need to be committed to Christ and each other to the end. The process will be difficult, challenging, and frustrating—like war, if you know what I mean. The end result will be glorious, though! Because on that day we will see the gospel having finally and completely triumphed in our lives.

What about the interim period—the time between new birth, and a new heavens and new earth? How will we make great strides in being and becoming a gospel-centered music community, here and now? Consider the metaphor of blending. Blending is the sound of two or more voices combining to create a single, bigger sound. You’d think this to be an impossible feat. Think about a couple of the obstacles that must be overcome, e.g., phrasing and timbre.

Being and becoming a gospel-centered community is kind of like blending. Within a music community you have equal members with a variety of gifts. Some sing solos. Others do not. Those who don’t sing solos sometimes blend better. Some are gifted readers. Others are not. Sometimes the readers can’t hear parts. Some are natural leaders. Some are followers. Each can learn from the other. The bottom line is this, equal members with a variety of gifts must learn to work together. That’s blending. This requires mutual deference, love, respect, and humility, i.e., taking instruction and receiving correction from one another with joy. It takes a certain kind of phrasing. Choosing the what that you say with grace and care. It also takes a certain kind of timbre. Choosing the way that you say what you say, very carefully.

If we are to be and become a gospel-centered community (not just a band) then we will have to work hard not just in our effort to sing parts well and precisely, but also to truly blend with one another. That’s the only way we will become a single, bigger voice. “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding” (Rom. 14:19).

Playing Outside

Recently, I heard a lecture by a worship leader in Britain. He was talking about his home church. He said, “In the last several years the Lord has provided the worship ministry with some remarkable musicians…and guitarists.” I had to laugh, being a guitarist and all. You’ve probably heard this joke before, but what gives? How do you get a guitarist to stop playing? Answer: Put sheet music in front of him. How do you get a pianist to stop playing? Answer: Take the sheet music away.

Whenever someone in our group plays a bad note we say, “He was playing outside.” Others, call it ‘jazz.’ The fact is we all mess up from time to time. We sing a bad note. We play an accidental in a place where the music doesn’t call for it. Or better yet, the entire group decides to go a different musical direction, simultaneously. That’s what we call a train wreck. Those are always fun and memorable!

That reminds me of a story I heard from Stuart Townend. He was on keys for Graham Kendrick (writer of “Shine Jesus, Shine). This was early in Townend’s career. They were playing at some big conference in England. Thousands of people showed up. He doesn’t recall the song they were doing, but the Spirit of God was present. Young worshipers blanketed the streets and the hillsides singing praises to God. Graham Kendrick looked back at Townend and gave him the ‘thumbs up.’ Naturally, Townend returned the gesture with a wink and a smile. After all, he was playing well. Then came the key change. Oops! Yikes! It wasn’t long before Townend realized the thumbs up meant, “modulate.” It’s hard to forget moments like that one.

The fact is, in life, as in music, there are bad notes (a little more skill and it would have never happened), accidentals (even though it was supposed to happen it didn’t quite seem right), and train wrecks (even if you tried you couldn’t stop it). Hopefully, you see the metaphor.

We shouldn’t be surprised by any of this. Bad notes, accidentals, and train wrecks make up the fabric of our world. Bad things happen. Right things don’t always seem quite right. We can make a real mess of just about anything. What should we do? “Be still, and know that [he] is God” (Ps. 46:10).

Some things in life you just have to roll with. At times, I’ll bet God simply laughs at us. Beads of sweat are collecting on our foreheads, our hearts are palpitating uncontrollably, and we’re biting our bottom lip. Why? Who are we trying to impress? Perhaps Churchill said it best, "Nothing is more dangerous than to live in the temperamental atmosphere of a Gallup Poll-always feeling one's pulse and taking one's temperature."

When we play outside let's do it for an Audience of One…

Meditations from Sunday

Okay, I admit it. I have an aggravated sense of justice. I am prepared to call down the wrath of God on the sins of other people far quicker than I am my own. "Grace for me and justice for them!" is the motto of my flesh. What about yours? Everyone responds to personal offenses differently, but our sense of justice never goes away. For some justice looks like apathy. "I will punish him or her by not caring anymore." Other approaches are more abrasive. "I'll tell him exactly what I think!" Other times, rather than tell the individual to their face, we rally supporters who feel the same way about so and so as we do. "Don't you think that she comes off a little caddy at times." One way or another our flesh demands that justice be served now. And, of course, we feel completely "justified" to seek it. Why in the world shouldn't we? "My anger is righteous!", we proclaim.

At this point (and so many others) Jesus' example is awe-inspiring. No one in the universe was more entitled to make every wrong right, immediately, than him. And yet he waited...He waited through the criticism of his own kinsman. "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon" (Jn. 8:48)? He waited through the short-sighted commitment of his own disciple, "Peter said to him, 'I will lay down my life for you'" (Jn. 13:37). Moments later he would deny him. He waited through the ruthless beatings and tauntings of the Roman soldiers. "And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head...and kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, '"Hail, King of the Jews'" (Mt.27:28-29)!

Would you create a world that would punish your one and only Son? God did. Justice was served that day. Moreover, greater love than we will ever know was put on display. "Who are you going to punish today?" is not the right question. "Who are you going to forgive?" is far better. Suffer long, show compassion, be gentle, and sacrifice with joy. These are the ethics of the kingdom. This is the call of justice that comes down from heaven's throne above. "You know the depths of my heart and you love me the same; You are amazing God!"

Sunday Recap for July 2, 2006

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to rationalize even the most heinous sins? We let ourselves get away with so much. And if we have no trouble with the worst kind, imagine how many less offensive ones (if I can say it that way) are setting up shop in our souls. Take a look. See what you find camping out there. When I survey my soul I find the love of money, the love of vain-glory, the love of material items, ease, pleasure...I could go on, but there's not enough RAM in the universe.

Have you ever seen someone throw trash out of their car window onto the side of the road? Have you ever seen a beautiful, natural landscape littered with cups, trash bags, paper, and the like? I see cans, old tires, and tennis shoes floating to the surface of the canal behind my house all the time. It's disgusting. It's disturbing. When Jesus suffered on the cross a beautiful, undisturbed-by-sin, pure, human-being was polluted by sin--my sin and your sin. There, the trash of our lives was thrown on top of him. "Guilty, vile and helpless we, spotless Lamb of God was He."

To close our service yeterday with "Hallelujah, What a Savior" delivered me in my desperation, in much the same way that Paul's hope in Christ delivered him from his desperation. "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom. 8:24-25)!

A simple "thank you" to Jesus will not due. We owe him a worship life, full of heartfelt gratitude. He deserves nothing less. We're going to mess up. Big time! Nevertheless, where sin increases grace superabounds into "Hallelujah, What a Savior." Thank God for songs that say it so well!

Stuart Townend's New Album

I hope to post on different subjects in the very near future. For now my mind is on two things. First, I can't stop thinking about the fact that Brazil just lost to France in the World Cup. You talk about depressing! Ugh! Ever since I was a kid I have loved the way the Brazilian national team plays futbol. The ironic twist to this rather mind-boggling turn of events is that in the 1998 World Cup Brazil lost to France 1-0 at this very same stage in the tournament.

Enough of that. It hurts to keep talking about it. The second thing on my mind is the new Stuart Townend album that is in route to my house as we speak from Europe. That's right. It's crossing the Atlantic Ocean to get here. I paid the uneven conversion rate of pounds to American dollars for this much anticipated album entitled, "Monument to Mercy." I haven't even heard a track yet. I just know it's going to be good. Once I've been able to give it a listen I'll have much more to say.