I begin this entry by acknowledging the fact that I have not thoroughly researched this. A few days ago, I took notice of a trend in our Survey of Christian Hymnody, that I've noticed in passing in other classes. Historically, the protestant church must at least tip their collective hats to reformers such as Calvin and Luther. When I read about both of their desires and abilities to write music for the church, my suspicion grew. In today's article, “congregation singing and the ministry of the word” by Leonard R. Paton, I found that someone else agreed with me. The great leaders (for the most part) of the church, who have altered and grown the church doctrines to be closer to the word of God, have been Musicians. And not just musicians, but theologians, pastors, and philosophers. I am reminded by this one of the reasons I originally decided to be a music major at Baptist Bible College. I was not content with my personal discipline, or the logical structure of my theology. I've also had a personal interest in philosophy since I was a child. BBC is a specifically ministry oriented school, requiring all of their four or five year majors to major in Bible. The setting of BBC is likely one of the only places where I could receive training in music, discipline, theology and philosophy concurrently. It has always been my goal, as a human being, and as a Christian, to aid in the growth of the local and universal church, and I have always feared being a detriment to it, and a mutagenic agent, warping the church of God.
I strongly suspect that this was also the overarching goal of songwriters such as Watts and Luther, and Keith Getty.
The church must remember where it came from, and realize how God has worked in it, from beginning to end, in order to guide the future.
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