The Dark Side Of Worship Music
And its impact on us ...
Music is the universal language that transcends all cultures, language, and nations. We can be moved by music even when we do not understand the words. Music can impact us in many ways including our mood for good or for bad—to calm, excite, encourage or depress us. It feeds our spirit based on the lyrics, chords, or beat. Lifting us up or pulling our spirit down into darkness.
I vividly recall the night while waiting at a traffic light on my way to work, a car pulled up next to me with a young man listening to a song with lyrics encouraging murder. He looked up at me with cold heartless eyes that seemed ready and willing to carry out evil intent. He appeared to be in a trance-like state with an amplified state of volatility and unpredictability. His eyes reeked of evil. Then the light turned green …
Music Is Integral to Worship
Have you ever attended a church where you felt transported into the presence of God during the time of worship?
Some scholars believe the fallen angel Lucifer played a leading part in heaven’s celestial choir. True or not the value of music has been widely recognized by us humans and validated by scientific evidence. Music is much more than melodies. It can shape our beliefs and actions.
What does worship music do to the brain?
Liedke (2018) thesis found that when we worship God, there is an increase in BPNF, which is a neurotransmitter that helps us grow healthy brain cells. Liedke notes: “Every morning, we wake up with 300 million more brain cells. When we worship, gamma waves are created in our brain that can actually help us feel the presence of God.”
Psalm 22:3 says that God inhabits the praises of his people and we actually get a physical boost as these gamma waves fire in our brains while we worship.
Liedke (2018) agrees that the Gamma waves do more than just make us feel better, they actually increase our intelligence, too. Research has shown that as you worship, you increase in wisdom and there’s an increase in your capacity to understand the goodness of God. So your relationship with God deepens as you worship him. As you worship, your brain is comprehending wisdom from the living Word helping grow your capacity to understand that God absolutely adores you. Interestingly, just seven minutes of worship every day will change your brain.
Consequently, the music ministry of a church family is charged with the responsibility to lead worship in preparation for the congregation to hear and receive the word of God. Music has the capacity to cultivate a contrite heart through worship—a heart that is ready to receive the preaching of the Word. The Bible strongly encourages worshipping God through song and musical instruments.
Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with LOUD clashing cymbals. —Psalm150:1
Do you ever have a song stuck in your head for days playing repeatedly after a worship experience when you were strengthened and encouraged in your faith? Few experiences are more enlightening and refreshing than being saturated in the presence of God through songs of praise and worship. It is a time when the Holy Spirit speaks to us and reveals Himself to us. A time when we are moved to tears of joy and gladness.
While we recognize that every part (person) of the body of Christ is as important as the next, I submit to you that the worship leader may have the second most important responsibility in the church body.
Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with LOUD songs of joy. —Psalm 47:1
How Secular Music Corrupts the Church
Have you ever attended a church service where the worship did not resonate with you? Not only did it not resonate with you, but it was disquieting to your spirit.
Maybe something felt uneasy to you. Maybe you felt like you were witnessing a concert performance—like you were being entertained. Maybe it felt like a rock concert or discotheque with lights flashing and music blasting at deafening eardrum destroying fighter jet decibels.
If music is used to worship God and usher us into His presence, historical and current evidence indicates the enemy of our souls will want the same treatment. It follows that Lucifer/Satan would choose a counterfeit version that ...
distracts us from worship of the One true and living God.
seeks to disconnect us from the source of our strength.
disjoints the message to deceive us.
is focused on music style and melody.
is performance focused.
is man focused instead of God focused.
In the past, the counterfeit attempts were more subtle in its deviation from God honoring lyrics and musical arrangement. Currently in today’s culture, the changes are less subtle and more obvious to anyone paying attention. The substance and theological accuracy that honors Jesus is blatently absent.
Be on guard against secular music that masquerades as gospel music.
Billion-Dollar Industry
Gospel music revenues reached an all-time high $15.9 billion in 2022. That is not to say that profiting from music sales is a bad thing. But it does create more competitiveness, greater pressure to perform, temptation to lower the standards of biblical theology, and the temptation of greed also increases significantly. All this opens the door to corruption. And we all know that the love of money is the root of all evil. Sadly, there are churches that are more financially driven than great commission driven. Business driven instead of soul winning gospel message driven.
Perhaps you have heard of multiple controversies sorrounding Hillsong: A Megachurch Exposed. This is a church known internationally for it’s captivating music. Sadly, it appears that their music was less motivated to spread the Gospel, than to manipulating churchgoers into parting company with their money.
While worship does not have to include music, it is certainly complementary and enhanced by songs of praise, thanksgiving, and adoration to a Holy God.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God —Colossians 3:16.
Whether experiencing private or corporate worship it places a protective barrier against the forces of evil when conducted the way it was intended—and connects us with the One true and living God.
Thank God for the many church families that strive to worship God in spirit and in truth.
In His Service,
Rick B