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Pop-Idiom Music
In Worship and Evangelism
by Dr Peter Masters
Dr Peter Masters is minister of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London,
England (C.H. Spurgeon's church) and has kindly granted us permission
to reproduce "Pop-Idiom Music" here. If you have any questions
or queries about this article, please feel free to write to Dr Masters
at the address given below, or
contact us at Freedom Ministries.
Section 5
No Evangelism by False Pretences.
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Some advocates of pop-idiom evangelism
actually agree that their music
and songs cannot effectively communicate the Gospel. They say they use
these techniques, not as a serious witness, but as a means of getting the
people into meetings where a 'straight
speaker' can then challenge their
souls.
But however will intended, this
'modified' use of pop-idiom music is
still completely wrong according to the
Bible. The Gospel should never be
foisted on people by means of a 'catch'
or a gimmick. The openness and
directness of the apostles is expressed
by Paul in
2 Corinthians 4.1-2 -
Engaged, therefore, in this service
under divine mercy such as we have
experienced, we are not despondent,
but we do eliminate underhanded
ways of which one should be ashamed.
We do not behave cunningly, nor do
we falsify the Word of God, but by
clear announcement of the Truth we
commend ourselves in divine presence
to every human conscience (Berkeley
Version).
It is plainly wrong and somewhat
underhanded to advertise musical
entertainment and then confront
people with a spiritual message.
Rightly it has been called 'evangelism
by false pretences'. The New Testament
gives us great scope for initiative
in the way we convene meetings,
invite people to hear the Gospel, and
witness to them. But we must never
bait them with something they want
(least of all by entering into compromise
with worldly tastes and standards) so that
we may spring the Gospel on them by cunning.
The Bible teaches that the ox and
the ass must not be yoked together,
this being one of numerous metaphors
which illustrate the principle that
spiritual service and worldly pleasures
are unacceptable together and must
not be mixed. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon, says the Lord. The interests
of the Gospel must never be associated
with schemes to appease the pleasure-lust of this generation.
To blend the spiritual with the
'fleshly' involves us in a forbidden
courtship with the world and the sin of
tainting the precious and unique message
of God with the fallen, puny,
man-centred things of this vain
world.
The apostles of Christ did not get
involved in the entertainment of their
day. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 1
that the Jews wanted to see miracles,
and the Greeks wanted to hear worldly
wisdom, but he did not bow to their
tastes and desires because God had
commanded him to preach the Gospel.
The Gospel must never be put in
second place to some other attraction.
We represent the King of kings and
Lord of lords and must declare His
message with utter sincerity and
appropriate authority. The Gospel
must never be made to grovel at the
feet of man's fancies, nor to lurk behind
subtle tricks and devices; for
these are the methods of our fallen foe.
These articles remain
© Copyright Dr Peter Masters 1983
The Metropolitan Tabernacle
Elephant and Castle
London SE1 6SD
England, UK
who should be consulted before any further copying, storing or distribution, either
in whole or in part is made by any means.
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