Music as a Healer

Much has been written on the power of music to heal the body, and yes even to heal the soul. Since most people use music as a way to represent and ultimately cleanse emotions, I do not feel a need to expound on these principles. It does seem logical that if music can heal the body, perhaps music can be used to heal churches. Or to take the antithetical view, is it possible for music to divide a church?

If music heals, logic dictates it can also hurt. Is music a cancer, a form of leprosy to a church? Can something beautiful also be deadly? I believe this is true. So the question of church health is inevitably how to prevent such diseases to infiltrate the church, particularly in the form of music. Once a church becomes unhealthy, no magic pill can cure it. So how do we avoid the pain of music, and instead experience the joy and the power?

First of all, it is necessary to avoid alienating any one group of people. The best way to avoid this is to stay away from the extremes. Don't be extremely loud or soft or fast or slow or new or old. Find a moderate style of music. There is plenty of variety within the moderate vein. Second: present the music in a quality fashion. This requires knowledge and preparation. People may not always like a particular piece of music, and they may not prefer the style, but quality tends to be obvious to everyone. Third: Don't forget about the text. The sounds that make music are very powerful but the text is integral to the experience as well. Fourth: Don't make the music about you. Our purpose for having music in church is to worship. Selfishness has no place in the service. Fifth: Always consider the collective gain over the individual. Some selections are better suited for large crowds and others are better for individuals. Take the pulse of the people all the time and be sensitive to the moving of the wind. Sixth: Seek divine wisdom in all decisions.

Music does have the power to heal, but it also has the power to hurt. It remains the responsibility of the leaders of the church to use all tools, music and the spoken word, to glorify God. I urge music ministers to use music as a healer and not as a pain deliverer. If music adds to the wounds that exist in a church, it is not accomplishing its purpose.