Church Music Intertwined with Life

　　Reflecting on my spiritual journey, I realize that church music has always played a significant role. Here, I would like to draw upon the insights of British Baptist scholar Paul Fiddes on the Baptist way of doing theology to examine how God has molded my spiritual life through church music. Fiddes points out that in the context of faith communities, there are three ways of doing theology among Baptists: experience, confession, and stories.

　　In terms of experience, as I look back at my days of growing up in my mother church, traditional hymns, including those in such hymn books as New Songs of Praise and Century Praise, have created for us epic-like musical experiences, which have shaped my understanding of church music and cultivated in me an appreciation of how music in worship can be used as a vehicle for the Word. In the church which I now serve, modern popular hymns, whether foreign or local, have brought us a lyrical musical experience that has broadened my imagination of what church music can be and allowed me to recognize diverse expressions of faith amongst my fellow Christians.

　　In respect of confession, I believe that both traditional and modern styles of church music possess the same content of the Christian faith, which is equally beneficial to our spiritual growth. Therefore, it is a false proposition that one must choose between traditional and modern musical styles. In fact, regardless of the style, I have been equally edified by different styles of church music. We learn from hymns about the Triune God in whom we believe, and we profess and confess our faith through our singing—teaching and admonishing one another through hymns singing to God, just as the Bible says (cf. Col 3:16).

　　Finally, in terms of stories, God builds up my spiritual life through church music. Not only does church music help me worship passionately and grow in my knowledge of my faith but also, to a certain extent, it is connected with my personal spiritual growth and has become a part of my life story. I believe that many brothers and sisters have also experienced a time when a hymn has helped them by acting as a reminder or an encouragement to us in God’s providence. Afterward, that hymn becomes more than just an ordinary hymn; every time we hear it, it will remind us of our own experiences before God. Church music and our life stories are beautifully intertwined in this way.

　　May the church’s music remain in God’s use to build our spiritual lives through our experiences, confessions, and stories. Glory be to the Triune God!