Skip to content ↓

Contemporary vs Traditional Music

9 Marks Ministries has a great article about which is right: contemporary or traditional music. Too often when people write about this subject it stems from one of two opposite viewpoints. The first is that any type of contemporary music is evil. These are the people who relate stories about the children of missionaries being told by the natives that their rock music is the very same music the natives left behind when they came to the Lord. These are the people who believe that guitars are somehow inherently evil while the organ somehow is God’s own instrument. On the other side of the argument we have people who say that since we no longer listen to hymns as part of popular entertainment they have no place whatsoever in our modern worship. Hymns date a church and appeal only to the old folks in the church, thus alienating the boomers, the busters and anyone younger than that.

Both of those arguments are irrational. It seems clear from Scripture that we can worship God in different ways and that no single form of music is inherently more right before God than another. And this is what appeals to me about the article I read this morning. The author, Vell Rives, does not condemn either form of music. I will spoil the surprise by saying that he does believe hymns are a better form of worship than contemporary music, but his reasons make sense. For example, he points out that hymns are designed specifically for worship where contemporary music is designed for personal enjoyment. He also says that the hymns we sing today are particulary beauitful and well-written. This is not to say that all hymns are good – just that generally only the best ones have stood the test of time.

I agree with his arguments. However, I do believe there is a place for more modern music and certainly have no problems singing “Here I Am To Worship” on a Sunday morning. I love to mix the old with the new. I do think that when we jettison the old we lose an important link to the church of past days. There is an inspiring continuity when we realize we are singing a song that believers sang hundreds of years ago, using the same tune and the same words to worship the same God. Many of those hymns will continue to be sung long after we are dead and gone.

You can read the article here.


  • Schools of music

    The Three (or Four) Schools of Singing

    I have heard it said that there were traditionally three different schools of singing: French, German, and Italian. I lack the musical knowledge to confidently distinguish between them, but my understanding is that the French school values vocal clarity and agility, the German school values vocal power and drama, and the Italian school values clear…

  • A La Carte Friday 2

    A La Carte (May 2)

    A La Carte: Porn shaped Gen Z men / When God speaks / The devil hates context / Being a witness to suffering / A strange aversion to white guy monologues / Biblical ministry / Book and Kindle deals / and more.

  • A La Carte Thursday 1

    A La Carte (May 1)

    A La Carte: Write what’s been written / The dangers and benefits of revival / Some of my best friends are inside that book / What happened in Canada / What is covenant theology? / New Kindle deals / and more.

  • Carney Trump

    How Donald Trump Upended Canadian Politics and Helped the Liberals Win

    On April 28, Canadians elected the Liberal Party of Canada to a fourth consecutive term. This is a rare feat for a political party in Canada and in this case, one of special significance, for just months ago, the Liberals seemed destined for near-complete destruction. The cost of living was spiking, the quality of life…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (April 30)

    A La Carte: Young men wanted / The glory and danger of apologetics / God’s guidelines for sex aren’t arbitrary / How much is our church worth? / People loved the darkness / and more.

  • Erics Greatest Race

    Releasing Today: Eric’s Greatest Race

    My new book releases today! Eric’s Greatest Race is a fully illustrated graphic novel that tells young readers the story of Eric Liddell, the famous Olympian whose steadfast courage and commitment to Christ has inspired generations of believers. It is my sincere hope that it will introduce a whole new generation to a man whose…