Cruciform Music

I love music, but I have come to realize that its power is being under-utilized. I invite you to think carefully about the words of the songs you hear in worship this week.

Church history and personal experiences illustrate the universal tendency of Christians to cycle downward into a style of living and a type of Church that might be called “self-serving Christianity.” Any form of discipleship that relegates service and witness to a department of the church or a group of zealots is unbiblical. This is a “Jesus-and-me” distortion of Christ’s call.

Diet and Doctrine
This deterioration of vital Christianity might be related to the type messages that fill the minds of many believers. A great percentage of what we hear about following Jesus has to do with our “personal” lives – my forgiveness, my home in heaven, my family, my peace, etc. Although these are wonderful aspects of the Christian life, a diet – what we read and hear – that only includes these type blessings inadvertently encourages our selfish tendencies.

All Christ followers need a balanced diet, a consistent flow of teaching and encouragement that connects our personal relationship with Jesus and our participation in His ministry in the world. This balanced approach to life and ministry might be called “cruciform”. The vertical line in the Cross reminds us of the necessary interaction between holy and loving God and His children. God reaches down to us in grace, and we respond in faith, confession, praise and allegiance. The horizontal line in the Cross reminds us that joining God in mission to lost and hurting people is vitally connected to authentic faith in God. Without the horizontal axis of the Cross, the form becomes a big “I.”

The doctrine and teaching of Scripture come to us in two primary ways – proclamation (oral or written) and music. Even if sermons, books and teachings match the cruciform description, there is still the issue of music.

Types of Music
The Bible has many texts, psalms and prayers that are vertical in nature. But it also has countless passages that are horizontal. Sometimes the two are linked in the same passage (Ps. 46:10; 67:1-2). Using this as a pattern, we can think of Christian music fitting into one of three categories:

1. Vertical. This music exclusively deals with topics related to the character of God and our relationship to Him – praise, confession, thanksgiving, God’s attributes, heaven, etc. This type of music dominates worship services as well as the airways. The vast majority of songs used in worship are vertical.
2. Horizontal. This music exclusively deals with topics related to the mission of God and/or our role in His mission – go, preach to the nations, serve the poor, etc. These songs are generally treated as “novelty” songs and are used almost exclusively in settings such as a “Missions Sunday.” Worship leaders rarely include a horizontal song in the order of worship since these songs do not seem to keep the “flow” of praise and worship. Horizontal songs, however, play an important role in mobilizing the Church as Christians hear them in concerts, by radio or on iPods.
3. Cruciform. This music addresses vertical as well as horizontal aspects of the faith – praise and service, thanksgiving and witness. Relatively few of the songs used in contemporary worship fit this description although worship leaders are open to using this music since it can continue the flow of worship. Samples: Missions Flame (Matt Redman), You Said (Hillsong), Give Me Your Eyes (Brandon Heath), Follow You (Leeland), and Until the Whole World Hears (Casting Crowns).

The Cruciform Music Project
A rising wave of pastors, mission leaders, musicians, song writers and publishers are exploring ways for music to become a greater tool in the renewal of the Church and the mobilization of Christ’s body in His mission.

For more information on the Cruciform Music Project, see a list of songs, submit songs, ask questions, or make suggestions, visit www.followone.org/cruciform-music.

2 Responses to “Cruciform Music”

1. Samuel Chiang says:

   February 26, 2010 at 5:35 pm

   Dear James,
   I love this reflection. Hey, possibly you have already come across this band:

   http://www.sonsofkorah.com

   which only uses the Psalms and set them to music. They have close to 70 Psalms done already, ranging from Lament to celebrations, and their musical range is very wide.

   Have a good trip to China
   Samuel

   Reply
   • james says:

     February 27, 2010 at 10:43 am

     Hi Sam. Great hearing from HongKong. Thanks for the affirmation and connection. I will definitely check out the group. Problem with CM is two-fold: Not enough music available (compared to the abundance of vertical music), and worship leaders choose songs that people want to hear/sing — instead of what they need to hear/sing. But God is moving.

     Reply