Articles
Christian Worship Sample
I taught worship theology and practice for many years. I have written about worship songs, worship teams and worship theology a lot. I need to show you how to lead worship. I do practice what I preach. Here it is, fully scripted.
A sample of a Worship Service. Here, the praise team/song leader has real responsibility in leading worship rather than just to lead a few a la carte Jesus Pop and “yad-da-yad-da-yad”, and out of desire to preach/share takes time from the pastor to soulfully improvise/preach on the spot feelings. Here I am giving a sample of worship where everything is scripted.
Sample 崇拜程序 (Cantonese)主題：認罪在基督教崇拜中的重要性
Continue readingChoosing Songs for Worship
1975, I was supposed to do the DMA from SWBTS, but I was called to the ministry, I had the MM already, I chose to do the M Div. at GGBTS. Then took theology after. Now I believe all (music) ministers need pastoral and theology training and discipleship. The good soulful feeling in the sound of music changes the emotions in the listener’s heart, which can last a long time (繞樑三日) but the lyrics in the songs washes brains and thus changes lives. Without thorough understanding of theology, the music/worship director may choose songs that are emotionally beautiful, which changes feelings, but yet incorrect/imbalance theologically in the lyrics, which will misguide the listeners into an unhealthy spiritual life. If a “music minister” did not have proper theological understanding, he/she must consult and get permission from the pastor on the theology of the lyrics. (and even in the musical style)
Music chosen for the theologically correct/balanced lyrics should reflect the lyrics instead of just offering purely emotional trips(sweet nothings, or an addictive “high” through an injection in the arm.) leading the listener to stray from the meaning of the lyrics. (This is called integrity between music and lyrics) Since music lyrics changes lives, behavior and spiritual mindset of the listener, the musicians in church need a pastoral calling and training.
Among frequently sung worship songs, there are not enough songs that are about the attributes of God such as righteousness, justice, or sins of man and believers, or confessions and prayers. This means there is an imbalance in the spiritual diet in the most powerful tools of influence in church life. This imbalance must be addressed by the pastors. It is concluded by a Southern Baptist research study that the theological input or understanding of Christians among the Baptist Churches was by far influenced by hymns and spiritual songs than that from the pulpit. So, church singers, watch out for the theological correctness/balance in the lyrics of the songs you choose in leading worship. God is watching and you are responsible.
引用聖經的歌曲並非總是適用於基督徒身上
首先聲明：我這裡不是不友善批評或讚同甚麼曲式，雖然這些歌者，作曲者或許是極屬靈的人物，但顯然的，他／她們的唱腔是少女少男情荳初開的口吻，與屬靈的語氣聲調有別，有時候因歌者銷魂的聲調唱腔繞樑三日，讓歌詞的內容潛而默化地把聖經真理歪曲了，會有意無意的誤導信仰還未成熟的信徒。這文章是歌詞聖經神學的評估，全部是以維護真道而寫，請閣下不要因不必的疚念而生惡感，謝謝！
基督教歌曲，即使是引用聖經的歌曲，也並非總是適用於基督徒身上，其中一首歌是《求你為我造清潔的心》，
Continue reading榮耀的敬拜 – 重尋敬拜真義和境界
榮耀的敬拜 – 重尋敬拜真義和境界 羅天樂著
主題分析：
榮耀乃神的形象，位格，屬性。榮耀神相等於在我們的思想，感情，意志，行為，態度上反映出神的形象，位格，屬性。榮耀的敬拜等於在敬拜的行為上反映出神的形象，位格，屬性。我們是依照神的形像而造的，那麼榮耀神就是在我們的思想，感情，意志，行為，態度上顯現或反照神的形像。榮耀的敬拜就是讓神居首位向神五體投地的敬拜。
敬拜希臘文的字是“Proskuneo”–意思是五體投地之意。與中國人民見官，官員見黃帝時的三跪九叩有相同意義。我們若真知道，認識神的形象，位格，屬性，我們就不得不五體投地了。
英文古字–“weorþscipe” (meaning to venerate尊敬,to honor崇敬 an object; which has been etymologized as “worthiness or worth-ship”—to give worth to something.意思是讓神得應得的位格和尊重的意思。（Accepting/recognizing the worth of God) 所以讓神為無上之主者謂之敬拜。（因祂是最高無上的主宰）因此敬拜的行為不只是禮拜日到教堂去聽書，而是在思想，感情，意志，行為，態度上讓神為真主為真神便是敬拜神了。
Continue reading中國語言與音樂的密切關係
中國語言與音樂的密切關係 羅天樂著
《詩》曰：「言之不足，歌之，歌之不足，手舞之，足蹈之」。《毛詩序》裏有這樣一段話：「詩者，志之所之也，在心為志（羅註：經思考的志願），發言為詩，情動於中，而形於言（羅註：中國人的言語充滿音樂的內涵，音樂是表達言辭裡的感情媒介），言之不足，故嗟歎之，嗟歎之不足，故詠歌之，詠歌之不足，不知手之舞之，足之蹈之也。」當我們的語言不能表達思想裡的感情時，會唱歌；當高歌還不足以表達自己思想情感時，會手舞足蹈。人由「情動」至「足蹈」行為體驗着言辭感情的至情至性。可見舞蹈是人們言歌不足時表達生命本質的一種最基本最直接的本能，是人們最能够自由而酣暢淋漓地表達内心「情動」的形式。它是自由的藝術，是舞蹈者内心情感的自覺或自由的表達，是心靈情感的外化。
雖然如此，中國人對詩詞與音樂的一致性非常重視。汪士鐸《汪梅村先生集》卷五《記聲詞》之二：「詩自為詩，詞也；聲自為聲，歌之調也，非詩也，調之淫哀，雖莊雅無益也。」「莊雅」的歌詞若配上「淫哀」的調子，是沒有益處的。
結論：中國的音樂出於語言，詩詞，所以從詩經到唐詩宋詞，中國詩詞，甚至文章都是唱頌出來的，充滿旋律節奏。我們寫作時常用平仄和平上去入等音樂原則來衡量語法的通順程度，然後用朗誦吟唱方式去決定所寫的文字是否有聲調節拍的美感。良好的教會音樂必須注重歌詞內容，歌詞最好用受眾的(音樂)母語寫成，用歌詞的音樂內容旋律節拍來譜曲，不能先譜曲然後填詞，否則音樂的感情變成重要，而歌詞的意義減少了。《禮記•樂記》中說:「詩言其志，歌詠其聲，舞動其容，三者本于心，然後樂器從之。 」如聖經所說，用靈與悟性歌唱敬拜：「這卻怎麼樣呢．我要用靈禱告、也要用悟性禱告．我要用靈歌唱、也要用悟性歌唱。」（林前十四15）這裏說明歌曲裏的靈與悟性必須一致。「當用詩章、頌詞、靈歌、彼此對說、口唱心和的讚美主。」（弗五19）這裏說明詩章、頌詞必需領先然後以編曲美化之。「但在教會中、寧可用悟性說五句教導人的話、強如說萬句方言。」（林前十四19）這裏說明悟性說話比萬句方言更重要。純音樂或伴奏音樂是非悟性的美化語言，是內心感情的外化，沒有歌詞，甚至與歌詞一致的音樂，因為「聽者有耳」，言外之音可一可二，不能肯定，聽了之後，先入為主，不能擅改。中國人「情動於中，而形於言」再加上中國言語詩詞已配備了調子節奏的內容，因此朗誦詩詞就如唱歌，比譜用半西不中的調子來唱好得多。例如廣洲話的歌曲一定要用廣洲話的音韻來譜曲，否則唱出來會啼笑皆非，「愛主」會唱成「愛豬」。宣教的語言及交流媒介或教會的音樂實在應給人有能作文化認同的感受。