• Author(s): Bob Kauflin
• Date published: November 16, 2019
• URL: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/good-music-can-become-your-god
• Tags:
  • music
  • worship
• Date accessed: November 25, 2019

Kauflin lists five indicators that worship music might be becoming an idol:

1. Responding more emotionally to arrangements than content
2. Singing feels boring
3. Caring more about how a song makes you feel than what it says
4. Not thinking about what you’re singing
5. Having a hard time feeling connected to God apart from music

As Kauflin says, “music is great, but Jesus is greater.” Music is rightly only a vessel for bringing us closer to God. It has no power to save us; only Jesus does. A musical accompaniment doesn’t help us know God better, but good lyrics do. We would do well to focus more on the truth of the lyrics; in addition, Kauflin suggests turning to Psalms rather than music when discouraged, or reciting Scripture rather than listening to music while driving.

Quotes

• If a spiritual giant like Augustine struggled with valuing musically-induced feelings over spiritual ones, we probably will too. But I don’t think many of us would see that as a “grievous sin.” Maybe we should.