Engage

Music Behavior

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: Jay Rosario & Daniel McGrath (Host), Nestor Soriano

Home

Series Code: E

Program Code: E000019


00:20 Hello again, My name is Jay Rosario,
00:21 your host for the Engage Program,
00:24 which is the series dedicated
00:26 to address some of the most relevant challenging issues
00:31 facing young adults all over the world.
00:33 Joining us is my good friend, Dan McGrath.
00:36 Dan, how is it going? Good, Jay, how are you going?
00:37 Doing all right. Dan, what exactly
00:39 are we gonna be talking about?
00:40 Well, today we're gonna look at the issue of music.
00:42 It's something that's caused a few ripples in the church.
00:45 People have, you know, enjoyed music for centuries.
00:48 Other people have thought to ban their existence.
00:50 We're gonna try to tackle all of this today.
00:52 And to do that we have my good friend
00:54 Nestor Soriano coming to join us on the set.
00:56 Nestor, welcome.
00:58 Good to see you, Dan. Good to see you too.
00:59 Nestor, for those who-- who don't know you,
01:02 I know you, Dan knows you, and many know you,
01:04 but for those that may not know you...
01:08 who are you, where do you come from?
01:10 And since we're talking about music tell us a little bit
01:12 about your early experience with music as a child growing up.
01:17 It's a good question, Jay.
01:18 You know, I grew up in the city of Chicago
01:21 and I also grew up in the church as well.
01:25 Currently, I'm in Berrien Springs, Michigan,
01:28 working on my Masters of Divinity. Nice.
01:30 Now to where God has brought me to that point
01:32 that's another story, but specifically where I grew up.
01:36 I grew up as a teenager.
01:38 I loved music. It was always in my heart.
01:39 Now I know in your culture, you love music.
01:41 It's inside your very own culture.
01:43 Yes. Got the rhythm.
01:44 Yes. Now you are of a Filipino background right?
01:47 Filipino background, that's correct.
01:48 Is it Kumusta ka? Yes.
01:49 Did I get it right? That's correct, you got it right.
01:51 And of course Filipino is very musical,
01:53 it has a really much into singing.
01:55 I think every Filipino that I met sings.
01:57 Yeah, a lot of, a lot of Filipino's
01:59 that I do know enjoy music.
02:01 They sing they play an instrument.
02:03 Well, that was kind of the story of my life as well.
02:06 I grew up singing.
02:08 I can remember when I was a little boy
02:09 four or five years old.
02:10 My dad would have me sing in front of my family.
02:15 I was very embarrassed but still they would force me to do that.
02:18 And it gave me a confidence and love for music.
02:20 I played piano.
02:21 I learned recorder and saxophone at a young age.
02:24 I use to learn cello in high school
02:26 then I learnt guitar in around early 2000, 2001.
02:30 Very versatile.
02:31 So as a young person--
02:33 who were the main influences that--
02:35 I mean who would you listen to?
02:37 What type of genre maybe--
02:38 You know, you write your own music,
02:39 so, you know, what were you into back then?
02:42 Sure, I would say probably in the 1990's
02:46 I can remember listening to tapes that my friends had.
02:52 Cassette tapes, remember those days?
02:53 Those were the golden days.
02:55 Before CD's. Exactly.
02:57 I can remember tapes of popular pop music
03:00 whether it's Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, music like that.
03:04 And then A cappella groups,
03:05 Boyz II Men and lot of R&B songs,
03:08 you know, some of these just secular artist.
03:11 I can remember that-- having a strong influence
03:13 in my-- in my life.
03:15 So as growing up as a child
03:17 it was--seems like you were musical
03:19 from the-- from the get go.
03:21 Was it always--when was it always a struggle between
03:26 because it sounds like did you grow up in the church
03:28 in a Christian environment is that?
03:29 Yes, I did. I grew up in a Christian environment.
03:31 So then you kind of grew up with the hymns,
03:33 you grew up with some of the Christian songs,
03:34 and then you also maybe were aware
03:37 and also listen to some of the other types of music.
03:39 Did you ever find a conflict with that
03:43 as growing up in your teenage years?
03:44 Tell us a little bit about that.
03:45 Sure, I think because I was so--
03:50 I guess you could say engrossed in popular music
03:53 it did give me lack of a desire for--for the Bible
03:57 and for spiritual things.
03:58 Although I did grew up in a Christian home
04:01 my great grandmother played a large role
04:02 in my spiritual development.
04:04 She would sing those hymns, worship on Friday nights.
04:08 I can remember times when she would sing her--
04:09 her favorite songs.
04:11 Some of the classic hymns like the Old Rugged Cross.
04:14 I can remember singing those songs.
04:16 But to answer your question because--
04:19 because of my then influences in my life
04:21 and being in a city and from-- from my different friends
04:25 I definitely--I could--I could definitely sense a conflict
04:30 but I was leaning more towards secular music--
04:32 Okay. During that time.
04:34 Okay, did you-- was, was there any particular,
04:39 was there a particular breakthrough at a given time
04:41 when you were kind of enlightened
04:43 on the subject of music at all?
04:45 Yes. And around what age?
04:46 May be you don't give us too much,
04:47 we maybe jumping ahead of ourselves,
04:49 but around what age did you kind of have an enlightenment,
04:51 maybe--maybe we can say a deeper encounter with God
04:54 where things started making a little more sense? Sure.
04:57 I started writing music, I remember one time the church,
05:01 a local church that I was a part of asked me to sing a song.
05:04 And so I decided to write my own song.
05:08 And so I wrote a Christian song for church,
05:11 it was in a very simple key with a very simple melody.
05:14 And it turned out to be a great blessing.
05:16 That was the beginning of my journey.
05:19 But it wasn't until the summer of 2002
05:23 that a good friend of mine who was also--
05:26 who was also a lover of music.
05:30 He had a Christian punk band, but in his experience
05:33 he--he found Christ and once he shared Christ with me,
05:40 I was very-- I was very impressed
05:42 and drawn to my friend Peter's spirituality.
05:46 I wanted a piece of what he had. Right.
05:48 And so when I found Christ for myself--I'm,
05:51 you know, making this long story short.
05:53 When I found Christ for myself
05:56 that then gave me a different taste for, for music,
06:00 than I-- than I once had.
06:01 All right, well, Nestor, we're gonna try to breakdown
06:04 the issue of music a little bit and one of the reasons why
06:07 it's an issue is because there are some people
06:08 who think that music needs to be a certain way
06:11 and there are other people who think it doesn't.
06:13 And a lot of people think music is neutral,
06:16 like it's not good and it's not bad it just is.
06:19 And can you talk a little bit about that,
06:21 a little bit about the biblical concept
06:23 of good quality music versus bad music.
06:26 Well, first of all maybe we should answer the question,
06:28 is music neutral? That's a very good question.
06:30 And in fact I have been spending some time
06:32 brooding over this issue.
06:33 I think as we address this issue
06:35 specifically your question, is music neutral?
06:38 We have to--we have to unpack at least two things.
06:41 First we have to realize that
06:43 music is just another form of communication.
06:46 Okay, it's one form of communication.
06:48 Right. What's another?
06:50 What's one form of communication that we're using right now?
06:53 Talking. Yeah. We're using speech.
06:54 Okay, that's a form of communication.
06:56 Another one is what we have right here
06:58 which we read everyday.
07:00 Right. Print, right.
07:01 Writing, that's another form of communication.
07:03 You can even throw-in sign language there.
07:05 People who can't-- who are deaf and can't speak
07:07 that's a form of communication.
07:08 Music is a form of communication one
07:11 and the second thing that we have to understand two
07:13 is that music is communicated by different mediums.
07:18 For example, the form of communication
07:22 called music can be communicated through voice.
07:26 Okay, so I can sing a note,
07:28 you know, I can use an instrument
07:30 I play guitar and piano.
07:31 I can play use an instrument to communicate that music
07:33 through that medium, okay?
07:36 So there is nothing inherently evil
07:39 necessarily of the form of music and any of the mediums.
07:45 Okay, for example, you know,
07:48 we are saying that music is not wrong,
07:50 neither is a certain instrument wrong.
07:52 I don't think a guitar is inherently evil,
07:55 neither is a piano inherently evil
07:56 or a drum inherently evil in itself.
07:59 But to answer your question
08:00 and I think it's a very good one,
08:02 is music neutral?
08:03 We have to take three things into consideration though, okay?
08:07 I have a nice acronym for you, okay?
08:09 PE and M, okay.
08:12 The first is P, we have to consider--
08:14 we have to consider the use of music, okay,
08:16 which is the purpose of music.
08:18 Now we want to go to scripture.
08:19 Let's go to this written form of communication
08:21 and see one way that music was used for a good purpose.
08:27 That's our first, our first,
08:29 our first point, purpose. Okay.
08:31 Second Chronicles, Chapter seven, verse six, okay.
08:33 The background is that Solomon is--
08:36 he builds the temple for the Lord
08:38 and he is dedicating the temple.
08:40 And we can see what purpose
08:42 Solomon uses music, look at this.
08:44 The scripture says in 2 Chronicles Chapter 7, verse 6.
08:48 "And the priests attended to their services,
08:50 the Levites also with instruments
08:52 of the music of the Lord,
08:54 which King David had made to praise the Lord,
08:57 saying, 'For His mercy endures forever,'
09:00 whenever David offered praise by their ministry."
09:02 Look at this "The priests sounded trumpets opposite them
09:06 while all Israel stood." Wow.
09:08 Do we see a good purpose for music in here?
09:11 Yeah. Absolutely.
09:12 Now let's think about 2012,
09:15 are there good purposes for music today?
09:18 I think so.
09:20 There are times where we want to be
09:23 spiritually uplifted so what we do?
09:24 We stick a CD in our car we play an MP3
09:28 on our iPod or iPhone and we listen to music,
09:31 to music that will for the purpose
09:33 of uplifting our hearts toward God, right?
09:35 Now there is also bad,
09:37 there is also--there are also bad ways of using music,
09:40 bad purposes for music.
09:42 Look at what the Bible says in Daniel, Chapter 3, okay?
09:45 Now in Daniel 3 we know the story
09:49 of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. Right.
09:52 And we learn in Daniel Chapter 3 that King Nebuchadnezzar,
09:57 he makes this very large golden statue
10:02 or image if you could say.
10:04 And what he wanted to do was invite the entire town
10:08 to come and to bow down to this image.
10:11 Now look what the scripture says
10:12 specifically of how music was used in this way.
10:15 The Bible says in Daniel, Chapter 3 verses 4 through 6.
10:18 "Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded,
10:22 O people, nations, and languages,
10:24 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn,
10:28 flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery,
10:31 in symphony with all kinds of music,
10:34 you shall fall down and worship the gold image
10:36 that Nebuchadnezzar has set up
10:38 and whoever does not fall down and worship,"
10:40 what will happen "they shall be cast immediately
10:43 into the midst of a burning fiery furnace."
10:48 So we can see here that music was used
10:50 for the purpose of obeisance. Right.
10:53 It was against their, it was against their freewill.
10:56 Praise the Lord, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
10:59 they stood faithful to the Lord.
11:01 So we can see that, we can see that music
11:03 can be used either for good or bad purpose.
11:05 Are we clear on that? Yeah, yeah, definitely.
11:07 How about our second acronym? Okay, our second letter E.
11:11 Music has certain effects on us.
11:13 Right. Okay.
11:15 Now you know this story.
11:16 Let's go to 1 Samuel, Chapter 16 verse 23, okay?
11:21 This has to be the Saul story.
11:22 This is the Saul story, you are right, okay. Yeah.
11:24 First Samuel Chapter 16, verse 23.
11:30 We see the effect of music in a good way.
11:36 The Bible says in verse 23 and so it was
11:39 "whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul,
11:41 that David would take a harp and play it with his hand,
11:45 then Saul would become refreshed and well,
11:48 and the distressing spirit would depart from him."
11:52 Isn't that interesting?
11:53 When he added a stressing spirit upon him
11:56 David would come and play the harp.
11:58 It's to why we don't have the music notes. I wish we did.
12:01 To know exactly what David was playing?
12:02 I wish we did.
12:03 Now I do want to pick on my friend Dan here,
12:06 but we were roommates a few months ago
12:08 and sometimes he would play he would play guitar
12:11 and it had a soothing effect on me.
12:13 Now I wouldn't say to this point,
12:14 to the point where Saul was,
12:16 but I would-- you can see that
12:18 there was a good effect on Saul.
12:20 You are giving me too much credit. Yeah.
12:22 But we also see a bad effect in scripture.
12:25 Okay, let's go to Exodus, Chapter 32.
12:28 Now we all know this story. It's a very unfortunate one.
12:33 While Moses was on the Mount
12:37 receiving the Commandments from God
12:39 something was going on with the people
12:41 that he led out of Egypt.
12:44 And we read something, we know from a previous
12:48 from early on in the passage that they began to celebrate,
12:54 dance, take all of their jewelry off
12:57 and make an image.
12:59 And the Bible says in starting with verse 17
13:01 of Exodus Chapter 32, verse 17,
13:04 "and when Joshua heard the noise of the people
13:06 as they shouted, he said to Moses,
13:08 There is a noise of war in the camp."
13:11 But he said, "It is not the noise of the shout
13:14 of victory nor the noise of the cry of defeat,
13:17 but the sound of singing I hear."
13:20 Okay, so there was music.
13:22 It wasn't only shouting but there was singing going on.
13:24 And the rest of the scripture says verse 19,
13:27 so it was "as soon as he came near the camp,
13:30 that he saw the calf and the dancing,
13:32 so Moses' anger became hot,
13:34 and he cast the tablets out of his hands
13:36 and broke them at the foot of the mountain."
13:38 Now we see the effect that it had on Moses.
13:41 He was very upset because he was thinking
13:43 how could this happen but what I want to focus
13:45 on is the effect that music had on the people
13:48 that were dancing and worshiping.
13:49 And we know that in this--
13:52 there's another verse in this passage
13:54 that speaks about how the Israelites rose up to play.
13:58 When you look at the actual word the phrase there
14:01 it's not speaking about playing games
14:04 and it's not a regular-- regular setting.
14:06 It's not monopoly--
14:08 It's not a regular Saturday night
14:09 get-together, okay? Sure.
14:11 There was some sexual activity going on in this passage.
14:15 Watch out. And it's very clear.
14:17 So not only number one, do we see that music
14:19 has a purpose we can also see that
14:22 in this instance that music had an effect in a bad way.
14:25 You know, I just read an article
14:27 and I think this has been around for quite some time.
14:30 There was a student who did an experiment on mice.
14:34 With one group of mice this individual played
14:40 had the mice listen to classical music
14:43 for about 24 hours-- for 24 hours.
14:46 And then for another group of mice he had this,
14:49 he had this group of mice listen to hard rock,
14:53 heavy metal music for 24 hours.
14:56 What he wanted to do was to see what kind of music,
15:00 what kind of influence or what kind of effect
15:02 would music have on these mice as they went through a maze.
15:07 Guess what happened when he put them inside that maze.
15:10 The good mice were trying to find their way
15:14 through the maze, the one that listened to classical music.
15:16 But this individual had to stop the experiment
15:20 because the mice that were--
15:22 that listened to heavy metal music for 24 hours
15:26 they started killing the other mice.
15:28 Wow. Wow.
15:30 Music doesn't only-- not only carries a purpose,
15:34 but it also has an effect.
15:38 And it doesn't really affect humans apparently
15:40 it actually affects the animal kingdom.
15:43 And actually it's interesting because when we look at,
15:46 you know, like documentaries when we look at epics
15:48 or when you look at even some films
15:50 usually in order to magnify a particular scene
15:55 you have the appropriate music that goes with it.
15:57 For example when you have the conquering hero
16:01 that liberates the nation from whatever the oppressed people,
16:05 you have kind of this, you know,
16:07 very majestic type of crescendoing type of music.
16:12 Because it's appropriate to the scene
16:14 and it's supposed to develop a sensation to you.
16:18 And of course in a romantic type of a setting you have--
16:21 Sure they are documentaries you're watching?
16:25 Documentaries as well, you know,
16:26 documentaries, movies,
16:27 even commercials you find that.
16:28 You know, even science is backing that up
16:31 that sound carries an emotion with it. Right.
16:34 You know, the study of syntax and those things,
16:36 so it definitely has an effect.
16:38 Now this is, so the first one just so that our viewers know
16:41 because just to make sure that I remember,
16:45 the P is purpose, the E is effects,
16:49 and you gonna take us to the--
16:51 M. The M.
16:53 M. So this spells PEM.
16:54 It spells PEM. Is PEM a word?
16:56 It's not, maybe, maybe in my dictionary it is just PEM.
16:59 Okay, that's fine, PEM. So the M, what is the M?
17:02 The M is the message, the message, okay.
17:05 It's the message behind the medium.
17:08 Now people, some people will say that
17:12 music is neutral and in fact I wanted to take that position
17:14 when I was thinking through this.
17:16 Music is neutral, doesn't have an effect
17:18 but when you really, when you think about music,
17:20 when you think about the medium there is always a message,
17:24 there is always some type of worldview,
17:27 there is always some type of culture,
17:28 there is always some type of belief system
17:30 beliefe system attached to that medium.
17:32 For example, I'm not using speech out of the vacuum.
17:36 I'm using speech right now
17:37 for the purpose of talking to you
17:40 and the audience about the issue of music.
17:42 There was--there's always a purpose behind the medium.
17:46 I am indebted to Christian Apologetics,
17:48 his name is Ravi Zacharias.
17:49 In fact I had an opportunity to see him a few days ago.
17:53 And he said that there are three levels of philosophy.
17:55 He said that there is a hard educated level,
17:56 higher level, academic philosophy.
17:58 There is the arts, music, media,
18:03 and then you have the third level
18:04 which is kitchen-- kitchen talk,
18:06 you know, table talk like what we're doing right here.
18:08 And when he says is that the arts basically reflects--
18:11 it reflects a certain philosophy or worldview behind it.
18:16 And I completely agree with that.
18:17 I think that's a very, that's a very profound statement
18:20 and I think it's very accurate of a society today.
18:23 In other words certain artist that are conveying
18:27 a particular type of music,
18:29 there is a message behind it-- Exactly.
18:32 That attitude, there's values,
18:33 there is a philosophy that maybe-- Exactly.
18:35 Maybe could be hid-in at times
18:37 but nonetheless is there is what you are saying.
18:39 It's always there. Okay.
18:40 It is always there. So let use the instance of,
18:42 let use the instance of a rap music for example.
18:46 Specifically rap music, violent rap music--
18:49 Like the gangster rap type--
18:50 The gangster rap or the one's that promote sexuality.
18:54 Sure. There's a message behind that.
18:58 You think of rock music,
19:01 there's a certain message behind that.
19:03 In fact if you look at--
19:04 I did some study on the history of rock and roll
19:07 seeing that the very, the very essence of it
19:11 is a rebellion against the foreman,
19:13 rebellion against law, against convention against values.
19:18 So it's a rebellion against convention like you said
19:21 I think it's a very good word, Dan.
19:22 So we see here that, that there is a message behind the medium.
19:26 Now what about classical music, okay.
19:29 That one is, that one is debatable I understand,
19:32 but at the same time I was just talking
19:34 with a friend during a certain point in time
19:36 classical music was used by a certain group of people
19:40 mostly the Boricua or the elite part of society
19:43 where as the common folk people
19:45 wouldn't necessarily listen to that type of music.
19:47 So may be at a certain point what was being communicated
19:50 during that time was--was elitism.
19:55 One--may be I am stretching it there
19:56 but there may have been a message behind that.
19:59 But instrumental music can still communicate a message
20:04 you just talked about romance films,
20:06 let's just think of a horror film,
20:07 they play, you know, they play--
20:08 Gloomy, doomy type-- There's always a message,
20:11 some type of message that's being portrayed
20:14 trying to scare the people for example.
20:17 But let's look at the positive side of the message
20:19 behind the music, behind the medium.
20:21 Let's look at Christian music.
20:23 Let's look at music that we listen to,
20:26 music that has a theological message behind it.
20:29 I don't know about you but music that really uplifts my heart,
20:33 are songs that--that have a strong message behind it.
20:37 For example this song, "It Is Well With My Soul."
20:40 "When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
20:42 when sorrows like sea billows roll."
20:44 And then the second verse,
20:45 "My sin, oh, the joy of this glorious thought,
20:47 my sin, not in part but the whole."
20:49 They're speaking about the struggle,
20:51 this intensity inside the human heart
20:53 and finding Solace in God.
20:55 So that's what's wonderful and the good side
20:58 it's just as wonderful about music.
21:00 It ties positive and good meaning behind the music.
21:03 So then obviously there is good messages.
21:07 There is music with good messages
21:09 and there's music with bad messages.
21:10 So the idea then is not necessarily
21:12 to throw out music entirely
21:14 because music was created by God.
21:17 Music was intended originally for the purpose.
21:20 So, Nestor, let's get practical,
21:21 what do we tell young adults who may be watching this program
21:25 gonna say okay, well, how do I know what the message is,
21:31 what--what the purpose of that particle genre of music?
21:34 I guess some may be a little bit more obvious with the yelling
21:39 and with the blatant vulgarity in the content of the lyrics,
21:43 but is there any principles may be that you discovered
21:45 in your experience that may be helpful for young person
21:47 trying to make intelligent decisions.
21:49 That's a very good question.
21:51 I think that if we just dwell--you know,
21:53 just dwell on the theology and the ideas behind it
21:55 and if you don't get practical then this really wasn't,
21:58 this really wasn't a relevant program.
22:01 I think that one thing that we can,
22:03 one principle that I can think of is having the right filter.
22:07 Now what is that filter? So glad you asked that question.
22:09 Philippians, Chapter 4 verse 8, okay.
22:12 Philippians, Chapter 4 verse 8.
22:16 This is a text that I've shared, you know,
22:17 I've let out in teen camp meetings.
22:20 I've shared this with teens when young people ask me,
22:23 you know what--then what music is good to listen to.
22:25 Well, the scripture says here in Philippians, Chapter 4 verse 8,
22:27 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true,
22:30 whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,
22:32 whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
22:34 whatever things are of good report,
22:36 if there be any virtue,
22:37 and if there be any praise worthy,
22:39 meditate on these things."
22:41 So I allow this to be my filter to determine
22:46 what I should listen to.
22:49 You know, we can talk about music,
22:52 we can talk about bad music, but, you know,
22:54 there's a lot good music out there.
22:56 There are a lot of songs out there
22:57 that really uplift the soul.
23:01 I know that, you know, there is a Christian artist
23:04 by the name of Fernando Ortega that I listened to sometimes.
23:07 And he has music that-that's straight from scripture
23:10 and that uplifts the soul.
23:12 Songs, a lot of hymns that I've already mentioned,
23:14 songs that lift the heart, you know,
23:16 I am sure that there are songs that you know
23:20 fit this category of being true, noble, honest,
23:23 pure, of good report, things that have virtue.
23:26 I am sure that there's music in your own library
23:27 that fits this category.
23:29 So Philippians 4 is a good guide for us
23:31 to kind of distinguish between good music and bad music--
23:34 And it'll definitely give us an opportunity
23:36 to make intelligent decisions with the choice of music.
23:39 Now in may be a minute, Nestor,
23:42 what--why is there may be challenges
23:46 with music in the church?
23:49 I know that's kind of torture in one minute. One minute.
23:52 Can you maybe give us, you know, why, why,
23:54 what is the fundamental problem
23:55 that there's problems in the church.
23:56 We talked about secular music and maybe the messages,
23:59 but what about Christian music?
24:00 Why is there controversy within this genre?
24:04 Sure. I think that, I think that, in one minute,
24:08 I can't believe you're only giving me one minute.
24:10 I think that I can think about these two things of why
24:12 there's a problem in the church over this issue
24:15 and it comes with those levels.
24:16 I think first of all I think that a lot of individuals
24:21 sing music or they don't criticize and reason
24:25 or critique the music that they listen to.
24:28 So there may be music that might have a connotation
24:30 with a certain genre maybe there is rock or hip hop
24:33 or what not, things that might remind individuals
24:36 of the secular world.
24:38 The issue is that I think that some people
24:40 don't critically think about their music.
24:42 It's important to think about the medium
24:44 and the messages behind it. Right.
24:46 And I think, I think most importantly
24:51 when I think the issue stems from the fact that
24:54 if we as individuals really are honest
24:56 and we come to the word and we say Lord, okay,
24:59 I see Philippians 4:8.
25:01 How can you, how can I allow you Lord to determine
25:05 the kind of music that we should listen to?
25:07 I think that if we are humble enough as individuals
25:10 as a church and say and say how can I truly praise God.
25:15 How can I truly praise Him
25:18 and how can I even use this music at church?
25:21 How can I determine-- how can I determine the base
25:23 on what scripture says.
25:24 I think that if we try to be theological
25:26 and at the same time if we're critical
25:27 about the music that we listen to I think
25:29 that some of the problem will subside.
25:31 Yeah, I like that because it's a good way of determining,
25:34 you know, what an individual should listen to
25:36 but also for organizations like the church
25:38 and selecting music for the church service.
25:41 You know, it's a good filter, you know,
25:44 does this fit in the Philippians 4:8 category.
25:47 And I think a lot of times we say
25:49 if it's not a hymn its not, you know, Philippians 4:8,
25:52 which isn't true from what you are saying.
25:54 We have to filter it and be very critical,
25:57 you know, about the music that we allow to come
26:00 into our worship service. Right. Exactly.
26:02 Now Nestor in 30 seconds, I gave you a minute,
26:05 now I'm gonna give you 30 seconds. Okay.
26:08 What counsel would you give a young person
26:10 may be that's kind of like you at an early age,
26:13 may be identify it or maybe he's just recently
26:15 identifying that God has given them a gift of music
26:17 and they want to use it for the Lord?
26:20 You know, what counsel would you give them
26:22 to develop this gift in about 30 seconds?
26:25 What do you think? Sure.
26:27 I think that if God has given you a gift for music
26:31 if He has given you a gift in voice or gift
26:33 within instruments definitely use it for the Lord.
26:37 I can speak from my own experience the gift
26:40 was confirmed at a very early age for me
26:42 and through a series of events I was--by God's grace
26:45 I was able to make my first CD.
26:48 Some original compositions and some--one hymn as well.
26:52 Which I've heard and I love. Praise God. Praise God.
26:56 But I think that if the Lord is pressed upon your heart,
26:59 he's giving you a skill definitely use it for His glory.
27:03 Get involved in your church, speak with your pastor
27:07 and I want--I also want to say speak to the pastor
27:10 about the values of--of the values of music in your church.
27:13 Ask them, you know, how can I use my music
27:15 at the same time being biblically sound
27:17 and using my music in a good way
27:19 that won't necessarily harm the people.
27:22 That's one way and whenever the opportunity comes,
27:25 you know, sing, enjoy, enjoy singing with friends,
27:30 if you have a group, you know,
27:33 former group sing songs together just expose yourself and--
27:36 Expose yourself, get out there, and get involved.
27:38 Nestor, I wish we had more time.
27:39 Wow, this has been very insightful
27:41 and I pray that the Lord blesses you in your
27:43 music ministry and I know that He has blessed others
27:46 and He will continue to bless those
27:48 that are yet to listen to your music.
27:50 For those that have watched this program,
27:52 I want to encourage you that there is wholesome music
27:55 out there that is tasteful, that is edifying,
27:57 and that will enrich your experience with God.
27:59 God bless you till next time.


Home

Revised 2014-12-17