My late wife was an excellent singer until Myasthenia Gravis robbed her of her voice. My daughter having grown into her teens took over where Patricia left off and became a fine soloist singing with the British Continentals. My younger son, while studying medicine at Bart’s Medical School, won the Ronnie Scott’s Band of the Year contest, with his group the Worry Dolls. My older son is a musician and led the music at Pip and Jay Anglican Church in Bristol.
My younger brother also has a good base/tenor voice and often sings solos; my older brother is no novice and also can sing and play the piano. I am the exception, being tone deaf being totally ignorant about music. I stand out like a musical sore thumb amongst my family. In fact, ask me what a quaver is and I quiver. When I start to sing, they join in that well-known song – “shut up, shut up, shut up!”
In my late teens, having received a call from God to minister the word to the kingdom, I went to Him and discussed my musical poverty. How could I lead worship, which is integral for spiritual development with such destitution of ability? I implored him to consider my ignorance, and in effect I fulfilled the first beatitude “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” (Matthew 5:3) very poor in musical ability; it was either God or nothing. Beneficially, He came to my rescue, and although I am still very much short of musical understanding, He gave me a gift of knowing when a song will lead a congregation into worship.
Soon after I left the West Midlands, for London to become the Associate at Kensington Temple, I was asked to preach and lead the worship at Impetus 86, a third world conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka. There were 63 nations and over 800 delegates plus the large Colombo Assemblies of God Church. I led the worship and spoke over that weekend and ministered during the week. From there I was invited around the world to speak on worship.
“Strange?” “Yes, and almost impossible,” but God will take our poverty and cause us to inherit the kingdom. God is more concerned about our attitude to Him, not our wonderful talents and abilities. The world will emphasize self-confidence, self-reliance and self-expression. It is a matter of personal aptitude that glorifies flesh, yet they are envious of our ‘happiness’ which is what blessed means, “blessed (happy) are the poor in Spirit.”
Unfortunately, the world has slipped into the church and confused our focus, and the result of that is personality centred worship. Sessional musicians and gifted singers minister songs that congregations can’t sing; they are too difficult. It unwittingly glorifies musicians, who are no doubt skilled, but what of entering The Presence?
I used to receive a cassette each month from a leading Christian musical publishing company and out of the 100 to 120 songs I listened to per annum, I doubt there were more than five that any congregation could sing. If one watches the average modern church at worship, the people more often than not stand watching the platform – it is a kind of vicarious worship. Very much like a football crowd cheering on their idol. Perhaps the purpose of the CDs and tapes is to make money not worshippers?
Blessed is the man who is utterly and totally destitute, at the end of his tether, for then God has a chance. It means the complete absence of pride, self-reliance and self-confidence. It is a God-centred life that is thrown wholly on His ability. As the hymn puts it “Now let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich.” Those are the blessed or happy people for you know that, like Jesus, you only do what the Father does (John 8:28) and the life of Jesus was to worship His Father at all times and in all things (John 4:23). Finally, it is not what I might have been – not even what I may be – but what I am, that constitutes the measure of my blessedness.
