Hey everyone, I came across this short piece that I wrote a few years ago about the role of the drummer in worship, and I though it might make interesting reading. Of course, much of what I say here applies to all musicians and how any of us use our instruments to glorify God.
Have a read and tell me what you think... God’s Rhythmic Presence
The whole world is full of rhythm – it’s whole motion and cycle is rhythmic. Wherever there is life, there is rhythm! Our first introduction to God, (Gen 1:2), shows His rhythmic presence ‘hovering over the waters’.
Our Rhythmic Presence
As beings created by God, we have our own rhythmic presence – from the moment that we are born. In the same way that God breathed life into Adam, (Gen 2:7), He has also breathed physical life into us – through our heartbeat.
God’s Heart/Our Hearts
When we are stirred emotionally or physically, our heartbeat races – the character of its rhythm varies, like a drum beat, and reflects something of our feelings. God’s heart is the same, reflecting His feelings.
Our Drumming
God does not want ‘good worship’, but seeks ‘good worshippers’ (ie: with a heart after His). As drummers involved in leading worship, we must try to listen to God’s heart and use the gifting that He has given us to express and interpret the feeling of His ‘heartbeat’.
Playing With Passion
From the very outset of creation, God shows emotion, (Gen 1:31) and if we are to ‘express the feelings of His heartbeat’, we need to play our drums passionately. This does not mean loudly all the time!! We need to train our playing so that it reflects the passion or emotion we see in God on each occasion – and this will change through the worship, even through a single song. These are a few examples of the different ways that God has commanded drummers to play:
q Psalm 81:12 – ‘strike the drum’
q Isaiah 30:32 – ‘battle to the beat of drums’ (and this is without any
q 1 Samuel 18:16 – ‘joyful songs with drums’ mention of His commands
q Exodus 15:20 – ‘drumming with praise’ about playing cymbals!)
q Psalm 150:4 – ‘praise with drums’
q 1 Samuel 10:5-6 – ‘drums for prophecy’
q 1 Samuel 16:23 – ‘to expel evil spirits’
The variety of rhythms, patterns and ‘dynamic’ that we have available to use is clearly down to us practicing and developing our gift – our technical ability.
Knowing when to make use of a particular sound, use a certain rhythm, or play with a certain ‘feel’ is up to us developing our ability to hear God’s heartbeat.
THE LANGUAGE OF DRUMS IN WORSHIP
The Role of the Drummer
Throughout history, biblical and secular, drummers have been used to stir people, gain attention, unite communities, drive away fear, put fear into the enemy, and lead troops into battle. In this final role, the drummer plays on the very front line of battle, while others fight with weapons. The drummer keeps playing to rally the troops as they begin to flag.
Whatever the drummers’ role, the drumming always has and will cause a reaction form those around.
Drumming as a Language
Drumming – our musical expression can be seen as a language. It is a language of emotion, of the heart, and as with any language it requires dialogue between people to operate. We need to hear so that we can respond and speak. There are many examples of God encouraging us to enter in to this dialogue, both with Him and also with others. If we follow His instructions about this, it will help us to develop a right motivation and express ourselves through our drumming, for His glory. For example:
- ‘My musical expression … is a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – it is a spiritual act of worship. It no longer conforms to the pattern of this world.’ (Rom 12:1 – 2)
- ‘My musical expression … does not boast. It is not rude, is not self-seeking.’ (1 Cor 13:4)
- ‘Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.’
(Eph 5:19)
- ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.’
(Col 3:16)
The Privilege of Drumming
God has given each one of us a tremendous gift – the ability to develop what is the most fundamental and natural human response, to perhaps a more complex and sophisticated level. Every person created has that ‘rhythmic presence’ within them. It is one of the most basic human responses, yet it is one of the most direct ways that God chooses to speak to us.
God has called us, as drummers, to listen and respond to His ‘heartbeat’, because He knows that as we express this through our playing, it will cause others to respond. During our worship meetings, we are often in a position where our drumming can be used by God to ‘set the tone’ of His dialogue with His people. What a privilege!
Simon
