A Statement of Belief

I believe that a musician working in service to the Gospel owes first responsibility to God as manifest in our Savior Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. There should next be a focus on the congregation; both the congregation as active participant through their singing of “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” and service music, as well as the congregation as reactive participant as they hear the choir, organ, and other musicians present the Gospel on their behalf through anthems, preludes, and other artistic/musical expressions. I have found that the more a congregation is empowered to view itself as a central musical expression of the faith, the more they also see choirs and instrumentalists as natural outgrowths of that expression, i.e., they view an anthem as an offering done on their behalf. The fact that this rehearsed music speaks to the assembly as well as for them makes the ministry of music an incredibly potent vehicle for mission. This is simultaneously mission to the congregation, and mission for and by the congregation. In short, the chief responsibility of the church musician is to use music to carry the voice of Jesus Christ to the faithful and to the world.

Throughout Judeo-Christian history the finest musicians (and artists in general) have been employed in service to the faith. Today we employ the most highly trained and effective clergy to lead our search for God’s truth, yet the use of the most skilled musicians (pursuing the highest standards) can still provoke suspicion among some of the faithful. I believe that just as we hire the best person to repair a leaky roof, so should we hire the most skilled musician to help maintain the musical “roof” of our faith. This roof of faith coincidentally, but by design, advertises (“See Rock City”*) and attracts others to come under it for nourishment, inspiration, and comfort, and most importantly, for salvation. The Christian musician knows that quality matters. The more skillfully and beautifully music is rendered to God, the more it speaks for, and to, the gathered community of Christians. God is made visible and audible in the beautiful creations that we mortals create. Artists echo the miracle of creation when the inspiration of the Holy Spirit brings forth new sounds and images of God in the twenty-first century. We can do nothing but our best in this endeavor called life, and it should be no different when art (music) is used in service to the Gospel. We cannot be embarrassed when we strive to bring the very best we can to God’s work and presence in the world. I have found that it is entirely consistent with a pastoral approach to volunteer musicians to work for excellence of the highest order. We are not called to be perfect but perfected, and doing the best we can allows all to utilize their gifts using whatever style is fitting and appropriate.

A lifelong Lutheran raised and spiritually shaped within liturgical Christianity, I have spent most of my professional life working within liturgical congregations. The local community as well as the universal Church of all times and places is manifest as attractive and evangelical when displayed by a faithful community at worship using the words and forms of our ancestors. In the same way a visitor to my family’s Christmas dinner may not at first know all of our customs and their meanings, we still maintain these customs and the warmth of our love draws the guest closer to us in spite of any superficial unfamiliarity. The love makes the experience evangelical, not the details. Many who have forsaken historic liturgical forms in pursuit of something more “welcoming” and who have substituted more “friendly” worship orders, but still do not offer a committed and welcoming community, are no more attractive to the visitor than before they changed. It is not just the form we follow, but the love we reveal in with and under the form that highlights the Holy Spirit's movement in the hearts of us sinners.

~Daniel John Susan

*Three simple words “See Rock City” were the distinctive black-and-white rooftop signs which appeared on barns as far north as Michigan and as far west as Texas to advertise this southern tourist attraction. www.seerockcity.com