Reviewing doxological motivation for church missional music from a reformational perspective

Abstract

This article reviews the doxological motivation of and for the church’s mission from a reformational perspective. The researcher learned that there is a human tendency to position oneself, or other beings or things, in the centre of God’s story and mission. Human religions and philosophy in ancient times claimed that behind the visible reality, there is an invisible world of either fate or ideals, which determined how people lived, and how they viewed and practised music. It is learned from missiological debates that the goal and the motive of the church’s missional music are often misunderstood and it led to a disarray, not only of the goal and motive of the church’s music, but also of the effective and efficient missional fellowship with God and with each other through music. With an overarching theme of formation (creation), deformation (humanity’s fall into sin) and reformation (redemption and hope), this article is set to discuss three aspects of doxological motivation of and for the church’s missional music, before the concluding remarks. In short, firstly the starting point: its formation; secondly, the critical point: its deformation (misdirection); thirdly, the ultimate point: its reformation and consummation.

Contribution: This article adds value (a voice) in finding ways and means for the effective and efficient missional worship of God through church music. In that regard, understanding the doxological motivation behind the church’s missional music and its relevance in the missional worship of God is important. This attempt not only helps in handling misconceptions regarding the human tendency to position themselves, other beings, or things in the centre of God’s story, worship and mission, but helps also in restoring the proper doxology at the centre of worshipping God through music.