音樂事奉與傳揚福音
梁永堅(詠團團長)
自從保羅和西拉在一次監獄佈道中唱詩讚美神，帶領獄卒一家相信耶穌並受洗歸主（徒16：25-31），音樂與福音便結下不解之緣。欣樂詠團既然也是以音樂事奉與傳揚福音為宗旨：就讓我們藉著保羅的勉勵，在音樂和福音的事奉上成為神忠心的好管家。
保羅說：「當用各樣的智慧，把基督的道理，豐豐富富的存在心裡，用詩章、頌詞、靈歌，彼此教導，互相勸戒，心被恩感歌頌神。無論作甚麼，或說話、或行事，都要奉主耶穌的名，藉著祂感謝父神」（西3：16-17）。這話真寶貴。對於我們這一班「奉主名」（欣樂）的團員更看為至理名言，這裡描寫出一位音樂事奉者完美的典範，他擁有豐富的生命，他滿有聰明智慧，他常緊記主的話，他懂得使用不同的詩歌題材與別人分享主的恩典，他口唱心和的讚美神，他的一切言行都是按照主耶穌的旨意，並且得到祂的應許和祝福。因此，他就能夠凡事都感謝神。
所以，我們在音樂事奉與傳揚福音的事上，絶對不能掉以輕心。我們不要盲目追求時尚的品味或刻意營造感情澎湃的氣氛，而忽略了真理信息的傳達並神人關係的復和。恐怕新鮮感與激情過後，會眾並沒有領受，甚至也沒有遇見神。如此這般的溝通失誤必然災難性地摧毀了我們的事奉。我們須要察驗：（1）是否人的工作過於聖靈的工作；（2）是人還是神享受我們的讚美；（3）我們的音樂詩歌是否有深度內涵的信息，還是空洞膚淺宣洩情感的工具；（4）會眾在心態與思維上是否預備好接收及回應詩歌的信息；（5）會眾的投入是否有如參加演唱會一般，或是以心靈和誠實與神交談。
再者，保羅說：「….栽種的與澆灌的都算不得甚麼，惟有神叫他生長；….因為我們是與神同工的….豈不知神的靈住在你們裡頭麼….」（林前3：6-23）。
那末，我們應該讓聖靈在聚會中提供溝通的能力；讓神透過我們和我們的音樂去完成祂的工作。我們要以生命影響生命的事奉主，就能榮神益人。我們更要「靠著耶穌，以頌讚為祭獻給神，這就是那承認主名之人嘴唇的果子」（來13：15），才可蒙神悅納。在唱詩之時，基督內住在我們裡面的生命力與恩賜就能夠流露出來。聖靈又敞開會眾的心靈，除去不合時宜的思緒，接收詩歌所傳遞的信息，還可從歌者熱誠真摰的演繹中明白基督的信實和慈愛，思想自己個人與神的關係和經歷並接受救恩，立志跟從主耶穌。
文章轉載自廿四周年音樂會年刊
以上文章謹屬作者個人意見。
Music and Evangelical Preaching
Leung Wing Kin
Chairman of Executive Committee
Since Paul and Silas sang hymns to God in prison leading the jailer and his family to believe in God and be baptized (Acts 16:25-31), there has been an undetachable bond between music and evangelical preaching. As the objectives of Innomine Chorale are focusing on serving the Lord through music and preaching the gospel, let us be the trusted manager of the Lord in our musical and evangelical mission.
Paul said, “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. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” How precious are these Words. It means even more to us, the members of Innomine, as we are in the name of the Lord Jesus. Here, a perfect example of one who serves through music is described. He possesses a rich life, he is full of wisdom, he remembers the Words of the Lord, and he knows how to share God’s grace with others by the different themes in hymns. He praises the Lord with his mouth and his soul. All of his word and deed are in accordance with the Lord Jesus’s will, and are within the promises and blessings of Him. As a result, he can give thanks to God for everything he does.
Therefore, we must not be lax in our musical mission and evangelical preaching. We should not follow blindly the trendy style or deliberately arouse an emotional atmosphere and neglecting the communications of the message of the truth or the reconciliation of the relationship between God and mankind. I am afraid that after the freshness has faded or the passion is over, the congregation has nothing to gain, or has not even met God. Such a communication mistake will disastrously destroy our mission. We have to evaluate: (1) whether the work of human is more than the work of the Holy Spirit; (2) is it people or is it God that enjoy our praise; (3) is there any deep meaning in the message of our music, or is it merely a tool for expression of empty feelings; (4) is the congregation psychologically and mentally ready to receive and reply to the message of the hymns; (5) is the participation of the congregation similar to those attending popular concerts or are they communicating with God with their soul and honesty?
In addition, Paul says, “…neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. For we are God’s fellow workers… Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:6-23).
Hence, we shall let the Holy Spirit provide the communication ability in our gatherings, and let God complete His work through us and through our music. We must glorify God and serve the Lord by influencing lives with our lives. Also, “ through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess His name.” (Hebrew 13:15) Only then that God appreciates us. When singing hymns, the life of Christ and His grace within us may be expressed. The Holy Spirit opens the hearts of the congregation, removing their inappropriate thoughts and allowing their receipt of the message communicated in the hymns, so that the truthfulness and mercy of Christ can be understood through the sincere interpretation of the singers. As a result, they can think, about their relationship with God, experience and accept the salvation and make a decision to follow Jesus.
This article was published in the 24th annual concert brochure
The above article represents the author’s personal opinion only.