A response to Rev. Marcus Lecky’s article on hymns and music
It is bewildering and deeply alarming to think that a Free Presbyterian minister should teach on the nature of the worship of God without making a single reference to the only standard of true worship, the Bible. A preacher without a Bible is a strange paradox indeed.
There are several issues I wish to raise in response to Rev. Lecky’s article. I am glad that he has voiced his views publicly and online as it gives opportunity to respond to them in the same manner. It has been startling to see the positive comments and support, even from other Free Presbyterian ministers, to such an obviously non-scriptural discussion of the worship of God.
1. Primary focus. Rev. Lecky is obvious setting out to refute the charge that Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) has infiltrated the Free Presbyterian Church. He does so by emphasizing repeatedly that the FPCoU has throughout its history used, what he terms, “current music”. In making this point he avoids the real issue entirely and raises a red herring. This wordplay either is based on ignorance of the real issue, or is an attempt cause confusion. The question of CCM in the church has NEVER been about the time when hymns or music was created. There is no intrinsic merit in the age of hymn. It is not better – or worse – simply because it is old or because it is new in a chronological sense. The date of writing is irrelevant.
CCM is a distinct genre of music first identified by the term “contemporary” in the 1970s in the context of the Jesus movement, a supposedly ‘christian’ hippie movement. It is a genre of music that blends Christian praise with the music of the ungodly world, initially from the hippie culture. It is contemporary, not in the sense that it is new, but in the sense that it copies the style of prevailing popular music trends. Simply put, CCM is contemporary because it is the music of this present evil age incorporated into the praise of worship. God-honouring praise is timeless and it is never determined to be God-honouring on the basis of the date of its production. The Bible speaks of the new song planted by grace in the heart of the redeemed (Ps 40:3). It is not new because it is recent, but new in contrast with the old songs of the pit which the old man previous enjoyed in an unregenerate state, and from which grace had redeemed him. It is still the new song of the new man, when a Christian has been singing the praise of God for a lifetime. Biblical praise is timeless.
Recognizing the irrelevance of Rev. Lecky’s misleading use of the term “current music”, the charge that contemporary worldly music has infiltrated the Free Presbyterian Church still stands. There is undoubtedly praise employed in the FPC today that is of a very different spirit than was used in the past. There has been an increasing adopting of the contemporary music of the world.
2. The nature of acceptable praise of God in worship must be defined Biblically. Both in reference to the lyrics and the accompanying music, the Biblical rules for worship must be followed. Biblical exposition is noticable by its complete absence from Rev. Lecky’s treatment of the subject. It is strange that he makes no reference to Scripture, no reference even to confessional statements which address this matter, or the regulative principle which is a foundational aspect of Reformed teaching to determine what is true Biblical worship. It is to be reretted that the man who claims to be the messenger of God has no word from God on this vital subject. His words are merely his own and to be entirely discounted on the basis that they have no authority whatever without the word of God to support them.
a. Doctrine. Acceptable praise of God involves doctrinally sound hymns. The words of the Apostle in Col 3:16 emphasize the Scriptures as the sole source of praise that pleases God. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. The words of Eph 5:19, …Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, emphasize the point. The singing emerges from the rich indwelling of the word of God. Praise is to be prompted by the Spirit, and the use of speaking to describe that which is sung, indicates that it is instructive and doctrinal. Its exclusive origin is the word of Christ. This is what makes a song of praise, spiritual. Rev. Lecky acknowledges the need for good doctrine but sadly undermines it by the rest of his discussion of the matter because it is utterly devoid of doctrine!
b. Musical accompaniment. The case for musical accompaniment in praise of God can be made easily from Scripture. However, what does that accompaniment look like? There are Biblical principles that can be applied to the matter. Notably, the words of 1John 2:15-16 must be applied here, as to every other area of Christian practice. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. To ape the music of the world, as CCM does, is to yield to the lusts of the flesh and the eyes, and the pride of the human heart. Simply put, the specific application of this Scripture to the matter of praise means that to justify the use of the world’s sound in praise of God, is arrogant and carnal.
3. Praise has context.a. Content. A hymn may read as doctrinally sound but because of its associations may be objectionable. The author may have characteristics and practices that are foreign to fellowship with God. As an example, the song “I pledge allegience”, sung widely in the past by Rev. McCrea, and still available online as the title track of an album of the same name, was written by a man who is now an avowed sodomite. The fact that Rev. Lecky stresses Rev. McCrea’s influence on the praise of FPC churches and that many FPC homes have albums by Rev. McCrea, does not make him an authority on what is acceptable to God. Sometimes a hymn writer may have dubious and objectionable connections to the apostasy, ecumenism or CCM that render their products unacceptable in worship. To use hymns from an unsound context or to associate with a hymn writer whose lifestyle is in defiance of God’s commands, joins us in an ‘unequal yoke’ in worship with that which God cannot accept and renders our worship empty and idolatrous. The ballads of Sodom, however ‘sound’ they may appear on the surface, are not to be endorsed by the Christian worshipper. The Saviour’s own words in Matt 15:8-9 warn of this: This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
b. Music. Music also has context that cannot be ignored. Different styles of music emerge from specific backgrounds. The country sound from Nashville; the jazz sound from smoky, seedy nightclubs; the rock ‘n roll sound from a sex and drugs obsessed culture of rebellion against God. These sounds are not sanitized by incorporating them into worship. The context of these genres of music which are undeniably identified with the world, pollutes and defiles worship. To employ the world’s music styles is to adopt the siren song of harlot religion. It is the counterfeit christianity of the last days and the man of sin. It is not difficult to find old hymns presented in various genres of the world’s music. The good theology of those hymns is ruined by association with the noise of the devil’s orchestra. Music is not neutral and the context of those worldly musical genres destroy the spirit of true worship.
4. A new application of an old standard. Rev. Lecky in his article sets aside Scripture in the discussion of the praise of God. In doing so he adopts an alternative standard by which to define worship, which he identifies in the article.
A. His alternative standard is referenced in the expressions he employs to justify his position. These are the arguments he employs to support his views. They are not Biblical, but based on other considerations.
a. What the FPC has done historically. This is not the standard of right and wrong in worship! The FPC hymnal or the Magherafelt chorus book do not define the praise God accepts. Yet, in the absence of employing the Scripture as the standard, the behaviour of the church becomes a standard to be followed. The words of the Apostles are valid at this point: Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men, Acts 5:29.
b. “Common sense”. Apparently this virtue has helped regulate the practices of the FPC in praising God for over 70 years. In reality, this elevates the supposed natural wisdom of man to rule in authority on matters of worship.Since the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, there is no merit to the “common sense” that has no support in Scripture. The wisdom of man must always be incomplete subjection to the written word of God, not elevated above it.
c. “If it touches the heart, use it”. This statement can be used to justify anything! The human heart is depraved and open to being “touched” by many things that are not of God. The fan of any of the world’s music genres can be touched by the performance of a CCM artist that agrees with his preferences. The Scripture wisely warns: He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered, Prov 28:26. Clearly there is grave danger that we need delivered from, but which we will fall into if we set out to follow our own heart. In advocating following the heart in matters of worship, Rev. Lecky advocates that which is spiritually dangerous for the heart is deceitful above all things and deperately wicked, Jer 17:9.
d. “Sing it accompanied by instruments that are acceptable to the whole congregation”. This makes the collective oppinion of the congregation the determining factor in musical worship. Again, this can be used to justify anything! How many times in Biblical history the “whole congregation” supported that which God was against. The behaviour of Israel at Sinai in the worship of the golden calf – which included their raucous singing (Ex 32:18) – was endorsed by all the people, Ex 32:3. David’s errors in worship (2Sam 6:5-8) – which, again, included his praise and musical instruments – had the support of the people, but he was very wrong and paid a terrible price of his folly.
B. All these ideas are simply the fresh application of an old standard. It was the mark of the days of departure and decline in the days of the Judges, when…there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes, Judges 17:6. Such a philosphy as advocated by Rev. Lecky, forgetting the Biblical standard of worship and substituting alternatives based on human thinking, feelings, and practice, is evidence of the absence of the King’s rule. King Jesus is not given His rightful place when such views on what is right in worship are adopted
Rev. Lecky concludes his article with a reference to the Amish, insinuating, in a way that is clearly intended to be derogatory, that not to adopt his view of praise in worship is to be like them – an anachronism, a fossil with no relevance to the present. I am happy to subscribe to a much older model of praise which will be acceptable to my God: that which He Himself reveals in Scripture. These are standards much older than any Amish practices! I can learn from and apply the principles of worship revealed since the dawn of time, knowing that as I seek Him as He intends, I will surely find Him. The burden of the Chrstian’s heart must ever be: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer, Psalm 19:14. Such a desire will drive us exclusively to what the Bible teaches on the subject. This may be derided by Rev. Lecky and those who agree with him, as being as ridiculous as Amish ponies and carriages, but it is the old paths wherein is the good way, Jer 6:16.
Andy Foster
Penticton Free Presbyterian Church
April 25th, 2026