Are Drums Compatible with Worship?

During the last two decades of the twentieth century, much contention arose concerning the issue of whether or not a church should use drums for worship. This contention continues into the twenty-first century. This article gives a brief summary of some of the main points in the debate.

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Beat the Drums

Some common reasons given as a support for using drums in communal worship are as follows:

1. Drums were used for worship in Israel during Old Testament times.
   • This claim is based on an attempt to equate the drums of today with the Old Testament instruments signified by the words, 'tambourine', 'timbrel' and 'tabret'.
   
   
2. God likes people to be creative with worship.
   • If something produces results (numbers of people, good feelings), it is proper to use it.
   • Drums make the services more 'alive' and exciting - more 'spiritual' - thus, it is good to use drums in worship services.
   • Almost anything can be done in worship if it is done with the purpose of glorifing God.
   
   
3. All music is morally neutral.
   
   • All instruments, including drums, are created by God.
   • God likes all kinds of music.

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Ban the Drums

The following is used to show that the reasons given for using drums in communal worship are not valid:

1. Similarity between the use of modern drums and the 'toph' is minimal.
   • The Old Testament term is 'toph'.
   • The tabret (toph) was played with the fingers - not beaten loudly with a stick.
   • The Old Testament term is often translated with the words 'timbrel', 'tambourine', or 'tabret' (an accompaniment for singing and dancing).
   • Attempts to link the meanings of today's English words as indicating the same instrument to which the above Hebrew word, 'toph', refers are not valid.
   • The Old Testament term does not refer to modern kinds of drums.
   • Translations of the Bible do not translate the word 'toph' as 'drum.'
   
   
2. Drum advocates are inconsistent in how they view verses in the book of Psalms that pertain to music and in how they apply their views.
   • If one uses Old Testament references as support for drums in worship, then one must also incorporate dancing in worship - these two things are associated together in Psalms 149:3 and 150:4. At least for the present, thankfully, only a few supporters of drums in worship are willing to also incorporate dancing into public worship.
          (However, if people continue to allow the culture to decide what is appropriate for worship, the ability and desire to adhere to Biblical principles and regulations in worship (and other aspects of life) will continue to dissolve. Even an aversion to dancing in public worship will be removed from the spiritual discernment of those who design worship and those who attend worship. This is already happening in the form of interpretive dance.)
   • After showing an inconsistency in the argumentation of those who use Psalm 149 as a support for drums in worship, Matthew Henry gave a concise explanation of a Biblical principle concerning music in worship:
          "Those who from this urge the use of music in religious worship must by the same rule introduce dancing, for they went together, . . . But, whereas many scriptures in the New Testament keep up singing as a gospel-ordinance, none provide for the keeping up of music and dancing; the gospel-canon for psalmody is to sing with the spirit and with the understanding."   (comments on Psalm 149 in Matthew Henry's Commentary)
   • References in the book of Psalms about using a timbrel are not describing communal worship services of the church. This is shown in the phrase about singing in bed (Psalm 149:5) and the verses about having a sword for executing vengeance and judgment on the nations while having praises of God in their mouth (Psalm 149:6-9).
   • Other instruments are listed in the passage.
     • Why aren't drum advocates using all of the instruments listed in the passage?
           Answer: Because the use of drums (and associated music styles from the world) is a popular fad.
     • Is the current use of drums in worship an attempt to follow what is described in the Old Testament?
           Answer: Drum advocates are copying the current world (today's culture), not the customs in the Old Testament. They are attempting to use the Old Testament as support for what they have already brought into their services from the world.
   
   
3. God is very selective in what He accepts as worship. (Read in the Old Testament concerning Mosaic prescriptions for public worship.)
   • God killed two sons of Aaron (Aaronic priests) because they were creative in their worship instead of obedient to God's instructions (Lev 10:1-7).
          ". . . It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored. . . ."  Lev 10:3
   • Worship must be in truth and spirit by true worshippers.
          "But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."  John 4:23-24
   • Worship must be acceptable to God - holy and without conformity with the world.
          "I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."  Rom 12:1 -2
   • Our worship must be given by the Holy Spirit and include praise and honor to Jesus Christ.
          "for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh"  Phil 3:3
          "Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."  Phil 2:9-11
          "in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him."  Jn 5:23
   
   
4. The Old Testament gave selective uses for various musical instruments.
   • The Old Testament only gave permission for harps, lyres, and cymbals (used by Levites), and trumpets (blown by priests) to be used in Temple ceremonies (1 Chr 15:16, 28; 16:4-6; 39-42; 25:1, 6-7; 2 Chr 5:12-13; 7:6; 29:24-28; Num 10:2; 29:1).
   • In the Old Testament, tambourines were used in civil and national celebrations (1 Chr 13:6-8; 2 Sam. 6:5; Ps 68:25; 81:2), but there are no instances of them being used or permitted in the Temple. Even in the festivals, their use was nothing like the driving beat of drums in today's music.
     Note: Dancing was done in civil and national celebrations (Ex 15:20; Jdg 21:21; 1 Sam 18:6; 2 Sam 6:14), but not in the Temple.
   
   
5. In the New Testament, we are told that worship is offered to God from the heart and with the lips and with singing (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Heb 13:15). (See also Ps 150:6.)
   
   
6. The practice of the historical Christian church did not include drums.
   • Historically, the Christian church has shown concern about the kind of music used in worship.
   • Instruments used by the secular world were introduced into 'Christianity' during the early twentieth century (1910s) largely through Aimee McPherson, then through other pentecostal / charismatic practitioners.
   • Many of the current popular 'novelties' in church practices are quite similar to practices introduced and increasingly used in pentecostal / charismatic services during the twentieth century.
          Some of the practices employed in pentecostal / charismatic services during the twentieth century without regard for Biblical principles include the following:
     
     • having women as pastors, preachers, teachers and leaders - including song leaders
     • waving hands in the air and moving bodies
     • giving services that make people 'feel' comfortable and providing them with temporary physical and emotional excitement
     • having attendees stand during long periods of time
     • leading attendees to sing during long periods of time
     • performing services that entertain through music, 'feel good' sermons, jokes, drama, and 'wonders'
   
   
7. The existence of something does not necessarily mean it is from God.
   • Man has the ability to use God-created materials to invent and manufacture objects, some of which are not morally neutral.
   • Man has the ability to engage in many types of actions, many of which are not morally neutral.
     • Music is produced by the movement of air, i.e., it is an action.
     • Because it is an action, how the action affects people determines whether it is moral or immoral.
     • Because it is an action, what the Word of God says about the action determines whether it is moral or immoral.
   • Man has the ability to devise and formulate ideas, many of which are not morally neutral.
   • God is not the cause of evil. Thus, the existence of something (either an object, action, or idea) does not necessarily mean it is created by God.
   
   
8. There are various factors that can make music either morally good or morally evil.
   • Music above a certain decibel range is destructive to the body. Thus, music can be immoral.
   • Music can influence the emotions and attitudes of a person. Some types of music can stimulate a person to do immoral acts.
   • Thus, not all music is God's music.
   
   
9. Drums detract from true worship.
   • Drums do not accompany the words and melody of the song. They do not complement or enhance the spiritual nature of worship.
   • Drums speak to the body and stimulate bodily movements and functions.
     • Do drums effect people on a Sunday morning in a church building differently than they do in a dance hall, bar, or concert arena on Saturday night?
     • What parts of the body are often the focus of movement for persons dancing to predominantly rhythm-driven music?
   • Drums compete with and interfere with worship that is "in truth and spirit" because they do not speak to the mind or the spirit.
   • Drums offend some sincere believers who desire to worship God in truth and spirit.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

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L.D. Hammons © 2003 This article may be freely copied and distributed without charge if it is copied in its entirety (without editing) along with this notice - including the author's name and copyright notice.

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