Bethel Music–A Trojan Horse - by Rick Becker

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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Mr. Becker is unable to quote any Scripture that demonstrates his argument, except a single barely related Scripture right at the end, the sole purpose of which is to level condemnation. This of course means that he is not making a biblical presentation. He's not even making an intellectual presentation, which would require documentation, quotes of sources, logical explanations, etc. None of that happens. 

Why these people who fancy themselves as Correctors of Doctrine so assiduously avoid the Bible is mystifying.

We should point out that we are not here to defend Bethel or Bill Johnson. We are solely concerned with the author's presentation.

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According to Rick Becker of Famine In The Land:

Music is a powerful medium, a catalyst for our emotions. Way back in 1713 Johann Mattheson, a German music theorist, made the connection between major and minor keys, and the moods they induce. (This referenced person is the best documentation Mr. Becker will achieve, a vague characterization of a musician's opinion from hundreds of years ago, likely taken out of context: 

"In fact, Mattheson 'stressed that his suggestions regarding the expressive nature of the keys were only his personal interpretations.'”

But it is the fundamental assumption upon which everything else he writes rests. 

Our opinion is music does not induce moods, though it may facilitate them.  ) 

Two examples – D# minor- distress, melancholy, angst; D major – triumphant, victorious war-cries. Music can make you “feel” something. (No, it cannot "make" a person do or feel anything. Music can have an effect on mood, it has the potential to affect emotions; and it can be powerful and moving or superficial and trite. But music contains no compulsion.

The Baroque era, the time during which Mattheson lived, was a time in music when the emotions were considered in music, perhaps for the first time:

During the Baroque period, composers began to place a much greater emphasis on music’s dramatic power to express different passions and elicit emotional responses from the audience. As this “Doctrine of Affections” began to take hold, the expression of emotions such as love, sorrow, joy, rage, and pity became the chief objective of Baroque compositions.

By Mr. Becker's standard, then, we should not listen to Bach or Vivaldi.

Further, all music is evocative, whether secular or sacred, hymns or speed metal worship. This is a problem for people like Mr. Becker, who likely advocate for somber, reverent church services with the parishioners engaging in restrained, proper worship, sitting politely in their pews during the sermon, meekly writing their tithe checks, and as they leave, praising the pastor for his elegant logic and perfect doctrine.)

This can be problematic – not so much if you’re watching a fictional movie, but if you’re worshiping God it becomes a really important issue.

Those enchanted (Notice the less-than-clever choice of words. His previous remarks were not for information, they were to set us up to accept the idea that people who listen to Bethel music are demon possessed and entangled in irresistible spiritual forces that are manipulating their emotions and swaying their thinking. 

Mr. Becker thinks there is active deception at work, and gullible people are being sucked in. In fact, these people are idiots, they don't think, they just react to stimuli. 

Them people just so stoopid...

This is what Mr. Becker and people like him think of those who do not walk lock-step with his doctrine. We will concede, however, this is a useful approach. Mr. Becker doesn't have to actually prove anything. He doesn't have to quote any song lyrics, he doesn't need to provide audio clips, he doesn't even need to crack open his Bible. 

All he has to do is suggest that these dumb people are brainwashed; victims of irresistible deception perpetrated by evil, manipulative men.)

by Bethel music have felt something. Their mood has been affected, and most equate this with the working of the Holy Spirit. (Apparently the Holy Spirit never impacts someone's mood... Not.

Ps. 92:4 For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the work of your hands.

Ps. 42:5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him...

Ps. 33:3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

God's power never moves when His people worship... Not.

Ac. 16:25-26 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.)

It’s not just the key changes or repetitive/mantra type of lyrics that sway the crowd - it’s the intentional atmosphere created by the worship band. Lights are dimmed, the band is professional, singers are good, and the “worship” leader manipulates (Again the choice of words. They all do this, they're deliberately malevolent. We must conclude that the only bands God will bless are bad bands and mediocre singers.)

the audience by declaring that “the presence of God is in this place.”

There will be some biblical lyrics of course, but unbiblical lyrics (No examples.)

are not questioned, (Them people just so stoopid...)

because the subjective (emotions) has replaced the objective (biblical truth). (Undocumented claim. Ironically, up to this point Mr. Becker has yet to provide us with anything objective at all. In fact, his entire presentation can be generally characterized as lacking an objective basis.)

As a result, “worshipers” have an encounter….with their emotions. (Undocumented claim.)

Johnson places a high value on all kinds of “power encounters,” which may include “encounters” during worship.

In his book When Heaven Invades Earth, [Bill Johnson] writes: (Well, an actual source, finally, from 20 years ago.)

“An encounter with God is often a power encounter. Such encounters vary from person to person according to God’s design. And it’s the lack of power encounters that lead to a misunderstanding of God and his word. Experience is necessary in building a true knowledge of the word.”

What nonsense! The implication is that his naive and biblically ignorant followers (Them people just so stoopid...)

think that the word of God to some degree is ineffective – unless they’ve had some sort of experience. (No, we can read the quote for ourselves. It is quite clear that Johnson thinks the logical, reasonable, dry intellectual pursuit of God colors one's way of approaching God. This seems self-evident.

It therefore follows that if God is only discernable by reason and intellect, then emotions must be suspect. This means that Mr. Becker's objections are based on his intellectual philosophy, not the Bible. For him, nothing can be true if it involves anything other than the intellect. 

However, there is nothing in the Bible that demands exclusively intellectual pursuit of God, or the condemning or rejecting of emotion.)

Johnson discards sound exegesis of God’s word (using the mind) (Where might this be in the Bible? Mr. Becker does not tell us. Exegesis is the process of explaining Bible texts. Which text did Johnson disregard sound exegesis? 

In fact, Mr. Becker is wrong. Paul explains:

1Co. 14:15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

So the Bible itself contradicts Mr. Becker.)

and suggests (Suggests? If there is a question in Mr. Becker's mind, he just needs to ask someone. Johnson himself would likely be happy to answer his question and clear up anything he doesn't understand.)

that these encounters (the subjective) define truth (the objective). (Actually, the Holy Spirit enlivens the word:

1Co. 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.)

However, it’s impossible to worship God if we discard truth (John 4:24). (A false choice, either we use only logic, intellect, and reason; or, we are discarding truth...)

Johnson uses the phrase “intellectual barrier” in a negative sense because he views the mind (with which we are instructed to love God – Matt 22:37) (Let's quote the verse:

Mt. 22:37 Jesus replied: “`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 

Leaving out two of the three requirements in pursuit of winning an argument seems dishonest to us.)

as an obstacle to the workings of the Holy Spirit. (This is self-evidently true, as we just demonstrated by quoting 1Co. 2:14 above. We are beginning to wonder if the reason Mr. Becker does not quote the Bible is because he is ignorant of it.)

We know the result of this error – “encounters with God & angels” that are the result of a vivid imagination or the demonic. (Them people just so stoopid...)

Sadly, many of those who’ve been “moved” by Bethel music believe that if God is present in their music (evidenced by what they felt or encountered), God must be present in their teachings. That’s how the teachings sneak in, and in many cases captivate a whole church/congregation. (Them people just so stoopid...)

It begins with Bethel music, and before you can sing “heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss” (Um, the song was written by John Mark McMillan, who is not connected to Bethel.)

the church is offering a “school of supernatural ministry.” Music bypasses the mind, Bill Johnson’s teachings bypass the truth contained in the scriptures. We cannot worship in “spirit and truth” when we have rejected the truth inspired by the Holy Spirit – the scriptures. Bethel rejects the truth – reject Bethel. (A series of undocumented claims culminating in a less-than pithy-conclusion. None of it is based on the Bible or biblical principles, none of it documented or referenced, and none of it worth the pixels needed to produce it.

Then as a parting shot, Mr. Becker cites his sole Bible verse without comment, associating Bethel with the anti-Christ. This is superficial and puerile.)

”The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false,” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11.

Famine In The Land articles on Bethel – https://fitl.co.za/?s=bethel

Bonus information: The New Age Propensities Of Bethel’s Bill Johnson