Martin Luther said, “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world.” Music is a great gift from God. It is certainly a beautiful treasure that brightens the lives of anyone within hearing distance. It’s a means of worshipping God in a very personal way, and it is an incredible tool for learning character and stretching the brain. Indeed, music is a resource I would love to see every family learning and using.

Did you know that The College Entrance Examination Board found that students in music appreciation scored 63 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math than students with no arts participation[1]? Furthermore, 88% of Americans believe participation in music helps teach children discipline[2]. Music will open up many new doors to your children—culturally, socially, as well as spiritually. Even more important than the findings of any study is that God views music as important; therefore, we need to prepare Christian musicians of the highest caliber to glorify Him with music!  Psalm 33:3 says, “Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.”

Where do I start?

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• Find quality recordings of music, especially sacred and classical, and fill your home with them! Listening is the first step of music education.
• Attend local performances. Most symphonies perform concerts for school kids for free or very low prices, and homeschoolers can get in on the fun!
• Worship God together as a family through singing. There have been times when a song of worship has ended in laughter at our lack of singing ability, but God loves a joyful noise, and the earnestness of my parents in praising God through song has inspired my siblings and me to carry on.

How do I learn an instrument?

Beginning an instrument is the most crucial time in music education. Start with a qualified, excellent teacher, and you will be well on your way to becoming a musician! Music lessons are not cheap, but even beginning with a year or two of lessons can set a foundation for the rest of your life. Check online, ask musician friends (even if they don’t play the instrument for which you need lessons!), or attend a symphony concert and meet the musicians.

Once you’ve found someone, meet with them, read through their policies, and ask them to play for you. Even if you’re not a musician, evaluate the teacher to the best of your ability to make sure they’re the right fit for you!

What’s next?

If your family has already begun the journey of learning music, consider these possibilities to expand your horizons.

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• Have your children set a small Scripture verse to a simple tune they compose. Music aids memorization!
• Play and sing at nursing homes and retirement homes. Do not despise small beginnings; no matter your skill level, a well-played or well-sung simple piece can be a tremendous opening to ministering and sharing the Gospel with people!
• Put on a benefit concert to raise money for a ministry.
• Let the older siblings pass on their music knowledge to the younger siblings. This will definitely be a sanctifying process for both children!
• Record songs and send them to grandparents as a gift.
• Discipline yourself in practicing—don’t be limited by your lack of investment!

 Neither of my parents are musicians, yet they instilled a love for music in my siblings and me at an early age. They prioritized music education in our lives, and in so doing, they gave us a tool of immeasurable worth. We now have a skill which we have been able to use in meaningful ministry, in worship to our great God, in industry (through teaching lessons to others), and which we look forward to passing on to our children! Music education certainly requires a vision beyond the weeks of agonizing scales and “Twinkle, Twinkles”; but that vision, once realized, is well worth the small beginning.

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Mikaela Cash

Mikaela is blessed to be the daughter of Steve and Jennifer, a sister to five wonderful siblings, and engaged to an incredible, godly man. She is a homeschool graduate who runs a music studio, blogs at One Bright Corner with her twin sister, Lauren, and works behind-the-scenes on the Christian Heritage blog and newsletter. Her identity is a blood-washed child of the King, her heart belongs to God, and her passions are glorifying God through family discipleship, music, godly femininity, and writing.

 

[1]“Profile of SAT Program Test Takers.” The College Entrance Examination Board, 2001