Music as a Tool for Outreach: A Look at Its Historical and Modern Use for Reaching Non-Christians with the Gospel

Abstract

The Word of God is all that is needed to convert people from unbelievers to believers. But throughout the history of the Christian Church, music has been used as a tool to aid the proclamation of the Gospel. This thesis looks at the historical use of music for this goal throughout the Bible, in the early New Testament church, the Reformation and post Reformation era, and finally, what some of the churches in the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod are currently doing to use music to reach the lost. The goal of this thesis is to encourage readers to continue supporting musical education in any way they can, so that music as a tool for outreach can continue to be used in our church body.