The emotional power of music, rightly employed, is a vital and moving aid to worship. Suggested Guidelines for Evaluating and Nurturing Congregational Singing Evaluating and choosing music for Christian worship should be a careful process, guided primarily by theological considerations.
What theology is expressed in our congregational singing? Is it biblical? Is it consistent with our theology? About the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ?
Hymns used in public worship should be in harmony with the beliefs of your church. Is there sufficient pastoral breadth in our music ministry?
Do we sing songs that are appropriate to the many and variable life situations in which believers find themselves? Does our congregational singng include the many moods and types of prayer, including praise, thanksgiving, confession, lament, intercession, and dedication? Is there sufficient liturgical breadth?
Does our congregational singing include songs and hymns appropriate to each of the seasons of the church year? For the celebration of the sacraments? For the various opportunities for congregational responses in the order of worship? Is the congregation provided with the opportunity to sing those parts of the service that are better sung than spoken?
Is there sufficient historical, cultural, and generational breadth? Does our congregational singing express belief in the communion of saints? Are all the saints present encouraged to join in singing, and do our songs also express our belief that we sing with saints throughout the ages and around the world? Do the hymns and songs include contributions from other cultures, languages, and eras? Are songs included which allow for the full participation of children?
For those beginning the journey of faith as well as for more mature Christians? Is the language of our hymns inclusive? Do our hymns make use of the full range of biblical imagery for God? Can all believers, male and female, young and old, feel included by the language of our congregational songs?
Are we providing our congregation with a sufficient vocabulary of praise? Can the text stand on its own? Does the music serve the text? Does our music encourage corporate worship? Does the music encourage congregational singing or is it designed for the solo artist or does it come across as entertainment? Are soloists and choir effectively leading and supporting the congregation in its worship or are they merely displaying their virtuosity?
Do the hymns and choruses we sing express the faith of the gathered community or do they tend toward individual and private expressions of faith?
Is the music appropriate to the ability of the congregation? Do our musical selections respect the past practice of congregation? Do we include enough familiar hymns?
Do the hymns and choruses we sing assume and encourage growth in discipleship? Is continuing congregational education in music and worship a part of our ministry? Singing is one of the ways in which we express our love towards God with our whole being. We engage every part of our being in worship to God. Worshiping through music changes and transforms us. Worship strengthens us, convicts us, builds us up, and even restores us. In other words, when we sing and devote our whole selves to God, something godly happens within us.
Come into his presence with singing! God calls us to sing praise to the Lord and to sing in his presence. The New Testament affirms this call. From the Heart Singing is an important part of who we are and who God created us to be. We have different gifts, strengths, and favorite styles of music. They shape the way we view God, man and Christ, and how we are to live in light of the gospel.
The truths they communicate preach to us throughout the week following the style of Deuteronomy 6 —at home and away, when lying down and waking. Singing is a form of teaching that uses poetry to open to us the word of God. When Isaac Watts published Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs , his intention was not to sing Scripture line by line, but to create poetic and emotive renditions of Scripture that enabled the church to sing the truths of Scripture.
Singing for the Christian is formative and responsive, and therefore must be informed by Scripture. The importance of hymns is that we learn what we sing. Store Subscribe. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help.
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