Congregational
Singing
Congregational singing is unique music. The singing of a congregation of Christians
is the singing of the young and the old, the much talented and the not so talented,
the musically experienced, and the inexperienced, some who can sing beautifully
and many who cannot. It is not a vocal performance by auditioned, rehersed professionals.
It is the music of heart strings rather than vocal chords.
The primary design of congregation singing, then, is not to demonstrate how
accurately these singers can sing the musical notes in a church hymnal, nor
how beautifuolly they articulate the words of their songs. Its objective, rather,
is the congregation's participation in a collective spiritual experience, "teach
and admonishing one another and singing with grace and melody in their hearts
to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), and speaking words of worship,
praise, and thanksgiving to their heavenly Father. Their prayer songs become
living prayers, just as their priase hymns become living praises. Their songs
become living vehicles of spiritual expression! "...in the midst of the
church will I sing praise unto Thee." (Hebrews 2:12)
Unlike the fictional songs sung by the world, these worshippers sing about eternal
realities; the only true and living God, His resurrected and returning Son,
Jesus Christ, and, of heaven, their eventual eternal home. The songs they sing
to one another teach, admonish, exhort, and encouarge. They revive memories
recalling "exceeding great and precious promises..." (2 Peter 1:4).
They build faith, strengthen hope and express love for one another. The hearts
of these singers are musical instruments, provided by their heavenly Father
and on these hearts they strum spiritual messages and emotions of thei present
life and the life to come. These worshippers don't just sing songs; they make
their songs sing!
Genuine, sincere, intentional worshippers seize each opportunity to pour out
the thoughts of their hearts in song, "singing with the spirit and the
undertanding" (1 Corinthians 14:15) with a desire to offer their songs
as "sacrifices of praise, the fruit of lips...for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased" (Hebrew 2:15,16). In the midst of the assembly of
the saints of God, let every heart rejoice and sing! "Serve the Lord with
gladness, come before His presence with singing" (Psalm 100:2)
By Ralph A. Casey via Forward from songbook Songs of the Church 21st Century
Edition edited by Alton Howard
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