When I read this quote from Michael Raiter's article, "The Slow Death of Congregational Singing," I thought about a decision we made at Bethlehem 13 years ago. The article said:
I was at a convention recently, seated near the rear of the auditorium. The music team at the front were ‘leading' (and I use that word advisedly) and we were singing. Well, we were meant to be singing.... I turned to a friend next to me and commented, "No-one's singing". He looked at me as if I'd just observed that no-one was flying. Of course they're not singing; we haven't really sung here for years.
Thirteen years ago we asked: What should be the defining sound of corporate worship at Bethlehem, besides the voice of biblical preaching?
We meant: Should it be piper organ, piano, guitar, drums, choir, worship team, orchestra, etc. The answer we gave was "The people of Bethlehem singing."
Some thought: That's not much help in deciding which instruments should be used. Perhaps not. But it is massively helpful in clarifying the meaning of those moments.
If Bethlehem is not "singing and making melody to the Lord with [our] heart," (Ephesians 5:19), it's all over. We close up shop. This is no small commitment.
I wholly agree with Piper here and his point certainly needs to be underscored. If it's time to sing and no one is participating then something is wrong. What is wrong could have much to do with an insensitive music team.
But here is a caution: I think the implication that the form of the music (see: "music team" in the quote above meaning contemporary band, I would presume) may or MAY NOT be the direct link to the lack of congregational participation. I know that at Piper's church they try and encourage corporate singing by usually having the music from the stage be played at relatively low volumes so that the dominant presence is the human voice. I can sympathize with this, but to draw a one to one connect that louder music from a band in church = no one singing would be overly simplistic in my view. Some other reasons why people might not be engaged in corporate singing were discussed on this blog here when the article that Piper cites came out.
12 comments:
The reason people don't sing is the overuse of instruments. Personally, I prefer instruments. But the reality is that overuse (and volume) of instruments has caused people to stop singing in 4 parts, and all singing melody.
This takes away from the joy of corporate singing.
I think that The Sife is right about the overuse of instruments (I mean many instruments, not one or two), as far as people not singing.
Respectfully, I also think that there is more to the volume issue than it may seem. I *love* singing at church, but when the music is so loud that I can barely hear myself, much less other people, I am tempted to stop singing. I'm not the only person who feels this way about loud volume in church.
Of course, there are people who prefer the volume, because they are insecure about their voices, or for other reasons. However, having been in a church where the music volume was much lower, and the congregational singing was involved , hearty, and passionate, I think that the volume can often does have something to do with people not singing.
Also, the usual set-up of the "worship team," with them up on the stage, and the congregation facing them, but well below them (as an *audience* would be) might also contribute to people not singing. If the visual and auditory impact of what the congregation is seeing and hearing makes the music time seem like a performance for an audience, then the congregation may react rather passively. The music time may seem like something for them to watch, listen to, and appreciate-- but not something in which they are supposed to be involved, and involved for the sake of each other and for God.
I meant to write, "can *and* often does have something to do with the people not singing" (in the third section)
As a worship leader, I love to sing. However, I will disagree with the current consensus. I would be more of the mindset/philosophy that people (the average congregants) will only sing (confidently) to the point that they can hear themselves. This is why we (at my humble ministry) aim to keep the volume fairly loud with our full band.
I'm not saying this is either right or wrong. It is simply the philosophy we've adopted.
To illustrate, during a recent Sunday off our family opted to visit a church plant close to our home in which the volume volume (from the musicians) was much less (than our typical service). In spite of the diminished volume, I desired to enthusiastically worship with my voice. After the service, one of the members sitting behind me complimented me. I don't point this out for any sort of personal praise, but rather to say, "why was she hearing me in the first place." I think that if someone sitting to the rear of me is hearing my voice well enough to comment on it, then the music is far to low and/or they are not singing at the capacity they should (probably a hesitancy due to the volume being too low).
I'm a huge fan of Piper and typically take heed to his sage wisdom; however, his environment among the thousands of voices at Bethlehem is significantly different from the hundred or so voices worshiping with me on a given Sunday.
Nathan,
When I was a member of a church where the congregation's voices were regularly as loud or louder than the music, I often heard, and was very much blessed by, the singing of the people around me. It wasn't that I could hear them because I was singing quietly-- I'm a hearty and enthusiastic singer! They were hearty and enthusiastic too though (most of the congregation seemed to be), and it was a blessing to be able to both sing (hearing myself) and hear the voices of brothers in sisters in Christ around me (because the volume was low enough that I *could* hear them).
Zach, you really should chime in here because I know you have strong opinions on the issue. If I ask the average older person in my congregation they would tell me they don't sing because the music is too loud and the songs are too hard to sing. Here's my list of some reasons I think people don't sing.
1. People do what the Sr. Pastor does. If he is really involved, the people will get more involved.
2. If it's too loud some people won't sing. They are encouraged by hearing the voices of those around them. Do this test, go to a really familiar song (like Amazing Grace) and go acapella or with soft piano. You'll be amazed how loud people sing.
3. If it's too soft some won't sing. I know this sound contradictory, but in the same way as some are more comfortable with it being soft, others are more comfortable with it being loud. I think there is a dichotomy here we can't get around.
4. Many songs people write today are too high for people to sing. If you aren't transposing Tomlin songs down at least a 3rd, you're people will never sing them.
5. A lot of the new songs are not written with the congregation in mind. There is a reason most of the artists record as simply a solo or 1 BGV back-up. It's because the types of songs they are singing sound better as solos. There are some exceptions to this of course. We just need to be more picky in song selections.
6. Sometimes we add new songs too often. This gets people frustrated and less likely to sing.
7. Sometimes we're so intent upon making new arrangements of familiar songs it just frustrates people more because they want to sing whole heartedly but are so thrown by singing "How Great Thou Art" in 4/4.
8. There is more of a dichotomy between what generations click with. It used to be I could add "hot off the press" songs and most people would like them. When I do that today, it polarizes the congregation. Again, you've got to pick carefully.
9. Some songs have "God is my girlfriend" lyrics that alienate guys or the less feely types. I suppose the same is true for some really wordy hymns that have odd melodies (Like the old "And Can It Be" melody).
10. Last but certainly not least..... people need a revival because they love sports more than they love God. I'm being a bit sarcastic with this one, but it is an issue.
There are several more, but this is most of the reasons I could think of off the cuff....
Scott,
I love the "God is my girlfriend" comment because I was having that same conversation with my wife last night after rehearsal.
Last night I was queried by someone on the worship team about why we do not use "Draw me close" and my observation is there is very little difference between that song (including others of it's genre) and "Let's get it on" by Marvin Gaye. And my salient point to my wife was that one of the reasons men don't come to church is because we have "neutered" God and then we sing songs that are poor attempts at pop love songs (maybe they were originally intended for the top 40 but never made it and encountered a rewrite for the Christian "market"). And for most men, saying I love you to another dude is completely foreign to them, even if the other "dude" is God. We need to get back to the fact that Jesus was a carpenter, a man's man who worked with his hands, walked everywhere, stood up to the religious authority, and boldly and courageously followed his orders even when they involved the ultimate sacrifice.
It is a far cry to sing songs about grace, redemption, warring against the powers of this world and then sing songs that basically say, "Jesus has his hands on by booty and it's not the ubiquitous football butt slap."
It may be a bit heretical but when I hear the "God is my girlfriend" songs, I think of pimply faced teenagers looking like they are having a petit-mal seizure in the gym while a DJ spins the latest hits. We are just "grinding on God." (forgive me but that is what I think).
Scott,
You've made very good points here. 2 & 3, concerning volume, are definitely both true. I think that 2 may be the case a bit more often, although I can't say for certain. My hunch comes from what I have heard, person-to-person, and what I've read online from about loud volume from others, as well as what I've experienced myself.
I also resonate with 4 & 7. I do have trouble singing certain newer songs because they seem to be arranged for tenors (I'm a baritone bordering on a bass). About no. 7, I get very thrown off sometimes by hearing old hymns in radically different arrangements than I have heard and sung them in for years. Don't get me wrong-- I'm no crotchety guy chained to the past (I'm only 35!), but it can be disorienting to hear a hymn that historically has had a slower, more reflective arrangement now "rocked up" to a U2-like sound (and I love U2!).
Lod,
I am *so* glad that the church I'm a member of (Desert Springs, along with the creator of this blog!) steers away from the "God is my girlfriend" songs. I don't want to be overly harsh though. I do think that some of the Psalms speak of God and His word in very passionate terms that *almost* seem like romantic love, but not quite to the degree of some Contemporary Christian songs. Music leaders need to be careful to pick hymns and spiritual songs that speak of God as the Bible does-- holy, exalted high above us, and yet still personal and loving. I'm thankful to Zach that he is careful to pick theologically sound hymns and songs.
One thing that I have noticed about some newer songs is that they have more of a focus on the "softer" emotional aspects of a relationship with God, whereas most older songs (in my experience) focus more on God's objective attributes and the
"pilgrim, alien" experience of being a believer in this fallen world. One of the best examples of the latter is possibly my favorite hymn, "Be Still, My Soul." I wish that we would sing that one at DSC! It is moving, but not in a maudlin, sentimental way!
Chris,
Kudos to you for the use of the word maudlin. What a great word, although I am going to go around saying "maudlin" in an OCD type of way now. (smile)
I agree that God is by His own words described as a husband/lover (Hosea and the parable of the bridegroom in the gospels). My litmus test for the use of the "God is my girlfriend" type songs (besides theological soundness etc) is the question, "is God mentioned? and how often?" If it He is not mentioned or mentioned in the vaguest of terms, then the song never sees the light of day with us as a corporate body. If the song is really God focused like "Jesus, lover of my soul" then yes, the song is appropriate even if the imagery/melody is very flowery or romance oriented.
And I agree with your observation that the attributes of God that are being focused on have changed drastically in just the last 25-30 years.
I think this post has been officialy hijacked. Ok, everyone stay in your seats, pull out your bibles and nobody has to drink diet sprite. (ooo what a PC threat)
Grace and peace,
Lod
Zach,
The link that you include from Michael Raiter, "The Slow Death of Congregational Singing" considers your preferred style of rock music songs for congregational singing as 'Mcdonaldization' of worship (because 'hillsongization' obviously didnt have enough of a cosmetic ring to it, ironically.) I have 2 questions for you.
1.How often do you take the folk approach to leading your congregation in worship? (Just you and a quitar/piano)
2. Have you considered the necessity or positive impact of tried and true liturgy?
I am a 43 year old man, and I do not like singing in Church, I and about 50 other men stand there silently. Singing in Church, to me, is a big distraction. Why must I sing to worship? Did Jesus stand around singing for an hour on Sunday? I don't like singing, why should that change?
I just walked out of my church today, for good, because there is too focus on music. I don't need to be entertained in church.
I am looking now for a church which understands worship is solemn and contemplative.
We would have a lot more men in church if services weren't so feminine.
I have been wondering the same thing. At my home church always a remnant worship lifting holy hands, belting out the words, proclaiming Gods praise while 80% look and act dead. It has to do with their passion for the Lord. How people cannot enter in and call themself saved is to not honor him. Prayer is needed that God will reveal love to them. I moved to the front row so I don't get distracted. Being an exhuberant worshipper I always enter in even if issues in life. God'slove is so overwhelmingly. The music has 0 to do with it. We worship in spirit and truth now. It is a heart issue! Pray!!!!!!!!
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