by
Adetutu, Jacob Oluwasola
B. CM ‘2013; M. CM’2016 (NBTS) , B. A Music ‘2019 (BOWEN)
Doctoral Candidate of the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso
ABSTRACT
This paper outlines the role of the choir and the music ministry in the church. It emphasizes that church music is not intended as mere entertainment but is a vital element of worship and spiritual unity. Music serves as a powerful tool in building community, strengthening individual faith, and communicating the gospel. The paper explains that the songs sung in church shape theology and help congregants experience the presence of God. The paper details a balanced approach that values both musical excellence and broad participation. Guidelines are provided for selecting music based on its message, musical quality, and appropriateness for worship. Every piece of music, whether instrumental or with lyrics, must be consistent with scripture and doctrinally sound. The focus of worship is on God, not on the performers, ensuring that the congregation’s attention remains on divine glory. A significant portion of the work is devoted to outlining clear criteria and guidelines for a successful music ministry. It lists biblical qualifications for choir members, underscoring the importance of dedication, obedience, skill, and spiritual maturity. Musicians are seen as ministers appointed by God to lead others in worship and to enhance an environment where every member can participate actively.
It also stresses the need for structured rehearsals, proper training, and a clear chain of command to maintain the smooth operation of the ministry. There are suggestions that new songs be introduced alongside familiar tunes to keep the congregation engaged while gradually embracing change. Overall, this work calls for high standards in all aspects of church music, ensuring that every performance is a sincere expression of devotion and a means to draw people closer to God.
This work serves as a blueprint for faith development, promoting unity, and enhancing a soundspiritual atmosphere during every service.
Keywords: Music Ministry, Choir, Worship, Spiritual Unity, Congregation.
INTRODUCTION
Concerning a church choir, a church within a church, made up of many of the church’s finest leaders, is the most likely place where a majority will bond together in friendship and unity, as they bond with the Lord. It should be well-known that ‘The church is not, at base, an artistic enterprise’ Best, (1993: 186), in strengthening its members, the entire church is strengthened. And, as they become one in heart, soul, and purpose, God has promised His Spirit indwelling. The entire direction of a church can be changed through its choir. In striking a balance between the theological and musicological depth, it is evidence that for better, or worse, our theology is currently shaped significantly by the songs we sing. Music is such a powerful communication tool, we need to sing a diverse range of good songs that help people explore the breadth of God’scharacter and his will. There is also a tension between depth and singing ability. While a catchy song with no content isn’t much help, neither is a profound exposition that no one can sing, let alone remember.
Also In striking a balance between excellence and participation, there is a saying that you need to row with both oars. In our music ministries, we need to pursue both excellence and participation. We need to aim for excellence and we must give God our best. Bad or irrelevant music can be another unnecessary barrier to some of our friends feeling comfortable in church. But in doing so, we have to make sure that it doesn’t end up a spectator sport. The music team is there to support the congregation not the other way around. If we are attracting attention to ourselves, we are distracting people’s attention from God. The New Testament paints a picture of a church in which we see a mutual exercising of our gifts to build one another up into Christ. And heading those lists of gifts are the word ministries, by which Jesus places himself at the centre of his people. When Paul talks about singing, he also talks about it as a word ministry (Col 3:16). Singing is fundamentally a ministry of God’s word to us “but one in which we participate to build up our brothers and sisters in Jesus. Traditionally, the church has used music in a semi-mystic way, as a sacrificial worship offering or in a way to help us feel his blessing and presence. ‘The Apostel Paul used music and wrote to the early churches concerning its use’ Miller (1993: 15). Historically, evangelicals have been better at using singing to engage directly with Jesus and to respond to what he has done but still tend to envelop it in worship language, which brings with it a natural tendency to see singing as a work, rather than as a free expression of response to the gospel.
Rightly, we are wary of emotionalism in worship, where an emotional experience is seen as the authenticator of meeting with God. Yet the remedy for misuse is not to emotion at all. If we have no joy and peace in knowing Jesus, no sorrow over our sin, no elation in being forgiven and redeemed, surely that is as great a problem. To base a marriage purely on feelings would be wrong but if there are no feelings in a marriage, then something is not right either. Similarly, we must encourage emotions not as an end in themselves, but as one aspect of our relationship with God.
BIBLICAL QUALIFICATIONS OF CHOIR MEMBERS
As written in a book by Horald Best, ‘The Scriptures deal with church music in two ways, through narrative and principle. Each has particular importance.’ Best, (1993, p. 183)
1. They should have the calling and anointing for worship (Acts 6:3; 1 Chronicles 25). Unless they have the calling, they cannot have a dedication to service.
2. They should be obedient to the Choir leader (I Chronicles 25:6)
3. They must be submissive to the Church authority (IChr.25:6)
4. They must be skilful in singing or in playing different instruments (IChr 25:7)
5. They must be instructed in the songs of the Lord (not attracted by worldly music) (I Chronicles 25:7).
6. They must be dedicated to the service of the House of the Lord (I Chronicles 25:6). When it comes to Church ministry, availability is important and signifies dedication (1Chr.9:33).
7. They should be full of joy and enthusiasm (1Chr.15:16).
8. They should have discipline in dress, posture, and order (2Chr.5:12).
9. They can be both male and female together (Ezra 2:65).
10. They must be filled with the Spirit of God (Eph. 5:18,19).
11. They should sing with grace in heart (Col.3:16).
GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY
This philosophy statement and its guidelines will apply to all aspects of the ministry of music at our church as in the Old Testament where “The public worship in the period ‘require the service of a large number of highly organized professional musicians” Hooper, (1963: 7) all the choirs including children and adult; instrumental music; soloists; and all church activities such as Christian Education, bible studies and retreats.
1. The definitive criterion for the selection of our music is the message that it communicates. If it is instrumental music, we will assess its musical quality, timbre, harmony, amplitude, and rhythm and the propriety of its use in our worship. If the music has a word associated with it, we will value the text. We will see worship as our response to God’s initiative with us. Praise is not about what we want, need, desire or prefer.
2. They will know that God considers music a very high priority in celebrating His worship. – I Chronicles 14:25-16:22, Ephesians 5:19
3. That musicians are ministers appointed by God and music for worship is not entertainment. – I Chronicles 16:4-6
4. The leadership is called by God to teach the composers, soloists, choirs and congregation how to minister to one another through music. Performing music is a ministry just as composing and writing it is when equips others to minister by using the music. As a part of the ministry of equipping we may bring in resource persons to maximize us where our leadership is limited. – Ephesians 4:11-12
5. That singing praise to God is not optional. It is commanded to all. – Psalm 66:1-2, I Chronicles 16:23-35
6. The extensive use of musical instruments is commanded in the scriptures. – Psalm 98:4-6, 81:1-4, 33:1-3, 147:7, 150
7. That all texts sung must be consistent with scripture and doctrinally sound. – Colossians 3:16
8. All music must be appropriate for the occasion, and inspirational. – Ephesians 4:29
9. The ministry of music is seen as a great opportunity for evangelism. It is open to all friends of our congregation, not just formal members of our church. However, since we see ministry as being done for the body of Christ by the body of Christ, there will be a desire to maximize our participation before supplementing our efforts with those outside our local fellowship.
SINGING UNFAMILIAR SONGS
Of the truth, ‘The church needs musicians who know what church music should express and who also understand the musical methodology for expressing it’ Johansson, (1984: 42). Because of this, the choir can add to the development of service by singing songs (hymn or chorus) which fit particularly well, but which the congregation simply does not know as ‘Everybody knows that music moves people emotionally’ Best, (1993: 56). This will allow the inclusion of some great texts which might not otherwise be usable. Sometimes another option with an unfamiliar hymn would be to pair the text with a more familiar tune of the same meter, using the metrical index found in most hymnals.
Teaching New Songs
This technique will be often used, and very effectively, the choir will sing a new song (hymn, chorus, etc.) for the congregation and, if it is simple enough, the people may join in the second or third time. For more difficult songs, it may be advisable to let the choir sing it for a Sunday or two before the congregation takes it on.
Special Musical Contributions
In addition to supporting congregational songs in churches, the choir can enhance the people’s worship in other important ways as well.
The Anthem singing
With today’s healthy re-emphasis on the critical importance of congregational participation in worship in my church, there is said to be a place for the choral anthem. The presentation of an anthem weaves together the creative art of the composer and lyricist with the disciplined preparation and careful execution of the singers, and if all of that is infused with spiritual understanding on the part of writer and presenter and listener, and presented to God as a gift on the behalf of the entire congregation, then the result is anything but ministration rather, it is a spiritual sacrifice in which all play important roles, and through which hearts may be inflected towards true worship.
For the anthem to realize its potential in enhancing worship, it should be carefully chosen out of the vast array of available songs, with due consideration being given to the quality of text and music, the ability of the choir, and the taste of the congregation. Not that the envelope should never be pushed in terms of expanding the people’s horizons, but this must be done gradually so as not to needlessly offend– worship must always remain the goal.) In addition, the preponderance of anthems chosen should have God-centered texts– those which deal with the Christian experience do have a place, but the dominant focus must always be the Person of God.Some anthems become familiar to and beloved by the congregation over time, and the people may get to the point where they feel like joining in.
The Call to Worship
The same can be said for the choral call to worship. The choir will step into the role of the Psalmist and invite the people of God to worship and bow down, to kneel before the Lord our Maker (Ps. 95:6) At this point the choir will be extending God’s invitation to His children to come before Him and rejoice. But beware of the danger of losing the power of a call to worship by making it too rote and predictable. It will be sung most times, read it sometimes, and sometimes leave it out altogether.
New Tip for Hymn Singing
Contrary to the belief of some in today’s churches, hymns are not irrelevant to today’s church. It is dangerous to maintain that we have nothing to learn from the worship expressions of great men and women of the past (surely we would not want to start over on the Psalms. The Psalmist calls on the people of God to “sing unto the Lord a new song,” In a book by Miller, ‘A Christian hymn is a lyric poem, reverently and devotionally conceived which is designed to be sung and which expresses the worshippers’ attitude toward God or god’s purpose in human life’ Miller, (1993: 19) and indeed each generation has the opportunity if not the responsibility to articulate its faith in fresh ways; but lest we think that the Psalmist was suggesting that “the only good song is a new song, let us remember that the Psalms themselves were written over a span of twelve hundred years and collected and used in worship long after they were eligible for the designation of “the latest thing out there, including throughout two thousand years of church history. Hymn singing is not irrelevant, but poor hymn singing is certainly irrelevant.
Coherence
The choir along with the accompanists, in the sense that ‘music was always sung and frequently accompanied by musical instrument’ Halter, (1955: 7) should provide transitions and links which will enhance worship by allowing each other to work independently but together in enhancing through and genuine worship. Interspersing musical segments for choir alone among those which include the congregation helps to keep the service moving while giving those in the congregation a breather and a chance to listen and reflect rather than singing nonstop which might be more taxing and wearying for them. Our choir members will have up to sixteen sheets of music in their folders on a given Sunday not including the anthem, the roadmap can then sometimes be more challenging than the music, but a choir will be taught to keep the momentum and flow of a service going by providing musical connectivity.
THINGS TO KNOW
What the choristers need to know is that ‘Rehearsal should be stimulating, exciting, innovative, and creative. The people who attend should go away feeling glad they came’ Burroughs, (1990: 96) The rehearsal will start with the people that are there. Those who are consistently late can be met with after rehearsal or at some other appointed time talk with them. At the meeting, the choir director can discuss expectations for the music ministry, giving biblical principles for said expectations. If problems still arise because of things that can be helped, the person will released. They have to remember that it is about God and not them. People who do not know the songs, need not sing. There will be the establishment of a clear chain of command. Again, everyone must remember to stay in their lane.
If something gets missed or the ball is dropped, it is easier to establish who is at fault and find ways to correct the error. I will always ask the members how they would sing the song alone, and tell them that as vessels of God, they are required to bring that private worship andpraise. That is what allows the people to feel free and not reserved in their praise singing.Singing the same songs will be stopped and new ones will be taught. For those who want to act like they can’t learn the new songs, perhaps their season with the music ministry is over. There’s no shame in that. There is a problem with not growing musically as a ministry. They will be made to know that it is not just about the songs they sing, it is about how the songs they sing touch the congregation, after that is their mandate as worship leaders and, every member of the music ministry is, in their way, a worship leader. The aspect with which will be made known is that there is a need to know the God they worship.