Three Articles on the Use of Music in Worship

Thinking Like a Non-Musician

It’s hard for musicians to turn off their musician brains. We hear, notice, and pick apart things that a non-musician would never notice. For example: the snare drum hitting on the wrong beat, the bass playing the fundamental instead of the 3rd, the alto singing the wrong fourth note of that measure, the electric guitarist using the wrong kind of delay, or (one of my favorite pet peeves that a non-musician or non-guitarist would never notice) an acoustic guitarist hitting the bottom E string when he/she shouldn’t be.

Our brains are trained over time, through lessons, and with practice, to pick up on mistakes, inconsistencies, tonal conflicts, rhythmic errors, or just an all around lack of cohesiveness. We learn to spot the problem and identify how to fix it: whether it’s fixing our own fingers/voices, or helping someone else fix their issue(s).

Musicians notice specifics. Non-musicians usually don’t (except for when they’re glaringly obvious). They notice generalities.

It’s good for worship leaders to think like a musician, and notice specifics. But it’s also good to think like a non-musician and notice generalities.

Most people in your congregation are non-musicians. And here are some things you need to know about them.... Read more

How to Wed Scripture and Song in Corporate Worship

When I was a kid, a Sunday evening worship service was not complete without people shouting out their favorites to sing next. Number 147! Number 269, verses one and three only! Number 16, just the refrain! No attempt at connection, theme, or thread seemed necessary. The hymnbook was the sole common denominator.

Fast-forward (several decades!) to the current day: a worship leader friend of mine posts his worship set on Facebook. There is no apparent rationale that explains his thinking, or what drives his choices. Of course as a friend I should “like” that list. But why, exactly?

Wouldn’t it help to know why these songs were deemed appropriate to the occasion before I hit “like”? Just how did this particular grouping of songs come to be? Did “beats per minute” get overvalued? Has context been considered? There is no way to know whether those songs fit in any purposeful or pastoral way, or whether they were just picked “shotgun style” with the sincere hope of hitting something. Read more

While the responsive recitation with a minister alternating with the congregation verse by verse (and in some cases half verse by half verse) may be the most frequently used method of reciting Psalms and other Bible text in Anglican and Episcopal churches, it is not the best way to recite these texts. Antiphonal recitation--the verse-by-verse (or half-verse-by-half-verse) alternation between two groups of readers--between one side of the congregation and the other--is the most satisfying method for reciting Psalms in the daily services. (The canticles are normally recited in unison.) Direction recitation--the reading of the whole Psalm, or the portion of the Psalm, in unison is the most appropriate method for reciting the Gradual--the Psalm verses appointed for use between the first two readings at a service of Holy Communion. Unlike a number of more recent Anglican service books the ACNA's Texts for Common Prayer provide very little flexibility as to where a hymn or song may be used in the services of Morning and Evening Prayer.The 1789 American Prayer Book permitted the singing or recitation of the Gloria in excelsis at the conclusion of the psalmody in both offices. The Gloria in excelsis was originally used as a canticle in the daily offices. In the services of Morning and Evening Prayer in The Lutheran Book of Worship a hymn or song may be sung at the conclusion of the Psalmody, ending this part of the service on an appropriate note of praise. This practice has much to commend it. The practice of reciting a Psalm or a Psalm portion and then singing a hymn or song between the first readings of a service of Holy Communion should be avoided as it interrupts the flow of the service and unnecessarily lengthens the Liturgy of the Word.

The Songs We Sing (That You Probably Don't) 

I suppose Grace Fellowship Church is like most churches in that we have our favorite songs. We sing a great variety of songs, many of which would be familiar to you, I’m sure. But we also sing some that are a little off the beaten path, so to speak. I thought I’d share twelve of our favorite songs with you—twelve of our favorites that may be unfamiliar to you. Read more