The Music Exchange

The issue of musical style is a tricky one for music co-ordinators and pastors alike. I’m often asked, ‘How do you cater for lots of different ages and tastes without compromising on depth and cohesion?’ In short, how do you please everybody without losing the plot?

The simple answer is that it’s impossible to get it right, because there are as many tastes as there are people in the world, and all of them have a very clear idea of what is appropriate and what isn’t. However, that shouldn’t discourage us from trying.

A sea of open mouths

I’ve tried many things in the past, and I’m blessed enough to be part of a very forgiving congregation. I managed to silence St Helen’s one evening when I discovered electric guitars for the first time. We sang the old 80s anthem, Lord of Lords. After the thrash metal introduction, which was completely out of control, I looked out into the congregation to check they were still planning on coming in for the start. All I saw was a sea of open mouths and rows of saucer-wide eyes, white with fear. I think I saw someone wince. The congregation did come in, but only about half-way through the third line. It took them that long to work out that it wasn’t a joke, and that we weren’t going to stop. I don’t think we could have stopped even if we’d wanted to.

Two lessons

This was all part of my drive to have music that I thought would suit the congregation. I’m embarrassed to think about it now, but I’m grateful that it happened, because failure is a great way to start learning what works and what doesn’t. I learnt two big things that night from godly people who gave me honest feedback. One was from a faithful evangelist, who said that he wouldn’t be able to bring his friends to the meeting if the music continued in the same vein. The other was from the pastor, who reminded me that the music is there to serve the congregation, not send it into shock.

To help you think

Here are some ideas for thinking this through, not in any order of importance, and by no means exhaustive.

Try different things out in small doses. We want people to remember the Word preached to them, not for them to be talking about how cool the tubular bells solo riff was.

Pray that the things you try will be done out of an attitude of service to Jesus and the congregation. This may mean that you have to sacrifice your own (immeasurably high and beautifully distinctive) taste for the sake of serving others.

Take time to look at the demographic make-up of the congregation. Some church meetings do surveys, but a quick glance around will give you a good idea. I’ve been around for so long that it took someone else to tell me that the morning congregation is now a lot younger than it used to be. This observation has meant that I’ve started to introduce drums into that meeting every now and then. The great thing about my job is that I don’t often get moaned at because the Bible is taught so faithfully. As long as things are done well, those who have been taught well and love Jesus don’t seem to mind.

Following on from the last point, if you’re going to try something, do it to the highest standard. Introducing drums may be appropriate for the age of the congregation, but they lose their appropriateness if they sound like they’re being played by an orang-utan with a dislocated shoulder and a sore toe.

This will mean trying things that are well within your capability.

Old and new

Have a good diet of older and newer songs, played in varied styles. Work especially hard at playing the older hymns if working with a small music group. It can be done, and can also bring out the character of a hymn more than if it’s just left to the organ. One thing though — leave the drums out unless you’re really going to go for it. How do you expect peoples’ souls to praise the King of Heaven when all that their souls can hear is ‘dum-chink dum-chink dum-chink dum-chink’?

Feedback

Ask for feedback from godly people and from those who often bring guests. You won’t need to ask for feedback from anyone who is self-serving — they’ll give it you whether you like it or not.

Ask newcomers what they think of the music. This can also help them to feel part of things from an early stage.

Don’t worry about failure. Just try and please Jesus first, and then aim to please everyone at least some of the time — we’ll never please everyone all of the time this side of heaven.

How to please everybody?

A sea of open mouths

Two lessons

To help you think

Old and new

Feedback

Richard Simpkin

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