The Music Exchange

Having to write this monthly article is a great way of making me think through some of the issues I confront from time to time. I hope that the Music Exchange is useful to churches and musicians, but the dreaded monthly deadline certainly helps me to analyse and give focus to my own thinking.

These days there seem to be lots of requests for congregational singing to be lively. A call to liveliness would be good if it meant a call to singing full of life, but mostly the calls are to be more up beat and rocky. I can only think that these requests come because of a genuine desire to be cheered up when we sing, which is not a bad thing in itself. It’s good to be cheered up by our singing — a response of real Christian joy is exactly what we’re aiming for as musicians, but my argument in this article is that Christian joy is not necessarily achieved by lively or rocky music.

No measure

Now I hate being accused of not being fun, so if you are a musician who wants to put more life into your music, or if you’re a church member who would like more zing in your songs, here are some things to think through.

First, lively singing isn’t a good measure of a worshipping congregation. Nor does it indicate real enthusiasm for Jesus and the gospel. We are singing about subjects that should cause us to revere with awe the God who created the universe and who redeemed us by the blood of Jesus. That should lead us to a life of worship borne out in sacrificial service of Christ and his church. I’m not convinced that there is any Christian doctrine that, if it’s sung about with any depth, merits a rocky musical accompaniment. Apart from anything else, it’s hard to focus on the words because they pass by so quickly.

Ask the audience

Second, lively music doesn’t necessarily make the singing any better. Our job as musicians is to aid the singing, and if the music is rocking but the congregational singing is feeble, we’re not doing our job. As a musician, I’m often wrongly more concerned with the style or quality of music rather than with the singing of the congregation, so I’ve resolved to change my mind-set on this. In the past, if I met a newcomer at St. Helen’s, I would ask them what they thought of the music. This is because it’s always useful to know how the music is perceived by people who haven’t yet got over-familiar and comfortable with our style. It has the added bonus of helping them feel they have a contribution to give even on their first visit, while also giving me an idea of where their priorities lie.

Instead of asking newcomers what they think about the music (which often leads them simply to register their likes and dislikes), it would be much better for everyone if I ask them what they thought of the singing. If a newcomer loves singing with us, then that’s much more valuable to know than whether they just liked the music, and it’s much more 1 Corinthians 14.24-25. Music simply serves the singing of the Word of God; singing the Word of God serves our Father and his children.

The cardamom pod!

I don’t want to sound (too) defensive or like Eeyore, so I’ve also resolved positively to help the singing at St. Helen’s to be more joy-full. This can be done in simple ways like the leader of the service or the lead singer actually looking as though they believe passionately what they are singing about. In a previous article I mentioned that both these people act like a mirror to the congregation. If all the congregation has to focus on is someone who looks like he’s just chewed his first cardamom pod, then the mood of the whole congregation will reflect the same eye-watering misery, pain and confusion. This takes confidence and practice — yes, maybe even in front of a mirror!

Similarly, if the musicians haven’t practised their intros well enough, then it’s hard to sing joyfully with people who are singing a couple of bars behind you. So, if musicians have only five minutes to rehearse, just rehearse the intros. Then, with a crackingly clear intro, people should be singing so well that they won’t hear the wrong notes in the rest of the song!

Also, the mood of the song can be lifted more by rhythm than by speed. Clarity, tightness and musical energy give a much more dynamic edge than simply playing the song fast.

In short, don’t worry if your music isn’t rocky enough for some people’s tastes, but keep working hard at helping God’s people respond with genuine Christian joy to the truths they sing.

Richard Simpkin

© Evangelicals Now - August 2008
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