Local congregations use music in their services in most Christian church contexts. This is true of almost every denomination and facet of Christianity. Even the minimalist approach of using no instruments still requires attention to vocal operation of music concepts. In fact, those using extensive instrumentation must be even more wary of accomodating instrument and musician preferences that compromise the ability of the vocal engagement of the congregation.
But before we talk too technically about music (which will be in the next post), let’s step back and begin with some clarifying foundational points.
Part One: Foundations – Why Care About Vocal Range?
Before getting to work on practically establishing and using a vocal range in your local church worship, Let’s talk first about the values and issues that make this an important topic to be looked at seriously and implemented by worship leaders.
Worship Connected to Vision
In many cases, the primary goal of worship and music in your local church will often be connected to your church vision, such as –
You may insert your local church vision statement above to the list. When we look at these kinds of statements we must draw from them a sense of honesty about how people in our local churches will actually participate in what you intend, and how we believe God is leading our congregation within that purpose. Regardless of what your vision is, you must find a way that your worship and music fit into it.
Vision Connected to Community
Some people will say “it is all just for God’s glory”. This is true enough, but if we stick strictly to that statement, each one of our church community members can stay home, pray and worship God with no need for any community gatherings. We could trace through scripture and build a clearer understanding, however, especially through the book of Acts, and on through most of the New Testament (Paul’s writings, John’s writings and even Peter). The truth is that the New Testament church formed into community based not only on cultural forces, but based on the model of Jesus, who lived and declared he would build his church (his community) through the faithful obedience of his apostles and followers that would come after them. Jesus treatise of prayer and community in John 17 is a powerful expression of his divine community (in the Trinity) and his explicit prayer for our own unity and community that reflects his love (towards the end of chapter 17). This is synopsized well in his statement in John 13:35 “By this eveyrone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”.
On that basis, we find Paul expounding on Christian church and community throughout almost all of his letters, constantly encouraging people to love one another, wait for one another (in communion gatherings), defer to one another (related to husbands and wives), honor one another (younger and older people) and on and on. The writer of Hebrews says its succinctly-
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:24-25)
The point of exploring all this (very briefly) is that we can see a theme of “prefering one another” that resonates through the entire New Testament, from the teaching of Christ to the applications of the apostles and writers of scriptures. As we look to pursue the vision God has given our local congregations, we must find ways to encourage all our people to engage, if we are to pursue God and give Him place to accomplish his mission through us.
Community Encouraged Through Engagement
If you believe that community is a necessary value in our mission for the church, then you must find ways for that “community” to be manifest in reality. That reality could mean many things- gatherings, prayer groups, support systems, pastoral teaching, counseling and much more. But the clear nuance across it all is engagement. If the history of our two thousand years has taught us anything as a people of faith, it is that we must engage with God and with one another if we are express our love.
If you do not believe that we need to engage with one another to be in the community of love (we call it the church), then you will not agree with rest of the premise of this article either. But if you do believe that we must engage with one another to live in a communit of love, read on.
Let’s assume for a moment that you have properly addressed the heart issues of what worship and praise are, why it is a part of individual lives and congregational gatherings, and why music and singing are woven into those patterns. This article is intended to address specifically churches who use music as part of your worship and praise activities within your community gatherings. Moving forward from there, and reaching back to the initial points already made about church and community and engagement, I offer this essential premise-
The music performance and leadership in the congregational gathering is primarily intended to engage and support congregational participation in the singing.
Before forging on too quickly here, let me point out something here- I am speaking strictly related to the musical considerations of your worship and praise. I say “singing” and “music” in the above point, because I don’t want you to confuse singing with worship and praise. In this context I am assuming that you understand and nuance the heart aspects of this topic. My goal heretofor is about explaining the practical musical aspects of helping congregations engage in the singing. Heart and foundational understandings of worship and praise are not part of the intention of this article.
Engagement Connected to Access
So then, assuming we want our churches to be a place where our community can engage together in the corporate act of worship and praise we must find, as best as possible, the most helpful ways to assist them in engaging with the congregational songs. One very basic task that a worship leader or music minister has in this regard is to select songs that allow the congregation to actually sing. The goal here is to set a musical context in which most of the people can participate together vocally. Simply put, we encourage engagement in the music by giving them access to it vocally. If we wish to have the congregation sit and listen, then we needn’t concern ourselves with vocal range. This kind of example I dealt with extensively in another article (more..). But if we wish them to engage, vocal range must be a deciding factor in our evaluation of songs to be used.
This article was originally published by Kim Gentes at www.kimgentes.com
Next week we’ll look at Kim’s practical advice regarding vocal range.
(c)Copyright 2009 Kim Anthony Gentes