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| The Lute Player by Orazio Gentileschi |
"How is it then, Brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let everything be done for edification." 1 Corinthians 14:26
Let me start by saying that if you read only one of this four part series, PLEASE read this one. Should you take the time for two, I would add Part 3 as well.
In the previous installment of this series, I mentioned Matt Merker's excellent book Corporate Worship: How the Church Gathers as God's People. As you'd expect, it talks about music. Towards the end, he mentions special music and says it doesn't really contribute to corporate worship and building the local body. I strongly disagree with him, though I also completely agree with what he's saying.
Merker points out that special music often ends up being entertainment. He has a point, and I can think of examples from the sublime to the ridiculous. The sublime was a special done a few months ago at the church I attend. The singer did a moving rendition of a song I was loved. Only problem - it was a song I wanted to sing along with! That selection was written to be a praise song, and I'd be surprised if there's a Sunday that a praise team somewhere in this country isn't singing. But I wasn't invited to sing - I was to listen to someone do my praising for me. The ridiculous? I heard of a person who did an instrumental of "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "House Of The Rising Sun."
I agree with the entertainment side of special music. But can special music be used to edify the church? Absolutely. And if Matt Merker were to hear my argument, he might agree with me.
The norm is that the special music is done by a singer. So if you can rival Sandi Patti or Steve Green in vocal prowess, you'll have a place. It also would help with popularity if you do a song everybody's familiar with and enjoy. But what if the special music person doesn't see it as a musical performance but as ministry potential?
One thought I've had for at least a quarter of a century - special music is ministry of the Word, a second sermon that happens to be about four minutes in length which is sung with instrumental accompaniment.
Allow me to introduce a candidate for special music that's often overlooked. This would be the singer-songwriter. How would this change the dynamic, assuming it could? Simple - the writer writes songs with the intent and purpose to edify the congregation.
Two suggestions I have to increase the effectiveness, and both require teamwork between the musician and the pastor. One is for the songwriter to find out what the theme of the sermon is. The second is for the pastor to "commission" the songwriter to write a song on a specific subject. In either case, the special music will be a continuation of the theme of the service.
Do I mean to alienate the non-writing singer? Of course not. There may be a song with background tracks that fits the theme of the service, maybe a song based on the Scripture passage that the pastor is teaching on.
As a song-writer and as a person who has a heart of encouragement, I strongly desire to encourage songwriters, especially those who want to use their songs for teaching and exhortation as Paul suggests in Colossians 3:16.
Yes, I'm sure my idea is revolutionary. How many singer-songwriters would put edifying their local church over getting a recording contract? Would the congregations encourage songwriters to develop their talent and their ministry instead of hearing someone sing a song they're more familiar with?
Let me close this be a challenge - what can you do to encourage those in your church, whether it be the pastors/ministerial staff, teachers, singers and songwriters and other artists, and those who need an edifying word?
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