“Do you think that would help our singing?” I remember when I was asked that question, my response welled up immediately: “NO!” Thankfully, it didn’t escape my mouth with that level of intensity. I was having a conversation with a minister and some shepherds at a church who were considering putting microphones on some of their better singers during worship. Even though they boasted an attendance of 350-400+ on an average Sunday, they stated that the singing wasn’t very good, and they didn’t know what to do about it. They felt that artificially increasing the sound of a few of the better singers would remedy the problem - I was and am convinced it would only make it worse. They wanted to help the congregation’s worship, but their solution likely would have exacerbated the heart of the problem.
I had grown up in a small church (less than 80 people), and the singing has never been what I would consider “bad,” in fact, just the opposite. If we could inflate our numbers to 350 or 400, in my mind the “rafters would ring,” or perhaps even shake loose! I was blessed to grow up in a church, and a family that prized congregational singing - it’s all we’ve ever known. Singing isn’t a once-a-week performance to be enjoyed on Sunday, it is a component of everyday life: Driving down the road? Sing. Sitting on Mamaw’s front porch? Sing. Riding the lawn mower? Sing. We took it seriously when James said, “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise” (James 5:13). I’ll confess, maybe it’s a bit much sometimes - my wife has said that she didn’t realize she was marrying into a full-time quartet! Singing isn’t only a part of my family’s DNA; it is a part of the church’s as well. That is why, when the elders asked about micing members, my immediate reaction was that they would inadvertently make the singing even worse.
I hope I can take a moment to explain what I mean by worse: I don’t mean the singing would sound worse - I mean it would be worse because highlighting good singers would cause the rest to fade out or quit singing. I have no doubt that those churches who put microphones on good singers, form praise teams, or select a large group of worship leaders have a better sounding music service on Sunday. I have no doubt that if you were to record their singing, it would be superior in musical and auditory quality. However, I’m afraid that the desire for this type of “good” singing may betray the true purpose and heart of the church’s worship in song.
Singing is an expression from the heart - whether it be joy, praise, or sorrow. After taking in that heavy scene at the supper table, Matthew and Mark tell us that Jesus and His disciples “sung a hymn” (Matthew 26:30, Mark 14:26). I don’t think anyone at that scene or pondering it since has wondered if the harmonies were perfect, or if James should have been a bit louder, and Peter not so much. In fact, thinking about it in those terms seems absurd. The power in that short verse, and in the hymn they shared is the pure emotion that flowed from the heavy heart of the Savior and the puzzled anxiety in His apostles’ souls. They expressed in song the emotions that the events at the supper had created in them. This is the heart of Christian worship. This is the purpose of our singing.
I have been asked about the fact that our churches are a cappella numerous times. It is something that wasn’t always easy to answer. “David was a man after God’s heart, and he played the harp” is a quip I’ve heard many times, and frankly, I haven’t always been great at making a convincing retort. In fact, when I was a young minister, I didn’t really touch the issue unless I was specifically asked. I suppose I took a practical view that said, “It’s my personal conviction, and I think it’s how we should worship, but I’m not going to try and convince anyone.” I have encountered many of my brethren who have fallen into the same camp. In a world where it seems everyone has a praise band, organ, or at least the old reliable piano, it can be hard to be convincing when we plead for voice-only worship. In my experience, the arguments normally fall along two lines (of which will follow two very brief discussions):
Argument from Scripture (Theological).
The first thing that is often expressed is the need for authority for how we worship. In theological jargon, this is often referred to as the “Regulative Principle.” The argument is made that only singing is commanded or observed in New Testament worship, therefore singing is God’s prescribed worship for the church. Of all the times singing is mentioned in the New Testament (12 times - Matt 26:30, Mk 14:26, Acts 16:25, Rom 15:9, 1st Cor 14:15, Eph 5:19, Col 3:16, Heb 2:12, Jam 5:13, Rev 5:9, Rev 14:3, Rev 15:3), we never see the early church commanded to use instruments or using them in worship.
Another point that is often stressed is that the church is not under the old covenant made with Israel at Sinai. Yes, David played the harp to God, but he also offered animal sacrifices (Psalm 5:3). The old covenant tabernacle and its worship were but shadows and copies (Hebrews 8:5) of the true heavenly tabernacle. The new covenant through Christ brings us into a spiritual temple through His body and blood where true spiritual worship is offered. We no longer offer animal sacrifices, but Jesus is our once-for-all sacrifice, and our lives are to be given as living sacrifices for Him (Hebrews 10:1-10, Romans 12:1-2). No longer do we go to the Levite priests so our offerings can be made, but every believer is a priest of God (1 Peter 2:4-9). No longer do the trained Levites play instruments at the temple, but each believing priest offers praise on the strings of their heart in the true spiritual temple (Colossians 3:16, Ephesians 5:19, Ephesians 2:19-22). The physical nature of old covenant worship has been replaced by the true, spiritual worship of Jesus’ new covenant.
Argument from History (Historical).
The other point that is often made is that the use of instrumental worship in the Christian Church is not supported by history. I would highly recommend John Price’s book, “Old Light on New Worship” for a full study of the history of instrumental music in the church. Price is a Baptist minister who spent the time to gather a wealth of information on the advent of instrumental use and why it should be discarded. A couple of points that we can quickly make:
1) Instruments were not found in the early church, and contemporary writers are clear in their disapproval of instrumental worship. Clement of Alexandria (150-ca. 215 A.D.) said, “Leave the pipe to the shepherd, the flute to the men who are in fear of gods and are intent on their idol-worshipping. Such musical instruments must be excluded from our wineless feasts...” Eusebius (260-339 A.D.) adds, “When formerly the people of the circumcision worshipped through symbols and types, it was not unreasonable that they raised hymns to God on psalteries and cithara... we however... upon a living psaltery and an animate cithara and in spiritual songs that we render the hymn. And so more sweetly pleasing to God than any musical instrument would be the symphony of the people of God, by which, in every church of God, with kindred spirit and single disposition, with one mind and unanimity of faith and piety, we raise melody in unison in our psalmody.”
It is generally agreed upon that the first instrument to be used in Christian worship showed up around 670 A.D. when Pope Vitalianus allowed one to be brought in. However, the instrument was not in common use in churches until the 14th and 15th centuries. Thomas Aquinas (1260 A.D.) said, “Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize.” When the Reformation began following the events of 1517, the instrument was one of the primary targets of the reformers. Most modern-day Protestants would be surprised to learn that the founders of their churches were unanimously opposed to the instrument. Famously, John Wesley said, “I have no objection to instruments of music in our worship, provided they are neither seen nor heard." After a brief survey of history, we see clearly why the word “a cappella”, from the Italian and Latin roots meaning “in the chapel,” or “in the church,” is used of non-instrumental singing.
Back to the Heart of the Matter
Now that we’ve taken a moment to briefly review some of the arguments against the instrument, let me get back to my argument for a cappella worship. Whether in instrumental or non-instrumental churches, people have quit singing. This is a phenomenon that has been bemoaned across the board. In the past few years, I have read several articles on why men, even more than women, aren’t singing in churches anymore. There is a heart problem. When we transform worship from an outpouring of the heart into something we find pleasing to the ears, we can create a carnally-minded monster. Those who show up for worship are often not unlike concert goers. They come to hear a performance and receive, yet they have given little. How many times have you heard someone say, “I didn’t like the singing,” or “I didn’t get anything out of that singing?” Many, if not most, of these types of responses to a church service stem from a lack of proper participation on the part of the church.
There’s an old joke about church music that goes like this: “You know my church only sings songs two ways: Low, and SLOW.” If we are honest, we have probably been to that church! Often times, bad-sounding singing is the result of a church that has lost the heart to prepare themselves to sing. I want to ensure that in stressing the heart aspect of worship, we don’t miss the importance of the technical. The minister studies and prepares to preach because he loves God and loves His word. His heart pushes him to equip himself to be a better teacher and preacher. The heart enhances the technical side of his ministry. In the same way, those who have a heart for God and singing should equip themselves to be more capable in singing. I know this is where I lose a LOT of people who say, “I can’t sing,” “I can’t carry a tune in a bucket,” “I’m tone deaf,” “I can’t read music,” or “I sing solo… so low you can’t hear me.” Yes, I’ve heard them all - and many times they are just excuses to not improve. No one is saying that we have to be trained professional singers, but that we should have a heart that drives us to do the best we can.
Congregational singing requires that everyone participate. I imagine every voice joined together after the final supper before Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. I also imagine some were better, stronger, and more pleasing than others - but that wasn’t the point, they were unified in that hymn. Paul said of the church’s singing, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16). And also, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” (Ephesians 5:18-21). Notice the reciprocity present in these passages - “one another” is a powerful call to serve in a reciprocal manner. If we wish to get something out of the song service, we should also be willing to give. Singing is a part of our fellowship and ministry to one another as a body of believers.
When I don’t sing, I don’t serve.
Congregational singing requires no special equipment. It can be accomplished in an amphitheater, a car, on the beach, or in the most remote area in the world. It requires that we learn the message of the song, the mode of singing it, and that we participate from our hearts and offer the “fruit of our lips” (Hebrews 13:15) as a sacrifice to God. In the full surrender of self, and the complete engagement in the song, the sound of our voice ceases to matter. Our heartstrings sound out a praise that glorifies God above and encourages and helps our brother or sister sitting nearby. Good voices or not, we all stand on equal footing as one body before the awesome throne of King Jesus celebrating His reign. The interesting thing is, when everyone reaches that point of sacrificial celebration - it’s then that the singing sounds good.
Do you love Jesus? Do you have amazement and wonder in your heart at the awesome power and nature of God? Do you love your church family? Do you want to see your children grow up to feel the same about God? Don’t hold those feelings in - let them out in song. Take time to learn the words of the songs we sing. Open your mouth and let your voice escape with no worries about how it sounds. If every Christian would embrace this mindset and practice it fully, we would likely not hear any more complaints about the song service.
“Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalms 100:1-5)
Nice article, Adam. The "singing problem" is really a cultural problem I think. In America, people don't sing at home any more. We no longer teach much music in our schools. We listen to recorded music or we go to concerts and hear others sing, but we don't make music ourselves on the whole, therefore we don't sing at church either. Unless we put more emphasis on it by teaching about singing and teach some of the basics of music and having times we devote to singing I don't think we will have much improvement in this area. I think praise teams can and do help but their focus must be on encouraging others to sing rather than performing.