Establishing that new music has a place in the church is crucial. Applying this principle is equally important. “A music which will enliven and enrich the liturgical life of a worshipping congregation has no blueprint.”1 While there is no “right” way to introduce new music in church, there are some key points worth mentioning.
Be mindful of the type of congregation.
Every congregation is different, which means the song selection in each church will be different. Understanding your congregation will help you effectively choose music that will be most meaningful to them. “Musical choices are individual, corporate or cultural, and they may vary from service-to-service, function-to-function, or even according to the age or the demographic make-up of the worshipers.”2If the congregation is multigenerational, which in many churches it is, a blended approach to worship can prove to be effective. This blending together of traditional and contemporary music, “makes room for differing ethnicity, traditions, demographics, tastes, and musical styles, all reflecting the beautiful diversity of the family of God.”3
Consider how understandable the music is.
“Singing in the church will always be more effective when care is taken to ensure that the text of the song, along with its concepts, are readily heard and understood by the listener.”4 Along with
sound theology, the songs being taught must be sung with excellence. “Musicians should be faithful in emphasizing pronunciation, ensemble, and technical proficiency, which are all desirable parts of the spiritual act of singing. When music is carefully selected and well prepared – both as to message and technique – and when it is anointed by the energizing touch of the Holy Spirit, it becomes a powerful force to change the lives of men and women.”5
Encourage the congregation to worship and participate.
Congregational singing is not a time for the congregants to look at the worship team in awe of their beautiful voices. When new music is being sung, it should not only be sung, but taught. Engaging the congregation by letting them know they will be learning a new song, breaks down barriers and encourages people to join in. “A complete worship experience involves the cognitive – the learning and understanding processes. It involves the aesthetic – the feeling and emotional processes. It also involves the psychomotor responses – the physical aspects of worship.”6
Display the words of the music, whether on paper or on a screen. Using a screen is more ideal because, “this method allows the congregation to easily see the words and at the same time be free to raise their hands, clap their hands, or engage in other physical movements while singing.”7If this method is not attainable in your church, printing the words is still useful and effective.
Do not introduce too many new songs at once.
Many people are resistant to change. This problem can never be avoided totally, but to help to curtail it, begin with a familiar song, then move into newer material in the service. If your church is particularly small, “interspersing new materials with familiar tunes that people can sing easily; rehearsing in an informal setting, with a piano moved close to the people; incorporating a large measure of variety and spontaneity; maintaining a balance of the familiar and the new, is also useful.”8
Date modified: January 6, 2021.
References
1 Marilyn J. Keiser, Teaching Music in Small Churches (New York, NY: Church Hymnal Corporation, 1983), 3,7.
2 Delton Alford, Ministering Through Music (Cleveland, Tennessee: Church of God School of Ministry, 2002), 52.
3Ibid., 85.
4 Alford, Ministering through music, 62.
5Ibid.
6Ibid., 64-65
7Ibid., 160
8 Keiser, Teaching Music in Small Churches, 3, 28.