Often our repertoire for singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is nothing short of limited. We sing on Sunday morning, maybe Sunday night and the for the ‘faithful’ we’ll sing on Wednesday night. But if you were to really push yourself, how many songs (from the hymnal) do you know? Song leaders, honestly, how many options do you have at the ready when Sunday morning comes? If you were to list out 5 or 6 “Communion” songs…which ones would you write down? Right now, as you read this, can you list out 8 or 9 songs that would be good to lead before a prayer?
We have our favorite hymns, but do we know which ones should be placed where in our ‘order of worship?’ What would top your list? Would you include; “How Deep the Father’s Love,” “Ivory Palaces” and “It Is Well with My Soul?” Certainly you would have some of the all-time favorites such as; “How Great Thou Art,” “Amazing Grace” and 728b, “Our God, He is Alive.”
Let’s try this short exercise to see how you would pull together an order of worship for Sunday morning…which of the following would be good for opening worship:
“Be Still and Know,” “Faithful Love” or “O Worship the King” (Why do you choose that song?)
How about the song before the Lord’s Supper:
“How Deep the Father’s Love,” “Bind Us Together” or “Break Thou the Bread of Life” (AGAIN…WHY?)
What about the song before the lesson, a sermon entitled “Heaven is My Home,” would you lead before the lesson;
“My Jesus, I Love Thee,” “Sing to Me of Heaven” or “This Is My Father’s World” (CONSIDER THE QUESTION…WHY DO YOU PICK THE SONG YOU PICK?)
So many options are available, but perhaps with this exercise you can see that just because you like a song or you think it’s a good one, you need to ask why you’re picking each specific song. Realize you have the responsibility to ‘set the mood’ for the moment of worship, then your song selection becomes more focused. And keep in mind, if your repertoire of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs is limited you won’t be able to grow in your worship and leadership as you lead the congregation in singing.
Let me encourage you to wear out your hymnal. Spend long hours reading the words and come to a better understanding of what you’re singing. Then you’ll see what Paul was talking about when he wrote I Corinthians 14:15, “I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with understanding (the mind).”
Since February we have been following a series of three lessons that focus on the responsibilities of the song leader, otherwise known as the Song Leader’s Guide. This last of three articles will be centered around the Three “P’s” of song leading; Proactive, Practice and Plan. Though this article may over lap with the first point (being prepared), I hope you’ll find the “Three P’s of song leading” to be more focused on how you approach and lead the Lord’s church in singing. Just remember we should work as though you’re working for God… Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.“
And finally, a basic guideline for all song leaders is to follow the “three P’s” of song leading. Be Proactive, be willing to Practice and be able to Plan. This approach will teach the congregation that singing is not just something we do, but rather the value in singing hymns. Being ‘Proactive’ means you work on getting to know the song book better. Whether you use a book or project songs, review them and determine which songs you personally know and which ones you don’t. Go over each song (in the book or on the screen) and know what you’re doing well before Sunday morning. If you project songs, do not to rely on the church secretary to build the slide deck for you. Take the time to learn this procedure and know what’s on the screen behind you.
Though we addressed ‘Practicing’ earlier, here we should be more focused on practicing with the congregation as a whole. This is best done in a class setting on Sunday evening before services or on Wednesday nights. Some might want to limit this class to one quarter per year, or once a month but you will be better served to keep this as an ongoing class. Make singing something that is more than just 8 songs on Sunday morning, 6 on Sunday night and 1 or 2 songs on Wednesday. Fifteen or sixteen songs of praise per week seem to limit the Hebrew writer’s thoughts. Hebrews 13:15, “Through Him then, let us CONTINUALLY (emphasis added) offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” So let us use some class time to learn new songs (practice) as well as singing old familiar ones (praise). You can even shake it up on occasion by splitting the group up into four parts and learn/practice harmony. But remember to practice by yourself so you know how to better lead and teach the congregation.
And as you ‘Plan’ out an approach to teaching the congregation the value of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19), be sure you are familiar with and know the value of the songs we sing. Some of our songs date back hundreds of years and have a rich history we can learn from. Others are closely aligned with scripture and shed a new light on an old hymn. Some of our newer, ‘contemporary’ songs have a magnificent message that we’ll never know if we don’t broaden our repertoire. But as you plan, always check the integrity of the songs we sing (new or old) with scriptural accuracy. We strive to avoid heresy in our preaching, and so we must also be aware that it can creep into our singing as well. When we are attentive to planning out the song service, we are more apt to avoid any accidental error. Be proactive, practice and plan so that you can be the best song leader God is calling you to be.
We know that Sunday morning will come on the first day of each week and we might be the one called on to lead the congregation in song. When do we start selecting our songs? What songs will we select? Will we (Do we) prepare ourselves before we meet together for worship? These and many more questions are ours to answer long before Sunday morning comes around. Just remember that we are leading the family of God in praise to Him. For some, this will be the first and only time during the week that they bow before God’s throne to worship. Will they see Him or will they be distracted by us? My prayer is that as song leaders in the Lord’s church, we will take on the mantra of I Cor. 14:15, “Church, come join us…we’re marching to Zion!”
for the ‘faithful’ we’ll sing on Wednesday night. But if you were to really push yourself, how many songs (from the hymnal) do you know? Song leaders, honestly, how many options do you have at the ready when Sunday morning comes? If you were to list out 5 or 6 “Communion” songs…which ones would you write down? Right now, as you read this, can you list out 8 or 9 songs that would be good to lead before a prayer?
you lead before the lesson;
Since February we have been following a series of three lessons that focus on the responsibilities of the song leader, otherwise known as the Song Leader’s Guide. This last of three articles will be centered around the Three “P’s” of song leading; Proactive, Practice and Plan. Though this article may over lap with the first point (being prepared), I hope you’ll find the “Three P’s of song leading” to be more focused on how you approach and lead the Lord’s church in singing. Just remember we should work as though you’re working for God… Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.“
value in singing hymns. Being ‘Proactive’ means you work on getting to know the song book better. Whether you use a book or project songs, review them and determine which songs you personally know and which ones you don’t. Go over each song (in the book or on the screen) and know what you’re doing well before Sunday morning. If you project songs, do not to rely on the church secretary to build the slide deck for you. Take the time to learn this procedure and know what’s on the screen behind you.
singing old familiar ones (praise). You can even shake it up on occasion by splitting the group up into four parts and learn/practice harmony. But remember to practice by yourself so you know how to better lead and teach the congregation.
answer long before Sunday morning comes around. Just remember that we are leading the family of God in praise to Him. For some, this will be the first and only time during the week that they bow before God’s throne to worship. Will they see Him or will they be distracted by us? My prayer is that as song leaders in the Lord’s church, we will take on the mantra of I Cor. 14:15, “Church, come join us…we’re marching to Zion!”