What Songs Shall We Sing? Part 3 (Love, the Plumb Line)

Shortly after I began directing, I attended my first church music conference. I heard lots of “high church” choral music. I tucked away some good ideas for instrumental additions. I was intimidated by the faculty, and impressed with how knowledgeable they were, and how far above me. One phrase a clinician shared came home with me, and I adopted it for (thankfully) just a few months:

“If the music is over your head, raise your head.”

I’m ashamed I could ever have followed this advice. Can you imagine Jesus instructing His followers so?
Peter and John come to Jesus. John says, “Lord, we worked up a wonderful classical piece; it glorifies the Father better than anything we’ve ever attempted. But the people don’t seem to like it.”
Peter adds, “They’re grumbling and complaining like our ancestors
did when they were given manna and wanted to go back to ordinary food. We were just trying to impress them (I mean You). They say they don’t understand Latin. Should we give them ordinary songs instead?”
Jesus looks irritated. He says, “Here’s what you say when they don’t like songs that are above their usual fare. Tell them if the music’s over their heads, they’d better raise their heads.”

NO, no, no!

Here’s what Jesus really says:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant…” (Philippians 2:3-7)

Disclaimer:
I’m not suggesting classical music is snooty by definition. Songs aren't; people can be.
I’m not saying ordinary folk are unable or unwilling to appreciate classical music.
I’m not counseling you to stay away from classical music.

By all means, use classical pieces. But ask the Lord to reveal your motives. Choose songs
out of love for your listeners. If you minister to a group that absolutely hates a certain
style of music, don’t try to educate them by forcing it down their throats! Ask the Lord how
to minister to them in love. Let Him guide your choices. Offer your people a variety of styles,
but let love be the plumb line you use.

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)i

If the music is over their heads, check your heart.

p.s. Also check out the heart of a church music conference before you spend money on it! That first one I attended was the only one that taught a wrong heart attitude. The others have nourished me and my choirs for eternity.

The Right Choice: What Songs Shall We Sing? (Spirit-led)

Most church choirs are winding down for the season, taking the summer off. And many directors use the time to prepare for next fall. How do you choose what the choir will serve up next season?

When I first began directing, it was in a church that followed a liturgical calendar. Scripture verses were laid out months in advance. I’d look up each of three passages listed for a Sunday, and peruse the files for fitting songs. The choir always sang something that echoed a Sunday’s readings.

That didn’t work well at the next, non-liturgical church, where the pastor chose the Scripture and preached on it. He might know what it would be only a week ahead, and at times, he’d feel led to change it at the last minute. Since a choir needs at least a few weeks to prepare (I tried to give them five rehearsals or more with a piece), I had to choose songs as I went and trust that they’d fit. I learned to pray, “Lord, let the ones I choose be the right ones.” More often than not, it would appear as though the song had been hand-picked to fit the Scripture and message. If not, someone from the congregation would usually come to me and tell me what the piece meant to him, and how timely it was in his life.

After my children came, I needed to streamline my time. I’d attend a summer church music conference, take my calendar, and come away with all the choir pieces for the entire year. I knew the Lord would lead me to the right songs, or make the ones I chose be the right ones (however He does that!).

Now I’m in a liturgical setting again with the choir, and I tried to go back to choosing music by the given Scripture readings. As it turns out, the Lord had something else in mind, and we’ve often had to swap what I planned for a Sunday with a different piece. What was the Lord asking of me? No formula I’d used seemed to work.

Ah, there it is. The Spirit of God does not work according to formulas. It’s a brand-new trusting ground. He seems to say, “You, clay. I, Potter. You listen. I lead. You prepare, you be flexible, you trust. I never disappoint.”

How do you find yourself led in choosing music? Do you enlist help from your accompanist or choir members? Let’s get a dialogue going.