Nehemiah 12:27-43, Public Worship: Singing (1)

I learned to sing as a child, growing up in a “fundamental/evangelical” church.  My father was the pastor.  He led the choir.  He didn’t always have to “lead” the worship but did on occasion.  On Sunday evenings he would occasionally pull out his trombone to accompany a verse of a hymn.  The Sunday morning “worship order” was pretty standard, beginning with the “Doxology,” invocation, the “Gloria Patri,” a hymn of praise (standing), another hymn (sitting), Scripture (responsive from the back of the hymnbook), announcements, the offering, special music (usually by the choir), a third hymn (perhaps related to the sermon), the sermon and then a “closing hymn” to call people to obedience (people would be encouraged to put their faith in Christ to be saved), followed by the benediction. 

It never occurred to me that I should get bored with or tired of this pattern.  Rather, when it was our (the congregation’s) time to sing I liked to put my best effort into it.  I learned to sing parts (it helped that I had taken piano lessons).  I even liked to sing the bass, even though I was definitely in the tenor range.  We sang in every service, including Sunday evenings when there were more songs and livelier songs (and sometimes we got to pick our favorites), and also on Wednesday night when we gathered for Bible study and prayer (usually just one song of a more devotional nature).

There are a lot of people my age in the United States who can totally identify with what I just described.  There are a lot of people in the United States who have no identification at all with this weekly experience I had growing up.  These days things have changed a lot.  There are a few churches around like the one in which I came to make a public profession of faith in Christ, but for the most part it is a format that no longer exists.  Not only does it not exist; it is resisted in many situations.  In most churches it has been replaced by a different “pattern” (worship order).  If you attend one of the newer churches you might think it’s spontaneous and different every week.  But, having experience in these things, I will tell you that there is still a “worship order” in which the worship leader and his band and singers has worked very hard to bring about desired emotions and thoughts about God. 

I hope you don’t mind me reminiscing and rambling on about my experiences.  I have a purpose, which is to lead into a few posts related to that part of “public worship” that involves congregational singing.  It is not an irrelevant subject; the Bible is clear that this is a valuable practice for the body of believers.  Our concern is not with the “style of music” (although we will not be able to avoid that subject completely) but rather with the “need” for singing in the fellowship of believers.  It is our hope that this will be an encouragement to you.