Keeping the Congregational Music Fresh and Heartfelt

MRI 2015 – Jason Jett –

A man can never have too many tools. Something about them excites men more than most things. My default answer to the age-old December question of what I want for Christmas is usually simple—tools. My motto at the hardware store is, “Who cares if I have one (that’s never been used), a deal this good can’t be passed up. You never know when a second might come in handy.” When I dare to think that I may never use it, I remind myself that a tool can only be used if I have it. If I don’t, what good is it? This reasoning makes sense to men. Let the ladies apply these principles to shopping for clothes. Men apply them to tools.

Tools are necessary in all areas of life. We need them in ministry as much as in house building. I have been in music ministry for a number of years, and the longer I do it the more apparent it becomes that tools are important in keeping our music services what they ought to be. When you consider the significance of church music—leading an assembly into corporate praise of an audience of One—we ought to take seriously our role to keep it what it ought to be.

The significance of tools was never so apparent to me than a few years ago when my wife and I decided (against all marriage counseling) to build a house together. The process could have been much worse, for sure, but it also could have been better in one particular way. I found myself saying more times than I could count, “If I only had the right tools.” When I couldn’t get the job done right and was at the end of myself, that phrase jumped to my defense. My gracious wife even drank the Kool-Aid. By the end of the house-building process she was saying it, too. Neither of us believed it, but it made at least one of us feel better.

Like anything else, what doesn’t get our attention trends downward; and, when things sink far enough, we have a tendency to knee-jerk our way into reaching for something new. We react by assuming everything must be thrown out and replaced because it no longer works. It is this tendency that has led many churches to ditch what has always been used in order to provide a quick fix to the apathy.

I suggest that we look at it differently. Why assume that what we’re doing doesn’t work when it might be that we (as leaders) haven’t placed it in a lofty enough position to give it much thought or creativity? If the music services (specifically the congregational singing) are an afterthought to us, how can we expect them to seem significant to anyone else? Perhaps it is those of us in leadership who need to change our approach to the music services, to do something more than open a hymnal and randomly pick three songs before services. This ministry deserves creativity, time, and ideas. The problem is, sometimes we’re not sure what tools to use. Let me make some recommendations that, if applied, might keep us from using that old excuse, “I just don’t have the right tools!”

Tool #1 – Create an environment in which the Lord remains the focus.

Strive to have everyone in place when the music service begins, starting with the platform party. Make sure those on the platform are engaged, not visiting with each other, distractedly talking to someone, noting absentees or reviewing notes for their message. Church leadership should be obviously plugged in, singing out and holding a hymnal. Musicians may be driven to a greater desire for excellence when they are able to attach what they’re doing to a nobler call and a higher purpose. They will take their responsibilities much more seriously when they realize they are helping point hearts toward God and not simply the next part of the schedule. This will help create a mentality that causes people to approach their role in the service more deliberately. Realizing that every part of the service impacts God will reduce the temptation to approach the music service as filler time.

Tool #2 – Choose hymns deliberately.

Carefully select songs that fit the purpose and flow of the service rather than simply choosing those that are familiar to the congregation. Work at developing a theme for each service and use the congregationals to help contribute to that end. Don’t wait until right before the service begins to choose songs. Work two or three days ahead so the Holy Spirit can use your creativity to add interest to the upcoming services. Keep good records of services so the hymn rotation stays fresh.

Tool #3 – Introduce new songs.

There are so many good songs in the hymnal that many people don’t know. Don’t be afraid to learn new ones and “teach” them to the congregation during an evening service. Teach it by either having a soloist or the choir sing it once, then ask everyone else to join in. Reinforce it by reviewing it in one of the following services.

Tool #4 – Make use of service themes.

A themed service can be effective. Focusing the thoughts of the congregation on one subject such as grace, God’s love, or heaven can have a tremendous impact on the service. It is especially helpful when the subject of the message is known and the two parts of the service come together in unity.

Tool #5 – Emphasize a verse by doing it differently.

Do something to highlight a specific verse in a hymn. This can be planned or spontaneous, but don’t miss opportunities to shine a spotlight on a stanza that is especially rich. Have a soloist, the choir, or an ensemble sing it. It can also be effective to have just the ladies or men sing a verse. When people listen to someone else sing it often causes them to dwell on phrases they might normally miss by singing straight through every verse as a congregation.

Tool #6 – Use a key change to build toward a song’s climax.

A key change on the last verse of songs like “It Is Well With My Soul” and “Amazing Grace” can provide a natural climax that really injects energy into the song. Many accompanists can’t transpose on the fly, so do what you can to give them plenty of help. It is always better to practice a transposition first to get the timing down and make sure the transition chords are correct. If possible, find the music in the new key or transcribe it yourself to give to the pianist and organist. This will go a long way to help their development and give you some extra leverage when asking them to try something new the next time.

Tool #7 – Use A cappella singing.

Certain hymns sound wonderful when the instruments drop out and the voices sing alone. Gospel songs like “Just Over in the Gloryland,” “Come Unto Me” and “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder” work well for this. Songs with a strong melody and repeating harmony parts tend to be good candidates for A cappella singing.

Tool #8 – Use a “Call and Answer” type song.

Similar to the style of songs good for A cappella singing, call and answer songs can add life to a music service. Have the men sing the first phrase and the ladies respond during a song like “Nothing But The Blood.” Know exactly how you’re going to give instructions so they are as clear as possible.

Tool #9 – Highlight phrases from a hymn or define words that are not very familiar.

While you could say something from the pulpit, you could also write a short excerpt in your church bulletin either explaining a phrase from a song that will be sung on that day, or pointing out specific phrases for the congregation to meditate on. Call it something like “Hymn Highlight” or “Hymn Spotlight.” So many hymns provoke great thoughts about God if time is taken to comprehend them. Here are a couple of examples:

“Jesus Saves”
“Waft it on the rolling tide – Jesus Saves! Jesus Saves!” This phrase is taken from the second verse of our opening hymn this morning. The word “waft” is a verb that means “to convey or send floating through the air or over water.” The phrase is encouraging Christians to “waft” the message that Jesus saves!

“Love Lifted Me”
In the first congregational song this morning, “Love Lifted Me”, one phrase in the second verse reads, “Love so mighty and so true merits my soul’s best songs.” God’s love is so great that He deserves the best songs we can sing. That means the love of God is worth the best singing we are capable of. Don’t let the song service pass by without engaging your mind and singing from your heart to the Lord. God’s children have much to rejoice for, but if all we had to sing about was the love of God, He would still deserve, “My soul’s best songs.”

Tool #10 – Don’t underestimate the importance of developing yourself as a congregational songleader.

Three things to keep in mind as you develop your songleading skills:
Passion – There is no substitute for having a heart for the importance of congregational music. As Pastor Hardy said, “People pick up more on your heart than they do your tactics.”
Presence – Always be aware of your presence as a songleader. Be confident, sing out, have energy, and don’t do anything that will distract people from the lyrics of the song.
Pattern – Although not the end all for successful songleading, having a consistent pattern makes a statement. Not only is it easier to follow but it also tells others about your mindset toward excellence.

The congregational song service is so often undervalued in the grand scheme of ministry. I wonder how frequently God looks forward with anticipation to the singing of His people to Him, only to be grieved at the lack of passion and interest from the congregation. We know it needs to be vibrant and meaningful, but rather than fix what’s truly wrong, many find it easier to scrap what isn’t working in favor of something better or newer. When the excitement of that wears off, what’s next? That can’t be the solution. The better alternative is to put in some effort to help the congregation realize how much singing means to the Lord, while at the same time discovering how valuable it is to their own lives as a Christian. I believe what has always worked will still work, but it will take work. It may require more creativity, fervent prayer, and fresh ideas, but with the Lord’s help and the right tools, new life can be breathed into the music ministry.

The Structure of Life at Bible College Builds Discipline

In my estimation, the world is given to the disciplined.

Perhaps that is a secular statement to make, but it seems to bear true, right? Think of any position of power and you know it is run with discipline.

The military is built on discipline. Strong businesses thrive on discipline, whether the personal discipline of each employee or discipline built into the structure of the company (i.e. policies and procedures.) Any professional in a field knows that talent alone will not make a person rise to the top. The topmost spot belongs to the one who has disciplined himself to work hard enough to get there.

While we are not after the “top spot” in Christianity, we can definitely learn a lesson from the world when it comes to discipline. If, in every area of life, the world knows that a lot of hard work pays off, why would we think any less of our lives as Christians?

In the Bible, nothing about following Christ talks about it being easy. Words like daily, cross, persecution, labor, steadfast, early and more are used to describe one’s walk with God and relationship with Him.

Is following God easy? No way! It is simple, but it is not easy.

Following God is simple in that we are to simply know what He says in His Word and then obey Him. That is simple. Know and obey His Word.

The hard part is not in understanding what to do, but in doing it! Actually obeying takes, like, discipline! Ugh! (…note the sarcasm!)

Do you know what Bible college helped do for many young men and ladies who came through it? It helped them build discipline in their lives. It helped them learn about priorities, time management, energy management, sleep deprivation, and focus.

The structure, the non-stop pace, the imposing schedule, the mandatory involvement in so much and the new thought processes force each student to stop and think about life in a whole new way. No more happy-go-lucky high school. This is real life.

Bible college is a good place to learn discipline. If boot camp helps prepare a soldier for battle through strict discipline, Bible college helps prepare the student for the discipline needed for life. Is the intense schedule of boot camp kept up through a soldier’s entire career? No. Same with Bible college. It is short, intensive training time on purpose.

I have yet to endure a week or month like I endured in college and graduate school. My four years on campus, especially, were the most grueling, sleep-deprived years of my life. (Although my wife, having birthed and nurtured a child, begs to differ!)

Strangely, they were some of the most enjoyed years of my life, too. What I remember of them, that is.

Bible college is intensely structured and requires each student to be rigidly disciplined — for his own good!

You might read that and think, “No way! I’m out of here! I don’t want anything to do with that!”

Before running away, consider what is at stake. God has called us to be radical followers of Him. Even the world knows that anything worth having is worth working for. Even the world knows that the way to the top requires a lot of hard work, and it is not going to come easy.

Are you going to say that God’s way is too hard? That He requires too much? That you are not tough enough to handle learning some self-discipline?

Bible college is not the military. It is actually boot camp. In some respects, it takes more self-discipline than boot camp. In other respects, it is not nearly as rigid.

Bible college demands discipline, but disciplined and structured environments are not automatically “un-fun.” Discipline doesn’t mean boring. That is not the point of what I am saying.

The point of this…was simply to say that the structure of Bible college helps to develop discipline in students, and discipline is always helpful. Consider attending Bible college and you will have to consider the discipline aspect, as well.

The Future of our Future

Youth ministry is about the future — the future of our Baptist heritage, the future of our churches, the future of our colleges, the future of everything we value and believe to be important.

The future of all that is what makes Youth Ministry so important — perhaps the most important ministry.

I doubt anyone would take issue with the importance of training our future youth workers. We don’t hesitate to put forth effort and funds to see to it that our next generation of youth pastors and youth pastors’ wives are prepared to take their place in our churches.

We want them to have a solid philosophy of ministry, a clear doctrinal perspective, and a burning desire to see souls saved and lives changed through the preaching and teaching of a rightly divided use of His Word

We must have youth workers who are committed to the Bible and the church.

We must have youth workers who know why we are Baptists and how we got here.

They must know why we must be planted firmly in those beliefs that distinguish us from Protestants and the “non-denom” churches that are growing in size and influence all around us.

There is no option!

We must have well-prepared, God-loving men who are ready to take their place alongside the pastors in our churches. The future is at stake — and the future of our future.

Here’s what I mean:

The future sits in those metal folding chairs listening to that nervous young man preach or teach.

The future of our “movement” lies past those youth workers that we want to see trained to serve the Lord.

The future is sitting in those chairs, riding on those busses, playing basketball, and having fun at summer camp.

The next pastor, Bible college professor, missionary, deacon, Sunday School teacher, giver, and faithful church member is right now under the influence of our future youth workers.

They are the future of our future.

Why is it so important that our youth pastors be grounded in His Word and be Baptist through and through? They hold in their hands the future of our future — right there — right in those seats.

That eighth-grade boy who seems to have no interest — and even less aptitude — under the ministry of a caring youth pastor could be the godly preacher of the Word in the not too distant future.
That high school girl, who is being pulled toward a life of compromise and regret, under the influence of a loving youth pastor’s wife could grow to be a godly wife, mother, and servant of the Lord.

It may not be easy to see right now, but there they all are. All of our preachers, teachers, missionaries and faithful church members could be listening right now to a young man, or young woman who was properly trained to take on the challenge of youth ministry.

It’s big, is it not? Bigger than we realize. The future of our future!

I am personally endeavoring to keep that in mind as I have a small part in training the next generation of youth workers. It’s about the future, theirs and ours.

Ted Inman

Assistant Pastor | Southwest Baptist Church

To learn more about the Youth Ministry Program at Heartland Baptist Bible College, click here!