Martin Luther believed that next to theology, music was the highest form of worship, “a gift of God to be nurtured and used by man for his delight and edification, as a means for giving praise to the Creator, and as a vehicle for the proclamation of God’s Word.” And for centuries, congregational singing has been a prominent part of church services.
However, many churches are sadly no longer prioritizing singing together as part of services today. In a conflicted world with organized religion on the decline, it is imperative that churches restore one of Martin Luther’s favorite tenets: congregational singing.
Our responsibility as believers of God is to sing together. Throughout Scripture, the command to sing is given to God’s people more than 400 times. Ephesians 5:19 instructs believers to address one another in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” We are spiritually renewed, realigned, and sanctified by singing to the Lord and singing to each other as the body of Christ.
Yet, the numbers today are telling. In 1998, 54% of American churches had a choir, according to the National Congregations Study. Just 20 years later, the percentage of choirs had decreased to only 42% of congregations — a 12% drop. Large Evangelical churches, especially, have led the trend: going from two-thirds (69%) with choirs in 1998 to just over one third (36%) in 2018. In place of choirs, which usually serve as a catalyst for music education and the promotion of singing among all ages, many churches have instead opted to have trained musicians perform on a stage while congregants listen rather than sing along.
This is an article from the Christian website, Christian Post. You can read the full article by visiting https://www.christianpost.com/voices/why-are-churches-doing-away-with-singing-together-in-church.html
|Share The Good News|
Leave a Reply