Tag: Song selection

Not Getting Off to a Confusing Start

This past Sunday I thought it would be a good idea to begin the service a bit differently, by singing Joseph Stigora’s version of Psalm 96. I first heard this version at the 2008 Worship God conference (the time when they started it off in two keys) and really liked it. The chorus (“sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord all the earth, sing to the Lord, bless his name, tell of his salvation from day to day”) is congregational, with the verses sung by the worship leader. It’s unusual for us to start off a service with an unfamiliar song, especially a song where the congregation doesn’t sing on the verses, but it seemed appropriate this past Sunday and I was looking forward to it.

Looking back, however, I realize that I forgot one important detail: since a good number of people come in late, or come in once they hear the music start, about half of the congregation wouldn’t hear my instructions to only sing the chorus and to listen to the verses.

So what ended up happening was that anyone who came in after I gave those instructions (a few hundred people) was really confused.

How come no one is singing the verses? Is Jamie expecting us to know these verses? These verses are not very easy. Have we ever sung this song before? What am I supposed to do on the verses – just stand here or something? The words are on the screen – but no one around me is singing them. This is weird.

It didn’t quite work out the way I thought it would work out. A good portion of the congregation seemed genuinely confused and not sure of what to do – which is a strange way to start off a service. I got a very kind email on Monday morning from a friend in the congregation (who walked in after I told the congregation to only sing the chorus) and let me know how hard the verses were to sing – and how no one around him was even trying!

So… lesson learned: it’s confusing for people when they walk into an already-begun service and are out of the loop that they’re not supposed to sing the verses to a song. Maybe it would be a better idea to wait until further into the service.

I’ll keep trying new, different, and fresh things. Some will work, some will not. It’s good for the congregation and it’s good for me. There’s nothing to be afraid of!

How Long Does Your Sunday Service Last?

It’s Monday afternoon and the Sanctuary is empty. The lights are off, the microphones are put away, the guitars are in their cases, the projectors are powered down, and the room is totally quiet. The people who just 24 hours earlier had filled the room are now scattered around the city – at their jobs, in class, at home, in their cars, at the Doctor’s office, in court, at an airport, in meetings, or maybe sitting on the couch.

We sang a handful of songs yesterday morning. We heard God’s word read to us and preached to us, we prayed together, and we shared the Lord’s Supper. From beginning to end the service took a little over an hour and a half. But for those people who are now scattered around the city, did it last any longer than that?

I ask myself: for the man who left his house at 5:30am to beat the traffic on his way to a job that he hates, or the Mom who couldn’t get any sleep because the stomach flu has now struck all five children, or the guy who left church yesterday afternoon and proceeded to get drunk at a downtown party that lasted until 3am – might the songs that we were singing just 24 hours ago have lasted into today?

It’s easy for worship leaders to get caught up in what they’re seeing in the room as they’re leading. Do people look engaged? How many hands are raised? Are people clapping? Is that guy scowling at me? How does it sound? Did people like that last song? Can anyone hear the electric guitar? On and on the questions go.

Sure, we should be concerned that people are engaged with God as they sing to him, that expressiveness is encouraged and modeled, and that the musicians lead effectively and skillfully. But it is possible to get so concerned with the here-and-now “how is this service going right at this moment” questions that we forget to ask ourselves the questions that matter more.

Are we singing songs that feed people with God’s truth? Am I seeking to point people to the glory of God in Jesus Christ? Are we, in our planning and in our leading, dependent on the Holy Spirit? Was Jesus made central today?

The fact is that very few people can remember a single song we sang yesterday. Even fewer will be able to remember them the next day. By the end of this week, hardly anyone could name a single song we sang this past Sunday.

This always amazes me, by the way, since I could probably tell you what songs we sang on a particular Sunday a couple of years ago. I think about songs a lot – which ones to sing, where we should sing them, how we should respond to a particular sermon most effectively, etc. –  and for some reason, I am able to remember them for months, if not years, later. Most people (thankfully) are not like this.

So on a Monday afternoon, a little over 24 hours since our Sunday morning service ended, it’s good to ask myself “how long did that service last?”

I want to plan services and choose songs that will feed people long after they go home, long after they get to the office, and long after the lies and deceptions of the world start grabbing hold.

For the woman who has lost all hope – she needs to know that “on Christ, the Solid Rock, I stand, all other ground is sinking sand…” not that I pick the newest and coolest songs.

For the man who is seeking pleasure from the world – he needs to know that “wonderful, so wonderful is (Jesus’) unfailing love” and that Jesus’ “cross has spoken mercy over me…” not that my bass player and drummer are totally locked in together.

This is incredibly freeing for worship leaders. And it’s incredibly serious.

Choose songs and plan services that will last longer than an hour and a half, and longer than Monday morning. Use every opportunity you have to point people to the glory of God and the truth of his word which never passes away.

Handling Awkward Moments – When a Song Bombs

Sometimes you teach a new song and it really clicks.

Sometimes you teach a new song and it just takes a while for it to catch on.

But other times you teach a new song and it bombs.

It sounded great on the CD and you liked it a lot when you sang it at a conference you attended, but in the context of your congregation it just doesn’t work at all. If the song were a TV show it would be canceled. If it were a politician it would be voted out of office. If it were a Washington Redskins quarterback… well never mind.

It can be awkward when you introduce a new song and it bombs. I had a guy come up to me one day after we taught a new song that fell incredibly flat and he said: “I thought to myself during that song you taught ‘I could learn this song if I really wanted to’ but then I decided I didn’t really want to”.

When a song “bombs” it might be because it was the wrong song for your particular congregation, it was the wrong time to introduce it, your worship team wasn’t quite able to pull it off, the congregation couldn’t hear the melody so they decided to not even try, or it wasn’t a very good song in the first place.

Whatever the reason may be for a song “bombing” – it’s awkward when you’re the one who’s imposing it upon the congregation.  What do you do?

If it’s the wrong song – let it go
Maybe the musical style is too far outside your congregation’s comfort zone. Maybe the melody is too complicated. Maybe the content doesn’t resonate. Yes, we want our congregations to grow and be comfortable with a wide variety of songs – but by forcing songs on them for which they’re not ready, we’ll make that growth happen more slowly.

If it’s the wrong time – put it on the bench
Once in a while I’ll introduce a new song and feel that it’s just not the right time. It’s a good song, but for some reason I just need to wait on it a bit longer. These songs get put “on the bench” – not thrown off the roster.

If your worship team can’t pull it off – don’t try
It might be a great song, and your congregation might be ready for it, but if your musicians can’t lead it confidently, it’s probably wise for you to wait until they can. Be honest with yourself and realistic about what kind of songs your worship team is able to lead well. Err on the side of deference to your volunteer musicians’ abilities – not what you hear on the CD.

If it bombed the first time – but you still think it could work – give it a second try
Don’t be afraid to be persistent with a song you really feel could work with your congregation, even if it did bomb the first time. It’s probably a good idea to get a few other opinions before you try it again, but oftentimes a song (especially one that’s a bit different than the norm) will take a while to gain traction with a congregation.

Tee it up it better
When I taught Tim Hughes’ “Happy Day”, I took a minute before we sang it to tee it up. I explained that we were going to learn a song that helped us celebrate how Jesus defeated death and rose from the grave, how that was indeed something to be “happy” about, how that kind of happiness isn’t a shallow, Hallmark-card “happy”, and that at the end of one the verses we would take a moment to lift up a shout of celebration together, and take it as an opportunity to rejoice in the fact that Jesus is alive. Then we learned the song and people weren’t completely caught off-guard. If I had just plowed right into it, it might not have gone over as well.

Don’t stress out about it
I can be tempted to spend some time licking my wounds after a song I introduce bombs. There’s no reason to do that. It’s an unrealistic expectation that every song of every service on every Sunday will be met with whole hearted enthusiasm by the congregation, and a sign of a sinful and prideful desire to come across as perfectly polished.

Two things remain true regardless of what songs I choose, and how enthusiastically they’re received. First, my only boast is in the cross, and second, God is great and greatly to be praised.

Say No to Syrup

It can be tempting, this time of year, to sing songs in our church services that are well-beloved and widely-known but many of which lack any Gospel-truth. We’ve grown up with them, heard them every Christmas, shopped for presents with them in the background, and sung them countless times. It’s not that they’re evil – they’re just fluffy. They’re nice and comfortable and sweet (i.e. syrupy), make an innocuous reference to a baby once in a while, have a catchy melody, and don’t bother anyone. They can be sung in church or used as background music to a commercial about a Ford Taurus.

There’s nothing wrong with syrup… on pancakes. There is a problem with syrup in church. It tastes sweet and it makes people feel happy, but it has no nutritional value. Half an hour after the service is over they’re hungry again. You’ve missed your chance to feed them eternal truth and you can’t get it back. Oh the deceptive allure of syrup.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing songs for your Christmas services to help you discern whether you’re feeding your congregation syrup or not:

Is Jesus presented as the glorious Savior or as a cuddly little baby?
Yes, he was wrapped “in swaddling cloths” (Luke 2:7), but “the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and evermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this” (Isaiah 9:6-7). Yes, he was laid “in a manger” (Luke 2:7), but he would one day bear “our griefs and (carry) our sorrows”, we would esteem “him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted”, he would be “wounded for our transgressions… crushed for our iniquities”, and upon him would be the “chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). The songs we sing at Christmas should celebrate the fact that “the word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14a) and that “we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14b).

Do I have to lower my theological standards in order to use this song?
“It’s really not that big of a deal to just sing this song once a year.” “Loosen up a little bit – it’s Christmas – we’re going to have a lot of visitors.” “It won’t hurt anybody.” “People just want to sing Christmas carols this time of year.” “We’ve sung that song at the end of our services for 25 years. Relax.”

It is a travesty whenever churches justify watering down the Gospel for any reason, and through any medium. Upholding biblical truth either matters supremely or it doesn’t matter at all. Singing bible-saturated and God-centered songs either matters at every single service or it doesn’t matter at all. Don’t take a vacation from safe-guarding the theology of your songs just because it’s Christmas. Encourage, explain, and defend intentional and careful song selection all year round.

Will this song present the Gospel to a potential non-believer who is visiting with his family?
Put yourself in the shoes of a 21-year-old college student who is being dragged to church by his Mom on Christmas Eve. Will he hear predictable, fluffy, Ford Taurus commercial background music – or will he hear the good news of the Gospel?

Songs teach. Syrup leaves you hungry.

Does the song reference there being snow on the ground?
There isn’t a single biblical reference to there being snow on the ground when Jesus was born. There may have been, but there may not have been. It does seem highly unlikely that there would have been “shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8) if it was snowing. The more likely scenario is that our image of snowy Bethlehem is more influenced by Charles Dickens than scripture. A song referencing snow might indicate a theological sloppiness and blurriness.

Does it “beat around the ‘gospel bush’”?
Bob Kauflin just posted on his blog some suggestions for new Christmas songs. This quote struck me: “From my experience, Christmas carols are a mixed bag. Some beat around the ‘gospel bush’ and hint at a universal brotherhood, while others clearly proclaim the good news that a Savior has been born to rescue rebellious sinners. I lean towards the second.”

Say no to syrup in your Christmas songs. Lean firmly towards the “good news of great joy that will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).

What to Do with Advent – Pt. 2

Yesterday I mentioned that we’re in the midst of the season of Advent and suggested some ways worship leaders can make the four Sundays in this season feel Adventy. No, “Adventy” isn’t a word, but you know what I mean. Click here to see yesterday’s post. Basically, you don’t want to sing Christmas songs until Christmas.

There are many great traditional hymns that work well during this season. There are also a good number of more contemporary songs that are fitting. Here are some suggestions:

Some new (congregational) Advent songs
“Creation Sings the Father’s Song” Stuart Townend, Keith and Kristyn Getty. (iTunes download)
I wrote in detail about why I like this song so much a few months ago. You can see that post here. Basically, the song hits on the themes of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation in 3 verses and a chorus. Amazing. The third verse is great for Advent, talking about how “creation longs for His return…”

“Glorious” Paul Baloche and Brenton Brown. (iTunes download)
Off of Paul Baloche’s new CD of the same name, the last verse sings of how “the hope of his returning fills the universe”.

“Almighty” Paul Baloche and Brenton Brown. (iTunes download)
Again, off of the new CD “Glorious”, this song is full of imagery of Jesus’ return. Here’s verse three: “One day You will judge the nations, You’ll reward Your servants, both the great and small. On that day, those who rose against You will finally confess You as the Lord of all.”

“There is a Higher Throne” Keith and Kristyn Getty. (iTunes download)
A song full of the hope of heaven. Very easy to sing, a great and catchy chorus, and rich truth.

“From the Squalor of a Borrowed Stable” Stuart Townend. (iTunes download)
Great song. Verse 1: Jesus is born. Verse 2: Jesus lives among us, is tempted in every way as we are but does not sin. Verse 3: Jesus suffers death in our place on the cross, defeating death. Verse 4: Jesus reigns victoriously at his Father’s right hand, “interceding for His own beloved, till His Father calls to bring them home”. Wow.

“Glorious and Mighty” Joel Sczebel, Todd Twining and Bob Kauflin. (iTunes download)
Verse three says: “Majesty, we’ll sing with creation when You come again in the clouds. Every knee will bow down and worship the one true God”.

“Lord, We Wait” Stuart Townend, Keith and Kristyn Getty. (iTunes download)
This isn’t one of Townend/Getty’s most well-know songs, but I think it’s a fantastic song for Advent. It’s short, easy, and right on target for this season. Verse 1 says: “Lord, we wait for the day of your appearing. Lord, we wait for your coming in the clouds”. Verse 2: “In that day, death is swallowed up in victory. In that day, sin and death shall be no more”. The chorus declares: “with a shout the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised to life, and we will meet him in the air”. Great Advent song.

“There is a Redeemer” Melody Green (iTunes download)
This might be considered a “hymn” in some circles, but in other circles it’s still pretty new. Either way, it’s still a great song. It points us to Jesus “our Redeemer, name above all names”, reminds us that he was slain for sinners, that we “will see his face” when we “stand in glory”, and reminds us that God has given us “His Spirit till the work on earth is done”.

Remember: we aren’t waiting for Jesus to be born. We are waiting for him to return
Songs that express a longing for the birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem might work well for Christmas pageants, but might be confusing in a congregational context. As we say in the communion liturgy in Anglican churches, “Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again”. I’m looking for songs that help articulate a longing for the risen and victorious Jesus Christ to return. Sure, it would be easier (and more fun) to crank out “O Come All Ye Faithful” or “Joy to the World” the first Sunday of December. But we wait.

Come, Lord Jesus, come.