Music is an important part of a worship service. It should be of high
quality and well prepared and is not something to be taken lightly. If the
accompaniment is sloppy or the leadership hard to follow, music can become a
distraction that takes away from the desired intent of the service. Music
should be used to glorify God, and the most common way a congregation does
this is through singing hymns.
Hymns originally were written from the Psalms. Later composers wanted to
make the hymns more useful and easier to sing, so they created their own.
This caused division in the church, for some thought these hymns to be
uninspired and of the devil. However, hymns are now accepted as a key part
of the worship service.
Hymns have other purposes in besides worshipping God. Barry Liesch1
suggests these five uses:
- to serve as a call to worship,
- to turn attention seriously to God,
- to sing meaningfully to the Lord in preparation for more serious
areas of worship,
- to express personal worship and sincere love to the Lord, and
- to participate in the most serene, most intimate expression of
worship.
Hymns are valuable not only for one's private worship but also in
teaching others. They effectively communicate the church's theology,
instruct one on how to worship, teach small portions of Scripture, and speak
of ways to successfully minister to others. Most importantly, they proclaim
the gospel and emphasize the importance of telling the good news of
salvation.
Singing becomes the congregation's chance to participate in the service.
Hymns have a way of communicating to the emotions and planting the seed of
definite decision in the heart. They accomplish this through direct and
simplistic lyrics, a tune that is harmonious yet easy to sing, and a refrain
which summarizes the message and helps the singer remember the song through
repetition. Many are written directly from scripture or include a paraphrase
of a passage. The messages they convey attempt to bring people to a deep,
personal relationship with God.
Hymns are important to the worshipper for three main reasons. The first
is understanding. When people really pay attention to what they are singing,
they will gain a better knowledge of the ways of God, a better understanding
of scripture, and other insights important to spiritual growth. Every member
of the congregation should be able to participate in the singing during a
worship service. Therefore, the message must be clear and easily understood.
Paul writes in I Corinthians 14:15, "I will sing with the spirit and I shall
sing with the mind also." This involves understanding what is being sung. If
someone does not understand what the congregation is singing, the message is
of no use.
Hymns are also important is for encouragement. They are meant to draw
people together in unity through singing the same music and the same words.
Frank Colquhoun2 states that "a hymn has to do with the heart
rather than the intellect." When one sings sincerely, those around will
notice and make more of an effort to sing from the heart as well. Martin
Luther said that "besides theology, music is the only art capable of
affording peace and joy of the heart." After singing a hymn, members of the
congregation may feel uplifted and closer to God and are better prepared to
learn from the rest of the service.
Finally, hymns are important for the edification (instruction) of
believers. They are intended to lift up fellow brothers and sisters in
Christ. The practical purposes of hymns are worship, education, and
ministry. Singing helps us concentrate on why we are truly there.
Music has historically been used to unite believers and to challenge them
to live better lives by the words that they sing. As the Psalmist states,
"Let the people praise Thee, O God; Let all the peoples praise Thee. Let the
nations be glad and sing for joy" (Psalm 67:3-4a). God requires and expects
Christians to praise him, not half-heartedly, but with all their strength.
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1Barry Liesch, "A Structure Runs Through It,"
Leadership
14 (Summer 1993), 101-103.
2Frank Colquhoun,
Hymns That Live: Their Meaning and Message
(Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 1980), 9.
