Small Group Singing and Solos

Phil Sanders

 

      The question of how churches worshipped in song in the first century and how churches should worship in song today is important for anyone who seeks to do the will of God in every respect.  While churches of Christ have generally agreed that vocal music is authorized and that instrumental music is sinful in worship, they are now questioning the roles people play in worship.  They are asking if the Scriptures warrant solos or "special" singing by groups during the worship services.  They are asking if humming, clapping, and unintelligible vocal sounds are Scriptural in worship.  They are wondering if the boundaries of Christian worship apply to hymns used in entertainment settings.  Is it authorized to use small groups who sing hymns to entertain gatherings of Christians?  If it is all right to have groups sing hymns after a banquet, why cannot it be used in worship services?  How do entertainment and worship differ?  Can worship be entertaining?  Can entertainment also be worship?  What is edification and how does it relate to entertainment?  Are small changes in our worship today opening doors for greater changes in the years to come?  Are churches of Christ in imitating denominational methods of worship losing their distinctiveness?  Are "worship teams" actually choirs in disguise?

      Another source of confusion in the church today is the existence of so many professional performers among the many religious television programs outside of the churches of Christ.  Many members of the church watch such programs and wonder why worship services in churches of Christ cannot be more like the denominational churches.  Many who watch such programs are convinced that the simple, traditional worship in churches of Christ cannot possibly compete with the slick, theatrical performances of others.  It may be that some of the changes we are seeing in churches is to appeal to an audience that does not understand New Testament Christianity.

      These questions disturb and confuse many.  They are leading to a great deal of controversey and could divide the church.  It is for this reason that we must reexamine the Scriptures in coordination with a honest look at our own practices.  The Christian's goal is not only to remain Biblical but also to please God in every way (Col. 1:10).  Jesus made it his business to "always do what pleases him" (John 8:29).

 

Some Basic Definitions

 

      1. Worship:  "to adore or pay divine honors to as a deity; to reverence with supreme respect and veneration"  (Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Deluxe second ed. [New York: Dorset & Baber, 1983],  p. 2109).

      2. Entertain:  "to engage the attention of, with anything that causes the time to pass pleasantly, as conversation, music or the like; to divert; to please; to amuse."  Entertain-ment:  "something that entertains; an interesting, diverting, or amusing thing, as a show or performance" (Webster's, p. 607).  Entertainment in and of itself is by no means sinful.  It has its place in the Christian life.

      3. Perform:  "to give a performance of; to render or enact, as a piece of music, dramatic role, etc."  Performance:  "a formal exhibition of skill or talent, as a play, musical program, etc.; a show" (Webster's, p. 1332).

      4. "Special" singing is often used to describe song sung by solos or small groups.

 

The Difference Between Worship and Entertainment

 

      The worship of the church in song was meant to be both vertical and horizontal.  First, Christians were to "sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5:19,20).  They were to "sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God" (Col. 3:16).  The Hebrew writer urged, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name" (13:15).  This vertical dimension must be present for any hymn to be regarded as worship.  God is first and foremost the audience of our worship.  Our first task is to adore and to please Him.  Any act that takes the focus off of God or acts to the glory of man rather than God can never be regarded as worship.  Those who seek or accept praise for themselves rather than glorify God have in all times been responsible for grave error (Num. 20:12; Psa. 19:13; Acts 12:20-23).  Christians are to do all things to the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

      Second, musical worship has a horizontal dimension. Paul exhorted the Ephesians to "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spritual songs" (Eph. 5:19).  He instructed the Colossians:  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and counsel one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" (Col. 3:16).  One reason why Christians assembled together was to "encourage one another" (Heb. 10:24,25).  Paul instructed the church at Corinth that their psalms were to edify; "let all things be done for edification" (1 Cor. 14:26).  Worship directed toward God was also to "build up" brethren.  All Christians have the responsibility of speaking, teaching and counseling one another.

      The function of entertainment as a pastime must never be confused with the reverence and sacred character of worship.   One must wonder at some of the behavior some of the modern groups who have blended their relgious songs with an entertaining style.  It has left everyone confused whether to call their activity entertainment or worship.  One group described as leading the congregation in worship wore hats and sunglasses as they performed their concert.  Such language about this event has a tendency to confuse and mislead.  Did they worship or did they entertain?  Are they ministers or performers?  This serves their purpose; for if they are criticized for their actions in worship, they are entertaining.  And if they are accused of entertaining, they speak of their ministry leading the congregation in worship.

      A further confusion related to worship and entertainment is the function of the heart.  Some, not understanding the nature of worship, believe that the stirring of their hearts constitues worship.  Songs of all kinds have the ability to stir the heart.  Dramatic, theatrical and love songs can be charged with great emotion and passion.  This does not make them songs of worship.  Many songs that contain religious thoughts may be filled with fervor and passion but not be worship.  For example, one might think of the hauntingly beautiful song that Mary Magdalene sings about Jesus in the Broadway play "Jesus Christ:  Superstar."  Such lovely melodies may move us emotionally, but one could hardly recommend this song for worship (doctrinally or otherwise) because of the words.  Singing to worship requires understanding (1 Cor. 14:15); its purpose is to teach and admonish, to give thanks and to praise.  Worship is the intentional act of the heart and lips to glorify God.  One must remember that simply because the hearts of an audience are stirred, God's name may not have been glorified or His heart pleased by the aroma of  the sacrifices.

      Things that are holy are not to be cheapened by making them common.  God's name is never to be taken or spoken in vain.  To turn our worship into a performance or a show can never please God.  It fails to give God the glory due His holy name.  The worship of the tabernacle in the Old Testament was a serious matter to God, because He is a holy God.  He insists on being treated holy.  This theme is a major tenet of the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy.  To treat worship as a common matter is a great offense to God, no matter how pleasing it may be to men.  Those who enter into a time of worship must never do anything that takes to focus off of the holy respect due to our God. 

      Jimmy Jividen correctly observed:  "God desires worship directed from the heart of man. All of the pomp of men, all of the orderliness of form, all of the beauty of art and all of the emotional stimulation evoked through drama and music cannot substitute for the simple devotion of an humble heart." (Worship in Song, p. 19)          

 

How Did the Church of the First Century Worship in Song?

 

      Knowing how the early church fulfilled the instructions of Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16 is important for discerning truth from error and for knowing how to apply these passages today.  We really know very little about how the early church rendered its hymns in the earliest centuries (Ferguson, Early Christians Speak, p. 160).  The performance was more in the nature of what is called a chant that it was melodic.  The more melodic compositions are attested only for the fourth century.  Even then, the singing was homophonic (all singing on the same pitch), and not polyphonic as in modern harmonies (Ibid., p. 161).   The sacred music of the early church probably consisted of a few simple tunes which could easily be learned, and which, by frequent repetition, became familiar to all.  According to Hilary, A.D. 355 (Comment. in Psa. xxv.), everyone participated, young and old, men and women,  and had a part.  John Chrysostom said,

 

            It was the ancient custom, as it is still with us, for all to come together, and unitedly to join in singing.  The young and old, rich and poor, male and female, bond and free,            all join in one song. . . .All worldly distinctions here cease, and the whole congregation   form one general chorus" (Hom. xi, vol. xii; and Hom. xxxvi. in 1 Cor. vol. x. See            McClintock and Strong, Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, Vol. VI, pp. 757,758).

 

      It is possible that the early church fulfilled the directive to "sing," "speak," "teach and admonish one another" in a variety of ways:

      Antiphonal singing:  when two groups would sing the lines or phrases of a psalm back and forth to each other.  "Antiphonal singing in which the congregation was divided into two choirs and chanted alternately came in alongside the responsorial chant in the late fourth century" (Ferguson, Early Christians Speak, p. 161 citing Egon Wellesz, A History of Byzantine Music and Hymnography [Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1961], p. 35).

      Responsorial singing:  when a leader would sing the lines or phrases of a song, and the congregation would respond in unison with the words of the chorus.  Psalms 107 and 118 may have been sung in this manner. Pliny, in his letter to Trajan, spoke of Christian singing "in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god" (Letters, Book X.xcvi).  Ferguson observes that the phrase, "alternate verses" "should not be understood as 'antiphonally.'  What can be deducted from Jewish influence on Christian practice suggests congregational responses to what is recited by the leader" (Early Christians Speak, p. 84).

      Some scholars argue that responsive singing was not generally practiced until early in the fourth century.  They argue that since responsive singing was then common in the theatres and temples of the Gentiles, it may have been discarded by the primitive Christians for the first three centuries (McClintock & Strong, Cyclopedia, VI:758b).

      Congregational singing: when the congregation would sing a familiar psalm or hymn together in unison.  In Rom. 15:6 Paul wished that God would give the Romans a spirit of unity among themselves as they follow Christ Jesus, "so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Ignatius about 110 A.D. wrote to Smyrna, "Therefore by your concord and harmonious love Jesus Christ is being sung.  Now all of you together become a choir so that being harmoniously in concord and receiving the key not from God in unison you may sing with one voice through Jesus Christ to the Father (Ephesians 4)" (Smyrneans 7:2).

      Solo singing:  when an individual sang a psalm for the edification of the church (1 Cor. 14:26).  These songs may have been inspired by the Holy Spirit.  In context, the purpose was likely didactic (for teaching).  The early church had no songbooks or overhead projectors.  An individual would teach the song to others so that all might sing.  We cannot imagine one singing a psalm in the early church in order to showcase one's artistic skills or presenting a concert (complete with tapes and T-shirts for sale).

      What kind of singing is spoken of in Eph. 5:19 and Col. 3:16?  The exhortation to "speak to one another" and to "teach and counsel one another" is an important help in understanding what kind of singing was practiced in the first century.  According to Dana & Mantey's A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, the phrase "one another" in both passages may be considered as "reciprocal pronouns."  They define reciprocal action:   "when a plural subject is represented as affected by an interchange of the action signified in the verb, it is called a reciprocal construction" (p. 131).  Others describe these as reflexive pronouns used reciprocally.  A.T. Robertson says that this pronoun brings out the mutual relations involved ( A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in Light of Historical Research, p. 692).  The idea is that a plurality of people are having an interchange of action with each other.  All are participating and involved in both the giving and receiving of the action.  Neither passage speaks to individual alone; both assume that a plurality of people is present.  It is poor reasoning that argues these passages refer to the Christian life in general and has nothing to say to an assembly of saints. Both Ephesians and Colossians were cyclical epistles, designed to be read to churches while they were assembled.  An epistle is not a personal letter between individuals but a formal, public letter from an authoritative person to a group.  Everett Ferguson notes:

 

            The corporate life of the church is the theme throughout Ephesians and certainly chapters 4-6, the so-called practical section of the treatise.  The corporate nature of what is described in Eph. 5:19 is made explicit by the "one another" (cf. the same word in 4:32).  Colossians adds that the "word of Christ" is to dwell "among you," "in your          midst."  Moreover, Ephesians is making a contrast between pagan religious practices, where drunkenness and immorality were often associated with the cult, and Christian worship (verse 18).  Both Colossians and Ephesians are describing a setting where the word of the Lord is dispensed and song to God is engaged in. (Ferguson, A Cappella      Music in the Public Worship of the Church, p. 17)

 

 

Objections to Small Group Singing, Solos and Choirs During Worship Services

 

      1. Small group singing and solos take the focus off of God and puts it on the performer(s).  A recent advertisement for youth encouraged them to "showcase" their talents as part of a singing group that would "perform" before thousands of other young people.  The purpose of worship is to glorify God.  One must wonder at the wisdom of teaching our youth that worship is a time to "showcase" their talents!  The emphasis here may be put on the beauty of the voice rather than on the greatness of God.  Such a concept forgets that God Himself is the audience.  Our worship is to be directed to Him so that we might offer to Him a sacrifice of praise.  Worship was never intended to be showy.  Such an idea could never reflect the respect and reverence due to our Creator and Savior.  Singing hymns is a sacred act of heart and lips; its sole purpose is to express love and gratitude for God.

 

      2. Small group singing and solos are exclusive rather than inclusive.  By their very nature choruses ask for trained singers and melodic voices.  One music ministry advertised for singers to audition to be a part of their chorus.  One must wonder if there are qualifications as to which Christians may worship publicly.  The Scriptures, after all, instruct every Christian to sin.  Why should anyone be excluded from worshipping if one is a poor singer or tone deaf?  When small groups perform, there will always be the question of who may be a part of it.  Artistic concerns, then, become a standard of inclusion and exclusion.  Such standards could never have been part of the first century church.  Paul opposed at every turn the sectarianism, arrogance and jealousy that the immature church at Corinth had experienced with their spiritual gifts. Solos and small group singing will inevitably lead to conflicts among the immature.  The problems of jealousy and ego based upon musical skill will abound.  Most denominations have had enduring problems with choirs, for it grants the opportunity for the worst in personalities to come out.

      One must ask why anyone would pursue unnecessarily a course of exclusiveness.  In many cases those who support special singing  are those who have good voices and want "showcase their talents."  One may rightfully ask if the good singers were excluded from a program, how they might feel.  Would they still feel that the worship is pleasing?  Would they be hurt by being excluded?  Would they feel unneeded?  If one were putting together a choir, there are some Christians who would never be asked to join.  The reason is because they aren't good singers.  In small group singing and solos artistic concerns become more important than one's right to adore God.  We must ask when has God ever considered musical skill as a criteria for his worshippers.  Why should anyone who has that skill have the right to include or exclude anyone on the basis of that skill?

      The quibble is brought up here about part singing.  If some parts sing while the rest remain silent in part of a song, why can't some parts sing the whole song while others listen?  Further, if one part can sing a whole song, why can it not sing the whole service?  If only the sopranos or only the basses sang a whole service, how could the others fulfill their responsibility to sing?  Every Christian has the responsibility to sing when he has gathered with his brothers and sisters.  In part singing where one group sings part of a song alone (such as the females singing the verses in "Angry Words"), the men temporarily do not sing the verses but are not altogether excluded from singing.  This is not unlike the action in antiphonal or responsorial singing, both of which do not exclude anyone from singing some of the song.

      Choirs as a separate group from the congregation were not present among the earliest Christians.  It was an innovation that led to special singers for the congregation.  Because they sang more difficult songs, others ceased to sing. According to McClintock & Strong, (VI:758).

 

            The appointment of singers as a distinct class of officers in the Church for their part of religious worship, and the consequent introduction of profane music into the   church, marks another alteration in the psalmody of the Church .  These innovations were first made in the 4th century; and though the people continued for a century or      more to enjoy their ancient privilege of all singing together, it is conceivable that it gradually was forced to die, as a promiscuous assembly could not well unite in theatrical music which required in its performers a degree of skill, altogether superior to that which all the members of a congregation could be expected to possess.   An artificial, theatrical style of music, having no affinity with the worship of God, soon began to take the place of those solemn airs which before had inspired the devotions of his people.  The music of the theatre was transferred to the church, which accordingly became the scene of theatrical pomp and display rather than the house of prayer and praise, to inspire by its appropriate and solemn rites the spiritual worship of God.

 

McClintock and Strong further observe that until the sixth or seventh century the people were not entirely excluded from participating in the singing.  They were allowed to sing in the choruses and in the responses.  But "it soon came about that the many, instead of uniting their hearts and their voices in the songs of Zion, could only sit coldly by as spectators" (Ibid.).

 

      3. Solos and small group singing asks the members of a church to worship through others.  If one silently listens to others sing, one has not fulfilled his responsibility to praise God with his lips, to speak, to teach or to admonish.  Every Christian has the responsibility to sing, and no one else can fulfill that responsibility for him.  Though one's heart has been stirred by another's singing, one hasn't sung if one has merely "sung in his heart."  Singing is an act of both the heart and the lips!  To sing and not make melody in one's heart is not worship.  It mocks God!  In the same way, to stir one's heart but not speak with one's lips, is to fail to do what God has asked.

      May one please God simply  by observing others partaking of communion?  Though one's heart may be stirred greatly in the remembering, has one obeyed the directive if he has not eaten the bread or drunk the cup?

      May one please God simply by observing others contributing to the Lord's church?  Though one's heart may be stirred deeply with love and gratitude, has one obeyed the Lord's instructions?

      Has one become a Christian who has observed another being baptized?  Though in his heart he may have believed and genuinely repented, is he regarded as obedient if he has not been baptized?  Obedience must be heartfelt (Rom. 6:17,18), but one is not free from sin until he has acted in obedience.  Both the heart and the act are necessary.

      No one can worship for another.  Observing another fulfill his responsibility is not the same as one worshipping for himself. 

      The quibble is made that the mute are not able to speak and thus fulfill the command.  Does God not accept his worship in his heart?  Yes, God accepts what a man can give and does not expect from him what he cannot do (2 Cor. 8:12).  But this is far different from a man who can sing and doesn't except in his heart.  May one who is capable of giving money to the Lord do so in one's heart only?  What has this brother really given?

      Another quibble is that only one person prays audibly, yet the whole congregation is praying.  Actually, churches did often pray corporately.   In Acts 4:24 when Peter and John were released from prison, they went back to their own people and reported all that had happened.  "When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God."  The word for "together" in Greek is omoqumadon, an adverb, meaning "with one mind or purpose or impulse; unanimously" (BAG, rev., p. 566).  Ferguson notes that prayers "as well as the Psalms were performed responsively (bTaanith 16b)" (A Cappella Music, p. 34).  It was the custom for the whole congregation to say "Amen" at the conclusion of a prayer (1 Cor. 14:16).

      There is a difference between the nature of prayer and singing.  Prayer is one way communication from man to God. One may pray for others to God.  It is vertical. Singing, on the other hand, is both vertical and horizontal.  Singing is speaking to one another, teaching one another, and counseling one another.  It is to be reciprocal.  Each one has the responsibility of edifying his brother through his own singing.

 

What about "worship teams?"

 

      A worship team is a group of singers who lead the congregation in singing.  While there is a song leader of the team and congregation, the group of both men and women singers each lead the congregation in his or her voice part.  While they may not stand in front of the congregation as a choir would, they might sit on the front row.  Each of them usually has his or her own microphone to amplify the voice part he or she sings.  The purpose of worship teams is to enhance the worship and to encourage others to sing.

      There are some advantages to worship teams.  Each voice part is amplified so that the altos, for instance, may hear and sing their part correctly.  The teaching capability in this matter is certainly advantageous.  The sound of all parts takes on a richer tone quality, so that it is quite pleasing to the ear.  One might even suppose, because of the amplication, that there are more people present than the crowd appears to have.  The amplified voices are much more harmonious than merely amplifying only the song leader.

      On the other hand, like choirs there is the tendency with worship teams to sit and listen to the group sing rather than to sing along.  The amplified voices occasionally drown out the congregation much the way a piano or organ stifles singing.  Another stifling aspect of this approach is that the team often sings new songs unfamiliar to the congregation.  During these times the congregation becomes little more than spectators.  While it is beneficial for the congregation to learn new songs, a regular practice of singing unfamiliar songs could make the team appear to be an exclusive and elitist group.  The problems of the past comes very much into play here.  Will worship teams over time lead many in the church to quit fulfilling their obligation to edify one another in song?  Are worship teams merely a step away from choirs?

 

Colleges, quartets and banquets

 

      Christian colleges are not churches.  They have every right to have choruses who represent their schools.  Christian colleges have done immeasurable good by training young men and women in vocal music.  The singing in churches everywhere is better because of  the training thousands of students have received.  Colleges choruses have provided programs for their lectureships and to churches around the world.  Their positive influence for the Lord and for their respective schools is unquestionable.  Many souls have been drawn to the Lord by their efforts.

      Everyone enjoys hearing trained voices sing the spiritual songs they love most.  It uplifts, encourages and edifies one to hear beautiful hymns either in person or on tape.  Colleges and singing groups have provided a wonderful source of encouragement by recording the moments when they are praising God.  Christians who buy such inspiring tapes have invested wisely.

      Christians who gather informally for festive occasions often ask trained groups or quartets to sing religious songs and hymns.  Usually this practice is considered entertainment, though it may have religious overtones.  This practice should not be looked upon with suspicion.  Entertainment that delights our hearts and causes us to think of the Lord and His love for us is positive and not negative.  Such groups are not attempting to worship for others or replace worship with a performance.  They do not seek to exclude others from worshipping, because that is not their aim.  Their aim is to pass the time pleasantly by providing delightful songs with religious themes.  Christian entertainment is not unjustified.

      Entertainment settings should not be regarded as periods of worship.  It would be better for some religious entertainment groups who are performing not to leave the impression that they are there to worship.  Herein lies the confusion.  Hats, sunglasses, cute remarks and jokes are appropriate for entertainment but not worship.  There is no harm in clapping with appreciation for the entertainer, but clapping in worship seems to take the focus off of God and put it on the performer.  To be caught up in the skill of a performer and to lose sight of God dilutes and cheapens worship.  The rock star status accorded to some entertainers has little place next to the cross.  In worship the focus must be on praising God not the skills of men.  Worship put on for show is clearly condemned in Scripture (Matt. 6:1-18; 23:5-12).  Such worshippers have already received their reward. 

      What is done in entertainment settings, though it be a gathering of Christians, should not be held as a pattern for what is to be done on the Lord's day.  Distinguishing between such settings, as the church has done for many years, keeps the boundaries of entertainment and worship definitive.  The recent blurrings of these distinctions, coupled with the exposure to so many denominational worship services on television, services which feature professional performers, has created the confusion.

 

What about humming, clapping and unintelligible sounds?

 

      In recent years some groups have tried to enhance their singing by making unintelligible, background sounds with their voices.  These sounds imitated instruments of music and often functioned as an accompaniment.  Some were so good that the casual listener might not be able to tell the difference between a drum, for instance, and the vocal sound.  The reasoning behind such vocal accompaniment was that as long as the sound was vocal, it was approved.

      The fact that a sound is vocal does not mean that it necessarily fulfills the instruction to speak, teach and admonish.  Drums, for instance, cannot speak; why would one want to imitate them as an act of worship?  They don't do what God asks.  People imitate drums to make their music sound more like the music of those who use instruments.

      Jimmy Jividen points out that understanding is an essential element in worship in song (1 Cor. 14:14-16).

           

            The importance of "understanding" is shown by Paul in his correcting the abuse of spiritual gifts at Corinth.  It would appear that those who possessed the miraculous gifts   of speaking foreign languages were causing confusion in the assemblies of the church.  In their enthusiasm to show off their spiritual gift, they would all speak at the same time         in whatever language their gift allowed.  Confusion was the result.

            Paul tried to correct this situation by showing that one cannot worship God or edify others with words which are not understood.  Speaking words in a prayer or a song       which one does not understand is not worship.  It is unfruitful to the one uttering the words.  Speaking words in a prayer or a song which those in the assembly do not                  understand is not worship.  It is confusion. (Worship in Song, p. 22)

 

If speaking a foreign language is not edifying, how much more so is making unintelligible, vocal sounds!  The fact that it enhances the effect of the music does not make it biblical.  It smacks of hypocrisy to claim all sounds are vocal yet make vocal sounds that sound as if they were instruments of music.  The Hebrew writer urges, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name" (13:15).

      Clapping during worship has a long history.  McClintock & Strong (VI:758) observed that Neander regretted that in his day the sacred music of both Eastern and Western churches had already assumed "an artificial and theatrical character, and was so far removed from its original simplicity that even in the fourth century the abbot Pambo of Egypt complained of heathen melodies being introduced into the worship of the church accompanied "as it seems with the action of the hands and feet."   Isidore of Pelusium also complained of the theatrical singing, especially of the women, which instead of inducing penitence for sin, tended much more to awaken sinful desires (in Biblioth. Patr. vii, 543).  One must wonder at the wisdom of clapping.  Would it not be more Scriptural for brethren to say a hearty, "Amen!"?

 

Conclusion

     

      Michael R. Weed stated a few years ago in the Christian Chronicle, "It is high time that Christians decide whether the church--and particularly Christian worship--is going to become a kind of religious Disneyland--entertainment and excitement for both young and old--or, if it is going to be something else."

      Perhaps our problem is that we are far more concerned with the effects of worship on the worshipper than on the One we worship.  Have we pleased God in our acts of adoration?  Singing praises to the Father is a privilege as well as an obligation.  We must not allow our feelings and tastes to keep us from the primary task of glorifying His name.  Nor can we in any way exclude any brother or sister from participating in the joyful celebration of God in our songs of praise.  Yes, we must strive for excellence in our singing, for God deserves our best.  But God wants the best from everyone not merely the selected few who are trained.

      Let us strive to make our worship more reverent and meaningful.  Let's sing with our hearts and lips a message of love and thanksgiving to the Father, while we teach and counsel one another.  Let's not be afraid to learn new songs or to sing old ones in a fresh, new way.  May our hearts and minds focus upon the words that we may sincerely and with understanding praise our God.  Let's also examine our songs that we may worship in truth and not promote any error.

      During those periods when we relax with each other, let's not be afraid to laugh and enjoy ourselves with entertainment.  Rejoice in the Lord, and again, I will say, rejoice!  Let some sing spiritual melodies that uplift and encourage our hearts.  There is no sin in Christian entertainment, as long as we do not confuse our entertainment with worship.