WORSHIP LEADERS
SINGING ' S BEEN BANNED ? TRY THIS . | Jon Nicol
" We can ' t sing ... what do we do ?
I ' ve seen dozens of social media posts and emails from leaders expressing some variation of this . Because of the pandemic , some state and local governments have allowed people to meet together for worship , but not sing .
No matter what you or I may think of these nosing policies , I believe they shine a light on one of the biggest fallacies of the modern church :
Worship = singing .
Worship leaders are often the first to say worship goes far beyond music , songs , and singing . It ' s a truth we ascent to in theory , but rarely in practice . Now , however , the pandemic has brought many churches to the place where we must practically embrace the truth :
Worship ≠ singing .
What if , instead of a ‘ hardship ,' we view this ban of corporate singing as an opportunity . We can deepen our gathered worship experience and broaden our repertoire , but not with more songs . We get to use other means of proclaiming praise and expressing adoration to the Triune God when we gather as the body of Christ .
While there are creeds , liturgies , poetry , and prayers written for gathered worship , for this article , let ' s return to the source material for all that . ( That would be the Bible ). Too often , the Word is just an add-on to our worship sets , if used at all . But now , we have the opportunity to make it a primary element of corporate worship that allows our words to bless the heart of our King .
Before I get to the ‘ how ’ of using scripture as a standalone worship element , let ' s talk about why scripture in worship is so critical :
Scripture is a compass . It points us to the truth . If all we use in our services are man-made songs , no matter how good or how based on scripture they are , we ' re missing out . Using scripture keeps our hearts and minds centered on God ' s inspired Word — which is both ancient and future , living and active . In contrast , our songs are just for a season .
Scripture is common ground . Not everyone can connect with every song you sing . Some like traditional songs . Some like the new stuff . Some like the fast stuff . Others like it mellow . Scripture brings us to a common ground — no matter what our tastes or preferences in music .
Scripture is a catalyst . We can say things and sing things that might encourage or inspire people , but when the word of God is spoken or read , it can change people . ( Hebrews 4:12 )
Let ' s explore a few ideas for using the Word of God in worship to replace congregational singing .
Plan variety . Just like your songs , chose passages that both inspire awe of God ( Psalm 19 ) and wreck us with his relentless love ( Psalm 139 ); that call us towards him ( Matthew 11:28 ) and allow us to commit to him as we celebrate his faithfulness to us ( Psalm 103 ).
Create opportunities to both participate and listen . Remember , hearing God ' s word can be worship . ( Read Nehemiah 8 for a moving example of this .)
Choose the right readers . Just as worship ≠ music , an expressive singer doesn ' t always equal an expressive reader . When looking for scripture readers , invite people who know how to bring the spoken word to life . It ' s time our actors and street poets get a chance to use their gifts in corporate worship .
Use multiple readers on longer passages of scripture . Not only can this keep people ' s attention , but different voices let people experience a passage differently . Imagine how differently this passage would feel with a light , feminine voice versus a deep masculine voice :
One thing I ask from the Lord , this only do I seek : that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life , to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple . ( Psalm 27 )
One voice is not better than the other . Those same words will be experienced differently by the hearers depending on the voice of the reader .
We need to mix these readings with participation . There ' s something about a body of worshipers proclaiming God ' s word together in unison . Here are some ways to do that .
Keep it moving . Most people would check out or find it draining to recite long passages in unison . So look for ways to invite participation without long , droning corporate readings .
Push the pace . Congregational readings can slow to a monotonous crawl . So , when inviting the congregation into a corporate reading , keep the leader ' s voice up in the mix so he or she can push the pace of the reading slightly . Don ' t get too far ahead , but keep the pace up .
Time your slides . Just like your projected song lyrics , make sure the slides are timed to the reading , allowing people to see the next slide before the final few words of the previous slide are spoken .
Who ' s line is it anyway ? When using responsive readings , make it clear on the slide when it ' s all worshipers versus just the leader reading . And again , make sure there are voices on a