Churches should have choir - What's your thought?

[windcatcher]

I so strongly believe worship ministries in churches or any other worship ministries should have choir whenever a worship service is held.

I am not against Christian bands at all. Don't get me wrong. I have many favorite Christian bands too. But I feel choir is more biblical.

I always picture heavenly choirs singing and worshiping God. I think that's more biblical too.

Here are some of the reasons I have:

1. The most important element in worship is the voice, not instrument.
2. Naturally, the more voices, the better.
3. Being in one accord in spirit can be done through worship singing together
4. Harmony is the key. Different layers yet harmonizing in one spirit.

What's your thought on this?

 

[tturt]

I think of the tabernacle that David built that had instruments and singing such as:

“1Ch 23:5 And, said David, 4,000 shall be gatekeepers and 4,000 are to praise the Lord with the instruments which I made for praise.” I Chron 25:1-7 =“…prophesied under divine inspiration with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.” “…for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, for the service of the house of God.” 1Ch 25:7 So the number of them [who led the remainder of the 4,000], with their kinsmen who were specially trained in songs for the Lord, all who were talented singers, was 288.”

Then when the temple was built by Solomon, there was praise and worship 24/7. Awesome!

 

[BobW188]

It all depends on what commitment of time and practice the choir members are willing to make; and some adjustments must be made for local conditions. (Out here, at planting and harvest, there are Sundays when most of the male voices will be out in the field.)
I've seen too many choir members who treat choir as their lowest priority. They're never there for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Easter; and want to do a Memorial Day Weekend special, but a week early! (So they can be away for the holiday; and who cares that that "week early" is Pentecost or Trinity Sunday?) I've also seen too many who never learn their parts. When you couple these with low membership and poor practice attendance, it's time to shut down.

 

[windcatcher]

It all depends on what commitment of time and practice the choir members are willing to make; and some adjustments must be made for local conditions. (Out here, at planting and harvest, there are Sundays when most of the male voices will be out in the field.)
I've seen too many choir members who treat choir as their lowest priority. They're never there for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or Easter; and want to do a Memorial Day Weekend special, but a week early! (So they can be away for the holiday; and who cares that that "week early" is Pentecost or Trinity Sunday?) I've also seen too many who never learn their parts. When you couple these with low membership and poor practice attendance, it's time to shut down.

I think this happens because churches are not serious about it nor know what worship is. Usually pastors don't do anything during the worship time in a service.

I am not simply talking about one's music ability, it's the spiritual leadership. Somehow pastors don't understand this. Of course, they usually don't learn that in their bible schools.

It is sad that worship is considered as performance and secondly in many churches. I believe the very reason we get together is so that we can worship the Lord. Hearing messages should be secondly. Even when the Spirit of God has a special message to the people, we need to prepare our hearts during the worship time before we hear a message from pastor.

 

[ephesus32]

i dont feel like they need to be a huge group... i believe the entire church is part of the choir not just who is on stage...they are all singing praise to God not just listening

 

[BobW188]

If you want to promote congregational singing, I'm with you all the way; and in fact that's one reason I think many choirs should shut down. They aren't doing anything that the congregation can't.

No, a choir doesn't have to be huge. Largest I was in might put up forty people for the funeral of a past member; but a choir exists to do music the congregation can't; and that requires practice, dedication and commitment. A good choir is also a mutual support group, as I learned when my first wife died.

 

[warrior4dalord]

That is a good thought that every church should have a choir, however its not that easy, being a worship leader for a chuch of about 200 congragants, it is hard to find ppl who are committed, and who will stay committed, we had recently tried to open a choir ministry up, and had 20 sign-ups but 2-5 ppl at the meetings, this poses a problem, when we are trying to catch the vision... instead of giving a YES OR NO answer i think that it depends on a few things...

1. the worship style- is what the worship team currently doing totally different from what the choir will be doing? remember that the band has to learn, and know the music that both will be doing. ( a choir is not generally used for every service)
2. the church- is it built for it? low celling= low mics from roof, and close up sound on certain vocalists...
3. the Pastor- this is the most important, the way that i look at it is this church belongs to us as a congragation but we need to move in the way that the pastor is going. (in his vision) is brining in a choir what he wants to do? will it hinder his vision from taking place?

thoes are just some questions to frollic about....


God bless,

 

[windcatcher]

i dont feel like they need to be a huge group... i believe the entire church is part of the choir not just who is on stage...they are all singing praise to God not just listening

No. I don't meant to promote a church choir only. Rather, I want the choir to encourage the congregation to worship God. That's the purpose.

That is a good thought that every church should have a choir, however its not that easy, being a worship leader for a chuch of about 200 congragants, it is hard to find ppl who are committed, and who will stay committed, we had recently tried to open a choir ministry up, and had 20 sign-ups but 2-5 ppl at the meetings, this poses a problem, when we are trying to catch the vision... instead of giving a YES OR NO answer i think that it depends on a few things...

1. the worship style- is what the worship team currently doing totally different from what the choir will be doing? remember that the band has to learn, and know the music that both will be doing. ( a choir is not generally used for every service)
2. the church- is it built for it? low celling= low mics from roof, and close up sound on certain vocalists...
3. the Pastor- this is the most important, the way that i look at it is this church belongs to us as a congragation but we need to move in the way that the pastor is going. (in his vision) is brining in a choir what he wants to do? will it hinder his vision from taking place?

thoes are just some questions to frollic about....


God bless,

I agree with you. 3 is the very problem. 1 and 2 are rather easy to solve. As I said, many pastors do not learn what worship is in theological schools. They don't really participate in worship nor lead the congregation in the worship time.

Welcoming the Holy Spirit and being in the presence of God is often more important/direct than pastors' messages to touch people. Either a worship leader has to know what the pastor wants or the pastor has to lead people during the worship. In any case, I believe having a choir will help people unite in spirit.

 

[dobieman0488]

No. I don't meant to promote a church choir only. Rather, I want the choir to encourage the congregation to worship God. That's the purpose.



I agree with you. 3 is the very problem. 1 and 2 are rather easy to solve. As I said, many pastors do not learn what worship is in theological schools. They don't really participate in worship nor lead the congregation in the worship time.

Welcoming the Holy Spirit and being in the presence of God is often more important/direct than pastors' messages to touch people. Either a worship leader has to know what the pastor wants or the pastor has to lead people during the worship. In any case, I believe having a choir will help people unite in spirit.

i don't see why having a choir will unite people anymore than just a normal band, with the rest of the congregation singing with the band. THe paastor shouldn't feel the need to lead worship, if there's another worship leader there. you can worship god in your seat just as much as on stage, it's a matter of personnel and preference.

 

[seashale76]

Windcatcher, I completely agree with you. I love music, especially instrumental stuff, but it is performance based for many folks in church these days. Back in my protestant days I would play instrumentals at church and my mother is currently the church pianist at her Baptist church. It was very enjoyable. However, the issues you seem to have got to me as well.

I am currently in my church choir and we sing a capella during every Divine Liturgy (from the choir loft in the back of the church). As you said, it is not about us. The congregation is more than welcome to sing along with us. We are all participants. It requires lots of practice, commitment, and dedication.

In the Orthodox Church we don't use instruments, and as much as I love my instrumental music and praise band stuff, I haven't missed it in church (oddly enough).

If you're interested, take a listen: http://ancientfaith.com/listen/

 

[Col3_11n12]

As has been kind of stated before, I think churches already have a choir: it's the congregation. I don't see any hard-and-fast rule why you have to/have to not have a separate choir of people who rehearse beforehand and lead, in addition to the band and WL. "All things are permitted. Not all things are beneficial." (I Cor. 10:23)

 

[Louiec]

Psalm 149 ; 3. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. Also read the whole psalm 150 and tell me what it says about choir. Also the bible says dance to the lord. I dont know about you but I would rather dance to a band than a choir.

 

[zepsinger]

Traditional churches should have a choir- traditional church goers expect it. Non-traditional churches/services by their very nature not only do not require a choir, but probably would find a choir to be out of place. All depends on the service.

 

[Divinah]

I agree on one point. Worship should be led in 'harmony' ... in a harmonizing way that LEADS the church to WORSHIP together in the Holy Spirit.

Otherwise, I think that the singer, choir OR band has created a distinction wherein they are more 'putting on a show'. I believe that distinction needs to be recognized and the 'shows' need to be minimized vs. the WORSHIP, in whatever context, in churches today.

I think that here, you are familiarizing WORSHIP with CHOIR which in your experience may be true. But whatever mode of worship...it needs to be done in harmony, as you said and in a true and sincere spirit that LEADS others to be comfortable and to be ABLE to join in.

"The Lord dwells among the praises of his people"...Glory to God for that promise. We NEED to claim and receive that promise in church each week, whatever the case may be. And of course FIRST, Glorify the Lord.

I pray every church worship leader would ask and answer this question of themselves each week! =D

 

[talitha]

I do NOT like choirs, in general. Choirs are not by their nature any less performance oriented than worship bands. And I enjoy the instruments in the worship band, how an interlude or a solo can carry the anointing......

 

[starrycc]

It depends on the size of church and the way they like to worship.
In a place where singing is strong in the culture, the whole congregation acts as a choir, but if they do not know the music or the majority are not used to singing it helps to have a choir or small group of musically trained singers to lead.
A cathedral choir singing like angels all dressed in clean robes can be a beautiful heavenly expression of worship, but that's for special occasions and generally we're in small churches with more contemporary worship that fits better with a music group or band, or with more traditional music from an organ.