What Song Leaders Wish Congregations Knew
Steve Garrett
I was standing in the auditorium after directing
a rousing worship in song in Concord North Carolina
when the mother of the cutest set of ten-yearold
twin boys I had ever seen approached me.
With tears in her eyes, she handed me a visitor’s
card which one of her boys had taken from the
back of a pew and on which he had scrawled a note
to me. The mother said, “I have never seen this
kind of reaction from him during worship - no
coloring, no falling asleep, just eyes glued to the
podium and mouth wide open, making melody to
the Lord!” The message read: “Good Job up
there! Your Singer Bradley!”
Singing praises can have that effect. This is
probably what song leaders wish people knew
more than anything else: how important singing
is because of all it can do! When we “sing with
the spirit and sing with the mind” (I Cor. 14-15), we
are moved to proper affections and emotions and
godly, courageous living. We are engaged in an
activity that is not only God-honoring, it is “therapy
for what ails us.” It is not about the quality of our
voice; it is about the caliber of our heart. When I
think of singing “with the spirit and with the mind,”
I think of Wicky Poarch, who illustrates this truth for
me and others who know her. Sitting erect in the
pew, her shoes off, toes curled, both hands
clinched, eyes closed, and voice quivering with
emotional praise, she offers her best to the Lord.
No one could look at Wicky and wonder what she
is doing or if she will feel strengthened when she
is finished!
Another benefit of singing praises is that it
teaches and admonishes others (Col. 3:16). It is
an evangelistic tool that can prepare or condition
the heart to receive the word of God and move it to
obedience. It can help make a place in the heart
for God’s word to dwell. I have seen this work in my
own life. Up until I was about six years old, we lived
in a little two-bedroom house next to my Great
Grandmother. She was a native East Texan with
a “green thumb” and a rich alto voice. She would
set me on her lap, peel us a piece of fruit, and as
the juices dripped from my chin, she would rock
me to the words of such old-time hymns as “I’ll Fly
Away,” “We Shall See the King Someday,” and
“Paradise Valley.” Her teaching stuck! It burrowed
deep in me, set me on a biblical path, and helped
to foster my spiritual development. Thanks be to
God for His music teachers!
Additionally, effective congregational singing
benefits from an acoustically-sound building and
cooperative brethren. It is unfortunate that for a
long time, concern for acoustics has given way to
the popular vaulted ceilings in meeting-house construction.
These ceilings, though admittedly beautiful,
swallow our heartfelt acappella music and
prevent us from hearing anyone but ourselves
sing. (Only the roar of a pipe organ could fill such
a cavity!) In most cases this problem, of course,
cannot be rectified. Therefore, we must do the
best we can with the limitations we have. We must
move to the front of the auditorium and sit close
together. I know brethren are territorial and we
have “our pew,” but sitting close together in the
front of the auditorium, with a mind to sit up and
sing out enthusiastically, goes a long way in lessening
the problem of poor building acoustics.
I have observed that it is only when we acknowledge
that singing hymns is as important in
our worship as praying, that we give singing the
attention it deserves. In places where brethren
consider worship in song a priority, it is an honor to
be invited to direct them because such singing has
heavenly significance. It is a precursor of joys
unspeakable.
[Editor’s Note: brother Garrett leads singing
schools and singings all over the country, as well
as preaching for the Columbus, TX church. He is
too modest to say so but I would add to this list that
congregations should be reminded how difficult
leading singing really is. It is so easy to carp and
complain about pitch and speed and song selection
-- especially when you don’t ever have to show
that you can do better! I have often noted that in
preaching I can do what I plan to do regardless of
audience participation or interest. Yet if the congregation
doesn’t wish to sing the song leader can
only do so much, and then everyone goes home
and comments on how poor a job the song leader
did! Let us appreciate and pray for the men who
lead us in this important part of our worship. --mdr]