Singing has a strong tradition in the United States. There was a time when singing was one of the most common pastimes. There was a strong tradition of gathering around the piano in someone’s parlor, singing folk songs, church hymns and even learning new songs. There were popular sing-along records that later evolved into radio and TV programs. Barbershop-style singing is uniquely American, featuring understandable lyrics and simple melodies. There was a time when almost everyone sang or wanted to sing.

Anthropologists see singing as a cultural universal, practiced throughout the world. Many consider it one of the oldest community activities. Yet the type of singing featured in the United States is not common everywhere.

I do a lot of work in Latin America. It’s my opinion that we’ve spent too much time focused on developing preachers in Latin America and not enough on developing song leaders. Almost anyone can be taught to preach. It’s harder to identify and develop good song leaders. I’m thankful for the work of men like Carlos Gonzales and Omar Corpus, among others, who are seeking to strengthen congregational singing in Spanish-speaking churches.

A challenge for the church going forward is how to present its music to the world in a way that doesn’t sound American. That is, much of our church music is based on the style enjoyed and appreciated by Americans in the 20th century. As the church has spread from the U.S. to other countries, we’ve often exported this style, leading people in other countries to believe that’s the way church music is supposed to sound: foreign and strange.

Much of the “worship wars” in this country have arisen from the fact that music styles changed. Just as Isaac Watts was a bit scandalous in his day, so innovators face pushback from traditionalists. And just as Mr. Watts didn’t hesitate to push the fight, so some will look to provoke their brothers over music styles.

It’s my opinion that church music needs to regularly be studied, in every time and every place. Completing ignoring context, I would adapt Paul’s words from 1 Thessalonians 5: “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” I also think that we need to accept the fact that we are part of a body; some of the music used isn’t going to fit our tastes, our preferences, and possibly even our beliefs.

I’m a singer. I took almost 10 years of piano lessons, but never took it seriously, so I remember very little. (Sorry Mom!) I played violin for one year and cello for three years, but that’s not enough to say I can play either one. I taught myself to play guitar, but only well enough to accompany me while singing.

I was in choirs for about ten years in all. My mother was a music teacher, and I learned to read music at a very young age. I love to sight sing, taking something that I’ve never sung before and singing my part by reading the music. And yes, I love singing harmony.

I have to be careful in church because there’s a big difference between singing for the sake of singing, singing as part of a performance group and singing as part of an assembly. I mustn’t get so caught up in the singing that I forgot the song and I forget whom I’m addressing.

I’ve mentioned several times on this blog that I take singing seriously. It frustrates me when someone starts a song to “sing them in” or leads “The Lord Is In His Holy Temple” as a way of getting the kids quiet. I hate when people talk during a song in a way they wouldn’t do during a prayer. I get frustrated when we sing songs whose lyrics are at best hard to understand and at worst flat out wrong. I think singing needs to receive a more elevated place in our worship.

The role of singing is not an instrumental vs a cappella issue. It’s a heart issue. It’s a problem of understanding.

I don’t like the contrived notion of five acts of worship. I don’t think it’s biblical. I think it’s been harmful to the church. At the same time, I do like the awareness that preaching shouldn’t be elevated over any other portion of our worship. It typically is, but it shouldn’t be. We need to see that singing is every bit as important. It too teaches. It too edifies. It too encourages. It’s a corporate activity done within the assembly, second only to the Lord’s Supper in that regard.

Singing deserves a place of honor within the Christian assembly. I hope that we’ll give it that place.