What steps can leaders take to promote congregational singing?

9Marks
Teach about the importance of congregational singing as opportunity arises. This doesn’t have to be restricted to passages such as Ephesians 5:18-19, Colossians 3:16, and Romans 15:6, which explicitly mention congregational singing. A pastor can also rightly address congregational singing in passages that speak about unity, worship, or building one another up in the faith, because congregational singing relates to all of those broader biblical themes.

If congregational singing is a primary goal, how should leaders think about musical accompaniment?

9Marks

If church leaders want to develop and emphasize congregational singing, they should strive for musical accompaniment that is mere and enhancing, rather than full and enveloping.

Why does 9Marks so strongly emphasize congregational singing?

9Marks
It’s biblical. The New Testament commands Christians to sing together, even to address one another in song (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). It’s neglected. In many churches, the music can actually discourage singing, whether because so much of it is performed, or the accompaniment is so loud, or the music is hard to sing. We emphasize congregational singing because so many churches seem to neglect it.

What are the dangers of performance music in a church gathering? Is there any role for “performance”?

9Marks
Performance music can focus our attention on the performers, or even on the music, rather than God.

What common errors do churches make when thinking about music?

9Marks

What style of music is best?

9Marks

Massive battles have been fought over this issue. Churches have split. Pastors have been fired. Countless Christians have taken up arms against each other in order to defend their answer to this question.

Yet at the end of the day, the style of music a church sings is relatively unimportant. What matters most is what we sing, not how.

That said, at least four further points can be made:

Who should lead the church musically?

9Marks
Leading the church through singing and playing music is a kind of diaconal service, whether or not the people in the position have been formally affirmed as deacons. It’s diaconal in that musicians employ their common grace skills in order to serve the church for larger spiritual ends. Such a ministry is analogous, one could say, to the situation in Acts 6, in which several men were chosen to “wait on tables” in order to serve the larger purpose of unity in the church (see Acts 6:1-6).

How important is the style of music a church sings?

9Marks

The style of music a church sings is relatively unimportant.

What opportunities is a pastor missing by not praying a pastoral prayer of intercession every Sunday?

9Marks

When a pastor does not lead a prayer of intercession, he misses the opportunity…

Which is better in church gatherings: pre-written or spontaneous prayers?

9Marks

Some people prefer pre-written prayers, because it gives them the opportunity to carefully think through how they want to lead the congregation. Other people worry that pre-written prayers will “quench” whatever the Spirit might do in the moment. Here are several thoughts on the prayers for which you have the opportunity to plan:

What are some guidelines for leading a church in prayer?

9Marks
Use “we,” not “I.” You’re praying on behalf of everyone in the room, not just yourself.

Who should lead the church in prayer?

9Marks
Pastors and elders. Pastors and elders should lead the church in prayer because they are responsible for teaching the Word and shepherding the flock (1 Tim. 3:2; 1 Pet. 5:2). Remember, when you’re praying, you are teaching those around you! Therefore, much of the church’s corporate prayer should be led by those whom the church has recognized as its spiritual leaders.

Why should a church devote extended time to corporate prayer?

9Marks

A church should devote extended time to corporate prayer:

Why should a worship service contain these different kinds of prayers (praise, thanksgiving, confession, intercession)?

9Marks
A Christian worship service should contain different kinds of prayers so that the church would worship God rightly. God is inherently worthy of our praise, so we should praise him in prayer (Ps. 135:3). God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Jas. 1:17), so we should thank him. God is the holy Lord of the universe, so we should confess our sins to him (Dan. 9; Neh. 9). God is a wise, all-powerful, and loving Father, so we should make requests of him and intercede with him on behalf of others (Matt. 7:7-11; Phil. 4:6).

Should elders be ordained?

9Marks

The answer depends on what’s meant by “ordain.”

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