Special Musical Contributions
In addition to sonically supporting congregational song, the choir can enhance the people’s worship in some important other ways as well.
The Anthem
With today’s healthy re-emphasis on the critical importance of congregational participation in worship, let it also be said that there is still a place for the choral anthem. The presentation of an anthem weaves together the creative art of the composer and lyricist with the disciplined preparation and careful execution of the singers; and if all of that is infused with spiritual understanding on the part of writer and presenter and listener, and presented to God as a gift on the behalf of the entire congregation, then the result is anything but “performance” — rather it is a spiritual sacrifice in which all play important roles, and through which hearts may be inflected towards true worship.
For the anthem to realize its potential in enhancing worship, it should be carefully chosen out of the vast array of available repertoire, with due consideration being given to the quality of text and music (in that order), the ability of the choir, and the taste of the congregation. (Not that the envelope should never be pushed in terms of expanding the people’s horizons, but this must be done gradually so as not to needlessly offend– worship must always remain the goal.) In addition, the preponderance of anthems chosen should have God-centered texts– those which deal with the Christian experience do have a place, but the dominant focus must always be the Person of God.
Some anthems become familiar to and beloved by the congregation over time, and the people may get to the point where they feel like joining in. Why not let them? Even Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus can be learned and effectively sung by the congregation as a whole.
The Call to Worship
The same can be said for the choral call to worship. The choir steps into the role of the Psalmist and invites the people of God to “worship and bow down,” to “kneel before the Lord our Maker” (Ps. 95:6) At this point the choir is actually extending God’s invitation to His children to come before Him and rejoice. (But beware the danger of losing the power of a call to worship by making it too rote and predictable: sing it sometimes, read it sometimes, and sometimes leave it out altogether!)
New Life for Hymnody
Contrary to the belief of some in today’s churches, hymns are not irrelevant to today’s church. It is dangerous to maintain that we have nothing to learn from the worship expressions of great men and women of the past (surely we would not want to start over on the Psalms??). The Psalmist calls on the people of God to “sing unto the Lord a new song,” and indeed each generation has the opportunity if not the responsibility to articulate its faith in fresh ways; but lest we think that the Psalmist was suggesting that “the only good song is a new song,” let us remember that the Psalms themselves were written over a span of twelve hundred years and collected and used in worship long after they were eligible for the designation of “the latest thing out there” (including throughout two thousand years of church history)!
Hymn-singing is not irrelevant; but poor hymn-singing is certainly irrelevant! It is also unnecessary: the choir can lead the congregation in worshipful, energetic, and enthusiastic renditions of the great hymns of the faith. There is nothing quite like the power and the majesty of a well-sung and deeply-felt hymn like “Crown Him with Many Crowns” or “All Creatures of Our God and King.” Â
