16. Hold a singing class.
Following the example of the composer of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” Lowell Mason, who created “Singing Schools” in the church, Justin Leighty, a member of Third Avenue Baptist Church in Louisville, offers his own church a monthly hymn singing class.
They meet the first Sunday of every month for 45 minutes before the evening service. Attendees are grouped by their parts like a choir, and they practice music basics: “This is a quarter note; this is a whole note. Here’s where the tenor line is: When it goes down, you go down, when it goes up, you go up … etc.”
17. Occasionally sing a cappella (unaccompanied).
Maybe the third verse; maybe the fourth. Or maybe even a whole song, with a piano or guitar starting the piece and then bridging transitions.
And don’t waste your a cappella singing on melody-only songs; sing it when there are parts that are good and well-known.
A cappella singing helps the congregation to hear themselves and rely solely on their combined voices to sing at a volume that says they believe what they are singing! Slow the tempo down a bit and free the congregation to engage every part of their body, soul and spirit in the song.
18. Regularly remind the congregation that they are the primary instrument in corporate worship.
If they don’t sing with gusto, musical worship won’t happen.
That doesn’t mean acting like a cheerleader at a pep-rally: “OK, let’s really sing … I want to hear you … I know you can sing louder!” Such leadership detracts from the seriousness of the music and doesn’t treat their singing as a genuine spiritual expression of love, thanksgiving and praise.
Ultimately, congregational singing should be as natural as words of awe before an unusual sunset or words of mourning with a hurting friend. Still, congregations must be taught that it is their responsibility to sing and to teach one another through song. They must be taught to gather expecting to sing.
David Leeman, Mark Dever,and Matt Merker contributed to this article.
