I AM ALIVE SONG SUNG BY CHOIRS FULL
The prophet Isaiah gives us a glimpse into God’s throne room with angels singing together, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3). This is especially effective in services with a missional focus or special services like those during Holy Week or the Christmas season. By presenting these kinds of songs, the choir takes on a pastoral role, and it brings a rich dynamic to the theme or message of that particular service. There are songs that teach, encourage, compel, and call to action, and the choir is a marvelous mouthpiece for such things. But not all songs are necessarily suitable for corporate worship. There are so many fantastic songs that have been written for the Church and many that have yet to be written. The choir is an extension of the pulpit.I’ve often heard the choir referred to as “the church within the church.” When you join a choir, you’re not just singing notes together, you’re doing life and ministry together. Small groups, outreach teams, and the arts have provided great opportunities for congregants to sow into the life of their church’s ministry, and the choir falls under all three of those categories. A church’s ministry is only as effective as the people in its congregation who choose to get involved. The choir is an opportunity for involvement.However, for those of us who are crusading to recover, maintain, or restore the time-honored traditions of the Church, the choir is an essential part of the service.Īmong the many reasons the choir is vital to the life of any church, consider these three: Metal scaffolding has replaced the arched columns, simple music stands have replaced lecterns, and the guitar-driven praise team has replaced the choir.Īll across the country, schools are cutting music programs entirely, and the modern church is following suit by watering down its music and worship programs because the “choir thing” isn’t relevant anymore. Our sanctuaries look less like sacred spaces set aside for encounters with God and more like black box theaters or the set of American Idol. The scenery is changing, and many traditions that have been held by Christians for hundreds of years have all but disappeared. However, it is important to notice the cultural shift that is occurring in many churches today. Music is a beautiful medium of worship, and we should always be thankful for the people who put the time and energy into preparing and leading our times of corporate worship. I actually identify very closely with the man I described above (minus the thick rimmmed glasses – God decided to give me great eyesight). Now let me pause for a moment and assure you that I am not against the modern worship movement nor am I against praise teams, guitars, or guys with beards. These men were moved by the words of a heavenly choir – a message delivered with the power of a “multitude” of angelic voices, and they quickly went to Bethlehem to see the newborn king. The real events were much more special, much more otherworldly, and much more impactful on these lowly shepherds. They sang songs of praise for about 20 minutes, and the younger shepherds really enjoyed it because of how fresh it sounded, and the older shepherds were very confused.”Īs you already know, this is not what Luke actually wrote. “And lo, there appeared in the night sky a bearded man in his late twenties with a guitar and thick-rim glasses, and he said unto them, ‘Hey guys, this is a new one – sing along if you know it!’”Īnd suddenly with him was a man playing a djembe, a bass player, and his wife, who is a pretty good singer. And now it’s the part of the story where the shepherds are keeping watch over their flocks by night… You begin to recall all those childlike images you’ve painted in your head since your Sunday School days.
You read these familiar passages as your family listens intently. And now, before the children go to sleep, it’s time to read the Christmas story from the book of Luke. You and your family have just finished watching your favorite Christmas movie, donned your festive pj’s, hung your stockings, and shaken all of your presents one last time to venture a guess as to what’s inside.
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