Improve Congregational Singing: Getty

By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector

BRENTWOOD — Worship leaders of churches should adopt a more active role in assisting their congregations to worship in a way which can help them mature as Christians, said Keith Getty, Christian music artist and composer, at The Summit of the Tennessee Baptist Convention Nov. 11.

Solely “singing happy verses” or “songs that say little about little” won’t lead to worship or maturing Christians and won’t stem the tide of the younger generation leaving churches, he stated at a breakout session he led.

“What a disgrace it is to be rattling our car keys and playing with our phones rather than worshiping,” he stated.

Congregational singing is a holy act, explained Getty, who is coauthor of 75 hymns including “In Christ Alone.”

“If we’re going to have deep believers, we have to have deep thoughts about God. … We have to help them have a taste for it (that kind of worship) and (understand) why it’s important,” said Getty, who is from Ireland and now lives in Nashville.

Musicians and especially those who lead worship should be more interested in developing congregational singing as worship than production values, stylistic issues, managing people, pleasing the pastor, or finishing the service on time, Getty wrote recently.

In the breakout session he told the crowd that as a Christian teen he liked Christian rock music but as he studied the Bible he desired more from worship music which drew him to hymns. He said he has observed that response in young people today.

A person can “carry” some hymns with them for 30 years, he described.

Maybe young people are leaving the church because it is not offering deep worship experiences, he suggested.

Would more singing of “My Worth is Not In What I Own,” address the “narcissism of our society?” he asked. Another benefit of singing the older hymns is the fact that no permission is required since they are in the copyright category of public domain.

Congregations should be singing songs that are “worth singing” rather than trying to learn a lot of new songs which stymies worship, Getty continued.

He is not concerned about the length of a song, denominational affiliation, or style. Worship songs should begin with God, move to repentance, and end with the Word, Getty directed.

For the history of Christianity music has been an important instrument of Christian development, he said, noting that many hymns originally had up to 11 verses. Of course, the Psalms were songs and congregational singing occurred in the Old and New Testaments where it was seen to unite “God’s people,” stated Getty. Also Christian leaders such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others wrote hymns.

Getty encouraged worship leaders to use varieties of music. They are artists, he added, and thus, should represent the eclectic mix of artists rather than “boring folks.” Some church worship needs to “be refreshed” and should be something which “delights the hearts.”

Worship leaders also should consider Christmas an opportune time to use music to reach non-Christians, a time when they can become “evangelists.” He noted he and Kristyn, his wife, are holding an annual Christmas concert tour which has become very popular and which developed without his planning.

Church choirs can perform Christmas music in schools, concert halls, and door to door and the repertoire is easy to develop because of the many popular Christmas carols, he said.

Getty referred to a new Christmas hymn he composed entitled “Joy Has Dawned.” Those in the breakout session sang it led by Getty. He also referred to many historic hymns and “Good Shepherd of My Soul” he recently wrote for Joni Eareckson Tada’s birthday celebration.

Steps to take to improve congregational singing in churches are — begin with the pastor, sing great songs, cultivate a congregation-centered priority in those who lead, serve the congregation through musical excellence, and manage the congregation’s repertoire intentionally.