Tag: Singing

Your Church Needs You to Sing, and So Do You

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

I don’t remember ever crying much at church. I’m not a buttoned-up person; I don’t mind others seeing my emotions bubble over. It’s just that nothing that happened at church ever brought out the tears in me.

Until my mom died. The crying didn’t happen immediately—she died in October and it wasn’t until early the next year that I started choking up in church. For roughly six months, most every time we would stand to sing, I’d feel my throat start to close and my sinus cavities start to quake. Depending on the song, sometimes I wouldn’t make it to the end of the first verse before I had to give up. I’d stand in silence as the tears slowly ran down my cheeks.

There was something about singing that tapped a deep well of my emotion. And the strange thing was that the songs and hymns we were singing didn’t always bring my mom to mind. My mother’s death had brought grief close to the surface, but singing somehow tapped the chisel and freed the geyser.

Singing for My Good

Singing is, mysteriously, quite different than speaking. Years ago, after my father-in-law suffered a stroke, he was unable to speak but virtually unencumbered when he tried to sing. It seems there are different neural pathways involved in these two types of communication.

When we sing in church we confront deep truths. We proclaim these truths. And as our brains process the words and pass along the relevant commands to our mouths and vocal cords, we’re forced to reckon with each claim. Do I really believe this?

In the moment, it’s a chance to remind myself—yes, this is true! Yes, I can trust God with this! So with each hymn and chorus, I have the chance to preach to myself.

Of course, many people around the world sing without engaging this way. The words are just words, and they will sing (or lip sync) while thinking about an upcoming football game or a recipe for tacos.

But singing is an opportunity for discipleship. We rehearse and remember the truths that we’re singing, but we can check our heart response at the same time. Do I love this truth? Do I act like it is true?

In those six tearful months, I most often cried when singing about the future. My mom’s death coincided with a lot of my own thinking about hope. The promises of life beyond death and of face-to-face communion with the Lord became increasing precious to me, and our worship hymns became an opportunity to remember my mom and thank the Lord.

Singing for the Good of My Brother

In this recent season of sadness, it was a great comfort to hear others sing around me when I couldn’t do it myself. The truths which I could not voice were sung to me and for me by my brothers and sisters.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:17–21)

Paul tells the Ephesian Christians that they should address one another in their singing as they make melody in their hearts to the Lord. This is part of being “filled with the Spirit.”

During congregational singing, we have the privilege of reinforcing truths to each other. When there is doubt, this great chorus can persuade us to once again trust in Christ. This must be one of the ways the Spirit works, to convince us of what is true and good and beautiful through the voices of others in whom he is also working.

Singing in Good Times and Bad Times

We understand how the psalmist sings in good times. “I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High” (Psalm 9:2). But it might be that we and our friends need our singing even more in the hard times.

Psalm 13 is one of many psalms of lament. It begins with the cry, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” But after reminding himself about the steadfast love and salvation of the Lord, David thinks again of singing: “I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:6).

Singing is a fundamental part of our Christian worship and discipleship because it connects our minds and our hearts. We sing to glorify God and to exhort and encourage each other.

If you’re wondering whether to make the effort to sing this Sunday, consider this. Singing to God might be just what your soul needs. And the person sitting in front of you at church? It might just be what they need as well.

Post credit | Photo credit

Corporate Worship: An Engine of Christian Hope

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

For the Christian, the corporate worship service is (ideally) the highlight of the week. Yes, that gathering is a chance to reconnect with close friends and to put “worldly cares” aside. Even more, this is a time when believers hear from and worship the triune God—that essential activity for which we were made and which properly reorients our souls.

Something else is happening in that worship service. We are taking part in a grand rehearsal. Worship is happening in heaven right now and will surely be a central part of life on the new earth. Thus, the elements of the worship service point us forward, signposts of our heavenly business.

I’ve been thinking of Christian hope as the joyful expectation that God will keep his promises. The corporate worship service offers numerous chances for us to look ahead with anticipation.

Singing

There is a lot of evidence in the Bible for heavenly worship (Rev. 4:8–11, 22:3). Singing will certainly play a role.

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. (Rev. 14:1–3)


And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb… (Rev 15:2–3)

Singing engages our emotions and our wills in ways that spoken words do not. As we join in song in corporate worship, we can look ahead and imagine an even greater crowd, a more glorious sound, and our praise unstained by distraction or worldly desires.

Giving

For those who take a purely logistical angle on the weekly tithe/offering, there seems no need for this in heaven. We won’t need to pay a pastor or an electric bill then, will we?

But our giving doesn’t happen on Sundays out of convenience. It is just as much an act of worship for modern Christians as the first fruits of the harvest were for Old Testament believers. Through this lens, it’s not surprising to learn that giving back to God will continue in the coming age.

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Rev. 4:9–11)

In heaven we will fully understand how worthy God is of all we have, including all he has given to us.

Proclaiming the Gospel

The best Christian worship services proclaim the gospel not only during the sermon but through the structure of the liturgy. The gospel is so central and glorious that we will be focusing on it for eternity.

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Rev. 5:9–10)

God Speaks

Hope is meant to sustain us with a vision of joy to come. Our hope may be stoked by sorrow or by joy, but the Christian worship service is another great incubator for this hope.

Many churches rightly feature the Bible throughout corporate worship. God’s people need to hear God’s word. And this is unlikely to stop in the new creation.

He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. (Rev. 21:3)

God will be with us; we will have fellowship with him; he will speak to us in a way we haven’t fully known here on earth.

No worship service is perfect. But what goes on then is glorious, and that includes training our minds and hearts to long for the world to come.

Post credit | Photo credit

Links for the Weekend (2024-06-07)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

This Body Is Only the Seed

Lots of Christians speculate on what life will be like with resurrected bodies. In this article the author meditates on one of the images Paul uses for the resurrected body in 1 Corinthians 15.

The joyful expectation of the resurrection and glorification of our bodies should give us confidence in God’s good purposes for us now. And when the time comes for us to lay this body down, like a seed in the ground, we can rest assured that God will bring us out of the grave as the glorious oak he intends for us to be.

How Can You Mumble?

We often focus on ourselves—our feelings, our own recent obedience or disobedience—when we sing in worship. But we forget that part of why we sing is to build each other up in faith. Tim Challies has a short article reflecting on this truth.

In every case, I have worshipped because even though I haven’t been able to sing, I’ve been sung to. Colossians 3:16 commands us to sing for the benefit of one another even as we sing ultimately to the Lord. Whenever we sing, we direct our hearts vertically toward our God, but we also direct our words horizontally toward our brothers and sisters. We sing from the gospel, for one another, to the Lord.

New song: Jesus Calms the Storm

The Gettys, Sandra McCracken, and Joni Eareckson Tada have collaborated on a new song, called Jesus Calms the Storm. It is written primarily for children, but like all good children’s material, this is great for older believers too. It provides “a reminder of the gospel’s hope in a world of anxiety.” On this page you can hear the song and read a Q&A with those who wrote it.

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2023-02-03)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

God Doesn’t Need Your Singing, but Your Neighbor Does

This article points to all the people who will benefit from your singing in worship.

Although God commands Christians to sing, he doesn’t need our singing in order to be God. He has an eternal choir of living creatures that never cease to sing his praise (Rev. 4:8). And yet he’s designed us to experience joy—and encouragement—when we lift our voices in praise. Though we often conceive of corporate worship vertically, there’s a rich horizontal dimension too. Your neighbors need your church’s singing.

The Other Lord’s Prayer

Here’s a helpful comparison between the Lord’s Prayer as recorded in Matthew and Luke.

Before we comment on a handful of unique features of the Lord’s Prayer in Luke, we will first examine one common, salient denominator between the two presentations of the Lord’s Prayer (a point I expand upon further in my Handbook on the Gospels). Both evangelists underscore the name “Father” at the beginning of the prayer (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2).

Ashamed Sinner, Unashamed Savior

How does God look at us when we sin? This article dives deep into that important question.

So what we end up having is a vantage point where we’re looking at the way that we think about our sin and the way that we feel about us and our guilt, and we project that upon God. And what’s so amazing about the gospel and the reality of being a Christian is that that’s not helpful, because God has gone through great pains to prove to us that’s actually not how he looks at his people.

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (8/14/2020)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

“Your will be done”: powerful not pathetic

Praying that God’s will be done can be a meaningless habit or a way to guard against disappointment. But Stephen Liggins shows how we follow Jesus’s example (and his heart) in praying this way.

And think about all the situations we encounter where we just don’t know what to pray. Relational dynamics can get so messy that, other than praying generally that all people would be saved and treat each other in a loving manner, it is hard to know exactly what to hope for. Thankfully, we can pour our hearts out about the situations—whether they be in the home, workplace or schoolyard—pray that God’s will would be done, and then rest in the confidence that he will do what is best.

But I’ve Never Been Discipled!

Christians are called to make disciples, but many have never been part of a good mentoring relationship. Quina Aragon encourages us to press ahead anyway. She writes about what discipleship is and how we can be a part of this whole-church project.

Discipleship often means just showing up. It means praying alongside someone in a meeting. It means discussing what you learned from the sermon. It means singing loudly enough to encourage the people around you—even if your voice isn’t choir-material. It means living the Christian life in a way that models Christ and inviting others to live it alongside you.

Podcast: Hymns and the Joy of Singing (Kristyn Getty)

The Crossway podcast recently featured Kristyn Getty, a popular hymn writer and singer. From the episode’s description:

In this episode, Kristyn Getty, featured in the ESV Psalms, Read by Kristyn Getty, discusses congregational singing, the power of music for teaching doctrine, and the foundational role of Scripture for the Christian life. She reflects on her career in the Christian music industry, explains why hymns still matter and are worth learning today, and shares how her family has been seeking to use music to serve others during this season of lockdown.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called Turn to Serve and Wait: Our Christian Calling. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Thanks to Maggie A for her help in rounding up links this week.

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (3/27/2020)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Practice Hospitality. Especially During a Pandemic.

How do we keep our Christian commitment to love our neighbors in the climate of a pandemic? Rosaria Butterfield gives us four ways to practice Christian hospitality in these times.

The sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” reminds Christians of both our positive and negative duties in times of plague. Faced with COVID-19, there are things we should do, and there are things we should not do. In all things, we seek the glory of God and the good of our neighbors. 

Should Stay-at-Home Moms Take a Day Off?

The Ask Pastor John podcast features John Piper answering listener questions on theology, Christian living issues, and more. In this episode, he shares how he and his wife thought about finding “the pace to finish the race.” In other words, how do they help each other to rest, especially when young children are part of the family? (As a bonus, there’s a great segment in this episode about the long-lasting fruit of disciplining children when they’re young.)

So, the question for all of us moms, single moms, husbands, single dads is: How do you find the pace to finish the race? That’s the question. We don’t want to loiter on our heavenly journey, and we don’t want to fall exhausted halfway through. That’s not a selfish question to ask; it’s a wise one to ask: How can I find the pace to finish the race? So whether it’s a day off or some other configuration of off and on, work and rest, a sustaining rhythm, here are five observations that might prove helpful to think about.

25 Hymns to Sing in Troubled Times

In a time when we’re not gathering together as God’s people, here’s an article which collects 25 hymns to sing during times of uncertainty and fear. There’s an accompanying Spotify playlist, too.

So, through these hymns, lay your burdens at Christ’s feet. Praise the Lord of history who holds all things—disease, life, and death—in his hands. Ask for his help in a season of waiting. Lament and grieve the tragic effects of the fall. And herald the good news that through Christ’s death and resurrection, he has given us an unshakeable hope.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article by Erica Goehring called Now is the Time to Love Our Neighbors. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Thanks to Phil A for his help in rounding up links this week!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (10/4/2019)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Your Church Needs You to Sing

At Desiring God, Nick Aufenkamp writes about singing in church. I especially appreciated his teaching on how our singing testifies to God’s faithfulness and exhorts our fellow believers. Yet another way we need each other!

Singing is vital to the edification of the church. And it’s not enough that just a few people sing — Paul is telling you to sing for the benefit of your brothers and sisters. But how does your voice benefit your church — especially if your singing voice sounds like a dog’s howl?

The discipline of listening

When our friends are suffering, they often need our presence much more than a sermon. Sophia Lee has a great piece in World Magazine about the importance of sitting with our friends and listening to them.

I try to practice the grace, humility, and lovingkindness my friend demonstrated that day. It’s not easy, because I have to fight my natural inclinations toward impatience and selfishness and pride. But it’s also easy, because the burden isn’t on me to fix things—often impossible for anyone other than God—but to simply listen.

Finding Joy on the Other Side of Guilt

Here’s a story about the death of a pet ladybug and a lesson about the fallout from sin and the change the gospel brings.

Every day, I encounter opportunities to get it wrong and hurt people through my choices (because sin always hurts both myself and others). And sometimes I can stand there like my daughter, wracked with guilt over what I’ve done, not sure how to make things right. In that moment, Paul’s next words are like a cup of cold water for my soul: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).

Thanks to Maggie A for her help in rounding up links this week.

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Singing Is An Act of Faith

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Singing is a big part of the Christian life. We sing several times each Sunday, and we read of singing throughout the Bible. Christians are musical people.

When viewed from outside the church, however, all this singing is weird. There’s no other part of life—except, perhaps, birthday parties—that involves as much singing as Christianity.

I notice this whenever we have an official ceremony at Washington & Jefferson College, where I teach. Most of these ceremonies end with the alma mater, a song written to express one’s undying loyalty to and affection for the school. (Most colleges have such a song.) The music begins and everyone stares at the program. If not for the student singers up front, there wouldn’t be much to hear. For those who don’t sing outside the shower, it is a strange moment. I’m supposed to sing these words? To a tune? With my mouth? It’s no wonder most students (and faculty) end up mouthing the words or standing in disinterested silence.

Why We Don’t Sing

For Christians, singing is simply part of the deal.

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! (Psalm 100:1–2)

Paul commands the church to sing as well—see Colossians 3:16 and Ephesians 5:18–20. He connects this command to thankfulness, being filled with the Spirit, and “making melody to the Lord with your heart.” Singing is part of the way we glorify God as his body.

But, let’s face it. Not many of us are born singers. We are grateful for the word “noise” in the phrase “joyful noise.” We naturally make comparisons, and we feel awkward singing when our skills fall so far short of the worship leaders or soloists in church.

And beyond the lack of talent, singing exposes us. We put ourselves at risk when we sing; there’s nowhere to hide. Those near us hear our wrong notes, missed beats, and bad pronunciation. To avoid embarrassment, we sometimes decide to make a joyful noise internally.

Why We Sing

However, our obedience to God’s command to sing doesn’t depend on our ability. God doesn’t only want singing from the choir.

Think of an analogy. We wouldn’t leave giving, praying, Bible reading, caring for orphans and widows, or loving neighbors only to those who were naturally gifted. If a friend confronted us with the Biblical command not to gossip, we wouldn’t respond, “Oh, it’s okay—I’m just not very good at not gossiping!”

We’re not called to sing because we’re great singers. We sing because God is great and greatly to be praised! And, by God’s design, one of the chief ways we praise him is through song. He is worthy of our song, so we sing!

And as we sing, especially for those not naturally gifted, we exercise faith.

As we open our mouths to sing, we must believe the truth that God is pleased with us. We trust that because of Jesus’s work for us, our Father loves us and wants to hear our voices. Because he is good and tender and faithful, he won’t turn away if we can’t carry a tune.

In a world where we rely on our senses and instincts, this will take some adjustment. We must believe the Bible over our impulse to hide. We need to trust God that our relationship with him does not depend on our performance.

Jesus, the Perfect Singer

If we’re commanded to sing, and if Jesus has perfectly obeyed every command for us, then Jesus is a singer. In fact, he’s the best singer ever.

Think of your favorite hymn or praise song. Or think of the Psalms, most of which were written to be sung in worship by the people of Israel. Jesus has sung and continues to sing these songs of praise to God! His praise to God is perfect, and that obedient praise is credited to us. This is the good news of the gospel!

So when you stand to sing at church this week, don’t hesitate. Don’t worry about your skill. Open your mouth and make your melody, trusting that God loves and accepts you on the basis of his perfect son.

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! (Psalm 95:1–2)

Photo Credit