Why People Don't Sing in Church

John Piper on music in worship:

When I read this quote from Michael Raiter’s article, “The Slow Death of Congregational Singing,” I thought about a decision we made at Bethlehem 13 years ago. The article said:

I was at a convention recently, seated near the rear of the auditorium. The music team at the front were ‘leading’ (and I use that word advisedly) and we were singing. Well, we were meant to be singing…. I turned to a friend next to me and commented, “No-one’s singing”. He looked at me as if I’d just observed that no-one was flying. Of course they’re not singing; we haven’t really sung here for years.

Thirteen years ago we asked: What should be the defining sound of corporate worship at Bethlehem, besides the voice of biblical preaching?

We meant: Should it be piper organ, piano, guitar, drums, choir, worship team, orchestra, etc. The answer we gave was “The people of Bethlehem singing.”

Some thought: That’s not much help in deciding which instruments should be used. Perhaps not. But it is massively helpful in clarifying the meaning of those moments.

If Bethlehem is not “singing and making melody to the Lord with [our] heart,” (Ephesians 5:19), it’s all over. We close up shop. This is no small commitment.

I agree with Piper on this (I know, big surprise right?). I love the question, “What should be the defining sound of corporate worship at Bethlehem, besides the voice of biblical preaching?” and the answer even more, “The people of Bethlehem singing;” and he’s right, it needs to go beyond that. We need to ask, “Why are they singing?” Is the congregation singing because the music makes THEM feel good? Are they singing out of obligation to the social structure of the church? Are they just going through the motions? Or are they worshiping Jesus from their hearts?

I think the problem is that most of us are doing something other than worshiping God at church (let alone with our lives). Whether our service style is “contemporary” or “traditional,” they are almost always a mix of rituals that have lost their meaning and personal preferences. And if we’re honest, most of us don’t come to church ready to worship. We don’t come broken and ready to kneel at the feet of Jesus. We come masking our hurts and our struggles, our selfishness, our pride, and our need for recognition, social status, and to be fed spiritually. In short, it’s almost always about us. It’s difficult for us to “make a melody to the Lord with our heart” when we’re focused on ourselves.

HT: Take Your Vitamin Z