Have you ever stopped to wonder why we sing in church? Is it just something we do because we’ve always done it? What if we don’t like the music or don’t feel in the mood?

As God’s people gathering together, we’re actually commanded to be a singing people. There are hundreds of references to singing in the bible and about 50 times we’re actually told to!

This doesn’t just mean that we should sing in the shower or when we’re alone in the car on the motorway – although that can be fun! No, we’re told we should sing when we meet together.

Psalm 149 says “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, His praise in the assembly of His faithful people”.

The Bible passage which might be most helpful is Ephesians 5 where Paul writes to an eclectic mix of new believers, both Jews and Gentiles, and gives them instructions on living and growing together into Christian maturity “….be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything…”

Our singing together then, as a church family, is never a performance but is both upward – to our Lord and Saviour – and outward – to one another. To quote one contemporary Christian songwriter –

“Our motivation to sing comes from so much more than ourselves, our likes … our musical tastes and preferences. Intrinsically it’s driven by the One who died and was raised. It is driven by a heartfelt desire to convey gospel truth to those of us who already know it and need to be refreshed and renewed by it – and to communicate it to those who don’t yet know, but who might be drawn to Christ through seeing and hearing people who clearly mean it because of the way they sing about it”.

Singing has been shown to have so many benefits, in fact the latest clinical research shows that of all the interventions to mitigate against behavioural symptoms of dementia and memory loss in older people, singing has the most proven benefit. Importantly for ourselves at church, it helps us draw together in unity as brothers and sisters as we praise God, allows us to relax and helps prepare our hearts for God to speak to us.

It is our hope that we can introduce new, relevant, and biblical songs to the church whilst also retaining the best of the great hymns of old. It’s our sincere desire to serve the church and to encourage every one of the church family to sing with joy and passion to our Lord.

Suggestions or comments are always welcome, please speak with one of the Church Elders or with any member of the Music Ministry team.