By David Shead

What makes for good and effective singing?

Allow me to suggest five aspects which make for good and effective singing in church.

1. Good and effective singing in church relies first of all on a clear awareness of what corporate worship is about and what contribution singing can make.
2. Good and effective singing is singing that helps to bring God’s people together in honouring him, in receiving his word, in prayerfully relying on him and in strengthening each other to serve him.
3. Good and effective singing in church is singing by the church for the church and in praise of God.
4. Good and effective singing is not measured by its musical quality or volume or frequency or style; good and effective singing doesn’t have to mean guitar, bass, drums and three professional vocalists (nor does it have to mean organ and robed choir!). In fact (and this is a topic for another occasion), “good music” and “good corporate singing” sadly too often seem to be almost mutually exclusive. Some of the best corporate singing I have ever been part of has been unaccompanied, or very sparsely (acoustically) accompanied, and some of the worst has been in the context of a high quality, highly produced, professional musical “performance”.
5.  Good and effective singing means the right song at the right time carried in the hearts and on the voices of the congregation to one another and to God (Ephesians 5:19)

For more in this Series:

What is corporate worship? (Part 1 of 9)

Why Sing? (Part 2 of 9)

What is the ‘shape’ of the corporate worship gathering? (Part 3 of 9)

What makes for good and effective singing? (this one)

Five principles for choosing songs (Part 5 of 9)

Choosing Songs – planning (Part 6 of 9)

Choosing Songs – preparation (Part 7 of 9)

Choosing Songs – order (Part 8 of 9)

Choosing New Songs (Part 9 of 9)