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'Decently and In Order' (Part 3)
Someone has said that good singing can make a bad preacher sound good, but poor singing can make even the best preacher sound bad. That may or may not be true, but no one can doubt the importance of good singing. Never forget that the purpose of our songs is twofold: 1) to worship God, and 2) to edify one another (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).
Some Tips for the Song Leader:
- Announce the selections distinctly, and put your numbers on the board provided.
- Sing out loud and strong, especially at the beginning. Remember, you are the leader, not the follower (or just the "song starter").
- Use a well-known song for your first selection to get everyone into the singing.
- Be careful about using new or unfamiliar songs. Save these for practice nights or Wednesday nights, etc. Use better known songs for gospel meetings, Sunday mornings, etc., when we typically have more visitors who may not be familiar with acapella singing.
- Make sure the song is right for the occasion (Lord's Supper, invitation, etc.).
- Be mindful about tempo. Some songs need to be slow, but often we are much too slow on songs that need to be livelier.
- Watch the time. Consider omitting one or more verses of a song if the service running long, etc.
- Be ready to the start the invitation song immediately when the preacher concludes his remarks. If necessary (and it almost always is!), sit up front so that you can begin the song right away.
Some Tips for the Audience:
- Join in enthusiastically, right from the start of the song. But remember, you are following, not leading.
- Don't grab for your song book the very instant you think the preacher is about to end his lesson. And, don't slam your book shut and reach for your coat during the last verse of the invitation song.
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