What I'm reading; what I'm working on; what musical ideas I am passionate about. It's a forum to share my thoughts on more than just music. It's about the sounds, the people, and the experiences that inspire me, every day, to do what I love. "Enriching people's lives with music."
Dr. Jim Altizer teaches worship leadership at Azusa Pacific University, in California and has served as a Minister of Worship for 22 years. He also has created this website called Road Maps for Worship. My favorite section is Short Answers to Big Questions and this video is part of that collection. So, how do we pick songs for worship? Dr. Altizer reminds us of several different things to think about when choosing songs for worship.
Is this song a corporate expression (the we) or an individual expression (the me)?
What is the tone of the song?
Who's the subject and object of this song? Who's story is it telling?
Is the music relevant? Does it serve the text well?
What is the best placement of this song? What is its purpose?
My favorite quote from the whole video is:
"To choose songs is to teach theology."
I don't think we as worship leaders always think about what we have our people saying and singing in worship and how it's going to impact them each week. We are the stewards of the sung Gospel. I remember more scripture than I ever realized all because it has been set to music in one way or another. Music moves people, it touches them. The songs we select for worship should be chosen mindfully and with the spirit's guidance so, "choose well."
No comments:
Post a Comment