Turn down the volume!
08/12/24 11:31
"Could you come and give us your talk about worship and music?" We had worked with Oscar and his church in years past and now he was asking me to share with a new group he leads. Oscar sees a few problems in the church he now works with: 1. The volume is too loud during the service, and 2) the songs are new ones that no one knows. Oscar had recruited me in the past to develop the music program in his church and now he reminded me of all that he had learned. I emphasized three points: 1) The principal purpose for congregating is for edifying the body of Christ (based on 1 Corinthians 14 and Hebrews 10:24-25); 2) Every congregation should develop its own hymnal with songs the congregation knows (or learns); and 3) The volume has to be below 90 decibels to avoid ear damage and to permit the congregation to really sing. (That's my three-day course on liturgy in a 30-minute session.) I was thrilled to return to teaching again at least for a moment. We held quite a singing session at the end with me playing the accordion. They kept asking for more songs, and my arms got cramps! But we reached the goal of singing "with on heart and mouth" Romans 15:6. (In Spanish that's "a una sola voz." The theme for my webpage www.aunasolavoz.com)
