Ephesians 5:19 calls Christians to address one another in song, but the closest many modern churches come to this is having worship leaders face their congregations. With our eyes fixed straight ahead on stages or screens, are we really addressing one another? And why does it matter?
The word translated “addressing” in Ephesians 5:19 refers to speaking, telling, preaching, and even boasting. We’re to sing not only with but to one another with boldness and vigor. When we address one another in song, we’re not performing for one another but preaching to one another, praying over one another, encouraging one another, and even admonishing one another (Col. 3:16). When we don’t make a point of singing to one another, we forget musical worship is a mutual activity, a discipline that calls us to recognize and relate to each other as we worship the Lord.
When we don’t make a point of singing to one another, we forget musical worship is a mutual activity.
Although back-and-forth singing between leaders, choirs, and congregations is more characteristic of highly liturgical churches, we don’t need to completely overhaul our service styles to address one another in song. Instead, here are a few simple suggestions to consider.
1. Include more question-and-answer songs.
Andrew Peterson’s “Is He Worthy?” is a favorite at my church because it involves the congregation as much as the band. Songs like this make musical worship more conversational, as, like a catechism, leaders ask questions that the congregation answers. Through such songs, leaders are also encouraged as their congregations respond to them with truthful, beautiful lyrics.
2. Feature a cappella sections.
If your congregation knows a song well, have instrumentalists drop out for a verse or chorus. With only voices, worshipers must listen to one another more carefully. You may be surprised by the harmonies that spring to life as singers tune to one another. Singing a cappella also provides an opportunity for instrumentalists to be nourished by the church’s singing.
3. Angle the seats.
If you have chairs that can be adjusted, consider angling them so worshipers can see and hear each other instead of looking straight ahead at screens. I love sitting off to the side, in a little annex, at my church. From there, I can see and hear both band and congregation equally. If angling seats isn’t feasible for regular services, it might be worth trying for smaller special events.
4. Have gender-specific verses.
When I was growing up, my family’s church occasionally had the women sing a verse, followed by the men on the next verse. Then men and women sang together for the chorus. Hearing my voice alongside all the girls and women in my church was empowering, and hearing the men sing never failed to move me. If splitting verses by gender will lead to an imbalance (women singing louder than the men, for instance), consider another simple division that can be notated in slides or called out by a leader, such as the left and right sides of the sanctuary.
5. Include more imperatives.
Recently, I played a hymn titled “Rise! To Arms! With Prayer Employ You,” which is laden with imperatives. Every verse calls singers to another action or discipline. Many worship songs focus on what singers are currently doing as individuals, such as praising, worshiping, and thanking. However, imperatives help us to instruct one another in what we should do and how we should live, even after the music fades.
6. Change the point of view.
Our worship songs shouldn’t be exclusively in the first-person singular (I/me/my). While worship is personal, it’s also corporate, and our language should reflect this. When we sing songs with first-person plural pronouns (we/us/our), it enhances a sense of worship as congregational. Similarly, second-person pronouns (you/your/yours) make it clear that our singing isn’t just vertical but horizontal; we glorify God as we acknowledge one another.
7. Use a choir.
Church choirs are useful for more than musical leadership. Occasionally, having a group of singers stand facing the rest of the congregation provides a greater sense of reciprocity than a single leader or band alone. This also is an opportunity to include and recognize vocalists in your congregation who may not be comfortable as soloists.
8. Sing beyond Sundays.
Even if it’s just singing the Doxology after a Bible study or opening a prayer meeting with “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” including singing in non-Sunday gatherings is an excellent way to address one another musically. It may take some getting used to, but incorporating singing into weekly events will make addressing one another in song on Sundays more comfortable.
When leaving a worship service, we often evaluate it based on how we feel as individuals. I hope these ideas help you, whether as a leader or layperson, regain your appreciation for singing as a mutually encouraging activity, a means of meeting and ministering to one another.