Reformation Day (Observed)

Why Do We Continue to Sing in the Church Today?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today, we bring our newsletter series on singing and chanting to a close and ask, “Why do we continue to sing and chant today?”

I believe that when you were younger, you learned nursery rhymes like “Row, row, row your boat,” or “The Wheels on the Bus,” or even “Mary had a Little Lamb.”

Singing nursery rhymes not only expanded your vocabulary, but the repetition also helped you remember the words better, because singing engages the brain in different ways, boosting memorization.

St. Paul wrote to the Colossians,
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

We gather for the Divine Service to immerse ourselves in the Word of God through rich reflection and to sing the Psalms and hymns of Christ. The goal of this singing is not only to broaden your vocabulary and understanding of Scripture but also to help you memorize the Word of God and allow it to take root in your hearts. You need God’s Word to take hold so that faith stays close, even as you, the children of God, grow older and your memory begins to fade.

Now, it’s important that we recognize that some forms and styles of singing in the Church have become unfamiliar through a lack of use. In other instances, forms of singing, like chanting, have been abandoned because they were seen as a form of Roman Catholicism. But do we reject a practice simply on the basis that another church uses it? Goodness no!

Throughout this past month, we have explored not only the Scriptures but also the history of music in the Church, discovering that singing, chanting, and various forms of song have been used in the Church since the beginning of time, stretching from the Garden of Eden to the new song of heaven revealed in the book of Revelation.

We need to rediscover this Biblical love of music, repeat it over and over like the most precious nursery rhyme, because ultimately, it’s not only revealing God’s Word to us but also preparing us each week to sing the eternal song of praise with the angels, archangels, and the whole company of heaven, not only in this life but for the day we are taken from this valley of tears into the eternal presence of Jesus.

As we gather this Sunday, take a moment to listen to the children’s voices as they lead us in song. They won’t be singing a nursery rhyme, but they will be singing the eternal song of Christ, taking His Word to heart, and giving praise to their Shepherd and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Let us join our voices with the children, grow in faith with them, and take the precious gift of God’s Word into our daily lives.

In Christ,
Pastor Rogness

“Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through Music.” (Martin Luther)