The Part of Music
Making Liturgical Judgments
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This judgment answers the question, "Does this music complement what we are trying to accomplish in this part of the service? Is it fitting? Does it fit?" "O Holy Night" is one of my favorite pieces of music. But I would not schedule it for a Good Friday service. It doesn't fit. Instead, I might select "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord." It is not only good. It is fitting.
Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who have pleasure in them. The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy, they are established for ever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. (Ps 111:2,7,8)
The meaning of the word liturgy has been reduced to:
a formal act or set of acts prescribed by ritual; a ceremonial rite or religious observance.
We have this idea that the Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and Lutherans are liturgical churches while the pentecostals and evangelicals have abandoned dead ritual to move in the freedom of what God is doing now, in the moment. Ironically, true liturgy is primarily about what the living God is doing.
Liturgy is God’s action and our sharing in it.
The Catechism states that “In Christian tradition [liturgy] means the participation of the People of God in the work of God.” (CCC 1069) Jesus our High Priest is present in our gathering and is doing a work in and through His Body. As members united to Him, we enter into His work, doing our part. He is the focus, not the worship leader, cantor, choir, and praise band who are all part of (and not separate from) the congregation. Christ is both our High Priest and the Sacrifice. Who is at work in our midst but Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
It follows that the music we employ in worship must serve what Jesus is doing in our midst -- it must serve the liturgical function. Songs must connect to what is happening in the worship gathering. The song is at the service of the liturgy -- but not in a forced, utilitarian way as to quench grace and spontaneity; not didactic (preachy); not pedagogical (teachy). Music must never alienate worship from the true nature of what is happening at any given time in our corporate worship. The music should be appropriate for the intended action.
While the task of finding good music (making the musical judgment) falls primarily to the chief musician, liturgical judgments are best made in a team comprised of the pastor and staff musicians. These are template-creating, “big picture” meetings to discuss what parts of the service will have music and what music fits. Have you ever been in a worship service and reacted to a song selection with, "Well that was awkward." Please comment below.
For his wedding processional a friend requested Under My Thumb by The Rolling Stones. He was kidding of course.🤣