Articles
The Problem with Choirs
The Problem with Choirs By Derek Long
A practice common among the denominational churches around us is the use of a choir in their worship services. At times there have been churches of Christ who have attempted to use a choir, solos, quartets, etc. as a part of their worship to God. Does the Bible authorize local churches to have a choir to do their singing when they come together to worship God? Remember everything we do must be authorized by God (Colossians 3:17).
The New Testament teaches us Christians are to engage in singing to the Lord and to one another. Ephesians 5:19 says, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Our singing is directed to God as we sing songs of praise, etc. to Him. Our singing is also directed to one another as we are teaching and admonishing one another by our songs.
The language of “one another” tells us the actions we are to engage in is reciprocal action. To do something to “one another” means everyone is involved in the action and not just a few individuals doing it towards others. Let’s look at some other places where the term “one another” is used to prove this point. Matthew 16:8 says, “But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves, because you have brought no bread?’” The disciples as a group were reasoning together. The language of “reason among yourselves” would not fit a situation where one or a couple of the disciples were the only ones reasoning together. Matthew 21:38 says, “But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’” The vinedressers “said among themselves” these things. If only one to two of them were saying such things, the language would not be appropriate. Mark 10:26 says, “And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, ‘Who then can be saved?’” Again, it would not be fitting to use the language “saying among themselves,” if only some of them were saying these things. Mark 16:3 says, “And they said among themselves, ‘Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?’” To say something “among themselves” involves not a single person or a few of them saying these things. Luke 20:5 says, “And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘If we say, “From heaven,” He will say, “Why then did you not believe him?”’” Reasoning among themselves infers it is something the whole group was engaging in. Ephesians 4:32 says, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 says, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Forgiving one another is not
something a small group of people is supposed to do. Forgiving one another requires us all to extend forgiveness to everyone else. 1 Peter 4:8 says, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’” In order for us to have “fervent love for one another,” a select group of Christians cannot be the only ones possessing fervent love. Fervent love for one another requires us all to be engaged in the showing of fervent love. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Using our gifts to minister to one another requires something of everyone in the group and not just a select few. Therefore, when the Bible speaks of speaking to one another or teaching and admonishing one another (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), it is not something done by a select few but by the whole congregation.
Worship is not something which is a spectator event. We do not come together as God’s people to be passive but rather active participants in the worship. All should be praying together even while one person is leading our thoughts. All should be remembering the Lord’s death. All should give of their means. All should be listening to God’s word be taught. All should be singing together. Things such as choirs seem to appeal to people’s desire to be entertained and direct one’s focus away from pleasing God to pleasing self. We need to focus on offering to God a sweet-smelling aroma to God rather than a sweet-smelling aroma to ourselves. It may be important to notice an individual Christian appears to have a right to sing a song of praise to God individually on occasions (James 5:13) but such does not appear to fit what would be done during times of worship.
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