Sing!

One of my favorite things to do at Christmas as a child was a couple days before, my little brother and I would have a large candle, and we would go from house to house with a hymnal and go caroling. We would pick a few of our favorites like Silent Night, Oh Come O Ye Faithful, and Joy to the World. There was something just wonderful about it. The winter night was usually so still and quiet with most of the noise coming from the crunching of the snow under our feet. All that combined with the flickering of the candle lighting the hymns just seemed magical. It was one of those things that really put us in the Christmas Spirit. There is just something about those songs. Nothing says Christmas like those songs.

I think it’s in our collective psyche. When we hear carols, it comes with a flood of emotions. This goes way back in history.

Singing during worship is traced to the Old Testament of Jerusalem. The entire book of Psalms was dedicated to it.

For a while though, singing by the congregation was banned in churches. They wanted to make churches like the Holy Temple with ordained Levites singing. For a thousand years, the only singing allowed in church was by a professional choir of ordained singers.2

It wasn’t until the Reformation the everyone was allowed to sing in church again. How democratizing. Everyone gets to participate.

Not only is it uplifting but it has some surprising health benefits!4

• It lowers stress hormones.

• It improves lung function and immune responses.

• Reduces snoring – I know, that was a surprising one. NPR was talking about how singing strengthens the muscles in the throat.

• Helps with memory – singing is used for dementia patients therapeutically

• Improves speech impediments such as those caused by autism or stuttering – anyone who’s seen the movie “The King’s Speech” saw how it was used for the Royal Family, or the Country singer Mel Tillis.

• Creates a sense of belonging and is beneficial for grieving

Well if it’s that good for your health, think of how good singing is four the soul. In the movie “Sister Act” a few years ago, they changed a congregation with their singing. I know this was a Hollywood movie but surprisingly it was based on a real person.

Sister act’s lead character, Deloris Van Cartier, was actually based on movie star and singer Mother Dolores Hart, who starred with Elvis in King Creole, and in the movie Where the Boys Are. Nominated for both the Golden Globe and Tony awards, she left the entertainment business to answer her calling. She founded an open-air theater at her Abby. She said: “It wasn't until we started a theater on the Abbey land that I really could see how I could help young people find their vocation in Christ through the medium of the theater.” 3

There are so many reasons we sing in church.

First of all, there are so many scriptures that tell us to sing. In one article I read, they found over 400 verses about

singing, and over 50 were commandments to sing.3

In Psalms it says: (Psalm 149)

“Praise the Lord! Sing a new song to the Lord, And His praise in the congregation of the godly ones.”

Like I said about the Reformation. Singing involves everyone in the congregation – everyone’s chance to preach. Hymns are based on the scriptures and how can we contain ourselves when singing them.

Colossians 3:16

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

The Christian minister and author John MacArthur says it this way:

“The Spirit-filled life produces music. Whether he has a good voice or cannot carry a tune, the Spirit-filled Christian is a singing Christian. Nothing is more indicative of a fulfilled life, a contented soul, and a happy heart than the expression of song.”

But it’s also singing together that brings us together. It’s a shared experience and shared emotion. This emotional tie is what interweaves our soul and creates a bond.

Let’s use the National Anthem has been an example of us interweaving emotions and strengthening a group. This was no more apparent than the time right after 9/11. In the very first professional game after the tragic attacks on innocent life, Sara Croft, a high school student stepped out onto the Football Field to sing the Star Spangled Banner for the Jaguars vs the Titans. The there was something about that moment. She had sang at a number of NFL games prior but this time was unique. As she sang, the crowd sang along. Some openly wept as they shared the experience. They said there was one thing striking about the song… an overwhelming sense of unity. Right or left. Black or white. They had put aside any differences and were united. 7