Paul Ryan

Listening is a sacred practice of life and ministry. It’s about tuning our hearts to hear God’s voice through the Spirit, both personally and in gathered worship. True listening leads to discernment, conviction, encouragement, and obedience. The heart of listening lies not in the message, but in communion with the speaker. We listen to Jesus, the Word made flesh; to God’s written and preached word; to creation’s praise, revealing God’s beauty and power; and to one another with humility and grace. In all this, listening becomes an act of worship, formation, and love.[You can find all these songs on the Spotify playlist “Listening” from the Calvin University Chapel.] Song TitleArtistsNotesA Quiet JoyKate Bluett, Paul ZachThis song helps us to listen for God’s sustaining, still small voice in every season of life.  Be Still (Psalm 46)Wendell KimbroughVoicing the words of God, this simple and beautiful song encourages us to practice the posture of listening by slowing down and being still.    Flourishing (Psalm 119)Sandra McCrackenA posture of listening seeks God’s teaching, understanding, and direction according to God’s commandments and leads to flourishing.  Help Us See ChristBob Kauflin, Matthew CarpenterThis song petitions the Holy Spirit to help us behold and adore the person of Jesus Christ. I Love Your Word (Psalm 119)Caroline Cobb SmithThis song expresses a deep love for the Word because of what it speaks about God and his ways. Listen to the Word of the LordBen Shive, Bryan Fowler, Jordan Kauflin, Keith Getty, Kristyn GettyThis song provides a gentle invitation to listen to the word, learn the sound of God’s voice, and lean on the promises of God. More Precious Than Gold (Psalm 19)Adam Daniel Westlake, Britton Hardcastle, Carrie Elizabeth Hardcastle, George Douglas Koehl, Laela Beth Dasher, Mac Hayes, Max Dasher, Robbie SeayBased on the words of Psalm 19, this song celebrates hearing God in the word and listening to the voice of creation testifying to the glory of God. Oh What High and Holy PrivilegeBryan Christopher Fowler, Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, Matt PapaThis song celebrates the word preached in public worship and the privilege of hearing God speak. Your Words Are Wonderful (Psalm 119)Ben Shive, David Zimmer, Nathan StiffBased on Psalm 119, this song celebrates the word of life that teaches us to trust in God’s promises and strengthens us for daily life. Wait on the Lord,Wen ReaganThis song invites a posture of listening by waiting in silence and stillness in the presence of the Lord.Topical List of Contemporary Songs—SeriesThis is part of a series that focuses on a particular theme providing a list of recent exemplary contemporary songs for congregational singing not currently found among the CCLI’s top 100. Other topics in this series include the following: PraiseCreationLife

This article contains a list of contemporary songs around the theme of life. Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that the psalms freely ask for life, health, peace, and earthly goods—not as selfish desires, but as signs of God’s gracious fellowship (Psalms: Prayer Book of the Bible, 2022). Jesus, himself, offers abundant life and daily provision (John 6:35; 10:10). These earthly blessings point us to eternal life—knowing God and Jesus Christ (John 17:3)—where every good gift finds its true fulfillment.

This article contains a list of contemporary songs around the theme of creation. God, creator of all, is praised through creation, which reveals God’s wisdom, power, and artistry. Humanity, made in God’s image, is called to honor one another and steward the earth with care. In worship, we thank God for creation’s beauty and abundance, lament its harm, and join its praise and sorrow. We pray for fruitful seasons and faithful stewardship, seeking to honor our God who so loves this world.

Praise magnifies God’s attributes and actions, extending our vision like a telescope to behold God’s goodness and beauty. This article provides a list of contemporary songs that do just that.

QI have been a musician all my life, but I just recently started serving my church as a worship leader. I thought it would be easy to pull together music, rehearse a team, and lead on Sunday mornings, but it has been such a challenge! How do I think about my role, and where do I start to develop my skills?AI understand the mix of confidence and uncertainty that comes with embarking on a new endeavor. I have been a lifelong runner. But in the last few years, I have taken on the role of a middle school track and cross-country coach. Middle schoolers can sniff out uncertainty in a coach like bloodhounds and deliver you as the evening meal!To improve my coaching skills, I recently started working toward a coaching certification. In the first learning module, I was inspired by a top ten list of qualities of a good coach. I was surprised that only one of the items was about understanding the sport. The rest had to do with the capacity for learning and leadership, the skills of mentoring and motivation, the example of character and care, and the ability to listen and communicate effectively (International Olympics Committee, “Qualities of a Great Sports Coach,” tinyurl.com/QualitiesCoach).These same qualities are what make a good worship leader. Musical skills and public speaking are essential, but they are not sufficient. I have mentored emerging worship leaders over many years and have discerned six essential identity markers for their development. I will define these markers here and provide several reflection questions and prompts for growth in these areas. 1. Pastoral TheologiansThe titles “pastor” and “theologian” can be intimidating for emerging worship leaders. Pastors preach and provide pastoral care. Theologians use sophisticated language, debate theories, and confront controversies. But worship leaders have a pastoral and theological role. They help the church to imagine who God is and how God relates to us and the world. I’m fond of this Eugene Peterson quote: “That is why I am a pastor, to introduce people to the real world and train them to live in it.” (“The Subversive Pastor,” Leadership Journal 10 (Spring 1989), archived at Christianity Today). Worship leaders introduce people to God through the names, images, and metaphors for God used in our songs and prayers. Worship leaders train people how to relate to God through acts of praise, confession, lament, and dedication. Worship leaders communicate God’s triune nature and activity in their spoken introductions and transitions. Worship leaders must therefore learn to integrate the tasks of planning and leading worship with a full-orbed theological imagination of the person and work of the triune God. At the heart of the task is shaping our prayers and song selections to mirror what we believe. Reflective PromptsWhen you pray, what names, images, and metaphors for God most readily come to mind? How have worship leaders, worship songs, and public prayers contributed to your imagination?How is God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—active in a worship service? What expectations do you bring with you into public worship? What is the role of the worship leader in relation to God’s activity?Worship enacts a relationship between God and us. In what ways do you best relate to God in worship? How do you best hear from God? How do you best respond? What practices of worship help the people to hear and respond to God?What healthy relational habits with God (praise, confession, lament, dedication, etc.) come most naturally to you? How have these been shaped by your experience of public worship? What habits are more difficult?Imagine standing before your community in public worship. How do your beliefs about God’s church shape how you view them? How might your beliefs affect how you plan and lead worship for them? 2. Followers of JesusWorship leaders are also disciples. We must apprentice ourselves to the person and work of Jesus and rely moment by moment on the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We grow in discipleship by engaging in classic spiritual disciplines, and for worship leaders, discipleship includes submitting all the tasks of planning and leading worship to Christ. As followers of Jesus, worship leaders ought to embody the life of Christ and cultivate a “congruence between what we do and the way we do it” (Eugene Peterson, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eerdmans, 2009, p. 333). We must regularly ask what Christlike virtues we want to embody as worship planners and leaders. We must discern how to cultivate these virtues and how these virtues translate into both the process of our planning and the products. Reflective PromptsTheologian Dallas Willard wrote, “I am not necessarily learning to do everything that [Jesus] did. I am learning how to do everything I do in the manner that he did all that he did” (The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God, Harper, 1998, p. 283).Considering the administrative tasks of planning and leading (e.g., communicating with team members, preparing song binders, setting up the drum set, editing visual presentations, etc.), describe how you might apply and practice Christlike virtues such as humility, patience, and gratitude.Considering the creative tasks of planning worship (e.g., choosing songs, selecting Scripture passages, preparing prayers and spoken words, etc.), describe how you might apply and practice Christlike virtues such as imagination, wisdom, and unity.Considering the performative tasks of leading worship (e.g., leading in song, delivering prayers, reading Scripture, etc.), describe how you might apply and practice Christlike virtues such as discernment of gifts, courage, and presence.Is the person you portray when leading worship consistent with who you are on Friday nights, in the workplace, or with your family? What would your friends say about your character and behavior outside of being a worship leader?How have you seen God at work in you and in others as you have served in worship leadership? What practices will help you continue during the next year to pay attention to God’s activity? 3. Curators of CultureEver more so in our multicultural world, worship leaders are those who gather the gifts of the global church and steward the talents of their diverse communities. Cultural intelligence is as valuable as musical aptitude. Worship leaders need not attempt to become experts in all cross-cultural practices of worship. But they must learn to appreciate and adapt to different cultures in order to extend hospitality, stand in solidarity, and mutually share in the abundant resources God has given the church (Sandra Maria Van Opstal, The Next Worship, IVP, 2015, p. 74). As curators of culture, worship leaders foster a multicultural approach to worship, seeking to wisely and adeptly relate their planning and leading to the global and ecumenical church loved by Jesus Christ.Reflective PromptsAuthor, speaker, and worship leader Sandra Maria Van Opstal writes, “The biggest barrier Christians face in developing communities hospitable to people of every ethnicity and culture is their ignorance about their own culture” (The Next Worship, p. 40). How would you describe your worship culture?What is one aspect of your worship culture that you cherish? How would you warmly and winsomely describe it to a guest?How do you feel about leading songs from outside of your cultural experience? What does it mean to lead with authenticity?What contributes most to your cross-cultural awkwardness? Fear? Preference? Lack of exposure? (Van Opstal, p. 26). What steps can you take to overcome your awkwardness? 4. Collaborative LeadersSome worship leaders serve within a team structure. Others work more independently in staff or volunteer positions. It is rare, however, for a worship leader not to collaborate with a pastor, with fellow musicians, or with other worship volunteers. Nevertheless, in North America individualism is idolized, and worship leaders must resist the all-too-common “go it alone” approach to ministry. As collaborative leaders, worship leaders seek opportunities with others to plan, lead, and evaluate the basic elements of a worship service. When we collaborate, we share the load, we balance strengths and weaknesses, we benefit from the wisdom and perspective of others, and we practice the virtues of Christ in community. Reflective PromptsReflect on your active listening skills. Do you stay visibly engaged when another person is speaking, or are you easily distracted? Do you validate the emotions of others, or do you try to “fix” them? Do you listen for what questions to ask, or do you listen for how you want to respond? Presbyterian minister Adam S. McHugh writes, “If you are ‘listening’ in such a way that the speaker must make an abrupt shift to listen, you are not doing it right” (The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction, IVP, 2015, p. 142).How do you show consideration when you don’t agree with an idea? Do you act with courage to share your perspective, or do you constantly defer to others?Do you tend to celebrate the accomplishments of others, or are you envious? Why?Do you tend to take responsibility for your failures, or do you blame others? Why?What does it look like for you to appropriately share your struggles and frustrations?Be honest: Can you be flexible and work with the schedules of others? Why or why not?Describe what it means to work hard and demonstrate passion for doing a good job.Do you take initiative to address a problem, or do you wait for others to act? Why? 5. Astute AdministratorsLet’s face it: If you lead worship, you need administrative skills. Worship leaders manage the mechanics of executing services and lead teams of volunteers. I preach to my students that administration is how we love our teams. Organizing schedules, responding to emails, photocopying music, hosting meetings, sending thank-you notes, printing worship outlines, and many, many other tasks are not merely chores leading to worship. When done out of love in the name of Christ, they are worship. In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey encouraged his readers to be efficient with things and effective with people (p. 170). Efficiency with weekly tasks demands sage attention to time management. Effectiveness with people requires polished social skills. Worship leaders must devote time and energy to becoming astute administrators. Reflective PromptsCovey suggested we evaluate our time management based on a time matrix attributed to President Dwight D. Eisenhower (see sidebar). He claimed tasks could be grouped into four categories: 1) Important and Urgent, 2) Important and Not Urgent, 3) Not Important and Urgent, or 4) Not Important and Not Urgent (Covey, p. 151). Astute worship leaders will devote a significant percentage of time to the second category, Important and Not Urgent. Reflect honestly on how you spend your time in each category. Where would you like to spend more of your time?What is your preferred method of communication? Why? What are ways that other forms of communication might be more effective to convey your plans, ideas, or feelings?How do you feel about checklists? Do they feel constraining, or do they lower your anxiety and strengthen your confidence?Be honest: Do you love the idea of filing music, compiling binders, or producing photocopies? If not, what support do you need to fulfill these administrative tasks? If support isn’t available, what strategies can you employ to get these tasks done?What values do you embody in the quality of your work? Does your work serve others? Is it loving, considerate, kind, thoughtful?   URGENTNOT URGENTImportant DoTasks with clear deadlines and significant consequences if not completed in a timely fashion.DecideTasks with no set deadlines but which still bring you closer to long-term goals.Not Important DelegateTasks that need to get done but perhaps don’t require your expertise to be accomplished.DeleteTasks that distract you from your goals and don’t add measurable value.6. Worship ApprenticesThe Calvin University students I train in worship and leadership are aptly called “worship apprentices.” I challenge them to continually learn and grow in knowledge, skills, and identity. Discerning talents and passions for serving in worship leadership is a lifelong endeavor. Some learning in worship leadership can be acquired through the classroom, video tutorials, articles, and books, but a great deal happens through hands-on learning, reflection, and mentoring. Reflective PromptsWhat is your vision for worship leadership and planning in your community and beyond?What skills and knowledge do you need to achieve your vision?What are your strengths and weaknesses as a worship leader?How do you approach and evaluate new situations? Do you ask yourself if you will succeed or fail, look smart or dumb, be accepted or rejected? (Carl S. Dweck, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Ballantine, 2016, p. 6). Where do these concerns come from? Does this hold you back from following your curiosity and learning new things?Pixar cofounder Ed Catmull wrote: “Failure isn’t a necessary evil; in fact, it isn’t evil at all. It’s a necessary process of doing anything new” (Creativity Inc., Random House, 2024, p. 317). Do you agree? How do you typically respond to mistakes and failures?Describe any skill that you had to learn. How did you grow in confidence? What helped you stay motivated and positive amid hardship?Who can mentor you in worship leadership or serve as a conversation partner as you continue to learn and grow? Most vocations require more than just skills and knowledge in a given discipline. Engineers need time management as well as mathematics. Teachers need passion as well as pedagogy. Entrepreneurs need grit as well as a great idea. The same is true for worship leaders. Musical skill is required. Knowledge of repertoire is indispensable. Charisma on the platform is crucial. But being and becoming an effective worship leader is so much more. It demands theological imagination, discipleship, cultural curiosity, teamwork, attention to detail, and a growth mindset. Developing as a worship leader is a worthy endeavor, an act of worship in and of itself. 

QRecently, a church member criticized me for speaking before and between songs and prayers. She said she had been worshiping in our church for many years and didn’t need all my instructions. I don’t want to be distracting, but I also want to be helpful to newcomers. How should I respond? AOne summer, my family and I visited Walt Disney World. Straightaway it became clear to me that most visitors are either Disney pros or Disney novices. The pros know every corner of the parks. They navigate the shortest routes to their favorite rides. They identify where and when to stand in line to maximize their time. They’ve read all the blogs to learn how to access free entertainment, souvenirs, food, and transportation. Clearly, I was not a pro, but a novice. However, Disney novices need not despair. Disney offers a helpful app called Disney Genie that helps orient visitors so they can make the most of their experience. Maps to attractions, wait times, and reservations are all at visitors’ fingertips. In case someone’s phone battery fails, Disney has placed physical maps around the park so that no one gets lost and anyone can find an attraction in seconds. Furthermore, employees called “cast members” are available around every corner to point you in the right direction. In public worship, we also have pros and novices. The pros are familiar with when to sit and when to stand. They’re quick with a verbal response to “The Lord be with you” or “The word of the Lord.” They’ve memorized the hymnal numbers of their favorite songs. Their hearts, minds, and bodies move seamlessly from praise to confession to thanksgiving. They easily distinguish between prayers of invocation, illumination, and intercession. But most of our visitors and even some longtime participants are novices. They need prompts to know what to do, the guidance on how to do it, and the understanding of why we are doing it. They need “apps,” “maps,” and “cast members” to show them the way. Our leaders of public worship play a vital role in orienting worshipers. They need to execute music, deliver prayers, and read Scripture effectively. But they also need to frame the what, how, and why of our actions in worship. This gesture of hospitality is essential for novices, but when communicated effectively, it also proves meaningful to worship pros. In-Between Words and FramesMost of our visitors and even some longtime participants are novices. They need prompts to know what to do, the guidance on how to do it, and the understanding of why we are doing it. They need “apps,” “maps,” and “cast members” to show them the way.Many years ago, I and some colleagues at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship developed resources for “in-between words,” the little words in worship that extend hospitality and facilitate understanding. In 2006, Reformed Worship published an article on the results of that work. (“Consider Those ‘In Between’ Words: Spoken Transition in Worship.” RW 79, p. 18, or on Reformedworship.org). Additionally, Kevin Adams wrote an extraordinarily practical book called The Gospel in a Handshake in which he illustrates dozens of “frames” for worship. “These in-between words and frames help us introduce or transition between elements of worship, and they make all the difference in enabling the full, conscious, and active participation of the people.Like apps, maps, and cast members, these words are not the focus of our worship, but tools to help maximize the experience. When delivered thoughtfully, warmly, and succinctly, in-between words or frames can invite worshipers to deeper participation in our songs, prayers, readings, and more. What follows are several examples of words in worship that leaders might use to help orient and enrich participation. First, I’ll provide some words that effectively invite active participation. Second, I’ll highlight words that prompt conscious participation. Finally, I’ll give examples of words that encourage full participation. Active ParticipationPublic worship is active. It is active internally through silence and contemplation. It is active externally through postures, gestures, and movement. Many actions in worship are obvious to the pro and can easily be forgotten by worship leaders. But novices appreciate the direction. Here are several examples:Let’s rise in body or in spirit to sing to our God!I invite you to clap your hands in joyful praise. Please be seated as we turn to Jesus in prayer.If you’re willing, lift your arms in a gesture of surrender before God. In this moment of silence, reflect on how the Spirit may be getting your attention. Please turn in the red hymnals to number 348. You can find the numbers on the top corners of the pages. We will sing “All to Jesus I Surrender,” number 739. You’re welcome to read from the hymnal or use the screen. This is a song that is new to our congregation. I invite you to listen and join in as you feel comfortable. This song is familiar to many of us but may be unfamiliar to others. Please join as you’re able. Conscious ParticipationI once assigned students the task of attending a worship service and writing a reflection paper. Many descriptions of the services could have equally described the seventh-inning stretch at a baseball game: They stood, sang, and sat. Some also noted listening, praying, and confessing. But actions in and of themselves do not constitute Christian worship. Actions are worshipful only insofar as they are consciously connected to the meaning and purposes of worship. This is where spoken words can be helpful:As we sing, let’s direct our voices to God in faith and petition. God speaks to us in this next song, reminding us that our labor is not in vain. Lift up your voice in praise, naming who God is and what God has done. Let us dedicate ourselves to God as we sing “Take My Life and Let It Be.”In this prayer we confess our sins to God—we say, “We’re sorry!”God reminds us of God’s steadfast love with words from Psalm 103. Let’s pray for the Spirit’s help to understand the words of Jesus. In this psalm, we remember the acts of God, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Father invites us to worship. The Son perfects our worship. The Spirit empowers our worship. We look to Jesus, who leads us in joyful praise before the throne of God. Full ParticipationThe body of Christ is intergenerational, consists of people of many cultures and languages, and comes to worship with a host of joys and challenges. We have an opportunity with our words to extend hospitality and foster a sense of belonging. Our words help enable full participation. Friends in Christ, young and old, let’s worship our God!We gather today with Christians around the world, from every nation, tribe, and tongue.Some of us today are anxious about the future. This song encourages us to voice our fears to God. Many of us feel unworthy to come before the throne of God. Let us worship in the name of Jesus, who cleanses us of our sins and gives us the Holy Spirit to empower our praise. Some of us may feel like we’re “pretty good” and not in need of forgiveness. Let’s pray for the Spirit of conviction to help us name how we have fallen short. We may feel as if confession is a “downer.” We would rather be joyful in the presence of the Lord. But when we face the bad news of sin, we can truly receive the good news of grace. In many seasons of life, we may wrestle with doubt. This song helps us name our doubts and invites us to walk in faith. You may feel worried about all you do not have. The hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” reminds us, “All I have needed thy hand hath provided.” When we use frames or in-between words, we encourage the full, conscious, and active participation of the people. We help novices understand what to do, how to do it, and why we are doing it. In the process, we also deepen the participation of pros. With winsomeness and warmth, our words can welcome all to worship and enrich our encounter with God and one another. 

QAs I choose songs for worship, I find there are way too many restrictions (familiarity, available musicians, language, culture, season, tempo, etc.). I feel as if my creativity is stifled because of how many hoops I have to jump through. What limitations are reasonable, and when should I push back?ASome of the students I mentor at Calvin University echo your lament. They feel limitations like walls closing in around them. I recall once shouting at my office wall in frustration over the restrictions placed on me by my congregation and pastoral leadership. Why can’t I introduce a new song this week? I wondered. Do I have to avoid this song because the range is too wide for some? Why can’t my musicians play this groove? Why must I choose songs thematically? Does it really matter that all the songs refer to God as Father? Why does the congregation only want to sing praise and worship songs?   The complexity of choosing songs for a congregation can be frustrating. Some of us long for the simplicity of choosing songs for friends to sing at youth group or for an adult Bible study. But even in these simple moments there are limitations. I remember the first time I chose songs for my church’s college and career group. Our repertoire was kept in a large binder, which initially limited my choices to a few hundred songs. As I sifted through the binder, three questions restricted my selections further: Did I know the song? Could I play the song? And would my friends like the song? As a young worship leader still learning to play the guitar and with a homogenous group of friends, my choices were limited to about thirty songs. As we grow in knowledge, skill, maturity, and responsibility, limitations naturally become more complex. We submit to theological principles. We embrace liturgical norms. We respect cultural values. We restrict our personal preferences for the good of the community. Liturgical LimitationsChoosing songs means working within boundaries. From one angle, we can view these boundaries negatively: Thou shall not use patriarchal language for God. Thou shall not sing more than two praise songs. Thou shall not use gender-exclusive language. Thou shall not use songs not found in the pew hymnal. These “rules” for choosing songs have their place. Many emerge from past excesses—maybe a previous song leader only chose “happy clappy” songs. Others arise out of past hurt—a female staff member expressed feeling excluded by male-only pronouns in songs. Some result from fears—a loss of denominational identity, if the existing hymnal is set aside.Over time, however, the reasons for the rules can be forgotten or may no longer apply. New perspectives may emerge that render a rule obsolete. Learning and cultural sensitivity may reveal that certain rules are exclusive or narrow-minded. Rules that were instituted to guide faithful practice or safeguard the community become a straitjacket. These limitations are rightly questioned. Sensitive and careful pushback may be in order.But let’s not be too quick to throw off all restraints. As the apostle Paul says, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23, CSB). There is a second angle from which to view boundaries for choosing songs. If considered positively, limitations give us freedom to define our choices, to create and innovate, and to care for the congregation. In this way, limitations are like a fence around a playground. At a local middle school, the playground sits just ten feet from a busy road I daily drive to work. As cars race by, a fence safeguards the children so they can play freely. Similarly, limitations in song choice free us to choose songs with assurance, joy, and faithfulness.  Defining One Thing and Not AnotherBoundaries define our work and set us free to practice faithfully. A century ago, the journalist and theologian G. K. Chesterton critiqued theological ambiguity that crippled faithful discipleship. He pointed to artists who, despite popular notions, embraced limitations rather than threw off all constraints. In his book Orthodoxy, Chesterton wrote: “The artist loves his limitations. They define the thing he is doing.” Definition provides direction and assurance, whereas ambiguity leads to uncertainty and stasis. Therefore, as we choose songs, limits empower us and assure us that we are doing one thing and not another.Here are some examples: I choose a song to celebrate God’s actions in history, not to entertain the congregation. I choose a song to help the congregation to lament, not to praise. I choose a song to help the congregation pray for God’s illuminating Spirit, not to “warm us up” for the sermon. Historical and theological norms for public worship define our work. I teach my students that worship is biblical, dialogical, covenantal, trinitarian, and participatory. These principles distinguish public worship from a concert, a lecture, devotions, fellowship, or an evangelistic rally. They help bring clarity to muddled motivations and expectations for Christian gatherings. Restrain to CreateLimits also lead to creativity and innovation. Artists routinely introduce arbitrary restraints to push themselves to explore new territories and innovate. Novelists, for example, may introduce narrative constraints such as a fixed timeline, a single location, or a limited number of characters. They may limit their characters’ abilities, knowledge, or behavior. They may even choose to write without using certain letters or punctuation marks. I am not suggesting that we limit our choices to songs that use only the pentatonic scale or that omit all three-syllable words in lyrics (though such experiments may lead to delightful surprises). But introducing arbitrary restraints may lead to deeper insight and faithfulness. Consider the following examples:Omitting songs that use the first-person singular leads to greater expression of the communal nature of public worship. Restricting patriarchal language for God results in an expanded use of names, images, and metaphors for God. Limiting a service to include just one or two contemporary songs opens the door to a broader repertoire of song genres. Deciding to regularly sing the prescribed psalm in the lectionary invites a wider range of human emotions. Refraining from singing the newest songs challenges us to mine the treasures of the past and select what is tried and true.  When introduced joyfully and with curiosity, such limitations can breathe new life and vitality into our song selections. Rather than restricting creativity, these limitations inspire learning, imagination, and innovation. Limit to LoveLimitations also set us free to love the congregation. The apostle Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Philippians 2:3–4). When we choose songs for worship, we “play” near an interstate highway of our own interests. We receive praise when we choose the latest and most popular songs. We shine when we choose a key that suits our voice. We save time when we choose again and again from the same repertoire. We believe we feel the Spirit when we choose songs that match our personal emotions. We avoid discomfort when we choose styles we know. Limitations, however, fence us from our selfish impulses. They safeguard the congregation from our pride. Consequently, they free us to put the needs of others above our own. A limiting practice at Calvin University is what we call the Calvin 50. This is a list of fifty songs curated every year to reflect the diversity of the community, the breadth of congregational song, and the range of liturgical actions. The Calvin 50 incorporates songs of gathering, praise, confession, lament, dedication, faith, and sending. It includes classical hymnody, praise and worship, liturgical folk, gospel, and global genres. It features songs that are congregationally friendly in range, rhythm, and melody. I challenge my students to make 50 percent of their song choices come from the Calvin 50. While giving them a measure of autonomy to choose songs they personally love, it instructs them on healthy boundaries and encourages them to plan not just for themselves and their closest friends, but for the good of the whole Calvin community.  I recently learned that the Latin root of the word “decide” means “to cut off.” When we make a choice—when we decide—we cut off one option for the sake of another. Limitations, when viewed negatively, cut off options. This loss can feel frustrating or stifling. But viewed positively, limitations are an act of pruning in preparation for growth. We embrace limitations not merely to avoid, but to liberate us for greater faithfulness, assurance, creativity, and love.    

QDuring Advent and Christmas people love to sing, even in public. We find ourselves humming along to Christmas tunes in the stores. We welcome carolers to our front doors. We participate in or attend performances of Handel’s Messiah, school Christmas programs, or our church choir’s lessons and carols service. We always sing in worship, but our church takes special delight in singing during this season. Recently I’ve been wondering: Why do we sing? Particularly, why do we sing in worship?AYour question makes me consider how often we take public corporate singing for granted. It’s hard to envision public worship without it. At the same time, outside of church and sporting events,  we don’t regularly join others in public singing. A highlight of every major league baseball game is the seventh-inning stretch. Between the top and bottom of the inning, the announcer takes the microphone and invites everyone to get on their feet to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” The entire stadium echoes with the crowd happily singing, “For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old ball game!”In self-conscious moments, I stop and wonder why everyone’s singing. This particular ritual entertains us between innings. The song expresses a love for baseball and the experience of being at the ballpark. It unites us in our fandom. And it gets us moving after sitting for a long time.There are a few other occasions when public singing is common. We sing “Happy Birthday” at a party to celebrate (or embarrass) a loved one. We sing our high school or college alma mater at commencements for solidarity and nostalgia. We sing along with our favorite bands at their concerts. We sing our national anthem at sporting events to express our love for our country. Children in school sing to learn the alphabet.Singing on these occasions helps us to remember, to carry on traditions or convey values, or even to muster courage. And sometimes we sing together just because it’s fun. Our reasons for singing are innumerable. Why Do We Sing in Public Worship?We carry many of these reasons for singing into public worship. In The Music Architect, Dr. Constance Cherry lists several motives: Singing “sets the mood.” It “helps us to express ourselves to God,” “connect with culture,” and “draw nonbelievers to church.” Moreover, singing “adds life and vitality to a worship service,” “inspires us,” and is “our primary form of praise to God” (Constance Cherry, The Music Architect, 2016, p. 39). But among all these goals, which is central to public worship?This question reminds me of the task of buying a car. Last summer I bought my first car in eighteen years. I wanted to be sure to get all that I needed for the next eighteen years. I decided to use the Carvana app. It has several helpful search filters: make, model, year, mileage, exterior color, interior color, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive. There are also filters for amenities: Apple CarPlay, power seats, heated seats, cooled seats, and leather steering wheels. And you can add filters for safety features: lane assist, backup camera, adaptive cruise control, and many more.Of course I wanted the car to look good, to last, to keep me comfortable and entertained, and to keep me safe. But none of these features is central to the purpose of the car. Why do I need a car? Transportation.Among all the purposes of public singing in worship, its central role is to facilitate “the proclamation and celebration of the story of God” (Cherry, Worship Architect, p. 39). This purpose of singing is tightly bound to the purpose of worship. “Worship enacts God’s story,” Cherry writes—“it remembers, rejoices in, and anticipates what God has done, is doing and will do to bring to fullness the kingdom of God. Music cannot operate independently from the ultimate purpose of worship” (Cherry, Worship Architect, p. 39).We sing to remember God’s deeds in creation and redemption. We sing to lament our fall into sin and rebellion. We sing to rejoice in God’s saving deeds through Israel, Christ, and the church. We sing to anticipate Christ’s coming again and to look forward to the new creation.The organization of Lift Up Your Hearts: Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs illustrates this purpose. The editors intentionally arranged the first 491 songs in the hymnal to tell the story of redemption, from creation to new creation.The classic hymn “We Sing the Mighty Power of God,” by Isaac Watts (LUYH #10), invites us to proclaim and celebrate the acts of God in creation and providence. The power of God “made the mountains rise” and “spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.” The goodness of God, moreover, “filled the earth with food” and “formed the creatures with his word.”Carl P. Daw Jr.’s contemporary hymn “How Sweet Was the Garden, Fertile and Fair” (LUYH #29) places us in the garden, the “paradise lavished on creatures of clay.” But the text mourns our disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit that “in our mouth turned from nectar to gall.” God then brings “new life, new hope, new joy” in the incarnation of Jesus, expressed in the African American Christmas song “Jesus, Jesus, Oh, What a Wonderful Child” (LUYH #99).As we commemorate the past through song, we also sing in hope for the future. We celebrate Christ’s victory over the grave and proclaim the good news of our own resurrection in Chris Tomlin’s “I Will Rise” (LUYH #468): “I will rise when he calls my name; no more sorrow, no more pain.” Singing facilitates the proclamation and celebration of the story of God. It helps us to cherish what God has done in Jesus Christ and through the power of the Spirit. It shapes our identity as people participating in a story—a people with a shared past, present, and future. Of course, any given song might inspire or entertain. It may help focus our hearts and minds. A song may be used as a gesture of hospitality or to promote solidarity. But singing songs for these purposes alone is like purchasing a vehicle that has all the bells and whistles but fails to transport its passengers from point A to point B. As we choose songs for public worship, therefore, let us keep foremost in our mind the central role of singing: the proclamation and celebration of the story of God. 

QI recently introduced a song in Spanish to my English-speaking congregation. After the service, people were curious about why we sang in Spanish. I struggled to articulate why. What are some reasons for singing in different languages?AThis is a wonderful question and one that many churches ask.The best place to begin answering the question is with scripture. The Bible presents more than a dozen themes, metaphors, and images that root multilingual singing in the character of God, the person and work of Jesus, and the gregarious activity of the Holy Spirit that shape our imagination for God and the church.Below you will find a table that lays out each of those biblical motifs, provides a scripture reference, and then how you might use that motif as a way to frame the singing of that song. By including a frame or introduction before songs that aren’t in your native language, you are educating, equipping, and inspiring your community to sing in “a thousand tongues.” Following the table you will find a deeper discussion on each of those thirteen biblical motifs. Our multilingual singing has the potential to deeply shape our imagination for God and the church. It expresses hospitality, mutuality, and solidarity. Singing in the language of others builds the church and grows us into the likeness of Jesus. By using simple frames for our multilingual singing, we can help our communities understand the value of this practice and, with the Spirit’s help, facilitate a more sincere and Pentecost-like worship with others. Thirteen Biblical Motifs ThemeScriptureFrameReenacting PentecostActs 2:7–8As we sing in another language, we reenact Pentecost. We remember that we are people empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the good news to every nation and tongue.Envisioning Heavenly WorshipRevelation 7:9The Spirit invites us to envision heavenly worship today as we sing in multiple languages.Embodying Christ’s HumilityPhilippians 2:3–5Jesus laid down his privilege to put others before himself. When we sing in a language not our own, it can be humbling. But this is an opportunity to embody Christ’s humility. We are practicing putting the needs of others before our own.Exalting Christ as LordPhilippians 2:9–11When we sing in other languages, we anticipate that day when every tongue throughout the world will exalt Jesus as Lord.Practicing Reconciliation2 Corinthians 5:19As we learn to share and sing in one another’s language, we practice reconciliation. We see Christ bridging a relationship, and we are equipped to share the message of reconciliation with the world.Revealing a New CommunityGalatians 3:28Jesus, by his Spirit, is making us one. Though we speak different languages—English, Spanish, Korean, Farsi, Xhosa—the Spirit reveals a new humanity as we endeavor to worship together.Welcoming One Another Hebrews 13:2; Romans 15:7As we sing this song in [language], we want to extend a welcome to members of our community who speak [language]. We love you, and you are welcome here!Sharing Gifts1 Corinthians 12:4–7As we sing this song in [language], we receive a gift from our Christian friends in [place]. They have much to teach us about following Jesus. Singing this song communicates, ‘We need you.’Standing with Others1 Corinthians 12:26; Romans 12:15The apostle Paul says that when one member of the body suffers, we all suffer. Today we sing in [language] to stand with our family in Christ in [place] who . . .Picturing One Body, Many Parts 1 Corinthians 12:12–14Singing in another language invites us to picture the church as one body with many parts. Our own language is just one part of a greater, multilingual body of Christ.Growing Up into ChristEphesians 4:12–13Jesus is expressed uniquely through each language of the world. As we sing in different languages, we learn a fuller expression of Jesus, and we grow up into greater maturity in Christ.Building CommunityEphesians 2:11–22The church is built brick by brick by people representing diverse cultures and languages around the world. As we sing in other languages, Jesus is building a community in which God lives by the Spirit.Reflecting God’s CharacterGenesis 1Our triune God loves diversity and is more creative than any one language can express. As we sing in multiple languages, let’s together reflect God’s character. Explanations of the Thirteen Biblical Motifs 1. Reenacting PentecostThe book of Acts records a surprising scene of gospel transmission. On the day of Pentecost, the power of the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to preach in multiple languages. The people who gathered for the Pentecost festival came from many nations and tongues, and each one heard the good news in their own language. They didn’t all suddenly understand Aramaic, the common tongue of the disciples. “Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?’” (Acts 2:7–8, NRSV, emphasis added).  In her book The Mission of Worship, Sandra María Van Opstal comments on this Pentecost moment: “At Pentecost God honors [the people’s] linguistic diversity. . . . He allows them to have an experience of hospitality where they could say to themselves, ‘They speak my language here!’” (The Mission of Worship, 2012, p. 25). When we sing in multiple tongues, we reenact Pentecost. We remember and participate in the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the gospel to every nation and tongue. Moreover, we extend a gesture of hospitality to those who speak other languages. Singing in their languages says, “You are seen by the Spirit!”Frame: “As we sing in another language, we reenact Pentecost. We remember that we are people empowered by the Spirit to proclaim the good news to every nation and tongue.” 2. Envisioning Heavenly Worship Revelation 7 pulls back the curtain between heaven and earth to reveal a grand, multilingual worship service: “After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9, emphasis added). Commenting on this text, Josh Davis and Nikki Lerner write, “Notice that there is not a Hispanic worship time at 9:00 a.m. around the throne while a Somali worship service happens somewhere else in heaven. All nations and tribes are together. In the same place and at the same time” (Worship Together in Your Church as in Heaven, 2015, p. 16).When we participate in multilingual worship, we see ourselves in this heavenly throng. Other languages are represented, and our language is represented. We are together before the throne of God. As we envision heavenly worship in public worship today, we have, in the words of theologian Richard B. Hays, “a sneak preview of God’s ultimate redemption of the world” (The Moral Vision of the New Testament, 1996, p. 24).Frame: “The Spirit invites us to envision heavenly worship today as we sing in multiple languages.”  3. Embodying Christ’s Humility There is no model of humility greater than Jesus. In Philippians 2, the apostle Paul challenges believers to have the “same mind” as that of Jesus, thinking of themselves as Jesus did. Jesus emptied himself of privilege. He took the form of a slave. He selflessly obeyed to the point of death. Paul writes, “In humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3–5, NRSV).Fumbling through the pronunciation of words of a non-native tongue is humbling. It can be embarrassing. You may be annoyed that you’re not able to sing freely. But this is the weekly experience of the non-native speaker in your congregation. I witnessed recently one worshiper brought to frustrated tears over her inability to fully express her praise in her adopted tongue. When we humble ourselves to sing in the language of another, we identify with the sufferings of others. This softens our hearts and encourages “tender affection and sympathy” (Philippians 2:1, NRSV).It also practices the Christ-like posture of laying down privilege. As Hays writes, “The power of the metaphor [i.e., Christ’s humiliation] is precisely a function of its daring improbability, inviting the readers to see their own lives and vocations as corresponding to the gracious action of the Lord whom they acclaim in their worship” (The Moral Vision of the New Testament, 1996, p. 30). Jesus’ act of humility is a bold invitation to practice that same humility in relationship to others. If our worship doesn’t embody the humility of Jesus, how can we expect to display this humility in the rest of our lives?Frame: “Jesus laid down his privilege to put others before himself. When we sing in a language not our own, it can be humbling. But this is an opportunity to embody Christ’s humility. We are practicing putting the needs of others before our own.” 4. Exalting Christ as LordThe corollary to embodying Christ’s humility is exalting Christ as Lord. The great hymn in Philippians 2 doesn’t end in humiliation. The next stanza reads, Therefore God exalted him even more highly    and gave him the name    that is above every other name,so that at the name given to Jesus    every knee should bend,    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue should confess    that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father.—Philippians 2: 9–11, NRSVThis does not mean that our acts of humility will result in our exaltation. Paul doesn’t apply the metaphor that far. Our humility in singing the language of others is part of the vision that “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (emphasis added). Jesus gave us the missionary mandate to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Multilingual singing participates in spreading the good news to every nation and tongue that Jesus is Lord. Simultaneously, it releases multiple tongues to exalt Jesus as Lord: “O for a thousand tongues to sing my great redeemer’s praise!” Frame: “When we sing in other languages, we anticipate that day when every tongue throughout the world will exalt Jesus as Lord.”  5. Practicing Reconciliation The magnitude of Christ’s death and resurrection stretches well beyond the limits of our personal salvation or the blessing of our local community. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19–20 (NRSV) that “in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (emphasis added). Moreover, Paul continues, the “message of reconciliation” has been entrusted to us as “ambassadors of Christ.” God invites us not only to voice this reconciliation, but to practice it. As ambassadors of Christ our message is authenticated by our practice. Hays explains, “According to Paul, God is at work through the Spirit to create communities that prefigure and embody the reconciliation and healing of the world” (The Moral Vision of the New Testament, 1996, p. 32).Singing the language of another is one way to practice that reconciliation. Recently I met with a colleague of mine to learn the Spanish pronunciation of a song. I struggled to get the words to form on my lips and tongue. But when I got it, he smiled with pride. I could sense our bonds of collegiality growing and our mutual respect deepening. The effort to sing in his mother tongue was a meaningful way to practice our reconciliation as brothers in Christ.Frame: “As we learn to share and sing in one another’s language we practice reconciliation. We see Christ bridging a relationship, and we are equipped to share the message of reconciliation to the world.” 6. Revealing a New Community One of the effects of Christ’s reconciliation is a new, united community of believers. In Galatians 3:28 (NRSV) we read, “There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Language was one of many dividing walls between Jews and Greeks. Many Jews in the Ancient Near East spoke Aramaic as the common tongue and Hebrew for religious services. The Greeks, on the other hand, spoke Greek (as well as a variety of native tongues). Their oneness in Jesus, however, did not mean a homogenization of language. Rather, “Into an ethnic-oriented world that isolated Jew from Greek, barbarian from Roman, came a new kind of gathering place” (Harvie M. Conn, foreword to One New People by Manuel Ortiz, 1996, p. 9). Gatherings of believers reflected a sharing of cultures and languages and revealed a new community of the Holy Spirit. Frame: “Jesus, by his Spirit, is making us one. Though we speak different languages—English, Spanish, Korean, Farsi, Xhosa—the Spirit reveals a new humanity as we endeavor to worship together.” 7. Welcoming One Another Hospitality is a central theme in scripture. “Jesus lists welcome for strangers as one of the marks distinguishing the sheep from the goats in his parable of the final judgment” (David I. Smith, Learning from the Stranger: Christian Faith and Cultural Diversity, 2009, p. 117). The book of Hebrews warns, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it” (Hebrews 13:2). The apostle Paul, moreover, exhorts the church in Rome to “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7, NRSV).For many, public worship is the front door of hospitality. When we sing in the language of others, we effectively say, “We welcome you!” We communicate, “We value who God has made you ethnically, and we want to invite you to be at home. We speak your language, or at least we try” (Van Opstal, The Mission of Worship, 2012, p. 27).We ought to strive to communicate authentically and learn through relationships with native speakers. At the same time, “getting it right” can be challenging. I once spent five minutes trying accurately to pronounce the name of an Ethiopian student. I was so embarrassed. But she patiently worked with me until finally I got it. Her smile communicated that she felt welcomed. Frame: “As we sing this song in [language], we want to extend a welcome to members of our community who are [language] speaking. We love you, and you are welcome here!” 8. Sharing Gifts Singing in other languages is a meaningful way of sharing gifts among members of the church. Paul explains that within the church “there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services but the same Lord, and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:4–7, NRSV). We sing in other languages not only for the sake of others, but for ourselves. Van Opstal calls this “mutuality.” Receiving the gifts of others communicates “We need you” (The Next Worship: Glorifying God in a Diverse World, 2015, p. 72–73).Other languages may offer more aesthetic beauty, precision, nuance, or expansion on a lyric. Languages offer alternative means of communication, such as patterns of silence, stress, or dynamic turn-taking (cf. Smith, Learning from the Stranger, 2009, p. 92–93). Such alternatives provide melodies, rhythms, and musical styles that might be overlooked when relying only on songs with singable English translations. Furthermore, singing another’s language opens the door to language learning and cross-cultural engagement.Sharing gifts in multilingual singing is a convincing argument for singing another’s language even when such speakers are not present. Van Opstal asks, “Why should we do multiethnic worship when everyone in their church is from the same background? Even if you don’t have _________ [insert group], you still need to learn from their encounters with God. It’s not just for them; it’s for you.” (The Next Worship, 2015, p. 72–73).Frame: “As we sing this song in [language], we receive a gift from our Christian friends in [place]. They have much to teach us about following Jesus. Singing this song communicates, ‘We need you.’” 9. Standing with Others Another convincing argument for singing in languages of those who may not be present is the opportunity to stand with others. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes, “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26, NRSV). Likewise, he implores the Romans, “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15, NRSV).Van Opstal calls this the practice of solidarity. “Solidarity means we identify with another’s community in the practices of lament and joy; we join in empathetic grieving and rejoicing” (The Next Worship, 2015, p. 66).One week we may sing a simple song in Mandarin to pray for the persecuted church in China. Another week we may sing in Lingala to celebrate the arrival of a refugee family from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Later we may sing in Ukrainian to lament the sufferings of war. This multilingual singing says, “We stand with you.” It enacts our love for our neighbor. It shapes our imagination for an interconnected body of Jesus Christ.Frame: “The apostle Paul says that when one member of the body suffers, we all suffer. Today we sing in [language] to stand with our family in Christ in [place] who . . .””  10. Picturing One Body, Many Parts Dr. John Witvliet, director of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, teaches that much of the power of the Bible is in forming our theological imagination—how we picture or make sense of the world. One picture of the church the Bible invites us to see is “one body, many parts”: “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:12–14, NRSV).Imagine that the German language is a hand, while Mandarin is a thigh. Picture Zulu as a shoulder and Arabic as the waist. In the whole of the body, English may only be a big toe. But unless English speakers see themselves as part of a larger body, they will likely have an oversized estimate of their value. Consider the history of Christianity. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The New Testament was written in Greek and Aramaic. The gospel spread early among Arabic speakers and the languages of North Africa. In the medieval church, Latin was the lingua franca. Martin Luther spoke German; John Calvin spoke French. The Reformed tradition took early root in the languages of Dutch and Hungarian. Historically, English is just one part of a much greater, multilingual whole.Frame: “Singing in another language invites us to picture the church as one body with many parts. Our own language is just one part of a greater, multilingual body of Christ.”  11. Growing Up into ChristOne language group is just one part of the body. But the body of Christ is something which we are all growing up into.Paul shifts from the body metaphor to a growing metaphor in Ephesians 4. Different cultures and people receive spiritual gifts “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12–13, NRSV).Reflecting on this passage, historian Andrew Walls writes, “The very height of Christ’s full stature is reached only by the coming together of the different cultural entities into the body of Christ. Only ‘together,’ not on our own, can we reach his full stature” (The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission and Appropriation of Faith, 2015, p. 77). As we welcome one another, share gifts, and stand with others, the act of multilingual singing becomes part of our growing up into Christ. Each culture and language, Walls explains, is “an expression of Christ under certain specific conditions.” Indonesian, Japanese, Hindi, Italian, and Zulu are all unique linguistic expressions of Jesus. Singing in one language alone may limit our growth. But by singing multilingually we “complete and correct the other,” and we grow into the full maturity of Christ (Walls, The Cross-Cultural Process, 2015, p. 78).Frame: “Jesus is expressed uniquely through each language of the world. As we sing in different languages, we learn a fuller expression of Jesus and we grow up into greater maturity in Christ.”  12. Building Community Paul can’t help but pile on metaphors for the church that help us frame our multilingual singing. In Ephesians 2:22, Paul uses a building metaphor to portray Christian community: “In union with him [Christ] you too are being built together with all the others to a place where God lives through his Spirit” (GNT, emphasis added). It is easy to forget that earlier in this chapter Paul addresses both Jews and Greeks (Ephesians 2:11–21). Culturally and linguistically diverse are being built together. The bricks and mortar of the church comprise people of every nation, tribe, and tongue. Public worship is a significant opportunity to participate in this building project. But it’s crucial, Hays writes, “that the work of community-building be a shared, participatory enterprise. The worship assembly is not to be monopolized by any one member” (The Moral Vision of the New Testament, 1996, p. 35). We need one another in our linguistic diversity to build the community of Christ in the power of the Spirit. Frame: “The church is built brick by brick by people representing diverse cultures and languages around the world. As we sing in other languages, Jesus is building a community in which God lives by the Spirit.”  13. Reflecting God’s Character Last, a multilingual world reflects God’s character. In Genesis 1, God creates the world with astonishing diversity. But why? Educator Duane Elmer concludes, “It is my conviction that only in this immense and grand variety could we begin to capture the character, grace and glory of God. Put another way, God cannot adequately be revealed in a creation of similarities” (Cross-Cultural Conflict: Building Relationships for Effective Ministry, 1993, p. 24). Our linguistic diversity in public worship reflects God’s character. Writing about diversity in worship, Van Opstal concludes, “The variety and range of God’s creativity is seen and expressed in the vast artistic range of human approaches to worship. Our music, our instruments, our words, our songs and our liturgies display incredibly different facets of God’s character” (The Mission of Worship, 2012, p. 16). Likewise, Davis and Lerner ask, “If we are only a community of similarities, what do we reveal about God? And what do we fail to reveal about God?” (Worship Together in Your Church as in Heaven, 2015, p. 21). Singing in multiple languages helps us “encounter a God who is bigger than any one tradition or culture can express” (The Mission of Worship, 2012, p. 18).Frame: “Our triune God loves diversity and is more creative than any one language can express. As we sing in multiple languages, let’s together reflect God’s character.”  

If the church gathers weekly for public worship, why do Christian colleges and universities gather for chapel? When I started work in campus worship at Calvin University more than twenty years ago, I wrestled with this question. Having been trained as a parish minister and reared in the worship of local congregations, I had doubts about my newfound career. Why would we devote resources to buildings and staff for campus worship and schedule time away from the classroom, athletics, and concert stages? Why not leave this activity to the sphere of the local church and focus our investments in educating young minds for their Monday-to-Saturday vocations in the world? I posed these questions to our chapel committee, made up of faculty, staff, and students. They were unwilling to give up this vital communal practice. But if we were to gather for chapel, it was important for us to articulate answers to certain questions: How is worship at an academic institution unique?How does campus worship express and support our mission?How does campus worship form us into Christian disciples?What are wise and faithful worship practices for our community?  Our answers helped us formulate the following mission statement: “The purpose of daily chapel is to express, nourish, and shape our life and mission together before God as a Christian academic community through the practices of Christian worship.” I’d like to highlight here some aspects of our practices that may be beneficial even for Christians who don’t have the opportunity to attend daily chapel services.  Daily ChapelCalvin University gathers each weekday for worship. Daily communal worship is a centuries-old practice designed as an opportunity for laity to connect the Sunday service of word and table with the wide array of daily vocations and relationships. John Calvin encouraged this pattern in Geneva and recommended it not as an exclusive monastic practice, but as a practice for all people. The goal is not to repeat the celebration of word and table, but to encourage prayer and reflection in the midst of our vocations. As such, Calvin University’s chapels are just twenty minutes long. They provide a focused opportunity to pray and listen to God’s word within the busyness and activity of the day. We believe that regular participation helps worshipers recenter their communal identity and vocation before God. Indeed, as we walk through a weekly pattern of cross-cultural engagement, testimony, word, reflection, and song, we nurture our imaginations for God’s grand story of salvation and our place in it. We therefore endeavor to make it possible for everyone working in the community, no matter their role, to attend chapel services. Our community is made up not only of faculty and students, but also people serving as administrators, physical plant employees, dining hall servers, and campus safety officers, among others. FOR REFLECTIONHow might you make room for prayer and reflection in the midst of your daily work? Are there other Christians in your workplace with whom you might gather regularly? If you work at home or are retired, where might you find that Christian community? Does your household regularly practice a time of worship or devotion and what does or might that look like? Following the example of Calvin University’s chapels, Christian organizations, households, and individuals might establish patterns of morning or lunchtime prayer. Those who don’t work in Christian settings could identify Christian colleagues and create opportunities throughout the week to meet to reflect briefly on scripture and share prayer requests for their life and work. Churches might consider providing morning or lunchtime meetings online to support the discipleship of their parishioners in their daily work. Regardless of the setting, such meetings should be both regular and short to encourage participation within the busyness of the workday.  To Express, Nourish, and Shape Our chapels seek to “express, nourish, and shape our life and mission together before God.” We gather to sing and pray to God about the joys, concerns, and sorrows we experience. We desire to hear God speak to the needs of our community through God’s word and respond wholeheartedly in faith. This is not any different from the experience of the local church whose worship supports and arises out of its local context. While rooted in the Reformed theological and liturgical tradition of Calvin University, our worshipful expression before God is diverse because of the tapestry of cultures represented on campus. We prize representative leadership and offer prayer and praise through many cultural, historical, and contemporary expressions. Moreover, in order to express and nourish our life together, our chapels are mindful of the unique needs of faculty, staff, and students as well as the ebb and flow of the academic calendar. Daily chapel also shapes our life and mission. Over time, the repetitive practice of daily worship etches onto our hearts and minds certain ways of being and thinking. The words placed on our lips through prayer and song, the word of God read and preached, the testimonies we share, and the arts we practice shape our beliefs about God, the church, the world, and our vocation. They form our imaginations concerning God’s presence and activity in the world. They discipline our affections to hate sin and take delight in what is good.This happens liturgically through practices of praise, confession, listening, lamenting, interceding, and dedicating ourselves to God. This happens aesthetically through creative music, art, dance, speech, and more. This happens through weekly rhythms that tell the story of God’s grace and train the heart to love the things that God loves. This formation is enhanced by thoughtful framing that explains why and how these practices are shaping us. FOR REFLECTIONWhat are some repetitive practices that have etched certain ways of being and thinking onto your heart and mind? How have personal, household, or small group devotional practices shaped you?” Our Mission in an Academic ContextAt Calvin University, we are pursuing a common mission: “to equip students to think deeply, to act justly, and to live wholeheartedly as Christ’s agents of renewal in the world.” We are a community, but community is not an end in itself. It is a “threshold for enacting in the world the purpose, justice, sympathy, and discipline that serve as the basis for our community” (Calvin University, Expanded Statement of Mission, p. 49). We practice the virtues of Christ in our living and learning so that we become proficient in serving as Christ in all of life, today and in the future. As an academic institution, we pay special attention to the rhythms of the academic calendar and life on campus. We celebrate the start of new semesters and intercede for students and faculty during midterms and exams. We give thanks for staff who serve our students and pray for athletes, musicians, and actors as they prepare for competitions and performances. We name the sins of envy, lust, and academic dishonesty in sermons, and we lament the consequences of overscheduling, lack of sleep, and anxiety over the future. We intercede for students studying abroad, applying for graduate school, or seeking employment. We pray for faculty working toward tenure, grading student papers, and engaging in research. We mourn the death of siblings, parents, and grandparents, and we plead to God for healing from illness in our community. We work against the “mistaken belief that it is both possible and good to follow Jesus alone” (Matthew Kaemingk and Cory Willson, Work and Worship: Reconnecting Our Labor and Liturgy, 2020, p. 30). At the same time, daily chapel is coram Deo—in the presence of God. We acknowledge that without participation in daily chapel “we run the risk of forgetting the reality of our sharing in a common task before God, and that commitment to this task is a matter of the heart in combat with the powers of darkness” (Board Report, 1985, p. 7). Kaemingk and Willson ask, “Which is more formative: one hour in the sanctuary or fifty hours in the marketplace?” (Work and Worship, 2020, p. 126). Even within the marketplace of a Christian academic institution, the formative opportunities of chapel, however brief, are essential for keeping us rooted in Christ’s mission. The role of daily chapel, then, is not merely to express, nourish, and shape community as an end in itself, but to reflect, shape, and sustain our mission to be agents of renewal in the world. Sermons at chapel thus speak to our mission. Prayers are lifted up on behalf of our mission. Art, music, and language strive to be consistent with our mission (e.g., an English professor should find rich language clearly expressed, the music professor should find well-prepared music, and the art professor should not find kitsch and cliché exemplified). Moreover, as an academic community we assume we bring our heads to chapel as well as our hearts. We expect to learn about the practices of Christian worship in their robust historical, cultural, and global diversity. We also make intentional efforts to learn about worship. This involves not just simple participation,but intentional teaching moments by way of handouts, blogs, articles in the student newspaper, coursework, and the like. And daily chapel is a platform for students learning to lead in faithful Christian worship and serves as a resource for the broader church. Worship practices in chapel also testify to the variety of vocations to which students aspire and the cultures and languages in which they will worship and serve. Chapel on any given Tuesday might be led by chemistry, computer science, engineering, or business students and faculty. A chapel might sing, pray, and listen to God’s word concerning creation care, service learning, anti-racism, or justice advocacy. Therefore, a central goal of chapel is to teach students the discipline of liturgical worship for the sake of their participation as citizens of God’s kingdom. As David Fagerberg writes, “We do not go into the liturgy in order to escape the world; we go there to learn how to do it the correct way” (Consecrating the World, qtd. in Worship and Word by Kaemingk and Willson p. 17).  FOR REFLECTIONDoes your congregation see weekly worship as preparation for a life of worship? How might we encourage each other to practice daily habits that might keep us rooted in Christ’s mission and help us live as kingdom citizens? What might that look like in your context? What are some unique concerns or unique temptations of those who share your vocation or place of employment?  A Connecting PointIf the church gathers weekly for worship, why does a Christian college or university gather daily for chapel? Chapel connects our weekend worship to our weekday discipleship. When we gather for daily chapel, we set aside time to situate ourselves properly in relationship to our triune God, to one another, and to our unique mission or calling. Through liturgical acts of worship, we express our Christian identity and dependence upon God in all the areas we live, serve, play, and aspire to. In doing so, we find strength in God and in community, and we allow the Spirit every day to shape all of our living and serving into the likeness of Jesus Christ. FOR REFLECTIONIf you are a worship leader or pastor, how might you help draw the connection between your church’s weekly worship and daily acts of worship? How could that influence your community’s understanding of God’s call and their unique vocations?