Paul Ryan

QI’m a worship team member at my church, and I recently started leading rehearsals. My team is patient and encouraging, but I’m not sure if I’m doing it well. What would you consider to be an effective rehearsal?AOver the years, I have participated in countless rehearsals. I remember the terror-stricken student teacher leading our high school choir who was still learning to beat a 4/4 pattern. I vividly recall my attempt to portray a villain in a play rehearsal and my terrifying theater director yelling at me, “Aren’t you ever angry?!” (Well, no—not really.) I remember my exceptionally patient speech coach telling me for the tenth time to . . . slow . . . down as I rehearsed my speech for competition.I have attended many disorganized wedding rehearsals with too many generals and too few foot soldiers. I also remember with awe the university commencement ceremony where one lone coordinator commanded an arena of a thousand eager graduates.All of us have experienced a rehearsal at some point in our lives, be it for orchestra, theater, or dance or for a wedding or graduation. And I suspect that many of those reading this have also led or participated in a worship team rehearsal.Our experiences shape our ideas of what makes for an effective rehearsal and what makes for effective rehearsal leaders. We know that an inefficient or sloppy rehearsal can be painful, and a thoughtless or belligerent rehearsal leader can demoralize participants. But when led well, a rehearsal can be a refreshing, stimulating highlight of the week. The “Three E’s” of Effective RehearsalsIn my experience, three complementary themes are woven throughout all effective rehearsals. Scripture illustrates two of them.First, the writer of Psalm 33 calls out, “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy” (Psalm 33:3, emphasis added).This verse is a call to excellence in our musicianship. John Calvin refers to the “proper setting of the notes” in his commentary on this psalm (Commentary on the Book of Psalms, 2009, p. 540). We rehearse in pursuit of excellence because we want to play our music to the glory of God. We master chord changes, develop song arrangements, and perfect hits, breaks, and riffs. We apply the very best of ourselves (with the Spirit’s power!) to the next level of beauty and aesthetic goodness that God has placed in our reach.At the same time, we strive for excellence in rehearsals to enable participation in singing. We want to avoid distraction and, even more, to actively practice tempos, keys, dynamics, and cues that facilitate people’s participation in the song.The second Scripture passage is Ephesians 4:15–16. The apostle Paul writes, “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”(Ephesians 4:15–16, emphasis added).This is a call to edification in our rehearsals. When we practice, we have an opportunity to work together and build one another up in love. We share and delight in our musical gifts. We learn about worship leadership. We offer words of encouragement and challenge. We treat each other with kindness, respect, and dignity. In rehearsal, week after week, we grow attached to one another, becoming a team. An effective rehearsal, therefore, is a satisfying collaborative activity. This common work helps us to live like Jesus and become more like him.These two themes, however, are often in tension with the theme of efficiency. We are busy people, squeezing family dinner between work and rehearsal. Our evenings are filled with sports activities and concerts. And, to be honest, some of us really want to get home to watch the final episode of a Netflix series. We delight in one another and long to be together, but often we have precious little time to do so.An effective rehearsal leader, then, will prepare and lead wisely. She will anticipate trouble spots in the music, clearly communicate song road maps (“We will be singing verse 1, chorus, verse 2, chorus, bridge, then verse 3”), and maintain a consistent tempo through the rehearsal that engages team members in making music and avoids long-winded explanations.Moreover, an effective rehearsal leader will prepare the space. He will have instruments, amps, and monitors already set up, and he will have music ready to go on music stands. This preparation expresses hospitality and communicates that you value every minute you are together.The theme of efficiency, however, can overpower the other themes if we’re not careful. We must guard against anxiety and stress. Anxious to get through all the songs, we may not take the time necessary to rehearse thoroughly (excellence). Or, stressed by a lack of time, we may overlook prayerfulness or fail to demonstrate empathy to a teammate (edification). Maintaining a BalanceHow, then, do we balance excellence, edification, and efficiency? I imagine three people trying to balance on a raft with three corners. If they place too much weight on one or two corners, the raft will flip. But if they carefully place weight slightly more toward one or the other, the raft will stay afloat.For example, in one rehearsal you might sacrifice some time (efficiency) in order to master the groove of a new song (excellence). An effective rehearsal leader will ask the team, “Is it OK if we stay an extra ten minutes to nail the groove of this song?” If this happens only occasionally, most team members will agree to stay late to work on the song. But if rehearsal goes long week after week, your team will get frustrated with your inefficiency and protest.In another rehearsal, however, you might adjust your plans for a creative song arrangement (excellence) in order to care for the needs of a hurting team member (edification). An effective rehearsal leader will consider how much time (efficiency) is ultimately needed to prepare the minimum requirements for leading the song (excellence) and give the balance of time to building up the teammate (edification).On another occasion you may alert your team to the reality that fellowship (edification) may be cut short (efficiency) because of the musical demands of a significant upcoming service (excellence). On these special occasions, your teammates will be ready to roll up their sleeves to get to work.I find that balancing efficiency with excellence and edification is an art that comes through experience. When getting started, you may flip the raft on occasion. But the experience of getting wet is itself a great teacher!In short, to lead an effective rehearsal you must consider the three E’s: excellence, edification, and efficiency. Be explicit about your expectations and discuss your team’s expectations. Consider where the weight should be placed for each given rehearsal, understanding that this balance will change from week to week based on the personnel, life circumstances, and the demands of ministry.As you strive for rehearsals that are excellent, edifying, and efficient, may the Spirit guide and equip you. May you work in the strength God gives to prepare and lead effective rehearsals that glorify God and build up the church. 

Q I hear dozens of new songs for worship every year. Many are uplifting and popular. But how do I know whether a song is good for congregational singing? A My students are always suggesting new songs. One may be the latest release from a popular band. Another may be a beloved song from home. Some students propose songs that align lyrically with a sermon theme, while others recommend songs for the sheer novelty they bring. Not every song is appropriate for us to sing. Nevertheless, every new song submitted is an opportunity to practice discernment in worship planning. In evaluating a song’s suitability for worship, we might first consider the theology of the lyrics. Does it align with our community’s standards of faith? Does it contribute to a balanced theological diet? Second, we might ask how a song will serve the liturgy. How well does the song help us to praise, confess our sins, listen to God’s Word, lament, or dedicate ourselves to service? Last, we might evaluate a song culturally. How does the song align with our local context, challenge prevailing cultural norms, or promote cross-cultural connections? When we ask if a song is good for congregational singing, however, we want to assess a song aesthetically. What musical and artistic qualities make a song conducive to congregational participation? What distinguishes a congregational song from a soloistic song? What qualities of a song contribute to its longevity? In answering these questions, cultural and local variations will naturally emerge. Repetition in a song might render it easily accessible to one community while appearing tedious to another. Similarly, a song’s elevated language may be considered beautiful by one group but come across as too highbrow for another. Despite these variations, using several overarching categories of questions may empower communities to discern what songs resonate best with them. I am indebted to Debra Rienstra and Ron Rienstra for their valuable insights into “Assessing Songs for Congregational Use” in the appendix of Worship Words (Baker Academic, 2009, 263–64). To facilitate my own discernment and to guide my students, I have curated a selection of their questions and structured them under the acronym STAT: Shape, Tune, Accompaniment, and Text. By examining a song’s STATs, we can effectively determine its suitability for congregational singing. Let’s consider an exemplary hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” This is by far the most requested song at our hymn-sing chapels at Calvin University. We invite students to call aloud the number in Lift Up Your Hearts of a song they want to sing. Again and again, the students shout, “521!” It is requested so often that I’ve memorized the number and try to listen for alternatives. One reason this hymn is so beloved is that it is so singable. Let’s explore why.   Shape First, consider the song’s shape or form. What do you notice about the melody? The first two are the same. Let’s call the first line “a” and the musically identical second line “a” too. The third line is different. Let’s call that “b.” Line four returns to the form of the first and second lines, so we’ll call line four “a” too. The shape or form of this melody, then is aaba. What’s notable about this shape is that it is identifiable. As humans we like patterns because we like predictability. Predictable patterns aid learning and memory. Moreover, this song’s pattern is repeated over the three verses. It’s reliable. The shape is not going to change in the middle of the song and trip you up. A song that’s conducive for congregational singing, then, will have an identifiable and reliable shape.   Tune Second, let’s observe the song’s tune. First, consider its range. For “Come, Thou Fount,” the range is an octave—very comfortable for a congregation. It doesn’t go too high or too low. It’s just right. (For more considerations about range, refer to my Q&A “Highs and Lows of Singing” in RW 148, June 2023.) Next, look for the highest notes in the tune. There are three high Ds in the third line. Often the highest notes in a song signal its climax, the point of most intensity. An interesting melody will go somewhere—it will move towards a point of tension and then release, just like a good story does. Finally, examine the movement of the tune from one note to the next. In this case it is stepwise or arpeggiated according to the underlying harmony. This makes it easy for the ear to hear and to learn. A song that excels in facilitating congregational singing, then, will have a narrow vocal range, an identifiable climax, and a stepwise or arpeggiated tune.   Accompaniment Third, let’s ponder the song’s accompaniment—its underlying rhythm and harmony. In “Come, Thou Fount,” the rhythm of most measures is quarter note, quarter note, eighth note, eighth note. It’s predictable, with a slight variation in the third line, and as with the song’s shape, its rhythmic predictability aids in learning and memory. But a song’s rhythm doesn’t always need to be this simple. A song can have complicated syncopation as long as it is predictable. Likewise, harmony is easier to learn when it is predictable. In this song, the “a” lines all have the same harmony, but it changes in the “b” line. I have one critique, however, of this harmonization. I think it is too predictable and bland. I would prefer to add a Bm chord on measures 9 and 11 in line three to create a pleasing surprise. This would add interest over the course of three verses. A song that lends itself well to congregational singing will have a predictable rhythm and harmony, but also a pleasing surprise.   Text Last, let’s contemplate the text. Does it possess an elevated and sophisticated tone, or does it feel excessively lofty or highbrow? Is the language straightforward and easily understandable, or is it simplistic? The language of a text ought to harmonize with its context. The images in the text of “Come, Thou Fount” are abundant. “Fount of every blessing.” “Tune my heart.” “Streams of mercy.” “Melodious sonnet.” “Flaming tongues above.” And that’s just the first verse! But what do you think of these images? Do they pique your interest and seem fitting? Perhaps they may strike you as surprising or innovative. Captivating imagery is a key ingredient for aesthetic pleasure and the enduring longevity of a song. Finally, do the meter and the lyrics complement each other? The meter here is ¾, and the weight of the melody falls on beat one. In verse 1, “Fount,” “blessing,” “heart,” and “grace” all fall on a measure’s first beat. Accenting these words instead of prepositions or unstressed syllables matches the contours of the melody. A song that is well-suited for congregational singing, therefore, will have appropriate language for the context, interesting imagery, and fitting accents.   Caveats First, different song structures are useful for different parts of worship. “Come, Thou Fount,” for example, follows a linear strophic structure. It features a richly woven text that tells a story from beginning to end. Additionally, the entire text is sung to a repeated melody. This structure is good for expressing statements of faith. Conversely, the text in a cyclical song structure tends to be straightforward and designed for repetition, providing ample room for meditative reflection. The experience is enriched further by introducing variations in the accompaniment with each repetition. Furthermore, songs with verse/refrain or verse/refrain/bridge patterns have their own inherent logic. The climax of the tune typically comes in the refrain, while each verse, chorus, and bridge exhibits its own identifiable and reliable shape. Second, armed with the knowledge of song STATs, one should embrace curiosity and guard against any tendencies of snobbery when encountering new songs. It is easy to find fault with popular songs. The imagery in the text may be lacking, or the accent may fall on unimportant words. You may find a harmonization bland (which you can always change) or the tune may have several challenging leaps. But keep an open mind and explore each song’s potential merits. Perhaps the shape is reliable and conducive to easy learning. There might be a rousing climax in the tune, or maybe the language is especially fitting for your context. If the pros outweigh the cons, sing the song with a small group and see how it goes. You might also introduce the song during a prelude or offertory and invite feedback. Additionally, don’t underestimate the power of repetition: a song that’s seemingly unsingable in the first week may evolve into a fully embraced piece by the third week. This reminds me of an enlightening interview with singer-songwriter Wendell Kimbrough on this topic. He reluctantly admitted, “If a congregation wants to sing a song, they’ll sing the song.” So very true. Some songs may lack ideal STATs for congregational singing, but they might yet surprise us—or rather, the congregation might surprise us! What are the song’s STATs? Shape What form do you identify? How is the form reliable? Tune What is the song’s vocal range? Is it reasonable? Does the melody have an identifiable climax? Where? Is the tune either stepwise or arpeggiated according to the underlying harmony? Accompaniment In what way(s) is the rhythm predictable? In what way(s) is the harmony predictable? What pleasing harmonic “surprise(s)” do you observe? Text How is the language of the song fitting for your context? What imagery do you observe? Is it interesting? Appropriate? Surprising? How does the accent of the words match the contours of the melody? —Questions adapted from “Assessing Songs for Congregational Use” in Worship Words, Debra Rienstra and Ron Rienstra, 2009, pp. 263–64.

Q I’m a pianist who leads a worship team at my church, but I’m not a singer. What are some practical tips I can use to coach the vocalists on my team to best lead congregational singing? A The Scotsman John Bell of the Iona Community is one my favorite clinicians on coaching vocalists to lead congregational singing. His book The Singing Thing too: Enabling Congregations to Sing is not only practical for local church musicians, but extraordinarily funny. Chapter titles include “Lion-Taming for Lambs or Sheep-Rearing for Tigers,” “Sunday Morning Showers and Weight-Loss Through Music,” and “Nailbitingly Important Issues for Loose-Fitting Denture Wearers.” Throughout the book, Bell takes seriously the task of enabling congregational singing, but he coaches vocal leaders to take themselves far less seriously. One passage that has left an indelible mark on me reads: I am blessed with a passable voice. One of my brothers has vocal cords that got him into the chorus of the Royal Opera, Covent Garden. I could never do his job, and he probably couldn’t do mine. If people heard him demonstrate a song, they might feel they could never emulate him; whereas I sometimes rasp and squeak and people think, ‘Poor soul, we’d better give him a hand’ (2007, p. 27). As a trained singer myself, I know the temptation to impress, to seek the admiration of those who might run up after the service and say, “You sound like Josh Groban!” But that is not my job as a leader of congregational singing. Much better is to have a raspy, squeaky voice and enable the congregation to sing so wholeheartedly that they forget all about Josh Groban (and me). Pop Singing vs. Classical Singing Since I began my reply to this question with an illustration involving John Bell and his opera-singing brother, I think it is helpful to distinguish between pop singing and classical singing. Because you are working with a worship team that likely is leading in a contemporary style, elements of pop singing can aid communication and intelligibility for enabling congregational singing. I also think that some aspects of pop singing, in contrast to classical singing, humanize the voice for congregations and help encourage others to sing. The first point of contrast is volume. Classical singers are trained to fill a concert hall, to project their voices to the back row without amplification. But pop singers, like most worship leaders, use a microphone. Because their voices are amplified, they purposely sing less forcefully, which can sound more natural and inviting. Using a microphone also means a singer does not need to enunciate consonants as much as a classical singer without such amplification. Classical singers learn to over-enunciate their dental consonants—the d’s and t’s. This is crucial for singing without amplification. But with a microphone, singers can enunciate as they would in daily speech. The second point of contrast is conversationality. Classical singing, in which tone is king, requires warm, round vowels. But pop singing is more conversational. Vowels are less round and closer to your speaking style. But I still coach my singers to avoid wide Midwestern vowels! Simultaneously, we must mind our r’s. R’s can make our vowels ugly. Avoid singing like a pirate, “Arrrr.” But I don’t go as far as many classical singers and eliminate them all together. I don’t like replacing “er” with “uh.” I wouldn’t say “ovuh” or “closuh” unless I had a British accent. I suggest shaping your mouth like “uh” but thinking “er” to soften your r’s. Ultimately this conversationality will sound more natural and thus more inviting. A final point of contrast is vibrato. Classical singers employ a rich vibrato. In pop singing the tone is more often straight. This straight tone allows a team of vocalists to blend together rather than stand apart as individuals. With a unified sound, the congregation can find its voice as one body. Cueing the Breath A worship vocalist’s role is to lead congregational singing, including helping the people start together. It can be incredibly frustrating for a congregation not to know when to start singing. It is equally irritating to start each verse or chorus on the third or fourth word. Shepherding the entrances first involves practicing them: vocal leaders themselves need to know when to come in. Unfortunately, we don’t often practice entrances in rehearsals. We pay attention to the musical arrangements and grooves, but not congregational cues. Second, simply giving a visual cue to the congregation can be immensely helpful for starting together. This technique involves one leader simply cueing the breath. When you help the congregation know when to breathe, you automatically enable them to sing the first word. For instance, if a song in 44 has a vocal entrance on beat one, cue the breath on beat four of the previous measure. Simply lift your hand, exaggerate a head nod, or raise the microphone to your mouth in time. By cueing the breath, the community breathes together and sings as one. Snatch & Sing Another skill critical for leading singing is eye contact. I know making eye contact may feel uncomfortable. Some may rather look at the back wall or close their eyes, “lost in wonder, love, and praise.” But when you fail to make eye contact, whether in public speaking or in leading a song, you look less authoritative and less believable (Sims Wyeth, “10 Reasons Eye Contact Is Everything in Public Speaking,” Inc.com, 2014). When you are a song leader, you are the authority on that song. I guarantee that after you have rehearsed a song, you will know the song better than 95% of your congregation. Eye contact communicates that and instills trust in your leadership. At the same time, when you make eye contact, you communicate that you believe the words that you’re singing. You’re not merely reading them off the page. You’re not distracted by other things happening in that space. Your eyes say that you believe it and that you want your congregation to believe it too. Ideally we would all have the time and capacity to internalize the lyrics of the songs we sing, but this is not always possible. Therefore, a skill called “Snatch & Sing” can be helpful. I have adapted this from a practice called “Snatch & Speak” that my colleague Mary Hulst uses to teach eye contact during Scripture reading. As you sing, “snatch” an entire line or phrase of the lyrics, then look out at the congregation, maintaining eye contact until the final word. Only then do you look down and “snatch” the next line or phrase. The key is to avoid looking down before you get to the end of the phrase. Don’t worry—there is almost always a beat or two of rest to snatch that next bit of text. Record and observe your team using this technique. You’ll immediately notice how effective it is in communicating the lyrics. Coaching Giving and receiving constructive feedback about singing can be difficult. Criticizing one’s voice or leading technique is for many vocalists akin to criticizing their sense of identity. When we’re dealing with our bodies and how we sound, criticism and coaching feels personal. With this in mind, it’s so important to be gentle, laugh, and never take yourself too seriously. We all have much to learn and ways to grow, and our efforts to coach and receive feedback bear so much fruit in greater skills and capacity to lead our congregations in singing. To borrow a phrase from John Bell, these are “nailbitingly important issues.”

Q Last Sunday my worship team cornered me and complained that I’ve been choosing songs that are too high for congregational singing. But they feel fine for me. What should I do?   A I sympathize with you. I’ve heard my fair share of frustrations about the keys of songs. Some greet me immediately as I step off the platform, others on the car ride home. This is an ongoing conversation as congregations continue to sing songs straight from the radio or Spotify playlists.  Many of us are aware that the recorded keys of songs are outside the range of the average congregation. Popular songs are sung by professional artists: a tenor sings the brightest tones at the top of his range; an alto sings the richest tones at the bottom of her range. But how do we discern what is comfortable for a congregation? Mentoring Students I mentor student worship leaders at Calvin University. Weekly, I observe them choosing keys for songs. Most of them pick up a guitar, test with their voice the range of a song up and down, and ask, “Is this comfortable for me?”  But they forget their years of singing and the hours they’ve practiced to stretch their voices higher and lower. What is comfortable for them may not be comfortable for others. We lead singing for untrained worshipers who outside of worship sing only occasionally in the car or in the shower.  A 2008 study of music therapy majors discovered the same trend. Students reported that they played songs for patients that best fit the students’ vocal range and were easy to play (Cevesco, 4). One out of four songs, however, fell outside of the range of older adults, and for younger adults, two of every five songs missed the range (Cevesco, 4). Extend this to public worship, and it is easy to see how many worshipers find it difficult to sing one or two songs in every service.  With this mind, I challenge my students to be objective about their range choices. I ask them to look at the melody line of a lead sheet or plunk out the notes on a keyboard. What is the highest note of the song? What is the lowest note?   An “Objective” Guide In his book The Art of Worship: A Musician’s Guide to Contemporary Worship, Greg Scheer suggests a comfortable range for a congregation is B𝄬3 to D5 (Scheer, 61). Higher voices would sing this range at pitch, while lower voices would sing an octave lower.  This vocal range corresponds with the chosen keys for most hymns and songs published in recent hymnals and, I might add, fits conveniently well within my lowest and highest notes. This “objective” range has always been my rule of thumb.  But in recent years my students have balked at choosing songs that sing in the upper part of this range. They complain that a D5 is too high, and they prefer songs that are much lower, dipping down to G3, G𝄬3, or even F3. What’s going on here?   The Research This led me to explore research on the topic, particularly among music educators. A seminal study in 1979 tested the range limits of 597 undergraduate non-music majors (Kuhn et al., 68–75). Students were asked to match pitch with a hum, identifying whether they sang at pitch or an octave lower. Moving upward by semitone, students named the highest note they could sing comfortably. Students followed the same procedure moving downward. The results surprised me: 98% of students comfortably sang B𝄬3 to G4. 84% of students comfortably sang G3 to B4. 75% of students comfortably sang G𝄬3 to C5. 50% of students comfortably sang E𝄬3 to E𝄬5. The range for 75–85% percent of young adults is much lower than I had believed. This study confirms that my students who have complained about singing above a C5 are in good company and not, as I had assumed, merely altos and basses wanting songs to suit their voices. I was no different than my students or the music therapy majors referenced earlier—I assumed what was comfortable for me must be comfortable for others!  Insights for Choosing Songs and Song Keys This study leads to several insights. On one hand, the range that will comfortably suit nearly everyone is incredibly narrow—just a sixth. For comparison, the melodies of “Jesus Loves Me” and “Amazing Grace” both span an octave. This is discouraging for someone striving for inclusivity. If we want to always include everyone, we will need to rewrite our canon of songs.  On the other hand, this research does provide a reliable guide for most congregants. For 84%, the octave and a third from G3 to B4 is a reliable range. This covers most songs and hymns. Moreover, we can be confident that at least three-fourths of the congregation can stretch up to a C5.  This is encouraging. It lifts the burden of meeting the vocal needs of every singer on every song. We can accept that sopranos and tenors will occasionally be frustrated by the lower range of songs. Additionally, a few basses and altos may “drop the octave” if a song becomes uncomfortably high. Our best key choices will always have their limitations.  Older Adults and Children Does this apply to older adults and children as well? The answer is yes—mostly. As we age, our vocal range does drop. But a study of the vocal ranges of people over 65 found that their average range was between F3 and C5 (Moore et al., 236–52). But this is an average, like the 50% of students above. The range including 80% of older adults is narrower.   Studies on the vocal range of children have varying results. But a comparison study of children’s and adults’ vocal ranges showed children singing one to two semitones higher at both the top and bottom of their ranges (Moore, 13–22). Older adults will sing a little lower. Children will sing a little higher. The comfortable range for young adults, therefore, is a reliable reference point for intergenerational singing.  Practices When we choose keys for songs, we won’t always match the perfect range for every congregant. But as we strive to be considerate and inclusive, a few practices may be helpful: Consider the range of songs throughout the service. Select a key for a song that explores the upper part of the vocal range, which will encourage those who hate to croak out those lower notes. Later in the service, select a key that ventures to the lower part of the vocal range. Basses and altos will thank you.  When using a hymnal, encourage part singing. Sopranos and tenors will delight in singing higher, while altos and basses will rest comfortably in their vocal range. Recognize, however, that melodies in hymnals are pitched for sopranos. It is common for melodies to reach D5 and occasionally an E5. When not singing parts, consider lowering the key so that the melody drops below the upper limit of C5.  Experiment with songs with wider vocal ranges. I am finding more and more popular contemporary songs with wide ranges equal to or greater than an octave and a fifth (e.g., G3 to D5). Consider the possibility that these songs may not be best for congregational singing. Leave them for the concert stage or personal Spotify playlists. Alternatively, you might adapt them for congregational use. Choose a key that allows the chorus to sing comfortably and invite a soloist to sing the lower verses on behalf of the congregation. Or omit altogether a bridge that stretches well beyond the upper limit.  Be mindful of your musicians’ abilities. The perfect key for the congregation may have five flats or six sharps—not friendly for many of our church musicians! I recall learning the guitar and having three or four keys at my disposal. With wisdom, weigh the needs of congregational singing against the abilities of your team.   Complaints about vocal range will always be with us. Research shows us that the range suitable for everyone is too narrow for most worship songs and hymns. Even so, we can strive to be as inclusive and considerate of as many people as possible. Research gives us an objective range to target. This means we can grow beyond our personal preferences, and it also gives us grace and assurance for those critiques after worship.  References Cevasco, Andrea M. “Preferred Vocal Range of Young and Older Adults: Implications for Music Therapy Majors’ Clinical Training Experience.” Music Therapy Perspectives 26, no. 1 (2008):4−12. Kuhn, Terry Lee, Gustav Wachhaus, Randall S. Moore, and James E. Pantle. “Undergraduate Nonmusic Major Vocal Ranges.” Journal of Research in Music Education 27, no. 2 (Summer 1979): 68–75.   Moore, Randall S. “Comparison of Children’s and Adults’ Vocal Ranges and Preferred Tessituras in Singing Familiar Songs.” Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, no. 107 (Winter 1991): 13–22.  Moore, Randall S., Myra J. Staum, and Melissa Brotons. “Music Preference of the Elderly: Repertoire, Vocal Ranges, Tempos, and Accompaniments for Singing.” Journal of Music Therapy 29, no. 4 (Winter 1992): 236–52.   Scheer, Greg. The Art of Worship: A Musician’s Guide to Leading Modern Worship. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2006.

We all want to see more millennials active in the church. A simple observation most Sunday mornings bares the statistical truth that this demographic is much smaller than other generations in worship. Although this reality can be explained by several cultural and sociological obstacles, it is discouraging that more emerging adults (ages eighteen to thirty) are not active in the life and work of the church. The gifts and experiences of emerging adults are vital to the church’s flourishing, and the church has much to offer them in community, support, and spiritual formation.

Worship leaders and planners are well aware of the pervasive use of projection media for songs, prayers, litanies, art, and advertisements in worship services. Googling “worship backgrounds” returns about six million options. While examples of digital worship visuals are plentiful, there are miscues everywhere, including slides that are cliché, distracting, or poorly designed.

Post-game handshakes are a time-honored tradition. Little League baseball players, traveling soccer teams, and NCAA athletes never miss this ritual of sportsmanship. During the game they “fight,” engage in “battle,” “conquer,” or suffer “defeat.” But at the end of the day athletes are not at war. By a simple hand gesture, athletes declare that they are at peace.

Psalm 150 declares, “Praise [God] for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness!” (KJV). God requires our very best, and we dishonor God if we offer anything less (see Malachi 1:8).Most of the worship leaders I know strive for excellence, and most of the conferences I attend encourage excellence too. But what does excellence in worship mean to you? How do we know when excellence is achieved? What standards do we look to?

How often do we equate an experience of God with good feelings? I regularly hear my students make this association. From time to time I ask them how God is at work in their lives. Their answers are telling: “My relationships with friends are really good” or “I did really well on my mid-term exam” or “My spring break trip was awesome!”