Musical Notes

Hello OCBC family,

I still believe in the choir.  You might say “but, brother Israel, you are the director of the choir, of course you still believe in it.”  What I am trying to say is that I believe in the choir, not just as a group of men and women singing in harmony for a performance, but a group of believers that practice together praises to the Lord and lead the body of Christ into the presence of God Almighty.

Singing praises to the Lord in a group, aka choir, is not a new discipline.  The plans for the new temple in Jerusalem included a choir to sing songs to the Lord and help people in their worship time.  You can read in 1 Chronicles 25:7 that the original plan was to have a choir of 288 singers!!!  That is what we call in music a mass choir.

When the church was born, to sing praises to Jesus as God was a new custom. The primitive church didn’t have choirs because they worshipped as the Jews in the temple.  But when the church gained some liberty, musicians, who were part of the church, started to created choral groups, once again, to sing praises to the Lord and to help people.

Sadly, the choir took the place of the believers in singing and just professional choirs were worthy to sing in church.  Until Luther came into history.  He wanted people to sing in their language hymns to God.  He was not against choral music, but he wanted more congregational music.  J. S. Bach, a Lutheran musician, composed hundreds of choral pieces to worship God and help people to sing better in church.

This coming Sunday evening we will have the opportunity to worship together with two sister churches and their choirs at Inglewood Baptist Church in Grand Prairie.  It is not a concert time, but a night of worship.  We will hear choirs singing a few songs giving glory to God with their talents, but also they will lead the congregation in songs.  Please come, as it will be a wonderful time in the presence of God.

In His service,

 Israel