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This past Sunday I had the joy of hearing my four-year-old daughter, Hazel, belting out “He Will Hold Me Fast” from the front pew. Her little voice rang out on the words she knew, and it made my heart (and I suspect many others') leap. Then just yesterday, when I got home from work, Hazel tugged on me as soon as my car door opened announcing that she wanted to sing me a song. She proceeded to sing “Battle Belongs” – “So when I fight, I'll fight on my knees with my hands lifted high… Oh God, the battle belongs to You!” I am consistently reminded how powerful it is when God’s people sing.

Scripture overflows with calls for God’s people to sing. “Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!” (Psalm 149:1) – in other words, sing together. The New Testament urges us to address “one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16). When we lift our voices as one, we are teaching and encouraging each other with the truth. In fact, congregational singing is a Spirit-filled means by which “the Word of Christ” dwells richly among us as we exhort one another. One author put it like this: “Congregational singing is the sound of a people saved by grace." After God saves His people, their natural response is to sing, from Israel’s song after the Red Sea (Exodus 15) to the choruses of the redeemed in Revelation. A singing church is a church filled with the Word and joy of Jesus. God delights in the heartfelt praises of His people, however young or old, simple or sophisticated.

Which leads us to consider that congregational worship is not about presenting a polished performance; it’s about participation. The New Testament never commands us to sit back and watch a few people sing on stage. In fact, “performed music” or special performances aren’t mandated at all, but congregational singing is. We are not an audience at a concert. Instruments and leaders are there only to accompany and encourage our singing, never to overpower it. Unfortuntley, in some places, churches have sadly abandoned congregational singing for stage performers, turning worship into a spectator event. Here at Grace Church, that’s not our desire. We want everyone in the chairs, from the oldest saint to the youngest child, actively engaged in singing truth. Let’s leave the performance mentality at the door and remember that worship is for God’s glory and our mutual encouragement, not entertainment.

This Sunday we have the opportunity to sing CityAlight’s “Blessed Assurance (All My Attempts to Be Satisfied)” together again. This modern hymn declares how all our vain attempts at finding satisfaction end until we find it in Jesus.

Take some time before Sunday to familiarize yourself with the songs we’ll sing. Throughout the week, you can fill your home, car, or earbuds with the Grace Church Congregational Playlist, just ask, “Alexa, play Grace Church Galena OH Congregational Playlist.”You can also find it on Spotify or Apple Music. Let these songs of faith saturate your heart and your household. By Sunday morning, you’ll be raring to go, already humming along and ready to sing to the Lord with all your heart.

Whether you have a trained voice or can barely carry a tune, your voice raised in praise is precious to God and powerful for building up His people. Let’s sing loudly of our blessed assurance in Jesus and watch how God uses our to draw our hearts to Him, and even impact our children. There is great power in singing together, so let’s embrace it wholeheartedly this week and every week!