I Love That Song, But What Does It Mean?

I wish we would sing all my favorite worship songs...every week.

I don’t know how that sounds to you, but it occurred to me that my favorite songs might not be suitable for worship. Some of my favorites are written for performers, not for congregations of common folks. Some of my favorites should either be rewritten in modern English or retired because of the vocabulary that requires a dictionary and/or awkward wording that would challenge a literary scholar.

When the Apostle Paul wrote about singing in the assembly, he insisted that there must be understanding. The musical elements of a song are what make a poem a song. Musical elements can facilitate or distract, but the words are central to meaning. The words ought to convey a message, and that message ought to conform to the truth expressed in Scripture.

Song leaders ought to think about the content of each song selected. Does it communicate to the people attending? At times a brief word of explanation might be appropriate, but if a song requires an entire lesson defining archaic words and explaining complex poetry, it might be wise to omit that song from the weekly worship service?

Words spoken at the Lord’s Supper table and in prayer are supposed to communicate. Leaders ought to use a microphone if available, and if not, speak up! God may know our thoughts as we speak, but our thoughts are communicated among people who cannot understand them unless they are made known verbally and audibly in an understandable way.

I laugh, and sometimes roll my eyes, at newscasters reporting local sporting events. No longer can they say that a baseball player hit the ball, they use all kinds of slang expressions to describe a hit ball without using the word hit. He poked it, punched it, blasted it, blooped it, dinked it, tapped it, slammed it, or crushed it. If you are not a baseball fan, the message might be lost in all the jargon. Yet, that is the point, the message might be lost in all the jargon.

Sometimes, we fall into the same trap with excessive religious jargon. When we pray in the assembly we should use words that our audience understands, not potentially confusing jargon. Our words at the Lord’s Supper table should not need to be decoded.

I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

—1 Corinthians 14:15

Paul acknowledged communication and communion with God through his spirit, but he also recognized communication and communion with fellow Christians through the mind. While all of our worship is directed to God, He intends for everyone to understand. Our purpose in coming together is two-fold: worship to God and encouragement of fellow Christians.

Of all the activities in which we participate in our weekly worship service, only our participation in giving requires little or no communication. For everything else communication is critical. For that reason it is imperative that our communication be understandable, appropriate for that aspect of the worship, and meaningful. For that reason, religious jargon and obsolete phrases should be omitted. There may even be songs that should be retired.

Everyone who serves in a leading role in the assembly should give thought to his service of leading. Put God first, but remember the importance of communicating in such a way that the church, the people of God, are encouraged.

Mark Stinnett

March 10, 2024