The main thing that keeps me excited about writing music is the fact that I often get to see it be used in a specific way. Whether it’s being sung by our choir or an ensemble, or being played by our instrumental ensemble, or even as a solo, it’s just enjoyable to write something you know is going to be used in a tangible way.

Occasionally I will write a song for a specific publisher, or for a specific project that may never involve me actually using the piece. But my most inspiring music usually comes when I’m creating for the groups and ensembles that I serve with on a regular basis.

If you have the bug for writing music, I’d encourage you to write music for whatever groups you have the opportunity to be a part of. Use them as your “guinea pigs.” Make it an enjoyable experience. Encourage feedback and suggestions. You never know how helpful it might be. (I once completely changed a section of a song based on a random suggestion from a friend.)

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Honestly, I don’t think this is an issue in most mainline churches today, and I certainly don’t want to create an issue out of nothing. I do, however think it’s good to think about these things.

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We live in a world in which your worth is based on what you achieve and accomplish. It seems that one’s value is based on one’s level of success. Tragically, this thinking has seeped into the church.

And yet, this thinking goes completely against the teaching of the Bible. God doesn’t emphasize success, but rather faithfulness (see Psalm 31:23; 101:6; Proverbs 28:20; Matthew 25:21; Luke 16:10; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Revelation 17:14). In fact, it seems as though He could care less about my achievements, especially if they are not marked with complete obedience and submission to His will.

We don’t serve an overbearing God who demands our complete and utter success. Instead, He’s more interested in our faithfulness in the process. Instead of being discouraged by the outcome, let’s keep our eyes on the plow.

Even in ministry work, it’s a continual temptation to evaluate my success and worth based on what I do. The truth is, God will never be impressed by me. I recently heard someone say that there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and there is nothing I can do to make Him love me less. That’s encouraging.

Ironically, this actually motivates me to want to do more, to press ahead, and do great things for God. That’s a good thing to desire, with a great motivation. Scripture reminds us that we are to be “stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). God wants me to be diligent; He’s going to take care of the results.

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Great choirs have great accompanists. The extent of a choir’s success, to a large degree, is dependent upon it’s accompanist. The choir accompanist plays a vital role in the overall choral ensemble.

As a musician, there’s always room for growth and development. There are some excellent resources out there for church choir accompanists. (An excellent recommendation is Choral Questions and Answers, Vol. 5: Accompanying [Pavane Publishing]. You can check it out here.) I know of very accomplished (and professional) musicians who continue attending private music lessons to further their musical development. Not a bad idea.

There are basics to choral accompanying that are essential. The accompanist is part of the leadership team and, as a result, must remember that greater expectations exist for leaders. Concepts such as arriving on time, dependability, and being prepared for the rehearsal, are critical. Further, a right attitude and team spirit are vital to the success of the music ministry. (This can be especially difficult in situations where an accompanist may feel they have more training or are a better musician than the director.) Finally, a good church accompanist exemplifies godly character and is a role model to young Christians.

Then there are important musical qualifications. If, as an accompanist, you struggle with site-reading or playing challenging sections in a song, be sure to obtain the music in advance for adequate preparation. You should be able to play the accompaniment in addition to the vocal parts at various speeds. Depending on your situation, improvisation may or may not be appropriate. The important thing to remember when improvising, though, is that you follow the chord structures found in the written music, as the voices and other instrumentation are following these chord progressions. (If, when you improvise, you find yourself unable to stick with the harmonies written, you will be a frustration to many of the musicians and the director. You’d be better off to stay with the accompaniment as written.)

If you’re looking to take your accompanying skills to the next level, I’d like you to consider a couple of things. You can develop and master these to become a much sought-after choir accompanist.

Flexibility
Working together with another musician (the director) will probably require great flexibility on your part. The director may have an entirely different interpretation of a song than you. Be willing to publicly embrace all suggestions and ideas, and save your opposing opinions for private appeals. Regardless, be willing to follow and support the direction of the leader.

Anticipation
During rehearsal, an accompanist—if not careful—can actually slow down the choral learning process. Over time you will have the opportunity to study your director and how they operate a rehearsal. You will be able to sense when he wants all vocals parts played consecutively. When he says, “let’s rehearse the tenor section here,” you will be able to know to immediately play the tenor’s starting pitch. Though genuine mind-reading will never truly be achieved (wouldn’t that be nice!), you can develop your anticipation of the process. Anticipation requires attentiveness to details, a clear knowledge of the director’s approach, and an alertness to all instructions.

I’d like some feedback, if you would. As an accompanist, what things have allowed you to excel in your field? As a director, what else would you recommend to any accompanists that might potentially read this article?

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“We Rest On Thee” is a song of assurance and trust. Our confidence is strong because of Christ—based on who He is, and what He’s done for us.

Publisher’s description:

James Koerts has written a new melody that presents a gentle interpretation of the heroic “We Rest on Thee.” The melody and fulfilling accompaniment enhance the peaceful and restful emphasis of the text. “We rest on Thee through endless days.”

Listen:

We Rest On Thee

Find it here.

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This song for choir and soloist has a rich text by Margaret Becker. The tune, by Keith Getty, wonderfully matches the text. I believe this song will be a tremendous addition to any church choir’s repertoire.

Publisher’s Description:

In “Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer” James Koerts has arranged a prayer for the Lord’s presence through the tasks to which He has called Christians, who are humbly motivated by the prospect of glorification. The pleasing, expressive melody begins with the men and is assumed by a soprano solo over the choir before growing to the resolved climax and concluding on a note of hope.

Listen:

Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer

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You might find this choral piece useful for your school Christmas production or for a concert this Christmas. Recently, instead of our traditional candlelight service, our church hosted a special “family and friends” concert. This arrangement was birthed as part of that program.

I know you’ll enjoy this Christmas favorite. I hope it makes a splendid addition to your Christmas repertoire.

Publisher’s description:

Like a warm fire in the middle of winter, this fresh choral offering will fill your concert or worship service with a reminder of the true reason for the season. The sensitive text mixes reflections on the Manger with images of family and friends. An unforgettable song for a most treasured time of the year.

Listen:

Hope is Born Again

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What a privilege it was to work alongside the late J. Paul Williams on this song. I am thankful for this godly man and the impact he had on my life. Obviously his lyrics were a visible outflow of his rich relationship with his Savior.

Publisher’s description:

Here is a powerful message of obedience and follow-ship. As the anthem unfolds the confidence of the believer is bolstered by the promises of the text. Motivating!

Listen:

Trust in God

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I’m a big A.W. Tozer fan. I’ve read many of his books over the years and much of my spiritual growth as a younger Christian was due to his writings. But he did strongly speak out against the use of drama in church, calling it a “violation of sincerity,” among other things.

Drama, of course, is not a substitute for the Word of God, and it could never replace the preaching of God’s Word. But it can be a tool…

• used to prepare people mentally (“touch hearts,” as we say) for the upcoming sermon.
• that can present a truth (which I may already know) in a unique and memorable way.
• that can present a conflict, pose a question, or create an effect that will be developed or “solved” by God’s Word.
• which can illustrate truth in a powerful way that can encourage change.

Not an exhaustive list, I’m sure.

There are obvious challenges to using drama. After all, no one really knows what Joseph’s coat of many colors looked exactly like or what Peter’s precise hair length was. But (and maybe you’ve noticed this) when we read and hear the biblical accounts of true stories, our minds tend to “fill in the blanks,” based on our own perceptions. I feel as though drama is just an extension of that imagination, if you will. It puts flesh on those things that we think about.

And I think most people understand that. I mean, do you feel duped when you attend a dramatic program? No. You realize it’s a tool to send a message.

I’m all for drama as part of church services. What say you?

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Someone recently asked me to provide examples of our worship order at Mikado Baptist Church. Below you’ll find a couple of examples from this last Easter Sunday. First, it’s important to know that we don’t have a corner on the market. In fact, our service orders are merely an equivalent to an accumulation to the numerous service orders that I’ve seen over the years. We just assimilate from the best; and I’d encourage you to do the same.

Further, our service order works best for us, but it’s not for everyone. I have a worship pastor friend who develops a continued theme for each service. While we—in a general sense—strive to maintain a connection throughout each song service, that level of organization wouldn’t work for us because of the high level of flexibility needed on the part of the participants. (We have chosen rather to select and organize our music months in advance, which often limits our ability to have themed services. We do, however, plan themed special services at least once a month.)

Each service order is copied onto a half sheet of paper, with the morning services (identical) on the front side, and the evening service on the reverse side. Here’s a copy of Easter Sunday morning’s worship order:

Notice a few things: The date and specific service are clearly indicated below the church’s logo to stand out for easy identification. For special days (like Easter), I include a title at the top. I always try to keep things consistent, and since the majority of the morning service was choir & orchestra songs, I just provided their titles in bold and italics. The people who were involved (and who this worship order was for) knew what this meant. The sound technicians can easily identify places where they need to have the piano featured (the offertory), where a soloist needs a microphone, and when the congregation is singing.

Here’s Sunday evening’s worship order:

This worship order is the most common in our church. Notice a few things: Since our lyrics are projected on the screens, I provide the stanzas following each congregational song we sing. I often provide more stanzas than we might actually sing, just in case I need to shorten the service a little. I use arrow bullets to set off special things during the service (i.e. announcements, mission spotlights, etc.). Many of the songs we sing are not in our hymnal, so obviously we do not provide a hymn number for them (as in “In Christ Alone”). Notice also that the letters “kc” are between the last two stanzas. This refers to “key change.” The instrumentalists will understand this and play an arranged key change that they have.

General observations: Be sure to provide plenty of margin space and spacing between each line. This is helpful in allowing our pastoral staff members and others involved in the service to jot down notes that pertain to the service, or that they would like to discuss or evaluate later. Also, there’s a balance between doing what works, and getting in a rut. If you sense that there is a rut in your worship, you may want to first reevaluate your worship order. Finally, always work towards a clean, consistent look. Consider fonts, font sizes and attributes, and line spacing when developing your order. Microsoft Word is a great help here. (I use 13 point Cambria font with a 10 point spacing after each line.)

There you have it. Now I would like to see your ideas. How can I improve these worship orders?

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