Keep It Simple

Music is a powerful tool. It’s something that you can use to create an amazing auditory environment.

Music is technically not praise or worship since praise is thanks to God and telling a story about what He has done, and worship is expressions of devotion to God and adoration of who He is. Those simple definitions are based on the meanings of the words praise and worship from a study of the Greek New Testament.

Music can provide a background for contemplation and reflection. Music also is a vehicle that can be used to engage the physical body and soul as you sing and speak from your heart, your spirit.

Music is a powerful influence on our emotions. In its instrumentation, it can be used to convey joy, sadness, peace, and more. So when you choose the arrangement of a song and its instrumentation, I recommend that you keep the music simple so that it doesn’t distract from the words that are being sung or from the reverence and reflection that are occurring.

There’s a time and place for musical complexity, but in a worship service where the focus is primarily on God with the purpose to praise and worship Him, simplicity defeats the distraction that occurs with musical complexity.

Simplicity defeats musical distraction.

I’m a musician. When I’m a guest speaker in a church, I find it distracting if someone is playing music while I’m speaking. My mind hears the music and begins to focus on what’s being played, and I become less focused on what I’m saying.

I was giving a short ministry update recently at a Sunday morning church service. The keyboardist was playing beautifully, but because I play keys, my mind immediately began to pay attention to what he was playing. It was as if he was trying to convey what was in his heart through the keys instead of providing a simple background. Also, the stage volume of the keys was loud which made me want to overcompensate vocally so I could hear myself speak through the house speakers since monitors hadn’t been provided. That was a tricky situation. I didn’t want to offend him or the people, but I only had a short time to give the ministry update. What to do … what to do?

I turned and gently asked him if he would mind waiting to play until I was done. Then I turned to the congregation and told them that I was distracted because he was such a skilled player and I enjoyed hearing him play (which was true). I told them that I wanted to be able to focus on telling them about the amazing things that God had done recently as I was ministering in Europe and Africa. All of this took 15 seconds and no one was offended. Everyone laughed because they knew I was a musician, and they agreed that he was skilled.

I also find that when music is being played when I’m praying with people at the end of a service, the music should be simple and the musicians should flow with the tenderness and compassion that are a part of prayer together. The music should not be the primary point of interest. We should all be focusing on agreeing together in prayer for those people to receive the blessings that God provides for them.

At times, if the number of people who want prayer is large, I may ask the worship team to sing or lead a song softly in which the congregation can engage. It should be something that won’t distract me. I usually talk to the team before a service and let them know what song or types of songs I prefer for that prayer time. The musical volume coming off of the stage and in the house should be sensitive to the fact that the people that I’m praying with need to hear what I’m saying so we can fully agree together as we pray.

Simplicity and sensitivity to what is most important at the time can create an environment where people are both engaged and blessed. Keep it simple.