Music in Church

From old-day hymns to contemporary Christian music and all that lies between, the use of voice in Churches around the world has long been an integral part of common worship. Music in general evokes emotion in people in many ways. Athletes use it to prepare for competition. Dancers use it both to warm themselves up and to portray feeling through their movements. But what is the purpose of music within the Church? What feeling is it meant to invoke, if any? With all the different genres of music popular in the world where does ‘Christian music’ fit? Some Churches hold to the traditional hymns, others cater to the ever-changing moods of contemporary musical consumption. From ‘Amazing Grace’ by John Newton, to the Gaithers, to Toby Mac, Switchfoot, Skillet, Leeland, and Lincoln Brewster there is a great variety of artists and songs to choose from. Though the purpose may remain the same in the incorporation of music, the styles range from one extreme to the other.