Do you think you have a lousy voice? That people may laugh or be turned off at the way you sing? Not musically inclined? You don't like the songs sung in church?
These are the questions that concern worship leaders who strive to help people who are too self-conscious of the way they sing in church, thus curtailing them from becoming an active part of a congregation worshipping and praising God.
In tackling this issue, Mark Merker, a pastoral assistant at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., said worshippers need to be reminded that singing in church is not only praising God but a way to show "Christian love" to fellow believers.
"If we see our singing as part of our personal ministry to others, it will shape how we approach music at church in practical ways," said Merker in a column published on Pastor John Piper's website Desiring God on Sunday.
Jamie Brown, director of worship and arts at Truro Anglican Church in Fairfax, Virginia, agrees. Speaking to The Christian Post, Brown said worshippers should look not at themselves but "clearly at the person and the work of Jesus Christ" when they sing to get rid of the awkwardness they feel.
He said he tries to encourage congregants to fully participate in singing by presenting "Jesus as being as compelling and amazing as He is so that even average or self-admitted lousy singers will forget about their singing and praise Him."
Brown does this by removing "as many roadblocks as I can from people — whether it is music in unsingable keys, songs that are not worth singing, lyrics that are not clear, hymns that are obscure."
He said by removing these "impediments" and just telling worshippers that "here is Jesus, here He is," they become more drawn to singing, joining the rest of the congregation 'even if they don't really like to sing."
Brown said worship in church provides believers a respite from the daily barrage of lies, deceptions, and assaults life throws at people.
"For however long services last, out of which a significant portion of it the congregation is singing, we are being drawn back to what is true and the Spirit is shouting at us, 'Yes, yes, yes, this is true, this is true,'" he said.
