Mike Harland joined Thom Rainer on a recent podcast to discuss the disappearance of choirs in today’s church.

Some highlights from the episode include:

  • The church choir as we have known it historically is disappearing.
  • Church choirs are doing less presentational music and more congregational leadership singing.
  • The line between choir and praise team has blurred in many churches.
  • The choir ministry should be a disciple-making ministry, not a performance ministry.
  • Many churches don’t have choirs because they don’t have someone to lead the choir.
  • In the early stages of a church’s life, the entire congregation is the choir.
  • The largest choir in every church is the congregation.

The four areas Mike addresses are:

  1. What is a “choir?” and are we sure they are disappearing? (Role and function)
  2. Where did choirs come from? (Biblical and historical view of choirs)
  3. Strategy or necessity? (The leadership gap)
  4. The largest choir of every church. (Congregational singing)

Podcast:


Download (Duration: 23:56 — 21.9MB)

This article was originally published at ThomRainer.com on May 20, 2016. Thom S. Rainer serves as president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources. Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and nine grandchildren. Dr. Rainer can be found on Twitter @ThomRainer and at facebook.com/Thom.S.Rainer.

About Mike Harland
Mike Harland grew up in Mississippi, graduated from Delta State University and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and has led churches in worship leadership roles for most of his life. Since 2005, Mike has served as the Director of LifeWay Worship, the music arm of LifeWay Christian Resources. He is a published author and songwriter who sings and speaks nationally and internationally. Mike and his wife Teresa serve in the children’s, discipleship, and worship ministries of Brentwood Baptist Church and live in Franklin, Tennessee. They have three grown children – Lee, Elizabeth, and John.