Two Crucial Challenges from the Getty Sing Conference
The Sing! Conference is a conference for pastors, musicians, and leaders on encouraging and deepening congregational worship. I attended this conference with my wife, Jess, and it served as solid ground for us to anchor our convictions, while also serving as a launching pad for ideas and dreams we would love to see come to fruition. I will share some confirmations from the conference in another post, but today I would like to share the tentpole positions of the conference phrased as two takeaway challenges.
Think Critically About Singing
The first challenge is for worship leaders to think critically about singing, and how singing affects us as:
Individuals
Families
Churches
Witness
Singing affects everything. Whether at a sporting event or a church, singing is everywhere. A theology of singing begins in the home, and Christian parents should be singing with their children. Family worship is critical. The Christian faith is the only singing faith, and this must be championed across ages and generations.
Sing Songs of Substance
The second challenge is for worship leaders to sing songs of substance, and this means clinging to the three pillars for the sing movement, which are to sing songs that encourage:
Deep theology
Vibrant artistry
Families and churches singing together
We need strong songs. Songs with deep theology let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, and they make us thrive like a tree that is firmly planted near streams of life-giving water. We also want to encourage artists to use their gifts, and when songs are made and performed well – we can create art worth keeping and sharing. Successful singing must come from the two fronts of the home and the church.
A New Reformation
We are in a new reformation with music, singing, and songs, and this is a byproduct of the young, restless, and reformed movement. In Christ Alone is our generation’s A Mighty Fortress. Keith and Kristyn Getty have been leading the charge, along with Stuart Townend, Bob Kauflin, Matt Papa, Matt Boswell, Matt Merker, and Shane & Shane. It was great to hear from my heroes, and it was an even greater feeling to know that they are passing the baton to the local church.
Jess and I are coming back from the Sing Conference with a renewed passion and vision for local church and family home worship. I’ll share some of my confirmations in another post. But for now, know that we are resolved to be a singing family. Our prayer is that God will continue to use us in his church and in the world – specifically through art and music – for his kingdom and his glory.
