2008 / 2009

Gospel Choir Booklet

Mr. Napoleon Williams – Gospel Choir Instructor

CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL GOSPEL CHOIR

About the Gospel Choir at Cathedral ______________________________________________________________________

The Cathedral High School Gospel Choir is a choral ensemble dedicated to African American sacred music traditions of the 20th Century. Participation in the choir is also an academic course taken for credit and is one of the most culturally diverse groups at Cathedral High School. The choir’s common bond is its love for singing gospel music and the many performance opportunities afforded to its students through participation during the school year. Through singing in concerts and assisting in Cathedral’s worship services, students will learn vocal and aural skills needed to become a well-rounded signer, as well as skills needed for vocal performance.

Mr. Napoleon Williams became the gospel Choir Instructor at Cathedral in the 2003-04 school year. He has a rich background in gospel music specializing in vocal training. Mt. Williams is also an actor and has starred in local musical theater productions with the American Cabaret Theatre in Indianapolis. Currently, he is the founder of the awesome local gospel music ministry, Napoleon Williams & True Friends True Praise, and just finished his sophomore gospel project, entitled Made Anew, which was released in early 2008.

Because of his unfailing generosity and compassion for his fellowman, Mr. Williams received the Outstanding Service Award from Mayor Bart Peterson’s office in 2004, and has been recognized as a Distinguished Hoosier by Governor Mitch Daniels’s office in 2007.

Mr. Williams is glad to continue the long-standing Cathedral tradition of excellence in choral music as your gospel Choir Instructor!

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Table of Contents

Purpose 2

Syllabus & Course Description 4 – 5

Choral Vocabulary 6 – 7

Gospel Music Terminology 8

Vocal Improvisation & Technique 9 – 10

Taking Care of Your Voice 10 – 11

A Brief History of Gospel Music 12 – 14

Careers in Singing 14

Worship Styles:

Catholic 15 – 16

Baptist 17

Pentecostal / Charismatic 18

Calendar 19 – 20

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Syllabus & Course DescriptionCathedral High School Gospel Choir

Objective:To study and perform choral music in the gospel tradition, including works by contemporary artists. Also, and introduction to vocal technique, intonation, tonal quality, and projection, to promote a greater understanding and appreciation for gospel music, by learning about its history and singing songs that lift up the name of Jesus Christ.

Mission Statement

As members of the Cathedral High School Gospel Choir, it is our desire to see God’s Spirit of love, unity, and peace be multiplied on this campus. We hope that the hearts of all those who hear us perform be uplifted as we worship God through song.

The student will:

1. Demonstrate warm-up techniques and mental preparation for singing.

2. Develop basic knowledge and skills in the following areas: vocal control, the healthy voice, resonant tone production, diction, expression & performance, choral balance and blend, and basic music terminology.

3. Respond to gospel and traditional conducting gestures.

4. Attend all scheduled rehearsals and performances.

5. Develop skills in performing gospel music.

Evaluation is based upon:

A. Attendance & Participation Requirements for ALL (50% of grade)Does the singer attend regularly? Is lateness a problem? Are there conflicts with home or other activities? Is the singer a willing learner? Is there enthusiasm? Does he / she offer suggestions and respond t questions?

1. Attendance will be taken at every scheduled class session and

performance! If you are more than 10 minutes late for any class or performance and do not have official documentation, it will be counted as an absence (with 10 points subtracted from your grade).

2. Please refrain from excessive and loud talking during class. Excessive

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talkers will be dismissed from class and marked as absent.3. Please always offer suggestions and ask questions if you are uncertain

about what we are doing. However, we don’t need help teaching the music.

4. Bring enthusiasm and a desire to sing to each rehearsal.

B. Vocal Performance (10% of grade)

Does the singer appear to be comfortable with the vocal part? Are there signs of tension? Is the singer a vocal leader (soloist), a good blender, or a detriment to the quality of his / her section?

1. If it is determined that you are not adequately prepared for a performance, you will not be permitted to sing.

2. Each song requiring a soloist will be assigned two soloists (by selection and / or audition). Soloists may be rotated, at the Director’s discretion, during performances over the semester.

3. All soloists are expected to have solos prepared by the designated date.

C. Musicianship (10% of grade)

Are notes learned rapidly? Is the singer good at memorizing? Are interpretations understood and remembered? Good musicianship includes:

Demonstrated ability to used your voice properly (tone production)Singing all warm-upsLearning music from memorySinging rhythms and pitches as taughtUse of proper expressionsUse of appropriate diction and enunciationProper breathing techniquesappropriate responses to conducting cues

D. Written Assignments, Pop Quizzes and Final Exams (30% of grade)

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Choral Vocabulary

A cappella singing without accompaniment

Accompaniment a vocal or solo part that supports or is background for a solopart

Accent emphasis on a note, word, or phrase

Articulation the way a sound is started and ended

Attack the beginning of a sound

Bar a unit of music, such as 12-bar or 8-bar, denoting length

Beat a unit of measure in rhythmic time

Breath one cycle of inspiration / expiration

Choral, chorus choral means a choir; a choral work is a work for choir, and achorus is a relatively large choir, or group of singers

Chord three or more tones played simultaneously

Chromatic moving in half-steps

Compose to create original music by organizing sound; usually written down for others to perform

Composition a single, complete piece of music

Concert a program by a chamber ensemble, orchestra, band, chorus; there are also classical, rock, jazz, and pop concerts

Dynamics variation and contrast in force or intensity

Elements of Music melody, harmony, rhythm, and form and the expressive elements of dynamics, tempo and timbre (tone color)

Embellishment notes that are added to ornament a melody (melodic embellishment) or rhythmic pattern (rhythmic embellishment)

Ensemble any group of performers, but usually referred to a smaller group of singers

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Genre a type of musical work such as choral, jazz, mariachi, etcHarmony The simultaneous sounding of two or more tones of relative tone

Improvise To spontaneously compose music

Intonation Being in tune with accompaniment or others

Melody A rhythmic succession of single tones or organized into a cohesive or aesthetic whole

Notation Written documentation of musical notes indicating pitch and rhythm for performance

Performance The actual act of making music, referring to musical presentation

Pitch The location of a note in relation to its highness or lowness

Posture Sitting/standing correctly and efficiently

Release How a sound is ended

Rhythm Combinations of long and short, or even and uneven sounds that establish a musical continuum and convey a sense of movement

Score The organized notation of all of the instrumental and/or vocal parts of a composition

Staff/Staves The horizontal lines on and between which notes are written

Tempo The pace at which music moves according to the speed of the underlying beat

Timbre The color or quality of a musical tone

Time Signature A Sign used to indicate meter; usually written as a fraction with the bottom number indicating the kind of noted to be played as a unit of time and the top number indicating the number of units in each measure (i.e. 3 / 4 time)

Vocal/Vocalist Vocal means “of the voice;” vocalist is a synonym for singer

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Gospel Music Terminology

Traditional Gospel – Participatory music designed specifically for the Sunday morning worship experience, lyrically denoting the message of Jesus Christ.

Contemporary Gospel – “Good news” music utilizing secular influences, but designed for worship both within and beyond the walls of the church

Urban Contemporary Gospel – Incorporating street beats and urban influences, this music has a place in our spiritual lives, but not usually used in the traditional church

Contemporary Christian – Pop-influenced Christian music

Inspirational – Songs that are spiritually uplifting but may not necessarily convey the message of Jesus Christ

Neo-Soul Gospel – Fuses classic R & B, jazz-inspired grooves, and soulful vocals with gospel

Praise & Worship – Participatory “call and response” music designed to provide worshippers with a mechanism for praise within the church experience

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Vocal Improvisation & Technique

Breathing:The most important aspect of good singing technique is AIR. Singers must control their breathing or they become fatigued quickly and their singing suffers.

Exercises to do at Home:Start by taking a deep breath (inhale), filling your lungs all the way down to the abdomen (not just the top half of your lungs). Then let it out very slowly in a constant stream. Imagine that you’re exhaling through a very thin straw and the air is going out so slowing that you don’t appear to be breathing at all – “playing possum.” It may help to picture a candle out in front of you, and your breath is moving so slowly that the flame doesn’t flicker as you exhale. (Repeat 10 times)

Do five more. On these next five breaths, pick a nice comfortable note and hold it through the entire breath. Don’t let it change in pitch or volume – make it seem like a key being held down on an organ. Be sure that each note is a comfortable pitch – somewhere in your normal speaking register. Low notes are good because they help the throat relax. Use a different pitch for each breath. Don’t try to belt out high notes. That strains the vocal chords.

Now do five more of these, gradually CHANGING the volume for each note from zero up to a medium volume, and back to zero over the entire duration of the breath. Always choose a different pitch for each breath and NEVER let the pitch go flat or sharp. In the case of these last five breaths, all that is changing is the volume, and that should be changing at a rate that is undetectable.

For the last five breaths (this is not a total of 25 that you’ll be doing) do everything you just did in the previous five, but change the timbre of your voice at a faster rate than the volume is changing. This is done by “sweeping” through the vowels: A, E, I, O, U. Make the change gradual in any order you wish.

Diction:Why is Diction Important?When the listener hears a song, the words and music create an image, feeling, or emotion to which they can relate. When the song is heard repeatedly, it creates familiarity and the listener starts to understand the sentiments further, picking up words, even nonsensical ones that encourage participation.

Although both music and lyrics are important, in vocal music it is the text that provides an explanation for the musical accompaniment. If the words cannot be understood, the song can become meaningless.

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Good diction requires the crisp, clear pronunciation of consonants, without which the audience would be incapable of understanding a word you were singing. Ask your signing teacher or consult a diction textbook for more information on consonants

Taking Care of Your Voice

What is voice?We rely on our voices to inform, persuade, and connect with other people. Your voice is as unique as your fingerprint. Many people you know use their voices all day long, day in and day out. Singers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, sales people, and public speakers are among those who make great demands on their voices. Unfortunately, these individuals are most prone to experiencing voice problems. It is believed that 7.5 million people have diseases or disorders of voice. Some of these disorders can be avoided by taking care of your voice.

What are some causes of voice problems?Causes of vocal problems may include upper respiratory infections, inflammation caused by acid reflux, vocal misuse and abuse, vocal nodules, or laryngeal papillomatosis (growths), laryngeal cancer, neuromuscular diseases (such as spasmodic dysphonia or vocal cord paralysis), and psychogenic conditions due to psychological trauma. Keep in mind that most voice problems are reversible and can be successfully treated when diagnosed early.

How do you know when your voice is not healthy?Has your voice become hoarse or raspy?Have you lost your ability to hit some high notes when singing?Does your throat often feel raw, achy, or strained?Has it become an effort to talk?do you find yourself repeatedly clearing your throat?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, you may be experiencing a voice problem. You should consult a doctor. An Otholaryngologist (oh-toe-lar-in-GAH-luh-jist) is the physician or surgeon who specializes in diseases or disorders of the ear, nose, and throat. He / she can determine the underlying cause of your voice problem. The professional who can help you with improving the use of your voice and avoiding vocal abuse is a speech-language pathologist.

Tips to Prevent Voice ProblemsLimit your intake of drinks that include alcohol or caffeine. These act as diuretics (substances that increase urination) and cause the body to loose water. This loss of fluids dries out the voice. Alcohol also irritates the mucous membranes that line the throat. (And you all are too young to be drinking, SO, DON’T DO IT!!)

Drink plenty of water. Six (6) to eight (8) glasses a day is recommended

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Don’t smoke and avoid second-hand smoke. Cancer of the vocal folds is seen most often in individuals who smoke.Practice good breathing techniques when singing or talking. It is important to support your voice with deep breaths from the diaphragm, the wall that separates your chest and abdomen. Singers and speakers are often taught exercises that improve this breath control. Talking from the throat, without supporting breath, puts a great strain on the voice.

Avoid eating spicy foods. Spicy foods cause stomach acid to move into the throat or esophagus (reflux).

Use a humidifier in you home. This is especially important in winter or in dry climates. Thirty percent (30%) humidity is recommended.

Try not to overuse your voice. Avoid speaking or singing when your voice is hoarse.

Wash your hands often to prevent colds and flu.

Include plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in your diet. These foods contain vitamins A, E, and C. They also help keep the mucus membranes that line the throat healthy.

Do not cradle the phone when talking. Cradling the phones between the head and shoulder for extended periods of time can cause muscle tensions in the neck.

Exercise regularly. Exercise increases stamina and muscle tone. This helps provide good posture and breathing, which are necessary for proper speaking.

Get enough rest. Physical fatigue has a negative effect on voice.

Avoid talking in noisy laces. Trying to talk above the noise causes strain on the voice.

Avoid mouthwash or gargles that contain alcohol or irritating chemicals. If you still wish use a mouthwash that contains alcohol, limit your use to oral rinsing. If gargling is necessary, use a salt water solution.

Avoid using mouthwash to treat persistent bad breath. Halitosis (bad breath) may be the result of a problem that mouthwash cannot cure, such as low grade infections in the nose, sinuses, tonsils, gums, or lungs, as well as from gastric reflux from the stomach.

Consider using a microphone. In relatively static environments such as exhibit areas, classrooms, or exercise rooms, a lightweight microphone and an amplifier-speaker system can be of great help.

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Consider voice therapy. A speech-language pathologist who is experienced in treating voice problems can provide education on healthy use of the voice and instruction in proper voice techniques.

History of Gospel Music

The word “gospel” is an elision (in poetry, means dropping or slurring a syllable to keep close to the meter of the poem) of “God” and “spel” (old English for story).

Gospel music is considered to have begun in the United states sometime during the 19th century and is a term that encompasses several different styles of Christian music reflecting a variety of Christian traditions. Other terms, such as anthem, spirituals, and jubilees were more commonly used.

Before the abolition of slavery in 1865, African slaves, mostly from the African West Coast, began singing what we called “Negro Spirituals.” The blacks who stepped in chains from the slave ships were a musical people, used to expressing religious ideas in song. Sold into hard work, poverty and oppression in America, they turned to songs for solace, singing on every possible occasion in rhythms that had been long familiar to their ethnic groups and clans. They sang while picking cotton or shucking corn; they sang on the chain gangs and in prisons, and they sang in church – when allowed to attend.

The composers of Negro Spirituals are unknown. The slaves sang them as a community of folk. This makes them as genuine as any other body of folk music. The Negro Spirituals became an oral tradition because most slaves could not read or write. This also allowed for the words to songs varying from region to region. When words were forgotten or unknown altogether, they could be ad-libbed.

In 1850, the Protestant City-Revival Movement created a new song genre, which became popular at many African American revival meetings. Tents were set up and attendants would gather to sing hymns and psalms during the service, although most of the time no hymnals were available. These songs were transformed into the African American form of call and response called Dr. Watts. a deacon would set the pitch and reminded the words in half-singing, half-chanting tones.

Dr. Isaac Watts wan an English minister who wrote many hymns during the 1700s. Various Protestant denominations adopted his hymns, which were included in several hymnals. Slaves were taught these “good” songs to replace the extravagant, nonsensical chants and hallelujah songs of their own composing.

In the 1890s, Holiness and Sanctified churches began to appear. In these churches, the influence of African traditions was quite evident. these churches were heirs to shouts, hand clapping, foot stomping and jubilee songs, like it was in plantation “praise houses.” During slavery, many slave-owners allowed slaves to gather for Christian services, but they were not allowed to sing or dance. Because of this, slaves met secretly in praise

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houses to sing and dance and share the joys, sorrows, hopes, and of course the pain of their slave condition.

At the same time, some composers arranged Negro Spirituals in a new way, which was similar to European classical music. Some artists, mainly choruses, went abroad (to Europe and Africa) and sang these newly arranged Negro Spirituals. At the same time, ministers like Charles A. Tindley, composer of “We’ll Understand It By and By,” sang exciting church songs that were copyrighted.

After World War II, a former blues musician and son of a preacher, Thomas A Dorsey, converted back to the church and turned his considerable talents to writing religious music. He was a composer of such standards as “There Will Be Peace in the Valley” and is considered by many gospel devotees to be the “Father of Gospel Music.” Dorsey was a consummate musician and as a young man accompanied some of the most famous blues singers of all time, specifically, Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. He wrote over 500 songs and created what became known as the “Dorsey Sound.” This sound combined elements of Protestant Hymns, West African music, spirituals, and the blues. The song “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” was written by Dorsey after the death of this first wife and son, and became a gospel hit when recorded by Mahalia Jackson.

Dorsey is also credited with forming the first female gospel quartet group and discovering a new generation of singers. He also arranged and composed blues tunes. His penchant for bouncy tunes and bawdy lyrics did not keep him from attending the annual meetings of the National Baptist Convention, though. And it was at one of these meetings in Philadelphia that /Dorsey first heard the compositions of Charles A. Tindley.

New situations invited new styles of gospel music. “Hard” gospel of the 50s and 60s replaced the lighter crooning style of the previous decades with an altogether wilder delivery, especially from the lead voice, with thigh slapping and screaming top notes.

Also, during the late 50s and early 60s, before and during rallies for Civil Rights, demonstrators sang Negro Spirituals to show that they were against discrimination.

A new genre evolved in the 60s and 70s which produced a more contemporary sound and ushered in the new faces of gospel: James Cleveland, Edwin Hawkins, Shirley Caesar, Albertina Walker, the Clark Sisters and Andre Crouch. Artist like Cleveland and Hawkins began to contemporize Dorsey’s works, which had dominated for over 30 years. And they began to created a new sound that was saleable to a new and younger audience by using other idioms such as jazz, funk, rock, Latin, country-western and classical to convey the gospel message. Choirs were formed and began to dominate the gospel circuit.

During the 1980s, church music took another turn. Characterized by an increase in mass choirs, this era produced groups such as the Georgia Mass Choir, Mississippi Mass Choir, and the Brooklyn tabernacle Singers. Other genres of music heavily

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influenced gospel music as well. Instruments like the organ, piano, drums and bass played a stronger role than before.

As the 90s progressed, we were introduced to not only soulful singing from the choirs, but performances as well. Choir directors such as O’Landa Draper, Ricky Dillard, and Kirk Franklin gave robust energy as they ministered to God’s people

Vocally, choirs have remained stable in approach. A soloist or two is accompanied by the traditional call and response that harkens back to the field hollers and African roots music. Some choirs are crossing over to a more urban pop style, or a newer “Christian Music” style, and becomes less recognizable as rue gospel choir music.

Careers in Singing

We all know the old phrase “singing for your supper.” If you try to make a career as a singer, the expression takes on a literal meaning. There are dozens of ways to make money – perhaps even a living – as a singer.

There are dozens of popular forms: radio-friendly pop (Mariah Carey, etc.), jazz, hip-hop, country, folk, rock, bluegrass, gospel, blues, and more. Regional or ethnic types of music include everything from gamelon to zydeco. Of course, there are musicals and opera. Becomes adept at singing any form of music is a potential way to make a living.

Singing work falls into two basic types: performance and recording. You can perform in venues large and small. Before they perform at Carnegie Hall or on the Broadway stage, many signers get jobs in hospitals singing for the infirmed; in restaurants (“singing waiters”), as back-up signers on tour, or performing torch songs in tiny cabarets and nightclubs. Another good avenue is working in the chorus of stage productions or in a choir.

Singer-songwriters often have the toughest time since they have to convince people to like their writing as well as their performance. There’s also “busking” or performing on street corners, on trains, or in parks for change. It’s not easy – especially because it’s sometimes illegal. However, certain cities have permits you can get or specifis areas where performing is allowed.

A branch of performing about which newcomers rarely know is industrial shows. These are entertainments for business audiences at conventions, expos, or special events. Many artists bring in good money on these assignments.

Recording work, when you can get it, can be lucrative. besides working on pop music recordings, there’s lots of work in voiceovers and jingles – short advertising songs heard on TV and radio.

Full-time singers rarely specialize. Many will sing in a choir on Sunday, work on recordings during the week, and sing at special events or concerts as they come

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available. Keeping your finger in many pots is a good way to avoid a “straight job” and work at what you love.

Worship StylesCatholic Church – Mass

Catholics worship God in a variety of ways, but the chief act of corporate or communal worship is the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In the Eastern churches, Catholic and Orthodox, this is know as the Divine Liturgy; in the West, it is known as the Mass, and English work derived from the Latin text of the priest’s dismissal of the congregation at the end of the liturgy (“Ite, missa est.”). Throughout the centuries, the liturgy of the Church has taken a variety of regional and historical forms, but one thing has remained constant: The Mass has always been the central form of Catholic worship.

As far back as the Acts of the Apostles and St. Paul’s Epistles, we find descriptions of the Christian community gathering to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist. In the catacombs in Rome, the tombs of martyrs were used as altars for the celebration of the earliest forms of the Mass, making the tie between the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, its representation in the Mass, and the strengthening of the faith of Christians explicit.

The Role of Music in the Celebration

Music Serves the Expression of Faith

Among the many signs and symbols used by the Church to celebrate its faith, music is of preeminent importance. As sacred song united to the words it forms an integral part of solemn liturgy. Yet the function of music is ministerial; it must serve and never dominate. Music should assist the assembled believers to express and share the gift of faith. It should heighten the texts so that they speak more fully and more effectively. The quality of joy and enthusiasm which music adds to community worship cannot be gained in any other way. It imparts a sense of unity to the gathered assembly and sets the appropriate tone for a particular celebration.

Music, in addition to expressing texts, can also unveil a dimension of meaning and feeling, a communication of ideas and intuitions which words alone cannot yield. This dimension is integral to the human personality and to our growth in faith. It cannot be ignored if the signs of worship are to speak to the whole person. Ideally, every communal celebration of faith, including funerals and the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, penance, anointing and matrimony, should include music and singing. Where the Liturgy of the Hours is able to be celebrated in a community, it too should include music.

Role Differentiation

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In liturgical celebrations each person who has an office to perform should do all of, but only, that part which pertains to that office by the nature of the rite and the principles of liturgy. Special musical concern must be given to the role of the whole assembly, the cantor, the choir, and the instrumentalists.

The Assembly

Music for everyone must be within the performance ability of those who gather. The whole assembly must be comfortable and secure with what is to be done in order to celebrate well.

The Cantor

While there is no place in the liturgy for the virtuosity for it own sake, artistry is valued, and an individual singer can effectively lead the assembly, attractively proclaim the Word of God in the psalm sung between the readings, and take his or her part in other responsorial singing. Especially when there is no possibility of setting up even a small choir, provision should be made for one or two trained singers. The singer will present some simpler musical setting, with the people taking part, and can lead and support the faithful as far as is needed. The presence of such a singer is desirable even in churches that have a choir for those celebrations in which the choir cannot take part, but which may fittingly be performed with some solemnity and therefore with singing” (1967, Instruction on Music in the Liturgy). Although a cantor cannot enhance the service of worship in the same way as a choir, a trained and competent cantor can perform an important ministry by leading the assembly in common sacred song and responsorial singing.

The Choir

A well-trained choir adds beauty and solemnity to the liturgy and also assists and encourages the singing of the whole assembly. the Second Vatican Council, in speaking of the choir, stated emphatically: “Choirs must be diligently promoted [so that] the whole body of the faithful may be able to contribute that active participation that is rightly theirs” (Constitution on the Liturgy, 114).

At times the choir, within the assembly of the faithful and as part of it, will assume the role of leadership, which at other times it will retain its own distinctive ministry. This means that the choir will lead the people in sung prayer, by alternating or reinforcing the sacred song of the assembly or by enhancing it with the addition of musical elaboration. At other times in the course of liturgical celebration, the choir alone will sing works whose musical demands enlist and challenge its competence.

The Organist and Other Instrumentalists

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Singing is not the only kind of music suitable for liturgical celebration. Music performed on the organ and other instruments can stimulate feelings of joy and contemplation at appropriate times. This can be done effectively at the following points:

an instrumental prelude a soft background to a spoken psalm at the preparation of the gifts, in place of singing during portions of the communion rite the recessional

In the Dioceses of the United States, musical instruments other than the organ may be used in liturgical services, provided they are placed in a manner that is suitable to public worship. This decision deliberately refrains from singling out specific instruments. Their use depends on circumstances, the nature of the community, etc.

The Baptist Church

The visitor to a Baptist Church will be surprised as to the involvement of the membership when it comes to the music of the church. First and foremost is the fact that those in the congregations are just as likely to sing out with joy and praise as any choir member. There are always instrumentalists whether it be a lone pianist or a well-rehearsed orchestra. The choir may be made u0p of sever member who love to sing or seventy members who sound like angels around God’s Throne. It may be a quartet, a trio, a duet, or a soloist who sings tee “special” just before the pastor comes to the pulpit. At any rate, one can always expect great music in both small and large churches alike. Baptists take the preparation of hearts to receive God’s Truths as very serious business!

Church history tells us that the first congregationally sung hymns in Baptist worship services were, in fact, the Psalms set to music. By the twentieth century, many Baptist churches began to utilize hymn books in their worship services.

The song leader would call out a hymn number and ask everyone to join in. He would then wave his arms in time while leading the congregation as they sang out their praises to God. In fact, non-Baptists are amazed when visiting a Baptist Church at how the people love to sing. there are few such churches where the singing does not involve everyone’s full participation. From the most gifted of voices to those who insist that their lack of voice qualifies them as “making a joyful noise unto the Lord,” Baptist people love to sing for the Lord!

The American cultural revolution of the 1960s brought yet another change in the Baptist taste in music. The youth of that generation began to find significance in blending the popular “Folk Music” of that day with Christian worship lyrics. What became known as “Folk Gospel” caught on quickly and, again, true to Baptist form, the older generation either rejected it or found it difficult to adjust. However, it became even more

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appreciated by the next generation who continued to develop it into a more contemporary form of gospel music.

Today, many Baptist churches integrate hymns, traditional and contemporary gospel music into their worship services for an extraordinary worship experience!Examples of Songs Sung in Service:

Hymns: Traditional:Pass Me Not The Battle I Not YoursAmazing Grace Trouble In My WayOld Rugged Cross I Can Go to the Rock

Contemporary: Negro Spiritual:Why We Sing Wade In The WaterThe Struggle Is Over Ezekiel Saw the WheelI Need You To Survive Deep River

Pentecostal / Charismatic Worship

Pentecostalism is a movement within Evangelical Christianity that places special emphasis on the direct personal experience of God through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, as shown in the Biblical account of the Day of Pentecost. Pentecostalism is similar to the Charismatic movement, but developed earlier and separated for the mainstream church. Charismatic Christians, at least in the early days of the movement, tended to remain in their respective denominations.

Theologically, most Pentecostal denominations are aligned with Evangelism in that they emphasize the reliability of the Bible and the need for the transformation of an individual’s life with faith in Jesus Christ.

Common Pentecostal & Charismatic Denominations:

Apostolic Church of God in ChristAssembly of God Full GospelChurch of God

The Scriptures reveal music as an instrument of worship and praise to God; and in Pentecostal worship, when the Spirit of God begins to minister through a song, the Holy Spirit is allowed to edify the Body of Christ. Pentecostal and Charismatic churches embrace an atmosphere of freedom in their worship, and encourage the congregation to physically and verbally participate in the worship experience by the lifting of hand and even crying out to the Lord.

Worship services in the Pentecostal or Charismatic Church are an exuberant, spontaneous movement!

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Musical Traditional Found in Pentecostal / Charismatic Churches: Hymns & AnthemsTraditional & Contemporary GospelPraise & WorshipLocal Churches Displaying Pentecostal / Charismatic Movement:

Mt. Olive Baptist ChurchSander Temple church of God in ChristCalvary Temple of IndianapolisNew Life Worship Center

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