Up next in 10
The Surprising History of Church Music
4 views
Mar 7, 2025
Explore the fascinating history of church music, from its ancient roots to its modern-day expressions. In this video, we'll delve into the surprising stories and influences that have shaped the sound of worship over the centuries. From Gregorian chants to gospel choirs, and from organs to electric guitars, we'll uncover the unexpected twists and turns that have made church music what it is today. Whether you're a music lover, a history buff, or simply curious about the sounds of faith, this video is for you. So sit back, relax, and get ready to discover the surprising history of church music!
View Video Transcript
0:00
hey everybody Al Watkins here and I want
0:03
to talk about church music and as you
0:06
can see my background is a little bit
0:08
different today I got guitars hanging on
0:10
the wall and it's all about today I want
0:12
to talk about music church music in
0:14
particular Christian music uh will be
0:17
the subtitle but uh what I want to talk
0:19
about is a little bit about the
0:21
Evolution how we started singing in
0:24
church and Christian events and uh how
0:27
it sort of came to what it is today it's
0:30
always played a role in church uh it's
0:32
been part of the worship service for
0:35
centuries uh it's a means of Praise it's
0:38
a means of prayer and it's also a
0:40
spiritual connection to all those who
0:43
participate uh during the singing of the
0:45
songs and the playing of the music from
0:48
the early Church in the first century
0:51
all the way through the modern
0:52
congregations of today expression of
0:55
music has evolved in many many ways but
0:58
still functional today because the main
1:01
purpose is this is to glorify God and
1:05
Inspire Believers to do the same let's
1:09
begin as we're talk a little bit about
1:11
the church and how it came to have the
1:14
music we have today there is a Biblical
1:17
foundation for the church music is
1:20
mentioned throughout the Bible
1:22
particularly in the
1:23
Psalms uh the original songs or worship
1:27
songs Through singing of the Psalms are
1:29
actually actually chanting the original
1:31
Psalms themselves uh from the writers of
1:34
the uh Old Testament psalms 100 verse
1:39
two reads like this Worship the Lord
1:42
with gladness come before him with a
1:45
joyful
1:46
songs that's pretty interesting Worship
1:50
the Lord with gladness come before him
1:53
with joyful songs that's a wonderful
1:56
thing to think about in other words
1:58
there is a place for music in the
2:00
worship service then and now the second
2:05
scripture I lean upon for this
2:07
particular study today is this
2:09
Colossians 3:
2:12
16 let the word of Christ dwell in you
2:16
richly singing Psalms and hymns and
2:20
spiritual songs with thankfulness in
2:23
your hearts to God now that's a
2:26
three-fold message there listen to what
2:28
it says it says singing Psalms hymns and
2:32
spiritual songs in other words it pretty
2:35
much covers the three things I'm going
2:37
to talk about in The Evolution of Music
2:39
from the first century right on up into
2:42
today's church services and Christian
2:45
events and Gatherings Ephesians 5:19 is
2:50
the one that just really Nails it oh my
2:53
speaking to one another in other words
2:55
you can sing to one another if you need
2:57
to sing to one another with Psalms hymns
3:01
and songs from the spirit sing and make
3:04
music from your heart to the Lord in
3:07
other words just be joyful with your
3:09
life song to one another and the same
3:11
unto the Lord giving Thanksgiving and
3:13
praise for what he's done for you and
3:16
others around you now let's begin our
3:19
journey about the church
3:21
music in the first few centuries after
3:25
Christ left and went on into heaven as
3:28
he ascended into heaven Christian music
3:30
was very simple back then uh it was
3:33
often chanted in other words it was
3:35
pretty much spoke with a rhythmatic
3:37
theme uh or it was sung in an acapella
3:41
uh style uh to that is two Jewish
3:45
traditional Psalms of the time and that
3:48
was a type chant it used to be called I
3:51
believe plain chant was the terminology
3:54
used for it and we might recognize it
3:57
today as the Gregorian chant from the
3:59
monks of the Medieval ages but it became
4:02
widespread uh during the times of Europe
4:05
especially during the medieval days in
4:07
church uh it was a type chant or an
4:10
acapella type Rhythm Matic song as they
4:13
were singing the Psalms and the hymns
4:16
and the spiritual things to one another
4:19
as it moved on in history we see
4:21
something else hymns and congregational
4:24
singing uh as we know it today uh
4:27
actually began during the Reformation
4:29
with Martin Luther when he they broke
4:31
away from the uh Catholic Church of the
4:33
day uh he be thought that everyone
4:36
should be singing together he thought
4:38
congregational singing was the thing
4:40
that should take place and a matter of
4:42
fact he wrote A Few hymns himself uh to
4:45
encourage them and to help them and to
4:48
teach them in many ways uh one of the
4:50
ones that he's most famous for is the
4:53
one we see in our HS today A Mighty
4:55
Fortress Is Our God and I like that
4:58
second line a mighty bull workk never
5:01
failing in other words a good steadfast
5:04
like wall or a heavy duty door that
5:07
stands fast that God is so mighty
5:09
nothing can break through that's the
5:12
message from that song and he believed
5:15
that music should be accessible to
5:17
everyone not just to those who
5:19
participated in the service like the
5:21
priest and rabbis or or those in the
5:24
Priestly churches of the Catholic church
5:26
he thought it should be a congregational
5:28
type thing just as he thought the word
5:29
of God should be given to each and every
5:31
one
5:32
individually uh he also led to the rise
5:35
of the himels that we know in our
5:37
churches uh of the uh 18th century 19th
5:41
century 20th century and so forth uh the
5:44
himels we see in a lot of church pews
5:46
today uh that's how this began he
5:49
started with his writings uh such songs
5:51
Like A Mighty Fortress so that the
5:53
congregation could stay along during the
5:56
worship service and of course
5:58
instruments became popular during that
6:00
period of time too I believe the string
6:02
and instruments were first because
6:04
they're mentioned in biblical times but
6:06
also uh during that time the uh little
6:09
pump organ came into effect and of
6:11
course later in churches we used the
6:13
electric organ uh and church music and
6:16
himels and then some cases it was a
6:18
piano and organist and then evolved from
6:20
there into what we have today uh many
6:23
string instruments like guitars bases
6:25
violins fiddles uh Etc uh you know where
6:29
I'm going with that moving on from the
6:31
days of the
6:32
Reformation uh in the US uh in the late
6:37
1600s 1700s
6:39
1800s uh during the southern uh days
6:43
when slavery was predominant uh some of
6:45
the slaves got saved and they sang
6:47
Christian music and as they were singing
6:49
Christian music they sang it in a mighty
6:51
different way uh in the southern uh
6:54
United States of America uh among the
6:56
southern communities the Negro
6:58
spirituals became popular in the fields
7:00
and that sort of bled over into the
7:02
communities around them and the church
7:04
services as well and it became an
7:07
essential part of worship those songs
7:10
were not just uh spoken like they were
7:13
spoken with rhythmatic uh chants and
7:15
things but they were Beginning To Be
7:17
Sung with a very Soulful emotional
7:20
feeling and uh that's pretty much EV
7:23
evoluted to what we have today uh this
7:27
rooted in the Christian music and it's
7:30
also rooted in the culture of those
7:32
areas and it spread throughout the
7:34
United States and eventually throughout
7:36
the world so what happened was the more
7:38
organized churches of the north which
7:40
were back into the Martin Luther type
7:43
Heming himels and to that type music and
7:46
then the southern music which was given
7:48
to a more country style music but with A
7:50
Soulful Melody and and it became called
7:53
uh gospel music in itself and that led
7:56
to a modern thing we call Southern
7:58
gospel music but the two began to mesh
8:01
together all keeping the same start that
8:03
they had in the beginning and that was
8:05
of course to praise God to uh pray to
8:08
God and to bring about Unity by singing
8:11
together and encouraging one another
8:14
through the things of God uh the gospel
8:17
music and the spirituals of course uh we
8:20
see that a lot today uh they are an
8:23
expressive form of art uh is a call and
8:26
response in many cases where you'll say
8:28
or sing something and the response will
8:31
come back that's one style and of course
8:33
another one is the strong rhythmatic
8:36
elements thus the bands come in suit
8:39
from there now let's talk about
8:43
contemporary
8:44
music in the late 20th and 21st
8:48
centuries uh Christian music expanded
8:50
into a style called
8:52
contemporary uh it includes praise and
8:55
worship bands and singing groups uh you
8:59
you see a lot of guitars
9:01
keyboards uh and full bands uh you'll
9:04
see a lot of singers multiple singers
9:07
sometimes with complete choirs and
9:09
you'll also see a lot of manufactured
9:11
music called can music or you call them
9:14
soundtracks whatever you may want to
9:15
call them uh that are actually uh
9:18
predominantly made for the purpose of
9:20
use and worship services and church
9:23
Gatherings uh companies like Hill song
9:26
Elevation Worship and bethl music have
9:28
specialized and made an industry out of
9:31
providing such music just for that uh
9:34
they have become popular and modern
9:36
worship songs are widely used in church
9:39
today the two Styles most used in
9:42
worship today of course is the cultural
9:45
uh the one that's uh originated from
9:48
Deep South and of course the uh worship
9:51
music that you see and occasionally
9:53
there's a combination of the two now
9:56
many people ask me personally what what
9:59
kind of music do you like what kind of
10:01
music belongs in church I'm going to try
10:04
to answer that for you right
10:06
now well a personal uh note on what I
10:10
think about music and what it should be
10:12
in church uh I like all kinds of music
10:15
I'm an old rock and roller I have uh
10:18
some classical minimal background where
10:21
I did actually study to read music and
10:23
learn how to breathe and things like
10:25
that when you sing I have gone through
10:28
some of those things uh but most of my
10:30
life I've been playing in groups and uh
10:32
rhythmatic groups uh rhythm of Blu Soul
10:34
music uh old rock and roll and even some
10:37
of the Hard Rock and things like that as
10:40
I evolved through the years but I too
10:42
have come from the southern states and
10:44
there's a thing in our neck of woods
10:46
called uh Beach Music which really
10:49
originated from the deep Soul music of
10:51
the South and also the rhythm of Blues
10:53
of the north and what I call the Memphis
10:56
Stacks music uh coming from Tennessee uh
10:59
which is uh where my main root uh basic
11:04
uh music musical style come from so I
11:07
like it all as long as it's done good I
11:10
even come from a country family uh which
11:13
even likes a little bit of Bluegrass so
11:15
I have a varied background so what kind
11:17
of music do I like in church I like it
11:19
all just to be perfectly honest with you
11:22
two things I I like to hear in church
11:25
and I call it church music is first of
11:27
all it'd be a Christian song not just a
11:30
love song that can be applied to
11:32
anything or anybody but a Christian song
11:35
that has to do with something the Lord
11:37
is involved with it could be through
11:39
creation giving God glory it could be a
11:42
song unto God's love it could be a song
11:44
of the deep feeling you have for Jesus
11:48
it could be a song that edifies the
11:50
Saints by the group singing a praise
11:52
unto God I like it all my main
11:55
stipulation is this it's the word of God
11:59
that brings forth salvation so if you
12:01
can't hear the words the music is
12:03
probably too loud no matter what style
12:06
it is so having said that here let's
12:09
move on to a little bit about the role
12:11
of Music in church and the role of music
12:15
is the same from the very beginning in
12:17
the early centuries to what we have in
12:19
modern day Society the role of music and
12:22
Church of course is this it serves
12:25
several purposes in worship and in
12:28
glorifying God
12:30
praise and worship music is a style of
12:32
music that does nothing but lift God's
12:35
name and what he's done for us through
12:38
Jesus and the presence of his Spirit
12:41
bringing forth joyful songs unto the
12:44
Lord and reverent songs in other words
12:47
recognize who he really is and don't
12:49
just fittingly mention him just to call
12:52
it christian in other words be sincere A
12:55
a reverent song is really a Thankful
12:57
Song unto what is done whereas a praise
13:00
song can actually be a joyful song
13:02
singing praises of who he is the second
13:06
form of Music in and a role in church
13:08
music is this it's a teaching element it
13:12
can be an encouraging element we see
13:15
that in many hymns as we see them listed
13:18
under what use they are uh at different
13:21
occasions uh you you'll read that in the
13:24
back usually in the index in the back
13:26
where it says use this song for this
13:28
occasion uh and so on uh it's
13:33
a thing that's scripturally based but
13:36
it's sort of like a topical song and uh
13:40
it means a lot to people at certain
13:42
points in time uh the third reason that
13:45
I have for singing Christian songs is
13:47
this uh
13:50
utilizes things that bring us together
13:53
in the unification uh of worship it
13:56
brings us together in the unification of
13:58
praise
13:59
it also brings forth that unification
14:02
which then develops into Fellowship so
14:05
fellowship and unity would be my third
14:07
reason if I had to give it a title uh
14:09
and then fourthly of course it's this
14:11
it's a deep spiritual reflection of the
14:14
inner you or the inner group uh
14:17
corporate group uh bringing Praises unto
14:20
God music can lead to a strengthening of
14:25
the community in the church it can also
14:27
lead to a deep m
14:29
of prayer and worship and contemplation
14:32
in church and
14:34
individuals well I mentioned the Styles
14:37
and I know I didn't give you much of an
14:38
answer because I told you I like it all
14:41
but I know people like it different ways
14:43
so let me just talk a little bit about
14:45
blending the two musics that really most
14:48
popular today that is traditional music
14:51
and the modern uh music of today many
14:54
churches incorporate both they have a
14:57
traditional Hy himym time time or a song
15:01
in the service and they have modern
15:03
praise songs some Churches actually
15:06
separate the two have a traditional
15:08
service and a Contemporary Service I
15:11
don't encourage that and the reason I
15:13
say that is we're part of the family of
15:15
God anything that divides us does not
15:18
bring us together so keep that in mind
15:22
uh I even go one step further something
15:24
has nothing to do with music but I think
15:26
the church is supposed to be part of the
15:28
family of God and if I'm not mistaken
15:31
throughout the Bible I see babies I see
15:34
teenagers I see grown-ups I see elderly
15:38
so we all ought to be together in some
15:40
sort of form in every church now I
15:43
realize there's things that some groups
15:45
like to do and others don't like it and
15:48
sometimes it's hard to measure them
15:49
because they just can't seem to agree
15:52
and sometimes we have to separate them
15:54
for those purposes but there ought to be
15:56
a place where we bring them all together
15:59
at least once a week together to worship
16:02
and have that be a blended
16:05
service hymns and also modern music Let
16:10
each learn from one another the wisdom
16:13
from the time the
16:15
ages have that the youth don't have so
16:18
they can lead them down path so they
16:21
won't make mistakes and then of course
16:23
the energy of the youth that the older
16:26
folks can lean on and will work together
16:28
other as the family now I know that got
16:31
away from the music so let me talk about
16:32
the Blended traditional Styles and the
16:35
modern styles like I said I was going to
16:37
uh many churches today incorporate both
16:40
uh and uh they reflect on the worship
16:43
preferences and blend the two together
16:45
so that both can be together in that
16:48
time whether through a choir whether it
16:51
be a gospel group an individual singer
16:54
whether it be through a Pianist an
16:56
organist combination whether it be
16:59
through a stringed instrument uh being
17:01
sung as a solo or whether it be a full
17:04
band with gospel singers or what we call
17:07
praise singers singing it together
17:09
incorporating and leading the entire
17:11
congregation music is important in the
17:14
church house it opens up the portals of
17:17
the heart so that when the preacher
17:19
preaches or whoever is bringing the
17:20
message that day the hearts have been
17:23
open to receive the word of God because
17:27
of the fellowship and the welcome of the
17:29
spirit of God in the service Christian
17:32
music remains a part of the service
17:36
because it enhances faith it also
17:40
enhances devotion
17:43
so having said all
17:46
that love the music in your church
17:49
encourage your singers as just as you
17:51
encourage your pastor because it's a
17:54
Ministry unto them and if you can
17:56
participate it's even better because to
17:59
participate makes you one of the group
18:02
together in Fellowship in praise and
18:04
worship to God so that when the
18:06
blessings flow not only do they come in
18:08
a corporate manner they'll come as an
18:10
individual manner because you were there
18:13
too now having said all that if you have
18:16
a song you like to sing I'm going to
18:18
incorporate some music in my future
18:20
programs so write me at the email
18:23
address that you're about to see also if
18:26
you would let me know something you
18:28
would really like to know as far as a
18:31
topic for me to speak on I'll
18:33
investigate it I'll research it and I'll
18:35
share it with you God bless you until we
18:38
meet again
#Arts & Entertainment
#Music & Audio
#Religious Music