Singing is a fading ability in churches of christ.

The ability to read music is a fading ability in the churches of Christ. Most song leaders, unwilling to learn different songs lead songs they grew up with. That means they lead the songs the song leaders led in the congregations they attended in their formative years. Which means those song leaders led songs they grew up with and on and on. Unwilling to learn different songs means most congregations of the church of Christ are singing songs a song leader 150 years ago learned and lead. Most songs sung in churches of Christ are written by people with whom most members of churches of Christ differ. In the minds of the members of churches of Christ the authors of their favorite hymns are lost for eternity. 

 

Less than 100 years ago congregations of churches of Christ had to sing "new" songs because none existed. Today there would be even less singing than there is. Many congregations sing 10 or so stanzas in an assembly and few, if any, complete songs. Singing is seen as the way of choice to keep the assembly to an hour duration.  

 

Joe Ed Furr of Sherman Texas has taught the history of church music at his singing school for 40 years. The following is excerpted from an article Changing "Generations and Song Repertory" written by Joe Ed Furr. The Singing School

 

At the singing school, each summer song writers are introduced and their stories told. A line or two of some of their most famous songs are sung.  Usually the students are able to sing a line or two of the most famous songs from memory without having to look up the songs in a hymnal. 

 

A few years ago things changed.  When it came time to sing a line or two of the most famous hymns and gospel songs the adult members of the class sang along, but the teens did not.  It was obvious today's teens can no longer sing a line or two of class hymns from memory.

 

 

During the week of the singing school the teachers carefully select songs to encourage the students to sing all styles of songs.  Classic hymns, gospel songs, southern gospel, spirituals, and songs of praise and worship are blended together.  The students select their favorite songs from that list of selections.

 

On the last day of the singing school the ten most popular songs determined by the students are sung.

 

Classic hymns and gospel songs are rarely found on that list.  A few of the Stamps-Baxter southern gospel songs used to be found on that list, but not recently.  Spirituals and songs of praise and worship are the dominant songs on the list.

 

Classic hymnals published for churches of Christ used to never print southern gospel, spirituals, or songs of praise and worship.  Hymnals used to publish only gospel songs and a small number of hymns.  Today's young people are no longer interested in the songs that once dominated hymnals.

 

At the end of the nightly singing lab at the singing school we turn out the lights in the chapel and admire the huge stained glass walls that surround us.  In the dark the students spontaneously break into singing songs they can sing from memory.  Almost all those songs are songs of praise and worship.

 

You can read how the  taste in church music changes over time. It should be eye-opening to realize that young people unable to sing a line or two of classic hymns and gospel songs.