Unified Worship

Creating inclusive worship through music.

Unified worship is “the coming together of various forms of expression to create diverse and accessible forms of worship.” The purpose of unified worship is to “reach all people,” in support of our church’s mission and vision statements. Everyone should feel at home in our congregations. There are of course many factors that go into this, but music plays a key role. The music selected for a divine service has a direct effect on the atmosphere and on the overall worship experience.

Our congregations are made up of members of many different age groups and with different backgrounds, ethnicities, and life experiences. Subsequently, to offer everyone only one type of worship experience isn’t a healthy option. We need to be accepting of each other’s worship preferences, and those who select songs need to understand that our congregations are filled with members who have likes, dislikes, and needs. Very few of our congregations, if any, are “one size fits all” when it comes to music and worship preferences.

Unified worship, then, is all about variety.

There’s variety when it comes to music style (mix of traditional and contemporary), participants (mix of choir and congregational singing, solos and small ensembles), and musical instruments (mix of voices and instruments). There’s a little bit of something for everyone in worship. With unified worship, everyone, at some point in the service, has an opportunity (hopefully many!) to be turned to God through music.

    • It allows various segments and age groups in the congregation to meaningfully worship God when they meet together, without excluding anyone.
    • It creates an environment in which visitors can encounter the living Lord without feeling like they’ve entered a foreign country.
    • It shows that quality worship music exists both among the music of the past and among songs more recently composed.
    • It helps avoid having two separate services (“traditional” and “contemporary”) just to meet the musical needs and preferences of the members.
    • It helps ensure that our children grow up exposed to the older, sturdy hymns of faith while also learning the value of newer worship songs.
    • It gives more members the opportunity to be engaged in worship. When there is more variety, there are naturally more opportunities for involvement.
    • It stretches us. The reason we do something in worship shouldn’t be because it’s easy or convenient, and unified worship is neither of these things. It creates a certain amount of tension, which is good, as this tension will ultimately lead to growth and maturity.
    • Take your time. Transition is a process, not an event. Unified worship won’t happen overnight. Those leading this change need to read the congregation and know when (and pray over how) to move. This change should occur gently, over time, and with exemplary leadership and execution (see next bullet!).
    • Communicate, communicate, communicate. The leadership of the music team needs to work closely with the leadership of the congregation. It is crucial that both be on the same page when it comes to goals and execution.
    • Push aside your own musical preferences. If you’re on the music team, this is crucial to the success of Unified worship. Just because you like a particular kind of music, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best fit for your congregation (at least 100% of the time). The most impactful leaders are those who can put the worship preferences of the congregation before their own.
    • Expand your “musical taste buds.” Those on the music team need to work towards having an appreciation for all styles of music and be able to create excitement around these different styles.
    • Expect challenges. It would be naïve to not expect challenges and/or criticism during a time of change and transition. The more we expect challenges going in, the more prepared we will be to meet them.
    • Don’t compromise quality. If you’re going to gently introduce more contemporary worship songs to the congregation, for instance, make sure that these songs are presented well. God deserves our best, regardless of the style.
    • Call the right people together. Even though one might be very musically talented, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they have the ability and temperament to lead change. Make sure that any individuals leading change are big-picture people who see and understand the many facets of the church, not just the worship side.