Selecting Music That Fits with the Sermon

One of the most difficult parts of being a church musician is choosing appropriate music for the sermon. Music should complement the message and help emphasize and reflect on the main points.

Have the pastor give you the scripture passage and main theme early in the week. Then, check out the indexes to your hymnal. There are several, probably including verse and topic. It's pretty rare for there to be a hymn based on the exact verse your pastor is preaching on, but you never know. The topical index is usually more helpful. Remember to look up several similar ideas to get a broad spectrum of related hymns. Some online hymnals also allow you to search according to topic. As you become more familiar with the songs in your church's book, it will get easier to figure out which ones will work best for that week.

Along with topical choice, I like to choose hymns according to their placement in the service. An energetic hymn of praise is a great way to start the service (Crown Him with Many Crowns; Hallelujah, Praise Jehovah; etc.). In the middle of the service, I often opt for a more contemplative hymn (Man of Sorrows; Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted). At the end, an old favorite (Amazing Grace), and hopefully one that echoes the message of the sermon, is a good choice. Of course, this is a flexible plan, and can be adjusted according to your church's order of worship.

Keep in mind that in every church, but especially in a small church (simply because you have fewer people singing), it is important that people be familiar with most of the music in the service. Learning new hymns is a great idea, but sometimes a new or difficult tune can distract from the message of the song. Having only one new song at a time is usually the best option. Your congregation loves to sing music they know, and repeating familiar truths is a great tool for spiritual growth. When you are getting ready to introduce a new song, play it for an offertory or prelude for 1-3 weeks before you introduce it as a congregational song. You can even play it as a prelude on the day you introduce it. This way everyone will be at least familiar with the tune.