INTRODUCTION
The choir is an integral part of the church and plays a vital role in the spiritual soundness of the church. Music is Part of the kingdom business and began scripturally as far back as in the days of Jubal the son of Lamech (Gen. 4: 19-21), and through the scriptures, there are references to music being sung by Christians (Priest and Prophets inclusive) unto God- Exodus 15:20, I Samuel 16: 16, I Chron. 25: 3, Psalm 33: 2, 43: 4, etc.Jehoshaphat, one time king of Judah appointed singers to sing in the place of soldiers during a battle second Chronicles 20: 21. The sons of Asaph were Levitical musicians (Choristers) - I Chronicles 15: 17-19 with others from the same tribe. In the New Testament, we have the heavenly hosts singing to the Lord always.
Thus the singing arm of the church (choir) is of paramount importance to God and should also be to the church and the Pastors. Hence the researcher in this research work tries to look into the obvious things to be considered while setting up the church choir and what actually should be the roles of this group in the church.
1. DEFINITION OF TERMS
a. SETTING UP:
To set up means to arrange for something to happen, to create or start something. It can also mean to make something to happen – keep something in motion. Setting up is the progressive form of set up. Setting up therefore, in this context stands for the arrangements for or creating good / conducive atmosphere or organisational structure for starting a choir in the church.b. CHURCH:
The word church can imply a building for public Christian worship, particular Christian organization or Christians collectively. However church in this sense stands for and will be limited to a particular Christian organization which has defined structure, leadership setting and to say with precise or defined doctrines – set of beliefs. The church determines the way or the structure of the choir.
c. CHOIR:
The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary defines choir as ‘a group people who sing together for example in church services or public performance’.
2. THE ROLES OF THE CHOIR IN THE CHURCH
One question is to be asked before setting up a church choir and the question is “why do we need choir in the church?” It is important that this question be properly answered since the knowledge of the importance or the roles of the choir in the church can be very motivating and even instigating and can without measure spur the church (pastor, deacons, elders etc) into action, not just to set up the choir, but to set it up with passion and keen interest and to a standard.
The researcher in this research work was able to come up with the following roles / importance of the choir;
a. The choir leads the church in worship (hymns, praises): It is the duties of the choir to organise songs, hymns, etc. during rehearsal for the divine service of the church. So long as the worship aspect of the church is concerned the choir should champion it.
b. Makes the service lively and interesting: In every church where the choir is what it should be, the service (worship of the church) is livelier, more interesting and many people have been attracted to churches not because of the pastors’ preaching but due to profitable and soul enriching choir ministration.
c. The pastor as well can draw (receive) inspiration through sound choir ministration: 2 Kings 3: 15 “But now bring me a ministerial. And it came to pass when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. And he said...” In the passage above, Elisha could not minister without a minstrel playing (a kind of choir involvement (music), but when, it played inspiration came.
d. Sound ministration of the choir can bring down the power and the healing hand of God upon the people: A critical further look at the above passage (2 Kings 3: 15) makes it clear that playing of music can bring down the hand of God not only on the ministers but also for the benefit of the congregation (the listeners).
e. The choir is a representation of the heavenly Seraphs in the service of God on earth (Luke 2: 12-14). Above with God, there is a host of Seraphs (heavenly host/angels) singing and praising the God of heaven and here on earth, the choir is the like of such host praising God.
f. God inhabits (dwells, tabernacles, attends etc.) the service of the church via the choir ministration (Psalm 22: 3) “... o thou that inhabits the praises of Israel”. This is very clear, praises draw God to his people and as a very popular saying has it that when people pray, the prayers go up like incense to God, but when they praise, God himself comes down to tabernacle with them and you can imagine the result of such God’s presence
g. The choir can lead in a military procession (2 Chron. 20:21) “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord...as they went before the army and to say ...”. Thus the Choir (singers) were chosen to lead the military procession in a strategic war during Jehoshaphat’s days and so it is still in our time (spiritually).
h. Spiritual warfare can be won through choir ministration “And when they began to sing and to praise the Lord, the Lord sets ambushments against the inhabitants...” (2 Chron. 20:22). God lays ambushments and discomfits the enemy when the choir sings.
i. The choir leads in service procession and Recession. The choir leads the procession into a divine service and the recession from worship in some orthodox and liturgical churches thus making the service pretty good and orderly.
j. Sound choir ministration can lift up burden and take away sorrows from the lives of the church members. If people listen to sound choir ministration/songs, burdened hearts and sorrowful lives can be liberated, as songs are like healing to the sick mind.
k. Finally, the choir as a body can bring people together both youths, children and adults alike in a very lively union and fellowship thus giving people the liberty of growing together in love.
3. SETTING UP OF THE CHURCH CHOIR
In setting up the church choir, many things must be put into consideration since the choir has enormous roles to play in the church both spiritually, liturgically and physically in and during service/worship of the church. The roles of the choir as seen above make the setting up of a choir a thing of seriousness and in need of due attention to make it effective.The researcher therefore, in this work tends to find out the various steps to adopt in setting up a standard church choir. The following steps will be deemed necessary.
i. Set up a choir committee:
The first step to be adopted by the pastor (pastorate) is to set up a committee of matured, experienced (in faith) and balanced men and women who will sit up and look into the rest of the requirements for setting up a standard choir in the church. The committee is to be headed by a spirit filled leader and should be answerable to the pastor of the church. The committee in their subsequent meetings will sit and define other steps to follow.
ii. Selection of the choir master/music director
The next step and the first thing the selection committee will do is to select the choir master or the music director. The concept of using the choir master or the music director here (though their works and specialization may differ) is that some churches use them interchangeably. However in selecting the choir master, the committee will and must consider life more than skill and profession. The choir master is expected to be born again and experienced in the faith i.e. not a novice to the faith and must be of good character and sound moral as he is to head the choir as the pastor heads the church.
iii. Standard for choristers (admission).
The selection committee with the choir master prescribes what they will look for in the choristers before they are chosen. Through the pastor’s announcement in the church for need of choristers, many will come. It is then the duties of the committee to consider and select who should be in the choir. Various things to be considered include;
a. Being born again: every member of the choir is expected to be born again since it is a spiritual business and service unto God via the church.
b. Talents: This is the next thing to be considered, it is true all can sing, but not all can join the choir, thus the committee with the choir master / music director determines the people to be enrolled.
c. Voice auditioning/classification: This is the sole task of the music director or choirmaster who figures out the various voices in their parts - the soprano, alto, tenor and bass. Discovering these four parts gives choirmaster the ground to kick off the choir and thus efficiency and professionalism are attainable.
iv. Rules and regulations in the choir:
This is either done by the selection committee or the choir executive headed by the choirmaster or both together. There must be rules and regulations in the choir as regards to time, regularity, morality and discipline etc. Else everyone does as he or she likes and there will be no orderliness. Therefore activities and behaviours must be duly and properly regulated by and through the rules to be enacted.
v. Discipline in the choir:
Through the views rules and regulations in the choir, discipline is easier to be attained. The church must make sure that misconduct in the choir is not swept under the carpet rather ensures that offenders are dully punished, thus others will learn their lessons. Discipline is essential in the choir to avoid breeding rebels, arrogant and incontinent choristers. If this is done, the glory of God can flow through the choir to the church and God will tabernacle with his people.
vi. The Choir and the pastorate:
In setting up a standard church choir, the choir-pastor relationship is very essential and must not be neglected. The pastor must have a very cordial relationship with the choir and vice versa. The choir via the choirmaster or the choir pastor must be linked to the head pastor of the church. This enables them flow in the spirit of the Lord and avoid crashing which hampers the fruit of the choir ministration and hinders the excellent move of the power of God.
vii. Rehearsals:
This is the next essential thing to be considered while setting up the church choir. Having selected the choristers the next thing is to fix days and time of rehearsals. This enables for perfection and professionalism. If the choir will make impact, regular rehearsals with full attendance is inevitable as this enable the choir to practice and perfect their songs for subsequent presentations. The rehearsals should include as a matter of fact time of prayers and fastings and time of general choir meetings or fellowshipping where they share their problems, prospects, aspirations and inspirations together as a people.
viii. Song Bank:
Song bank as is the name given to it by a music director simply connotes documentation of some songs already rehearsed and presented or rehearsed but not yet presented or songs not rehearsed but will be considered before rehearsal and subsequent presentation via electronic or manual means. This is very essential as it enhances sustainable continuity, transition from one set to the other and for easy selection of songs for presentation
4. CHOIR ORGANOGRAM – ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
In looking at the choir organisation, this research work aims at listing the various leadership positions in the choir which are essential in building (setting) up a standard church choir. The researcher in his research discussed the following leadership positions:
a. The choir pastor or chairman: As the name implies, he is the pastor to the choir. He may not be a member of the choir but he is the spiritual head and must ensure discipline in the choir alongside the choirmaster and also represents the choir at the meeting of the pastorate or the church board.
b. Choir master/ music director: The choirmaster is the administrative head of the choir (the leader) and sees to the day to day running/ activities of the choir. The music director where they exist separately is to assist the choir master in rehearsals and key selection. The music director is and should be more professional than the choir master where the two exist and must not rub shoulders with the choirmaster over the leadership of the choir.
c. Other choir executive include;
i. The secretary: he/she documents transactions and minutes of choir general or executive meetings-He should be literate.
ii. Financial secretary/treasurer: keeps records of financial transactions and where the choir keeps their money, the treasurer should take care of that.
iii. Provost/P.R.O: where the two are separated, the provost ensures orderliness during choir practice while the PRO (Public Relation Officer) is the link between choir and public and helps in disseminating information of any kind to the members.
iv. Part Leaders: These are people who are picked from various parts as representatives or leaders. They are expected to rehearse some songs ahead with the choir master and in turn to teach same in their various parts during general rehearsals, thus making the choir master’s work/duties easier.
v. Wardrobe attendant(s): The major duties for this officer are to ensure neatness in dressing of the choristers. He can go a long way to determine the dressing for particular outing and this implies that he/she should be “fashionable”. In churches that use general robes, he/she ensures that the robes are well attended to after any outing and oversees to the washing either by taking them to a dry cleaner or otherwise.
vi. Librarian: As the name implies, he/she keeps records of songs whether rehearsed but not performed or already presented songs. He/she takes care of the song bank of the choir and at such should be able to provide any song at need.
Note that each of these positions may or may not have an assistant. But if it does, their functions are not distinct from these.
CONCLUSION
If the choir will be what it should be and play the roles it should play, then care must be taken in bringing the choir to be. The pastor must make diligent efforts to ensure that standard is maintained and holiness is the life of the members.
Moreover, prayer is an inevitable aspect of the things to be considered as the prayer holds all things in the church together and the pastor must see the choristers as part of the ministering team instead of underrating them and calling them names (insultive).
Finally both the pastorate and the choir must work together to actualise the goals of God in allowing for music in the church, by not giving room to the Devil to have his way and they must strive to avoid bad eggs in the choir which is capable of corrupting the others.
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