How should we then sing?

Besides church, try to imagine other times and places where you sit or stand with a group of people you don’t know and sing. Where does that happen? Sometimes at a birthday party. Or you might stumble through Auld Lang Syne on New Year’s Eve. Or maybe during the seventh inning stretch if the game’s going well.

 Imagine going to your favorite coffee shop, standing up, and saying, “Let’s just sing a few songs together!” I doubt you’d get much participation because culturally, today, that would be weird.

 However, in the seminal book, “Worship and the Early Church”, scholar Ralph Martin writes, “The Christian Church was born in song.” Singing together has, is, and will forever be a vital part of Christian worship.

 But why should we sing? And just as importantly, how? Is there a theology of singing?