Without Limits: Singing the Congregation’s Song

“Of course the young people prefer contemporary worship music…” In our recent work with teens and emerging adults, we have found that this statement is widely assumed, even sanctioned, often in contexts in which it remains unquestioned. And yet, while contemporary worship musical expressions are proliferating, Christian congregations continue to decline in numbers (Pew, Barna, et al.).

Our proposed panel discussion will guide a conversation in three parts: First, we will invite panelists to reflect on why this assumption has been so widely internalized among pastors, worship pleaders, youth leaders, and laity (young and old), even as some find it historically and theologically misguided. Second, we will present research findings from our recent qualitative study of teenagers’ experience of and reflections on liturgical difference, particularly in their practice of global song in public worship. While our study was limited in scope, we believe it presents strong indicators that young people have a far deeper appreciation for liturgical difference and diversity in corporate song than we give them credit for. Songs from non-Western sources, especially those sung in their original languages, were noted as particularly formative. Our panel will unpack why this may have been the case. Finally, we will attend to this phenomenon in practice. Based on our study, there appear to be particular conditions that may contribute to an environment in which young people will hospitably celebrate diversity in congregational singing.

Included on this panel are the co-investigators of the study alongside two worship leaders who have noted experience leading young people in a wide range of congregational songs. As a conversation that seeks to widen the liturgical imagination of those leading the Church’s young people in song, this panel is well-suited for the conference theme, “Without Limits: Singing the Congregation’s Song.” We plan for all four panelists to present at the conference in person.