Congregations of the Church of God in Christ have a vibrant tradition of praise-singing and free-flowing worship. Music styles range from traditional call-and-response songs to contemporary gospel music made famous by a variety of recording artists. Both congregational singing and gospel choir music has strong roots in the Church of God in Christ. Church leaders are concerned about keeping music focused on the gospel message of Jesus Christ.
The music tradition of the Church of God in Christ had its origin in the worship services of rural people in the deep South. The early members of the Church were people who were close to the land and did not have much wealth or education. What they did have was a desire to praise God. Therefore, with feet, hands, and voices (often joyously and at high volume), their services featured praise, songs, shouting, and dancing in the spirit. From this very genuine start has developed a unique musical tradition. From its inception, the Church of God in Christ has spawned some of the pioneering giants of religious music, and many of the current recording artists and choirs of today are affiliated with the denomination. Today’s Pentecostal worship services offer the same dynamic free-flowing spirit which made the fledgling organization ideal for African-American people.
The history of music in the Church of God in Christ can be appreciated better if one understands the corporate nature of Pentecostal worship. Pentecostals have a time for individual serene and quiet meditation. But when it comes to singing, Pentecostals enjoy the presence of the group. Pentecostals find great pleasure in seeing the demonstration of personal talents being used for God and believe that after one is saved, one’s gifts and talents must be used exclusively for the Lord. It is in worship that one’s personal fulfillment should be manifested. Thus, a converted jazz singer would quit singing jazz in the ballrooms and bars and give his or her talent back to God exclusively. There was a lot of creative power being channeled through those early local churches and the beat, the melodies, and the harmonies brought into the church approached the contemporary music of the times. The early saints did what they knew how to do while making music, and this created a foundational difference between the Church of God in Christ and others. This free influx of talented people produced what possibly was one of the major influences on the development of the denomination’s music. Hence, sacred music for the emerging Church of God in Christ was a mixture of established Negro spirituals and elements of secular origin.
The majority of the saints were simple people without means, and the purchase of songbooks was not a primary concern. People basically sang what they could remember of songs from their former religious associations. These memories were possibly the second great foundation of the denomination’s musical traditions. Often the saints didn’t sing the verses of a song but repeated the refrain over and over. This singing method was referred to as “congregational singing.” All of this lent itself well to the spontaneous and free-flowing style of Pentecostal worship. So, the congregational song tradition, in which the song was offered by whoever wanted to sing with the congregation responding, is thoroughly representative of Church of God in Christ worship.
After a time, the exclusive use of those traditional hymns gave way to a spirit of originality. The founder of the Church of God in Christ, Bishop C. H. Mason composed numerous songs. The converted field hands, jazz singers, and blues entertainers were often inspired to write songs compatible with their religious experience. Following the example set by Bishop Mason, people would announce to the congregation that the Lord gave them a song.
The fact that the Church of God in Christ is basically African-American in its origin suggests that the music fits the heritage of the people and was purely Pentecostal in essence. Songs like “I’m A Soldier” have been standards of power and inspiration. For years the call-and-response was the standard method for singing in corporate worship. The call-and-response method is one thing that could be attributed to the African heritage of the Church of God in Christ.
The genuine Pentecostal essence easily conformed to the African experience of the saints. In 1982 the publishing board of the Church of God in Christ published the Yes Lord Hymnal and offered a broad song selection representative of the Church’s total experience. The hymnal offers everything from “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” (a text of Henry Van Dyke set to Ludwig Van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”) to Andrae Crouch’s “My Tribute.” But the richest and most meaningful music in the hymnal is found in the last pages, where the old call-and-response songs are listed.
To understand truly the music of our church’s worship, one must appreciate the call-and-response method, which is the standard for congregational singing. The call-and-response song was largely used before choirs became the norm. Hand-clapping and foot-stomping Pentecostal worship always carried the saints into a fully committed style of corporate worship. The hymnal includes this third category of songs because of its importance in the life of the church. The authors of the hymnal further established that the musical accompaniment for the call-and-response songs specifically and musically fit three basic patterns of lyrics. This means that numerous songs were basically arranged to three scores of music. If a piano player could manage to play three standard tunes he or she could play hundreds of songs. Therefore, “Have You Tried Jesus?” had basically the same music as “If You Call On Jesus.” Likewise, “I’m a Soldier” and “Just Like Fire,” could be sung to the same music and rhythm. The original composers, teachers, and instrumentalists were the pioneering saints who for the most part were untrained but understood what worked. Bishop Mason would also make up little songs from Scripture and life’s experiences. Most of his songs fit the three musical patterns that characterized most call-and-response songs. Bishop Mason’s most well-known contribution was the praise song “Yes Lord!” for which the official church hymnal is named. This composition was different from the usual call-and-response song and promoted the singing of the same word in unison. The entire song has the two words: “Yes Lord!” The preface in the songbook offers the following about what praise means to the Church of God in Christ.
“Yes, Lord!” The sound of this phrase bespeaks a high exaltation found in God. Since the inception of the Church of God in Christ, the praise “Yes Lord!” has carried a wealth of spiritual meaning. Bishop C. H. Mason sang this quite free, dynamic, and spiritually lifting praise to pull the congregation together in commitment and spiritual communion. When the saints sing, “Yes Lord!” we are saying “Yes” to God’s will; “Yes” to God’s way; and “Yes” to God’s direction in our lives.
In a Church of God in Christ worship service, one will hear hymns, gospel songs, praise choruses, and psalms. The variety of musical instruments is ever-expanding. At one point, the saints simply had clapping hands and stomping feet to go along with the simplicity of verse. Possibly one of the first musical instruments that were seen in the brush harbors and storefronts of long ago was the spoons and washboard. Then the saints graduated to the tambourine. Now nearly every local church has a Hammond organ, drums, guitars, and horns, along with beautifully robed choirs that grace the Sunday morning services.
To appreciate the importance of a choir in the present Church of God in Christ, one must make a comprehensive study of the nature and function of choirs. Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, National President of the Church of God in Christ Music Department has shared her views. Dr. Clark is responsible for recording the very first gospel choir and is the recipient of three gold albums. The Southwest Michigan State Choir was a landmark group and an award-winning trendsetter in the music industry. Dr. Clark is credited with improving the singing skills of choirs when she introduced formal parts for the tenor, alto, and soprano sections of the choir. She initially began writing songs in order to create a standard of music for holiness-Pentecostal churches. Her desire was to reflect the experience of Pentecostal people in music, but more importantly, to present clear scriptural and descriptive lyrics which pointed to a loving relationship with God. Dr. Clark reflected, “The music must be Christ-centered and provide the sense of ministry to which one is motivated.” Choirs are a standard part of the local church.
Dr. Clark has said that she fashioned the choir as the veil upon the face of the bride of Christ. If the Church is the body of Christ, then the choir is the veil, symbolizing innocence. In the words of Dr. Clark, “Choir members need to be saved and able to sing with conviction about matters of faith and salvation. Just as the veil means a type of purity, so too the choir should be made of righteous individuals.” In the Church of God in Christ, choirs are a vital source of evangelism and help in stabilizing and developing youth in the church. Singing gives youth something tangible to do and a significant role to play in the ministry of the church.
When asked about modern trends in music, Dr. Clark stated that a large number of artists are interested in money. With the exceptions of “Oh Happy Day” by Edwin Hawkins, and “You Brought the Sunshine” by the Clark Sisters, contemporary music has largely ventured into the crossover market with gospel music. One strange fact is that many current contemporary artists never mention the name, Jesus. This leads many traditional artists to believe that some record companies produce music for a market, not ministry, and money becomes the chief aim of many contemporary groups. Real gospel music is about Jesus and his saving grace in the life of people. It is not merely “music with a message” as many artists of inspirational music state. “Gospel music must be Christ-centered.” She further stated that gospel music’s greatest challenge is to remain sacred. “Churches everywhere must draw the line about the form and expressions gospel music will take,” stated Dr. Clark. She is fearful that the art form and sacredness of the gospel could be jeopardized by attempting to meet market demands, especially if those markets are not serious about Christian standards.
Dr. Clark’s desire for choirs everywhere is to train them to deliver music that will help the Pentecostal message reach the masses. In the International Holy Convocation of the Church of God in Christ, the founder’s day worship service begins with an antiphon, hymns, and gospel selections. The instruments such as guitars, synthesizers, horns, and string instruments are all incorporated into the body of music. The origins and trends in music in the Church of God in Christ are representative of the Pentecostal focus of the saints and typifies the experience of the cultural blend that religion in America truly is.