While music has always been among the most important elements in black Baptist churches, there has been little uniformity in practice, largely because local congregations depended mostly on pastoral leadership and lacked professional directors of music. Recent years have seen the introduction of instruments other than the piano and organ and the prevalence of popular music styles. There is a new emphasis on the other arts as well, as reflected in colorful clergy and choir vestments and in the introduction of drama.
Music has always been an integral part of the worship experience in member churches of the National Baptist Convention of America, Incorporated. Prayer, responsive Scripture reading, music, and the proclamation of the Word have comprised the most prevalent format for worship for several centuries. Art, on the other hand, was not considered to be a significant component for enhancing the worship experience, an attitude that dates back to the period when the black Baptist churches were first recognized as official denominations. Art was recognized for the medium that it is. It was appreciated and admired as something to look at, and artists were appreciated for their creativity and their tremendous aesthetic sense. But art was not considered to be a medium of worship. Black Baptists had not bridged the chasm of using the artistic beauty in the worship experience. For the most part, stained-glass windows have always been significant in the building plans of black Baptist churches even though, in many instances, there was little significant recognition of their aesthetic quality. There was, however, recognition of the biblical characters who adorned many of these windows. In contrast to the visual arts, music continues to be the standard element in black Baptist worship.
Music
Hattie L. Wade, director of music in the Galilee Baptist Church of Shreveport, Louisiana, where the president of the National Baptist Convention of America serves as pastor, suggests that evidence seems to support the theory that there is no universal philosophy of music nor music tradition in the black Baptist churches across the United States. Each church community contributes significantly to the formulation and demonstration of its own music philosophy. The formulation of a music philosophy and the variations in music styles are greatly influenced by pastors of churches, the lack of sufficient church staffing, and directors of music who have not been formally trained. The result has been that many varied musical styles and philosophies are imposed upon black Baptist church congregations.
The music philosophy of the Galilee Baptist Church, according to Hattie Wade, is predicated upon the affirmation that all music rendered must be biblically and theologically sound and rendered to the glory of God. The “Good News” of the gospel through music in the Galilee Baptist Church is centered in the worship experience and not in performance and entertainment. All music at Galilee is incorporated from the black experience, including the hymns, chants, moans, metered hymns, gospel songs (traditional and contemporary), the psalms (rendered through anthems), spirituals (with accompaniment and a cappella), jubilee music, and others. The a cappella music literature rendered in the Galilee church is based upon the scriptural record in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your heart to God.” The pastor and the director of music are the agents for change in the Galilee church. Music rendered in the worship services is planned as an integral part of the worship experience, is presented with quality and dignity, and dedicated to the glory of God. The emphasis, therefore, is not upon choirs singing and instruments playing, but on presenting an act of worship to God.
The emergence of instruments in the member churches of the National Baptist Convention of America does represent a significant change in practice. The organ and the piano have always been fixtures in the black Baptist churches, but within the last twenty years, other instruments have been employed to enhance the worship experience. These instruments are as varied as the musical styles that are used. Drums and other percussion instruments, guitars (bass and lead), trumpets, clarinets, and saxophones are now used with regularity in a number of churches in the denomination. These instruments have fostered popularity among community choirs who also use electronic keyboards and synthesizers. When community choirs sponsor musical concerts, several keyboards may be used. The emergence of these musical instruments has had a tremendous impact on worship experiences. In fact, sometimes the instruments, the styles, and the sounds can hardly be distinguished from the sounds of the “big bands.” The electronic keyboard is used in the Galilee church to heighten the effect of the text and the music.
Bell choirs were extremely popular twenty years ago and could be found in member churches where there was a long-standing and established music ministry, but they later became nearly extinct in member churches. Other band and instrument ensembles have been used less frequently. The dearth of bell choirs and band and instrument ensembles may be attributed to the lack of formal training of music directors, the economics of congregations, the long hiatus from the use of instruments in older congregations, and the fact that they are believed not to appeal to newer members. However, there appears to be a resurgence in the use of bell choirs, band, and instrument ensembles because of efforts at local schools to improve music programs. Moreover, African-American young people are purchasing their own instruments as they enroll in private and public school music programs and as they seek professional opportunities beyond high school.
Most assuredly, the consensus among trained musicians serving member churches of the denomination is that instruments can be used “tastefully” and “tactfully” to enhance worship and special musical presentations. On the other hand, the plethora of instruments in the member churches of the denomination where there is an absence of trained leadership (pastor and director of music) has caused congregations to look askance upon their usage, and trained music directors interpret their use as a display of entertainment, performance, ostentation, and self-gratification.
Suffice it to say then, that the music literature in the member churches of the denomination is in many cases limited to the preferences of the pastors and the directors of music. In some cases, the decisions regarding music are left up to directors who promote the music ministry as a top priority, rather than evangelism and mission. This occurs especially when untrained musicians are responsible for the music ministry. The result is that many choirs and individual music artists are “crossing over” into popular styles. These styles are demonstrated in the performances and the music literature sung. The traditional hymns and anthems of the church are often labeled by them as being “old and unexciting.” Many congregations have been tremendously influenced by this new approach to music ministry, in which one can hardly distinguish the sound of the popular from the sacred. If pastors of the member churches of the denomination continue to permit this contemporary gospel with its rearrangement of the text and the rhythmic beat of the popular idiom, it will become the standard repertoire for music ministry in member churches of the National Baptist Convention of America.
Nevertheless, there are still member churches of the denomination, like the Galilee church, whose music philosophy focuses upon choirs singing quality music, historically rooted in the witness of the Christian faith, biblically authenticated, and who envision their participation as servants who are partners in leading worshipers to a meaningful relationship with God and Jesus Christ rather than performing and entertaining.
The Arts
Historically, the visual arts have never been perceived as enhancers of the worship experience in the member churches of the denomination. While Baptists, especially black Baptists, have always considered themselves to be a simple people with little or no flare for the spectacular, it does seem that art, especially environmental art, has captured their attention. This is evidenced in clergy and choir vestments, church furnishings, church architecture, and sanctuary ornamentation. This most recent preoccupation with environmental art has been prompted and inspired through the promotional and marketing skills of Christian bookstores and suppliers which have done more to promote art in member churches of the denomination than the power of the spoken Word.
The new trends in colors, fabrics, and pulpit vestments for pastors have inspired a movement from the traditional dark-colored, heavy-textured, and conservative vestments to dramatic colors and fabric weights for the seasons of the year. The styles range from the traditional to avant-garde, with tunics, collars, velvet yokes, and velvet stoles. Similarly, choir robes have moved from the traditional black to multiple colors and styles.
Pulpit furniture has always been standard in the member churches of the denomination. Recently, however, the style of pulpit furniture has changed because of architectural changes in some churches. Traditionally, the pulpit desk in black Baptist churches was the central focal point for worship, but many member churches have moved to the split pulpit and the traditional center pulpit chair, with side chairs being replaced by pulpit benches. Bookmarks, pulpit scarves, and Communion table runners with colors that coordinate with the celebrative days of the Christian year are used. The pulpit furniture in many member churches is now adorned with candelabras, Bible stands, vases, and candlesticks. This has prompted many congregants to say that our Baptist freedom has now been usurped by a preoccupation with liturgical church adornments. With these dramatic changes brought about by the emergence of environmental art, pastors have given more attention to the teaching and interpretation of what these changes mean for worship.
Drama in member churches of the denomination has emerged as a result of improved program planning and the recognition that the gospel can be communicated through other means than the proclamation of the Word, the teaching of the Word, and the rendition of the Word through music. The growing concern of young people and young adults for participation in the church’s ministry has caused pastors and Christian education directors to introduce innovative ways to witness to the gospel message. Again, it appears that black Baptists have borrowed from the liturgical churches and have made drama a significant medium, especially during the festive seasons of the calendar year.
Dance, on the other hand, still has not been accepted in most of the member churches of the denomination because most black Baptists continue to associate dance with the secular. There also has not been sufficient training and teaching among pastors and Christian education directors to move from the rejection of dance to its use as a teaching and communication vehicle for witnessing to the gospel. As black Baptist pastors and Christian education directors receive more formal training, including instruction in liturgical dance and art forms, a few churches have been bold enough to use them as a part of the worship service and in other aspects of their total ministry. The Galilee church is among the exceptions because it has combined drama, dance, and music to further the presentation of the history of the black church as a significant niche in African-American history and culture.
