Greetings to our brothers and sisters at Christ Church! It has been a (chilly) whirlwind, but the Conway family is settled and continues to settle in Toronto. I must thank you all for the warm welcome. We are very thankful to God for how He has provided for us in this transition and the opportunities He has placed before us to love and serve Him and His people.
We arrived just in time for winter after spending 7 years in Singapore where we grew a family and I did music, congregation, and campus ministry. My music experience comes from my life before Christ in which I worked as a touring and recording musician and songwriter. And I have been delighted in the years since to discover the ways in which these gifts can be oriented to God and the service of His church.
I’m blessed to be able to continue that service among you at Christ Church. I will be overseeing and leading the singers, the musicians, the song choosing – all things related to our singing God’s praises week to week. In order to give you a sense of how I will pursue ministry among you here are some of the ideas that have impacted me and which I try to work out in ministry.
The Congregational Voice
Where is the action in worship? On the stage? In the choir? In many churches that love and emphasize music the impression is given that the action of worship is on the stage. And in many cases the stage does sound good. But across the Bible God paints a picture of a people (not a band) gathered to Himself, and this people sings. I believe the congregational voice itself is the music ministry of the church. The church doesn’t sing along with the band, rather, the whole church sings – and some are gifted and set aside to play and lead with instruments.
This means that when I’m leading from the front or singing in the pews I will be listening to… you! You may notice in the coming weeks the instruments dropping out during songs. The power has not cut out. We’re enjoying the congregational voice! When I pray for my ministry among you the first thing I will pray for is our united, joyful, congregational voice.
Singing as a Ministry of the word
You may have heard before the concern that the songs of the church be biblical and theologically rich and robust. This is right and will continue to be important at Christ Church. But there is a challenge to meet as we make sure that our singing is a ministry of the word. And that is to make sure that our singing is a ministry of the word. Which is to say that singing on Sunday is both an offering of worship to God and a service we engage in for one another. We sing up to God as well as out to one another. As Paul writes:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16)
This is something many of us know instinctively. When we hear the confident voices of our brothers and sisters it ministers to our hearts. But it is not as common as it could be to hear worship and singing spoken of in terms of ministry and pursued in this way. I will be praying for our love for God, out of which we offer up melody to Him. I will be praying for our love for the saints, out of which we offer out ministry to one another. Music and singing uniquely reach and expresses the heart. When our hearts are rightly oriented to God and to each other, joyful music ministry follows. Some of you may notice me looking around at you while we’re singing. I’m not looking for my children. I’m singing to you!
Treasures old and new
In Revelation 15 John sees the victorious saints singing “the song of Moses,” and “the song of the Lamb” (15:3). A reference to God’s works of salvation across time and a reminder that when we sing we have a wide selection of works and songs to choose from. It’s possible to assume that songs are better or worse simply on account of their age. This could mean a church only sings older songs or newer songs. But God has been at work in the world – creating conditions conducive to reflection and creativity – and the church – inspiring generations to write and sing His praises – all through history. We won’t sing everything, because we’ll watch our diet in the singing just as our elders watch our diet in the preaching and teaching. But we will enjoy the riches of the centuries wherever they lead us into grace and truth and make us strong and joyful in our faith.
Thank you again for such a warm welcome. I look forward to growing together with you in Christ and in praising His wonderful name.