As about half of the typical American church service involves music, I have a few modest wishes.

But first, a couple of caveats. I’m not a professional musician. But neither is the majority of pew sitters. I’m in good company.

And, I propose that worship music has a primary purpose: to collectively communicate with God with adoration and love.

With that, here are 5 simple wishes for the musical side of worship.

  1. Select singable songs. Stick with the solid, inspiring winners. If a song’s lyrics tie directly to the subject of the sermon but the song is a musical dud, please spare us.
  2. Music leaders, accept your role as encouragers of others to sing. Resist using the microphone to amplify your vocal gymnastics that may be artistic but impossible for us mere mortals to follow.
  3. Refrain from projecting video images of the musicians on the big screens. Help us focus on God.
  4. Set the sound levels of the musicians so as not to overwhelm the combined voices of the community of worshipers.
  5. Try moving the musicians out of sight. Set up in back. At least once in a while, help us simply listen, sing, focus on the words, and worship.

“Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.” Psalm 66:4