Church Muzak

At a recent event where I had planned the worship services, led the singing, and played the piano, the bishop in charge asked me to "play a little background music as the people are coming in." In another situation recently, I was asked to "play softly during the prayers of the people." Another frequent request is to "play quietly as the people take Communion." What is the attraction of this background music? Why do those in charge of worship want "Church Muzak"?

Some observations:

1. Some, including many pastors, think the sound of music coming from the piano, organ, band, or CD player will signal to those mingling and visiting in the narthex, social hall, or outside the sanctuary that it is time to come to the sanctuary for worship. Music here serves the same function as the bell that rings between classes in schools.
2. Some believe the sound of pre-service or prelude music will have a calming or quieting effect on people, leading them into a spirit of worship, signaling that it is time to end their conversations and begin their meditations. My experience is that it only makes people talk louder.
3. As a postlude or sending forth, the expectation is that the music should be a barn-burner, with lots of energy and volume and played at a fast tempo. We want to "send them out with a bang," energized to proclaim their witness to the world. I find that most postludes are ignored.
4. When it's time for the children to come forward for the children's sermon or to return to their seats, we are expected to play "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" or "Jesus Loves the Little Children" or something similar. Perhaps the music will encourage the children to move quickly so as not to delay the service; or perhaps we don't want to hear the sound of small feet scurrying down the aisle or back to their seats.
5. Some churches include a spot early in the worship bulletin for the seating of latecomers, and there is often music played at that point. (I always wanted to play a chorus of "Get Me to the Church on Time," but never had the nerve.)
6. Many pastors like to do a pastoral prayer in the service, followed by the congregational Lord's Prayer, and preceded by silent congregational prayer accompanied by soft music, especially using flutes and celestes on the organ, or the DX-40 or one of those ethereal, other-worldly voices on the keyboard.
7. And quiet background music during Holy Communion — what is its purpose? to cover up the shuffle of feet and the clinking of trays? to inspire the people to a mood of quiet and meditation? to give them a familiar hymn tune that may prompt suitable words for consideration? or maybe nothing more than to entertain them while they sit silently in their pew as the rest of the congregation communes?

As you may gather, I am quite critical of all these uses of music in worship, seeing little difference between them and the Muzak in the elevator, the mall, or the doctor's office. It leads me to the following conclusions:

1. We are afraid of true silence in worship. It makes us nervous. It may make us feel vulnerable and exposed. In my mind, those may be the very reasons to incorporate periods of utter silence in worship.
2. Church Muzak masks the real sounds of worship: moving feet, coins in the offering plate, the clink of Communion trays, the cries of infants, the wail of an emergency siren going by outside…. All these can be welcome acts and sounds of worship — promptings for prayer.
3. But worst of all, I find in this Church Muzak an element of manipulation, even control. It is an attempt to foster a mood, an emotion, or an attitude on the part of the worshiper. We recognize that this can also be done through a sermon, a hymn, a prayer, or some other element of worship; but we do these honestly and openly, most often with spoken or sung words. We actually invite the participation of the people, and they are free to respond as they will. But there is often a subtle, subconscious, manipulative effect that Church Muzak can have on people that we must be very careful of. Is this a proper role for music in worship?
4. Finally, there is the need on the part of the musician to exercise his or her craft, to use the gift of music in worship with honesty and integrity. There is a time for music to console and comfort, as well as to inspire and celebrate. There is a time for the organist to proclaim "Thus says the Lord!" from the organ bench. Perhaps the next time we are asked for "a little background music while the people are coming in," we should suggest "a little background praying or preaching" instead.

Music used and abused in the name of ministry is not ministry. We must take care to know the difference between Church Muzak and Church Music.