Singing songs in the Sunday services is one of God’s effective methods of “making disciples”. Jesus expects us to keep His comprehensive purpose — to make disciples — at the centre of our service for Him.
A disciple is one who is being “taught” the teachings of Jesus, and who is being “admonished”, or corrected and directed into obeying these teachings in her or his daily lifestyle. The head and the heart are both harnessed to become like Jesus.
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Songs, like the sermons, will proclaim Christ, teaching and admonishing everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ (Colossians 1:28). Choose and sing those songs that will fulfill this high purpose. This is not an easy assignment, for even the apostle laboured and struggled with all the energy Jesus gave him, to disciple people for Jesus (Colossians 1:29).
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As you prepare the song list for each singing opportunity, make sure you select some songs of every genre (psalms, hymns and spiritual songs) that will achieve this purpose. Include such teaching while forming horizontal songs among the vertical worship songs that tend to dominate the Christian hit parade.
These will be congregational songs that fulfill the Great Commission.
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This is Jesus’ job description for His church for all time, till He comes again:
Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and in the Name of the Son and in the Name of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. — Matthew 28:19 – 20
This is not an easy task, and we, like Paul, will “struggle” as we do it. But the energy of Jesus is available, because He gave us the best promise possible:
Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. — Matthew 28: 20
