There are a lot of factors that go into planning music for a church service! When I started listing factors I think about, I was surprised to come up with at least sixteen. It’s a lot of consider, but they are all important.
Are there any other factors you would add?
1. Well-Written
It might go without saying, but the baseline criteria is that the music be well-written.
2. Dynamics
The service needs both loud and soft music.
3. Tempi
It also needs pieces that are faster and ones that are slower.
4. Length
Think about the total amount of all the service’s music, as well as how each piece’s length will feel in context.
5. Physical Movement
Depending on a church’s physical layout, movement of the choir and/or other musicians might be a factor. For instance, at my church, the choir sings from a different location depending on if they are singing with piano or organ, and I also have a noticeable move between the piano and organ. So I try to keep those moves to a minimum. If the congregation moves (such as during Communion) I also take that into account.
6. Style
A range of styles within a single service, as well as across multiple services, can help keep the sound fresh and reach people with different preferences.
7. Instrumentation
So does varied instrumentation. For instance, I try to include both piano and organ accompaniment in every service and….
8. Guest and/or Volunteer Musicians
Not every service, but regularly!
9. Relationship to Scripture
Some music specifically relates to the Scripture reading of the day.
10. Expressive of the Church’s Beliefs and Priorities
Beyond a text’s relationship to the Scripture, does the music express the congregation’s beliefs and priorities?
11. Worship and Praise
Regardless of the service’s particular theme or Scripture focus, every service needs music that expresses praise and worship of God.
12. Composers and Hymn Writers
Representation matters. Personally, I try to program a piece by a woman composer every week and a piece by a composer who is part of the Global Majority at least every other week. I also try to include congregational music from a wide range of hymn writers.
13. Familiarity
Is each piece familiar or relatively unknown to most people? One new congregational song = great. All unfamiliar songs = no fun.
14. Difficulty
For the choir and other regular musical groups, it’s good to vary the difficulty from week to week.
15. Requests
Depending on your church, you might get requests from people like guest pastors and choir members. I don’t get an overwhelming amount, so I try to honor them if I can.
16. Speaks to the Heart
It’s hard to quantify this, but ultimately we want folks to feel spiritually connected with the music.
What Didn’t Make the List
Notably, “the music director’s favorite” isn’t a criteria 😂 😂