In today's Chinese church, the topic of sacred music ministry may conjure up various impressions among different age groups. Older believers tend to associate it with the solemn and magnificent singing of choirs, while younger members are more likely to think of Spirit-filled, passionate worship and praise. Over the past two decades, choirs and worship teams have flourished in churches across the country, and some urban churches have even begun to move towards unionization, institutionalization, and internationalization in choir development.
In spite of that, does sacred music ministry in churches merely equate to choirs or worship ministry? What more valuable significance does sacred music ministry hold for the long-term development of churches? What aspects of sacred music ministry in current Chinese churches need to be corrected and updated? Pastor Zhu, a full-time minister of sacred music at a church in East China, has been observing and pondering over these issues for many years.
Recently, the Gospel Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, spoke with Pastor Zhu about the current state and future of sacred music ministry and education in Chinese churches. Drawing on his years of experience visiting grassroots churches across the country and his background in sacred music education, he expressed his concerns and reflections on the ministry and shared his aspiration for the integration of sacred rituals, music, and teachings.
“To change the current state starts with a shift in mindset.”
On the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Zhu, who had been teaching in the sacred music department of a seminary for over a decade, applied to leave his teaching position and return to grassroots churches to engage in frontline sacred music ministry establishment. Speaking about recent trends in sacred music education in China, Pastor Zhu expressed frustration. “The overall number of students studying theology is decreasing, and even fewer choose sacred music. The teaching staff and quality of sacred music departments are also affected.”
Regarding the causes, he noted that in addition to objective and universal factors such as rigid professional thresholds, the remuneration of grassroots preachers, tensions between older and younger generations, changes in the broader church environment, and the impact of the pandemic, the limited or even biased understanding of sacred music ministry among a considerable number of grassroots churches in China is an inescapable subjective and profound reason.
Over the years, Pastor Zhu has conducted sacred music lectures in grassroots churches in the country as an invited expert lecturer. However, according to his observations, the development of sacred music ministry at the grassroots level is not optimistic.
“Sacred music ministry is seen by many churches as a 'secondary matter’ next to the pulpit ministry, and some even believe that it is unimportant, thinking that having it is better but not essential. Therefore, very few grassroots churches in China are willing to invest dedicated effort in selecting and cultivating sacred music talents.”
“Studying theology, becoming a minister, and being ordained as a pastor is a prevalent concept among many pastors and fellow workers, including theology students, for serving in churches. Pursuing a major in sacred music is considered a relatively unpopular and niche path,” said the pastor. On the other hand, when it comes to organizing or training choirs and other sacred music-related ministries, many churches struggle to find qualified professionals within their full-time staff and have to rely on lay believers with a music background or even non-believers for assistance. “This is the contradictory and awkward reality of sacred music ministry in churches.”
According to Pastor Zhu, sacred music education in China’s theological education system is a relatively late starter and has developed slowly. Many provincial seminaries have only begun exploring the establishment of sacred music majors in the past 15 years. However, some of these institutions have reluctantly discontinued their sacred music departments shortly after establishment, resulting in domestic sacred music education remaining at a relatively constrained level. The scarcity of student resources and the slow improvement in the quality of sacred music teaching has gradually formed a vicious cycle.
“In reality, it is not that there is a lack of talented individuals for sacred music in grassroots churches; rather, there is a lack of vision to discover and the burden to educate them,” said Pastor Zhu, who has seen numerous promising candidates for sacred music. “To alter the current situation regarding sacred music talent, education, and ministry, church leaders must undergo a transformation in their attitudes and perspectives towards sacred music.”
Apart from misconceptions in talent education, Pastor Zhu also observed certain deviations in the understanding of worship and praise among grassroots churches, specifically the confusion between congregational hymns and personal devotional songs.
He explained that traditional congregational hymns are primarily used during the worship segment of Sunday services, characterized by their solemnity and dignity. Elements such as harmonies, major triads, triplets, and cadences in their melodies embody the serious Trinitarian theological perspective, aiming to unite the entire congregation in offering holy and reverent praise to the Triune God.
In contrast, personal devotional songs primarily express an individual’s spiritual communion with God and articulate the beautiful relationship between man and God. They are more versatile and accessible in their singing styles but have a relatively narrower theological scope, making it difficult to represent the collective sentiments and emotions of all believers or evoke a spiritual resonance among the congregation.
“Many grassroots churches today often overlook this aspect when selecting hymns for Sunday services, leading to a certain degree of impropriety in worship rituals,” Pastor Zhu recalled. In some cases, churches even disregard the compatibility between hymns and biblical teachings, choosing songs arbitrarily without considering the theme.
He elaborated, “Sacred music has different usage scenarios based on themes. Fellowship activities might favor lively and joyful praises, while evangelism might utilize concise and catchy short songs. Sunday worship, however, requires a reverent and solemn attitude, necessitating the use of timeless, classic hymns to offer praise to God.”
Furthermore, he stressed that for churches to provide more comprehensive nurturing and pastoral care through sacred music, pastors themselves must possess a sound theological and ecclesiological perspective, along with a certain level of understanding of liturgy. They should not blindly cater to the preferences of believers while compromising the foundation of the gospel truth, ensuring that sacred music becomes a powerful aid in deepening the lives of believers.
“There is still a long way to go for the development of sacred music in China. Both professional sacred music talents and the sacred music literacy of pastors and ministry colleagues are indispensable. However, all efforts will be futile without a change in perspective,” Pastor Zhu concluded.
From a transcendent and macro perspective
Pastor Zhu analyzes that the relatively limited understanding of worship rituals and sacred music ministry among Chinese grassroots churches is intimately tied to the unique historical trajectory of Christianity in modern China. From the early arrival of missionaries to the post-denominational era today, Chinese churches have consistently placed a higher emphasis on the word of God than on sacred rituals and music. Particularly during periods when churches could not openly gather, the word of God became the most fundamental expression of faith for Chinese Christians, a consensus that has been passed down through generations and continues to influence today.
“While the word is indeed the core of our faith, sacred music, and rituals, as vehicles for expressing the teaching, should not be overlooked,” he added.
Explaining to the Gospel Times, Pastor Zhu notes that, from the perspective of the relationship between humanity and God, sound and music, as gifts bestowed upon humanity by God, serve as tangible channels for conveying intangible spiritual grace. Through music, humans can use breath, and tone as aesthetics to express gratitude, reverence, and praise for God, a form of expression that transcends mere words.
Furthermore, at a theological level, Christology stands at the center of Christian doctrine, and Christ’s redemption is the focal point and sole path of Christian theology. Sacred music, often referred to as “music under the cross,” serves as a means of singing praises instead of prayers, expressing recognition and celebration of Christ’s salvation, and conveying the essence of the gospel message. Hence, Pastor Zhu believes that when rituals and music are combined, Christian theology and the word of God can be more perfectly articulated.
Moreover, Pastor Zhu recognizes the unique value of sacred music ministry in both internal pastoral care and external church buildings. He states that since ancient times, humanity has recognized music’s healing effects on the mind and spirit. Even today, music is used in medical fields as a form of anesthesia. However, he emphasizes that these developments are centered on humanism. In contrast, sacred music, centered on God, helps redirect people’s focus from themselves to God during spiritual exercises, aligning their bodies, minds, and spirits with God’s will.
“When we sing or listen to sacred music in church, the sound of praise nourishes our souls like raindrops, inspiring fragile hearts to enter a state of piety. If we are ships, then sacred music is the wind that carries us before God.”
Earlier in his career, Pastor Zhu served as the instructor for the course “Church Music Administration” at a seminary. He explains that based on the current operations of grassroots churches, sacred music ministry plays a vital role in every function, including worship, pastoral care, preaching, and service. However, to maximize the effectiveness of sacred music in each function, churches must establish dedicated sacred music departments for management and regulation.
“Establishing a sacred music department is indeed a significant test of a church leader’s leadership capabilities,” the pastor notes. First, church leaders must recognize the importance of sacred music ministry for the church’s operation and development, find solid biblical and theological foundations, and clearly communicate the value of the sacred music department to the entire congregation. Second, leaders must set a vision and benchmark for what the sacred music department aims to achieve within the church, fostering unity and clarity among members as they collaborate with other church ministries. Third, leaders must have a clear understanding of the specific tasks of the sacred music department and delegate them to specific colleagues for gradual achievement according to plans. Finally, they must mobilize colleagues and congregation members to participate actively, enabling sacred music ministry to better support the church’s operations through orderly participation.
“If a church possesses a well-established sacred music ministry, including a director, choir leaders, church leaders, and elders’ committee members, and is able to actively collaborate with other departments under orderly and effective coordination, as well as establish an overall work plan chart, evaluating and formulating the development direction of music ministry and talent cultivation plans in conjunction with the church’s cyclical development outline, then this church is bound to grow even more rapidly,” said the pastor.
However, he also candidly admits that the music ministerial aspect in domestic grassroots churches is still relatively lagging behind, or even non-existent. Currently, few churches have been able to establish a relatively robust system, and this is an urgent task for Chinese churches to undertake.
“Behind the planning issues of sacred music ministry lies a reflection of the planning issues of the entire church in terms of its macro vision, mission, direction, and future prospects. I also hope that Chinese churches can update their concepts as soon as possible, not only to revitalize the ministry but also to truly usher in a revival of Chinese churches,” he added.
During the pandemic, Pastor Zhu launched a personal sacred music column on WeChat, updating continuously knowledge and techniques related to sacred music as well as analysis of outstanding such music through articles and video courses. Although the hits mostly are hundreds and thousands, he still enjoys sharing the content on his social media and forwarding it to his friends, hoping that more colleagues can learn more about sacred music. He stated that regardless of the current reality, someone needs to advocate for the importance of holy music ministry, and he firmly believes that God will work at the right time to bring such music truly into the heart of Chinese churches and become a nurturing force for more souls yearning for spirituality.
- Translated by Charlie Li
在当今中国教会，提起圣乐事工，不同年龄段的基督徒的脑海中或许会呈现出不同的印象，年纪稍长的信徒大多会联想到恢弘肃穆的诗班颂唱，而年轻的肢体们则更多会想到灵恩充满、纵情赞扬的敬拜赞美。近二十年来，诗班、敬拜团在各地教会百花齐放，甚至不乏有些城市教会在诗班建设上逐步开始走向联合化、建制化、国际化。
但是，教会中的圣乐事工是否仅仅等于诗班或敬拜事工吗？圣乐事工对于教会的长远发展又有着哪些更具价值的意义？当下的中国教会在圣乐事工方面又有哪些需要纠正与更新的内容呢？华东某教堂的专职圣乐牧师朱牧师多年以来一直在观察与思考这些问题。
日前，《福音时报》同朱牧师围绕中国教会圣乐事工以及圣乐教育的现状及未来进行了交流，他结合自己多年来在各地基层教会的走访经历以及从事圣乐教育的历程，提出了自己对于圣乐事工的担忧与反思，并表达了自己期待圣礼、圣乐、圣道能够彼此融合。
“改变圣乐现状，首先要从理念转变开始”
疫情前夕，在神学院担任圣乐系教师接近十余年的朱牧师申请离开了教学岗位，回归基层教会从事一线圣乐事工建设。提起近些年来国内圣乐教育的发展趋势，朱牧师有些无奈。“读神学的学生总体在减少，报圣乐的就更少了，圣乐系的师资力量和教学水平也受影响。”
至于原因，朱牧师表示，除了专业门槛硬性限制、基层传道人待遇、新老一代张力、教会外部大环境的变动以及疫情冲击等客观普遍因素以外，当今国内相当一部分基层教会中对于圣乐事工认知理念的局限甚至偏颇则是不容忽视的深层主观原因。
多年以来，朱牧师以特邀圣乐专家讲师的身份在全国各地基层教会进行过圣乐讲座，然而据他观察，基层圣乐事工的发展状况并不容乐观。
“圣乐事工被许多教会认为是排在讲台事工之后的‘副项’，甚至还有人觉得圣乐事工无关紧要，有了更好，没有也无所谓。所以国内现在愿意投入专门的精力去开展圣乐人才的遴选与栽培的基层教会可以说非常少。”
“读神学，做传道，按牧师，这是很多牧者同工包括神学生对于教会服侍的普遍观念，读圣乐专业算是比较冷门偏门的道路，”牧师说。但另一方面，往往一提起组建或培训诗班等圣乐相关事工，许多教会又难以从专职同工队伍中找到对应专业的人选，只能依赖于有音乐从业背景的平信徒甚至是非信徒提供帮助。“这就是圣乐事工在教会矛盾的现实，也是尴尬的现实。”
朱牧师介绍，圣乐教育在中国神学教育体系中属于起步较晚、发展较慢的领域，不少省份的神学院都是在近十五年来才开始尝试探索建立圣乐专业，但其中不少院校在建立圣乐系后的短短几年又黯然撤销，这也让国内圣乐教育始终处在相对局促的水平，生源的薄弱稀缺与圣乐教学水平质量的提升缓慢逐渐成为一个乏力的闭环。
“实际上基层教会并不是真的没有圣乐人才，而是缺乏发现的眼界与栽培的负担。”走过许多教会，朱牧师曾看到过很多大有潜力的圣乐苗子。“所以，要想改变圣乐人才、教育以及事工的现状，教会领袖一定要对圣乐的理念态度上有所转变。”
除了在人才教育上存在观念误解，朱牧师还留意到基层教会对于敬拜赞美同样存在一些观念偏差的现象，即会众圣诗与个人圣诗的混淆。
他表示，传统会众圣诗主要的适用场景是主日礼拜中的会众敬拜环节，风格以庄重肃穆为主要特点，其中曲调中的合声、大三和弦、三连音、终止式等背后都有着严肃的三一神学观点，其旨在借助全场会众在颂赞中向三位一体的神献上圣洁敬畏的赞美。
而与之有别，个人性的圣诗则更多是表达个人与神在灵里的交通以及抒发人神之间的美好关系，其适用范围更多用在信徒的日常信仰生活的各个场景之中。尽管其在演唱形式上可以更加多元化与大众化，但是个人性圣诗在神学意涵上则相对有些狭义，难以代表全体信众的心声与情感，也很难引起所有会众的灵魂共鸣。
“当今许多基层教会在主日挑选圣诗的过程中往往不太注重这个方面，因此在一定程度上造成了敬拜礼仪的失当。”牧师回忆，更有甚者，有些基层教会甚至不看圣诗与圣道的契合度，不看主题随意挑选圣诗献唱。
他解释道：“圣乐按照不同主题有着不同的使用情景，团契活动可以以活泼欢快的赞美为主，福传活动可以用言简意赅、朗朗上口的短歌，主日敬拜则需要以敬畏与庄重的心去对待，因此需要用跨越时代、历久弥新的传统古典圣诗去向神献上颂扬。”
同时他也强调，教会若要在圣乐方面为信徒提供更加全面的熏陶与牧养，那就需要牧者自身首先具备健全完善的神学观、教会观，并且对于崇拜学要有一定程度的了解，同时不能一味迎合信徒的喜好而失去福音真道的根基，这样才能真正让圣乐成为信徒生命进深的强大助力。
“中国圣乐的发展还有很长的路要走，专业化的圣乐人才以及教牧同工的圣乐素质装备都是缺一不可的，不过要是没有观念转变，一切都是空谈。”朱牧师说。
用超越与宏观的视角解读圣乐
朱牧师分析，相较于西方教会，中国基层教会对于崇拜礼仪与圣乐事工相对局限的认知与近现代中国基督教特殊的历史进程不无关系。从早期的传教士入华，到如今后宗派时代的发展，中国教会对于圣言的重视程度始终是远远高于圣礼与圣乐。尤其是在教会长期无法公开聚会的时代，圣言就愈发成为中国基督徒最朴素的信仰追求，而这样的认知也在教会代代传承中形成普遍共识，影响至今。
“圣道固然是我们信仰的核心，但是圣乐与圣礼作为圣道的表达载体，也是不可轻忽的。”他补充道。
朱牧师向《福音时报》解释，从人神之间的关系来看，声音与音乐作为上帝赐予人类受造的礼物，是用外在可感知的途径表达内在属灵恩典的通道。借着音乐，人类可以运用气息、声调，以美的方式向上帝表达自己的感恩、尊崇与颂扬等情感，是言语之外更加高级的表达形式。
而进一步就神学层面而言，基督论是基督教教义的中心，基督的救赎是基督教神学的焦点与唯一进路，而圣乐则正是被称为“十字架下的音乐”，是用颂唱代替祈祷，表达对于基督救恩的认同与颂赞，传递福音信息的本质。因此他始终认为， 礼仪与音乐相结合时，基督教神学以及上帝的道能够更加完美的演绎出来。
此外，朱牧师认为圣乐事工在教会内部牧养与外部建造上有独特价值。他表示，自古以来，人类就看到了音乐对人的心灵与精神的疗愈功效，甚至在如今的医疗领域，音乐还担当着麻醉的效用。但在他看来，这些都是围绕着人本主义而发展的。但圣乐是以上帝为中心的，所以圣乐能够帮助人在灵性操练中让人将焦点从人转向上帝，让身心灵都回转到上帝的旨意当中。
“当我们在教堂里面颂唱或聆听圣乐时，赞美之声将会像雨露一样滋润人的灵魂，鼓舞脆弱的心灵进入到虔诚的状态。如果我们是船，那么圣乐就是风，把我们带到上帝的面前。”
早先在神学院授课时，朱牧师曾担任过《教会音乐行政》课目的主讲教师。朱介绍，参照当前广大基层教会的运转过程，在崇拜、牧养、布道、服务等每一项功能中，圣乐事工实际都在其间发挥着重要作用。但是，至于如何统筹协调圣乐在每项功能中能够发挥最大化效能，那么教会就一定需要建设专职的圣乐行政部门进行管理调控。
“圣乐部的设立实际上对于教会领袖的带领能力是一个艰巨的考验。”牧师表示，首先教会领袖自身需要明确圣乐事工对于教会运行发展的重要性，并找到扎实的圣经真理及神学依据，并向全体会众清晰地说明圣乐部的价值。其次，教会领袖需要做好圣乐部在教会内需要成就的愿景标杆，从而让大家在带着合一与明晰的心去与教会其他事工联合配搭。第三则是教会领袖需要对于圣乐部门的具体任务了然于心，并交由具体同工按照计划逐步达成，最后则是要在任务执行中呼召发动同工与会众，共同让圣乐事工在有序的参与中更好地助力教会的运行。
“如果一个教会拥有一个建制完善，包括指挥、诗班班长、教会骨干，长执会骨干的圣乐部，能够在有序有力的协调下积极与各事工部门配搭发力，并设立整体的工作计划图表，结合教会周期发展纲要进行圣乐事工发展方向、以及人才栽培计划的评估与制定，那么这个教会一定能够发展得更加迅速。”牧师说。
但是他同样也坦言，目前国内基层教会在音乐行政方面起步还是相对滞后，甚至可以算作空白，目前很少有教会能够建立起相对健全的系统，这个也是中国教会需要建立的迫切工作。
“圣乐事工规划问题的背后，实际能够反映出整个教会在宏观异象使命与路向前景层面的规划问题，我也期待中国教会能够尽早更新理念，不仅让圣乐事工再度活跃，也让中国教会真正迎来复兴。”
疫情期间，朱牧师在微信公众平台开设了个人圣乐专栏公众号，并不间断用文章以及视频课程的形式更新圣乐相关知识技法以及优秀圣乐解析。尽管阅读量大多在三四位数徘徊，但他依旧乐此不疲地坚持在自己的朋友圈转发分享，期待更多同工能够了解更多圣乐的内容。他表示，不论现实如何，呼吁圣乐事工的重要性的事情需要有人去做，他也坚信，上帝会在合适的时间动工，让圣乐真正走进中国教会的核心，成为更多渴慕灵魂的造就。
【专访】华东圣乐牧者谈：期待圣乐事工真正在教会落地
In today's Chinese church, the topic of sacred music ministry may conjure up various impressions among different age groups. Older believers tend to associate it with the solemn and magnificent singing of choirs, while younger members are more likely to think of Spirit-filled, passionate worship and praise. Over the past two decades, choirs and worship teams have flourished in churches across the country, and some urban churches have even begun to move towards unionization, institutionalization, and internationalization in choir development.
In spite of that, does sacred music ministry in churches merely equate to choirs or worship ministry? What more valuable significance does sacred music ministry hold for the long-term development of churches? What aspects of sacred music ministry in current Chinese churches need to be corrected and updated? Pastor Zhu, a full-time minister of sacred music at a church in East China, has been observing and pondering over these issues for many years.
Recently, the Gospel Times, an online Chinese Christian newspaper, spoke with Pastor Zhu about the current state and future of sacred music ministry and education in Chinese churches. Drawing on his years of experience visiting grassroots churches across the country and his background in sacred music education, he expressed his concerns and reflections on the ministry and shared his aspiration for the integration of sacred rituals, music, and teachings.
“To change the current state starts with a shift in mindset.”
On the eve of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Zhu, who had been teaching in the sacred music department of a seminary for over a decade, applied to leave his teaching position and return to grassroots churches to engage in frontline sacred music ministry establishment. Speaking about recent trends in sacred music education in China, Pastor Zhu expressed frustration. “The overall number of students studying theology is decreasing, and even fewer choose sacred music. The teaching staff and quality of sacred music departments are also affected.”
Regarding the causes, he noted that in addition to objective and universal factors such as rigid professional thresholds, the remuneration of grassroots preachers, tensions between older and younger generations, changes in the broader church environment, and the impact of the pandemic, the limited or even biased understanding of sacred music ministry among a considerable number of grassroots churches in China is an inescapable subjective and profound reason.
Over the years, Pastor Zhu has conducted sacred music lectures in grassroots churches in the country as an invited expert lecturer. However, according to his observations, the development of sacred music ministry at the grassroots level is not optimistic.
“Sacred music ministry is seen by many churches as a 'secondary matter’ next to the pulpit ministry, and some even believe that it is unimportant, thinking that having it is better but not essential. Therefore, very few grassroots churches in China are willing to invest dedicated effort in selecting and cultivating sacred music talents.”
“Studying theology, becoming a minister, and being ordained as a pastor is a prevalent concept among many pastors and fellow workers, including theology students, for serving in churches. Pursuing a major in sacred music is considered a relatively unpopular and niche path,” said the pastor. On the other hand, when it comes to organizing or training choirs and other sacred music-related ministries, many churches struggle to find qualified professionals within their full-time staff and have to rely on lay believers with a music background or even non-believers for assistance. “This is the contradictory and awkward reality of sacred music ministry in churches.”
According to Pastor Zhu, sacred music education in China’s theological education system is a relatively late starter and has developed slowly. Many provincial seminaries have only begun exploring the establishment of sacred music majors in the past 15 years. However, some of these institutions have reluctantly discontinued their sacred music departments shortly after establishment, resulting in domestic sacred music education remaining at a relatively constrained level. The scarcity of student resources and the slow improvement in the quality of sacred music teaching has gradually formed a vicious cycle.
“In reality, it is not that there is a lack of talented individuals for sacred music in grassroots churches; rather, there is a lack of vision to discover and the burden to educate them,” said Pastor Zhu, who has seen numerous promising candidates for sacred music. “To alter the current situation regarding sacred music talent, education, and ministry, church leaders must undergo a transformation in their attitudes and perspectives towards sacred music.”
Apart from misconceptions in talent education, Pastor Zhu also observed certain deviations in the understanding of worship and praise among grassroots churches, specifically the confusion between congregational hymns and personal devotional songs.
He explained that traditional congregational hymns are primarily used during the worship segment of Sunday services, characterized by their solemnity and dignity. Elements such as harmonies, major triads, triplets, and cadences in their melodies embody the serious Trinitarian theological perspective, aiming to unite the entire congregation in offering holy and reverent praise to the Triune God.
In contrast, personal devotional songs primarily express an individual’s spiritual communion with God and articulate the beautiful relationship between man and God. They are more versatile and accessible in their singing styles but have a relatively narrower theological scope, making it difficult to represent the collective sentiments and emotions of all believers or evoke a spiritual resonance among the congregation.
“Many grassroots churches today often overlook this aspect when selecting hymns for Sunday services, leading to a certain degree of impropriety in worship rituals,” Pastor Zhu recalled. In some cases, churches even disregard the compatibility between hymns and biblical teachings, choosing songs arbitrarily without considering the theme.
He elaborated, “Sacred music has different usage scenarios based on themes. Fellowship activities might favor lively and joyful praises, while evangelism might utilize concise and catchy short songs. Sunday worship, however, requires a reverent and solemn attitude, necessitating the use of timeless, classic hymns to offer praise to God.”
Furthermore, he stressed that for churches to provide more comprehensive nurturing and pastoral care through sacred music, pastors themselves must possess a sound theological and ecclesiological perspective, along with a certain level of understanding of liturgy. They should not blindly cater to the preferences of believers while compromising the foundation of the gospel truth, ensuring that sacred music becomes a powerful aid in deepening the lives of believers.
“There is still a long way to go for the development of sacred music in China. Both professional sacred music talents and the sacred music literacy of pastors and ministry colleagues are indispensable. However, all efforts will be futile without a change in perspective,” Pastor Zhu concluded.
From a transcendent and macro perspective
Pastor Zhu analyzes that the relatively limited understanding of worship rituals and sacred music ministry among Chinese grassroots churches is intimately tied to the unique historical trajectory of Christianity in modern China. From the early arrival of missionaries to the post-denominational era today, Chinese churches have consistently placed a higher emphasis on the word of God than on sacred rituals and music. Particularly during periods when churches could not openly gather, the word of God became the most fundamental expression of faith for Chinese Christians, a consensus that has been passed down through generations and continues to influence today.
“While the word is indeed the core of our faith, sacred music, and rituals, as vehicles for expressing the teaching, should not be overlooked,” he added.
Explaining to the Gospel Times, Pastor Zhu notes that, from the perspective of the relationship between humanity and God, sound and music, as gifts bestowed upon humanity by God, serve as tangible channels for conveying intangible spiritual grace. Through music, humans can use breath, and tone as aesthetics to express gratitude, reverence, and praise for God, a form of expression that transcends mere words.
Furthermore, at a theological level, Christology stands at the center of Christian doctrine, and Christ’s redemption is the focal point and sole path of Christian theology. Sacred music, often referred to as “music under the cross,” serves as a means of singing praises instead of prayers, expressing recognition and celebration of Christ’s salvation, and conveying the essence of the gospel message. Hence, Pastor Zhu believes that when rituals and music are combined, Christian theology and the word of God can be more perfectly articulated.
Moreover, Pastor Zhu recognizes the unique value of sacred music ministry in both internal pastoral care and external church buildings. He states that since ancient times, humanity has recognized music’s healing effects on the mind and spirit. Even today, music is used in medical fields as a form of anesthesia. However, he emphasizes that these developments are centered on humanism. In contrast, sacred music, centered on God, helps redirect people’s focus from themselves to God during spiritual exercises, aligning their bodies, minds, and spirits with God’s will.
“When we sing or listen to sacred music in church, the sound of praise nourishes our souls like raindrops, inspiring fragile hearts to enter a state of piety. If we are ships, then sacred music is the wind that carries us before God.”
Earlier in his career, Pastor Zhu served as the instructor for the course “Church Music Administration” at a seminary. He explains that based on the current operations of grassroots churches, sacred music ministry plays a vital role in every function, including worship, pastoral care, preaching, and service. However, to maximize the effectiveness of sacred music in each function, churches must establish dedicated sacred music departments for management and regulation.
“Establishing a sacred music department is indeed a significant test of a church leader’s leadership capabilities,” the pastor notes. First, church leaders must recognize the importance of sacred music ministry for the church’s operation and development, find solid biblical and theological foundations, and clearly communicate the value of the sacred music department to the entire congregation. Second, leaders must set a vision and benchmark for what the sacred music department aims to achieve within the church, fostering unity and clarity among members as they collaborate with other church ministries. Third, leaders must have a clear understanding of the specific tasks of the sacred music department and delegate them to specific colleagues for gradual achievement according to plans. Finally, they must mobilize colleagues and congregation members to participate actively, enabling sacred music ministry to better support the church’s operations through orderly participation.
“If a church possesses a well-established sacred music ministry, including a director, choir leaders, church leaders, and elders’ committee members, and is able to actively collaborate with other departments under orderly and effective coordination, as well as establish an overall work plan chart, evaluating and formulating the development direction of music ministry and talent cultivation plans in conjunction with the church’s cyclical development outline, then this church is bound to grow even more rapidly,” said the pastor.
However, he also candidly admits that the music ministerial aspect in domestic grassroots churches is still relatively lagging behind, or even non-existent. Currently, few churches have been able to establish a relatively robust system, and this is an urgent task for Chinese churches to undertake.
“Behind the planning issues of sacred music ministry lies a reflection of the planning issues of the entire church in terms of its macro vision, mission, direction, and future prospects. I also hope that Chinese churches can update their concepts as soon as possible, not only to revitalize the ministry but also to truly usher in a revival of Chinese churches,” he added.
During the pandemic, Pastor Zhu launched a personal sacred music column on WeChat, updating continuously knowledge and techniques related to sacred music as well as analysis of outstanding such music through articles and video courses. Although the hits mostly are hundreds and thousands, he still enjoys sharing the content on his social media and forwarding it to his friends, hoping that more colleagues can learn more about sacred music. He stated that regardless of the current reality, someone needs to advocate for the importance of holy music ministry, and he firmly believes that God will work at the right time to bring such music truly into the heart of Chinese churches and become a nurturing force for more souls yearning for spirituality.
- Translated by Charlie Li
Interview With Pastor: Looking Forward to Sacred Music Ministry Taking Root in Chinese Churches
