How Much Variety in One Service?

How much should the styles of music be mixed in one worship service?

Let me start by saying that the answer to this question will depend, at least partly, on what the congregation is accustomed to. If they have always had a single style in any given service, throwing a whole bunch of different styles in one service will surely be too much.

Having said that, it can be very healthy for a congregation to experience a variety of musical styles. However, trying to include many styles in any given service can be cumbersome or even confusing for people. If you want to include multiple styles in your church’s music program it is best to attempt it over a series of services rather than in a single meeting.

One church where I ministered awhile back utilizes several different music teams, each with a different style. The music pastor asks visitors not to judge the church from a single service. “Give us a month,” he says, “and we’ll show you a full array of musical styles.” If you want to use several different styles of music for praise and worship, this approach seems to be better than trying to incorporate them all into one meeting.

This is not to suggest that using more than one style of music in a service is wrong. However, using many styles during one service can seem chaotic.

Of course, all this assumes that you have musicians able to handle a variety of styles. Most churches do not have such luxury. If you’re one of those in the majority, you can still encourage your worship ministry team members to learn and grow in their musical understanding. This may enable you to some day be able to utilize other styles of music in your services.