Easter Worship Songs Are A Necessity In Today’s Church
The celebration of resurrection Sunday is a crucial day in most churches around the world globally. From storefront worship centers to megachurch facilities, it is widely revered and acknowledged through specially prepared sermons and Easter worship songs. Also called “Pasch”, it happened somewhere around 30 A.D. starting with the death of Christ on Friday, and rising early on Sunday morning from a borrowed tomb. It symbolized the ultimate sacrifice that allowed us to again have access to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Churches mostly recognize it by having special services, with music being a crucial component. For any church, music is what helps keep the flow of service and helps set the tone for God’s Word to be preached. Most choir directors will spend a great deal of time choosing the most appropriate Easter worship songs. Whether it be Easter hymns or choral selections, some choirs will start preparation months in advance. Usually they will follow a liturgical calendar, with a period recognizing the seder celebration, with Palm and Resurrection Sunday soon to follow.
The Classic Collections
There are plenty of songs to choose from, such as Andrae Crouches hit, The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power, to a more recent contemporary, The Blood Still Works, by Malcolm Williams. Perhaps one of the more popular songs would be Kirk Franklin’s Don’t Cry. This composition begins with a piano prelude performed by Richard Smallwood. The song’s melodic line is a soft reminder of His death giving us an opportunity at life. Another great Easter song is He Was Hung Up by the late Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. The rich Hammond organ gives a personification of the sacrifice Jesus made in laying down His life.
The old spirituals of the church have seen a great comeback in more recent years. Ride on King Jesus is a classic that is mostly performed with no instruments, but can be improvised for accompaniment on piano or organ. In comparison, Kirk Franklin’s Now Behold The Lamb has become a mainstay on the celebratory weekend of His death. The lyrics truly embody the importance of His commitment to bridge the gap between humanity and the Almighty God.
Churches have become accustomed to having live worship bands in service. But due to budget constraints, many have turned to using instrumental music. With the economy fading and contributions to offering plates dwindling, they are forced to find other means of supporting their services. Many sites offer these types of songs to be used in a live setting, but finding a variety can at times be very tedious. To carry a whole service, one would need praise and worship selections, uplifting offering music, and some type of invitational song. Transition between these songs is crucial in keeping a good flow of worship and keeping everyone involved.
Hopefully, churches will in the future experience an increase in tithes and offering to support having a musician staff. There is nothing like having musicians to carry the worship, because it give liberty to flow in whatever direction The Spirit leads. Until then, accompaniment tracks will continue to be an important factor in churches today.