The Place Of The Vocal Solo In Worship

A vocal soloist can function in much the same way as a choir, leading the people's song and presenting additional music that may be required by the structure and theme of a given order of service. This article addresses several practical concerns related to this role. Do solo singers have a place in our worship services today? In recent years many Christians have struggled with that question. Some insist that soloists are superfluous, unrelated to the heart of true worship. Others are convinced that soloists call attention to themselves rather than lead the congregation in worship through music. Still others believe that all parts of the worship service should be marked by participation rather than observation and that hymns, which involve the worshiping people directly, are therefore more appropriate than solo numbers. All these objections have validity. But they reflect the need not to rid our services of soloists but rather to find ways to use them more appropriately. The chie…