THE J. W. PEPPER BLOG | DELIVERING MUSIC SINCE 1876

THE J. W. PEPPER BLOG | DELIVERING MUSIC SINCE 1876

THE J. W. PEPPER BLOG | DELIVERING MUSIC SINCE 1876

My Top 10 Reasons for Having a Children’s Choir

on

I will never forget to this day that special night my father drove me to our church in my hometown of Shelby, North Carolina to my first rehearsal ever. It was for children’s choir, and Mrs. Melba McWhirter was the director. I can remember what my father and I spoke about, what was playing on the radio, and where the room in the church was. And a lot more. 

As with all musicians, I’ve seemingly been in thousands of rehearsals since then, but that first one will always stay with me. I couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old at the time, so the fact that I can remember those feelings of excitement and anticipation decades later (as if it were yesterday in some ways) shows how powerful that experience was for me. But I know I’m not alone in recounting such a story. I’m sure you, too, can easily remember such a musical occasion from your childhood that resonates so strongly. And perhaps it was also in a children’s choir.

Children’s choirs create lifelong magical musical memories. But it’s not just memories that you’re creating when you have a children’s choir; it’s a whole lot more. These days, when I’m doing reading sessions and other presentations before church musicians coast to coast, when I ask the question “Who has a children’s choir?” not nearly as many hands go up as did 25 years ago.

There are a variety of reasons for that as we know, but I think it’s a terrible shame that many churches have relinquished the battle for children’s time and energy in favor of other competing activities. I say it’s time to reclaim those precious moments for children’s choir! The long-term (and short-term) gains are more than worth it. So here are my Top 10 Reasons for having a children’s choir in this day and age:

10. Music Appreciation

Nowadays at an airport gate, I’m amazed as I look at the families sitting there with children. 99.9% of the time, every child, from the youngest to the oldest, has their head buried in their device of choice (so do the adults!). Get those heads out of those devices and into the interactive world of making music. 

Music appreciation is always enhanced by music education, and children’s choirs can and should be fertile ground for some basic music education. I know rehearsal time is relatively brief, so I’m not talking about anything massively involved. But the basics of note reading, rhythm, and harmony can lay a foundation for a lifetime of music appreciation for those children in the choir who will most likely make their living someday outside of music.

9. Train Them Up

Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” While of course we know this proverb isn’t referring to children’s choirs, I think the principle applies to children’s choirs as well. “Train up” a child in the children’s choir and there’s a good chance that child will keep singing their whole life long – hopefully in the adult choir eventually. And even if they don’t remain in an organized choir program, having a positive experience at church can stay with them into adulthood, making it more likely they’ll continue as a churchgoer. And we need all of those we can get nowadays (especially the younger types).

8. You Raise Me Up

Singing in a choir at an early age helps develop self-esteem, studies have shown. Performing in front of people when the choir is fully prepared and confident imprints a powerful positive impression on the child. And take things a step further: Performing in a musical where dialogue is employed with songs heightens the experience and confidence level for successfully tackling the challenges of childhood (and success breeds success, helping the child develop into a healthy adult with the confidence to tackle the challenges of adulthood).

7. A Little Child Shall Lead Them

Every time a children’s choir sings in a worship service, it’s a special event. Uncles, aunts, cousins, and others who might not be regular churchgoers come to church to hear their special one sing. It’s a wonderful moment that is commonly captured on those “devices of choice” and cherished for years to come. Do you want more bodies in the pews whose lives can also be positively impacted? Start a children’s choir and have them sing regularly or at least semi-regularly to “bring in the sheaves.”

6. It’s Not Hard

There are countless resources available to help you start and maintain a successful children’s choir. Sure, once you’ve jumped in the water you’ve got to keep swimming to go somewhere. But the benefits for all concerned will make your efforts wonderfully worthwhile. And I suspect there are volunteers from your choir or church who will happily and ably assist you in helping make it a roaring success.

5. It’s an Opportunity

While a cast of thousands isn’t required to support a children’s choir, it can create an opportunity to involve some other members of your church (especially senior adults or teenagers who generally love children). Invite a Sunday School class or other individuals to sponsor and serve refreshments at a break during or after rehearsal. Then reward them by singing your latest anthem that is ready for prime time as a private performance after the refreshment break. And if you prepare a musical, there are opportunities to involve some others in the production through various additional roles if you so choose.

4. It’s an Outreach

Have your children’s choir sing at some assisted living and nursing homes. It will show the children a world they might not be familiar with (especially if their grandparents aren’t in those spots yet… and if they aren’t, it’s a good introduction to that world). The residents of the center will be overjoyed to see the young, energetic, smiling and singing faces in their midst (and again, if you prepare a musical, that’s particularly a wonderful thing to take on the road).

3. Music Is Therapeutic

As you know, there are entire college degree programs based on the practice and career of music therapy. Studies have shown music has a positive impact on the child’s motor/sensory and academic/cognitive functions. By having children actively involved in a choir on a weekly or at least seasonal basis, the inherent therapeutic benefits of music can shine through.

2. Music Is Transformative

There are plenty of quality team-building, social interaction, you-name-it activities in which children can engage that don’t involve music. But as we know, music is a unique, God-given transformative experience like none other. 

Sure, the child will probably always remember that goal they made that won the soccer match for the team, but can they sing that twenty years later? (Therefore, reproducing the original transformative experience practically verbatim… note for note). Forgive me for comparing music with sports (although many do make that comparison for good reason at times). But the takeaway here is that sports vs. music is truly the old apples vs. oranges equation. The two activities aren’t mutually exclusive, and one can complement the other. But I believe music is in a league by itself, since the benefits of music performance and music education are too numerous to document here.

1. In Spirit and Truth

Singing in a worship service, and therefore helping lead the worship service, helps children feel the power of the presence of God in the context of worship. It will make them better worshipers as they start to grasp the impactful beauty of the worship experience. Singing in a choir at school or in a community group is its own unique experience. And likewise, so should singing in a children’s church choir… with the additional spiritual (and yes, eternal) aspect.

My personal children’s choir experience, while life-changing and unforgettable, is not unique, I’m happy to report. I estimate millions of children’s lives have been positively changed by their early choir experience. If your church doesn’t have a children’s choir, I urge you to start one as soon as possible. Those transformative experiences are waiting in the wings to happen and will give the participating children wings of their own.

And a coda: I’m still in touch with my dear director, Melba McWhirter, after that first rehearsal those many, many years ago. Another incredible gift of that wonderfully auspicious, long-ago evening (and the power of children’s choir)!

View children’s musicals for Christmas here, including the newest musical from the author’s company Jubilate Music Group – Silent Night: The Birth of a Carol.

Also view sacred musicals and general anthems for children’s choir.

Mark Cabaniss
Mark Cabaniss
Mark Cabaniss is a music publisher, producer, writer, and educator. He is the President/CEO of Jubilate Music Group, based in Nashville, Tennessee. www.markcabaniss.com.

11 COMMENTS

  1. Great reminders of why all churches need a children’s choir – and if you are already leading one, affirmation of why it’s so very important! Children who lead worship in their church choir(or Christian school choir), become the teens who lead in their youth group, and the adults who sing in the adult choir or on the praise team. Kids who bring their ‘fans’ to church definitely bring people who aren’t regular in worship, which is wonderful! I often remind my kids how important it is be sure the words are clear – just in case someone who is in worship has never heard about Jesus or hasn’t heard about Him since they were a child themselves. They are so excited to tell others what they know – it’s great to empower these little missionaries exactly where God has them! Yes. Children’s choir at church can do all that. What an amazing blessing and privilege to be used that way! God’s blessings on your new year, everyone!

  2. Wonderful article, Mark. Thank you for affirming what i have been doing for the past fifty years. I hope my singers have such treasured memories as you do.

    • Thank you Carol…wow…50 years. That’s incredible. I’m sure your singers have many treasured memories from singing in your choir. Thank you for doing what you do.

  3. Great article Mark. Our kids have taken it to a whole new level. They are writing, recording and performing original Christian music that they are writing. To date we have recorded over 40 original songs and the local Christian radio stations have started putting them in rotation. We post a new song and video every week on you tube.

    • Thank you Sam. That you and your kids are doing this is an amazing and inspiring thing to many I know (me included)! Very exciting to hear your creative approach. Soli Deo Gloria!

  4. Wow, wow, wow. I am one of the worship leaders at my church and asked our children’s ministry leader why we don’t have a children’s choir. Her response: are you volunteering?! I nervously laughed as I had never thought of it! Then it kept burning inside of me. Just today I said, ok, God, I know you don’t call the qualified, but qualify the called. Give me confirmation if this is what You want me to do. Now, I just “happened” to stumble upon your article! WOW. God just used you to confirm it. I’M STARTING A CHILDREN’S CHOIR!

    • Thank you for sharing this, Shaunna! We know you’ll do a wonderful job with the children’s choir and please don’t hesitate to let us know if we can help you in any way.

  5. Ah, Mark. Without children learning to be leaders in the church, where is the future of the church? Your article is so on point. Children and youth choirs demonstrate memories that are lifelong. Thanks for writing this. BTW, many of my high school buddies are still in touch with our choir director from First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, IL. We “sing’ to him on holidays on Facebook from old 70’s pieces that are still relevant today. And today, I am in choir….40 years later? Dawn Jantsch

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here