HOW WE WORSHIP: From traditional to modern, all styles of music used to draw the faithful closer to God

Religious texts are the backbone of faith and help followers put their beliefs into action. These teachings are interpreted during worship services through sermons, messages and readings, but also largely through music.

"Music is universal. There's not a country, there's not a tribe, there's not a people that doesn't have music," said Ben Murray, worship leader at Piedmont Church in Macon. "That's one of the reasons worship music started. Everyone has a common agreement when it comes to music."

While music is a major element of services for many area worship centers, the way it's approached and presented differs substantially from one house to the next. From traditional to contemporary to a cappella, and everything in between, a variety of music styles can be found in our region.

"Music can take people places spiritually where words don't," said Jimmy Asbell Jr., senior pastor at Vineville United Methodist Church in Macon. "It's a way to help people hear the word for the day. It can carry a lot of emotion, a lot of passion."

TRADITIONAL

St. Francis Episcopal Church in Macon uses traditional-style music during its services, which includes several hymns from a 1982 hymnal, an organ prelude and postlude, and sung congregational verses, responses and prayers. Organ is the only instrument used, and a choir of about 12 sings an anthem at the early service on Sundays, said organist and choirmaster Ellen Wilson.

"Some of the hymns are more recent, but we do sing a lot of old hymns from the 17th century," she said. "They go way back. The congregation knows them and sings them with good heart."

The content of the services is set forth in the prayer book. Wilson said many members grew up with the traditional Episcopal service, and the ones who didn't continue to attend because they like it and it speaks to them.

"(The music) highlights certain parts of the service. It perks your interest and gives you a little something else. It keeps you more involved in the service, in the actual unfolding of the service," Wilson said.

A CAPPELLA

The music at North Macon Church of Christ is created through voice alone. There are no special performances, only congregational singing of selections that are in the hymnbook or projected on the wall.

Minister Harry Goff said the church's a cappella practice is based upon several passages in the Bible that reference music through lips and not adding to it.

"You do not find the use of the instrument anywhere in the New Testament. You're making music from the heart. We do not feel like instrumental music adds anything to it," Goff said. "People who are not used to it, when they hear it, they can't believe how well it sounds."

Goff said the church building recently was filled with people for a funeral service, and all the voices combined for a beautiful experience.

Members sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs themed around praise, reverence, adoration and thanksgiving. The scripture tells them to sing with spirit and understanding, and with melody and grace in their heart, Goff said.

CONTEMPORARY

Piedmont Church, a portable, interdenominational church that meets at Tattnall Square Academy, takes a modern, rock-inspired approach to its music.

Murray leads the congregation in singing with a five- to seven-piece band, featuring electric and acoustic guitars, bass, keyboard and drums. He said the church tries to pick upbeat songs that are easy to learn and often gives a new twist to old hymns, such as "Amazing Grace," "Blessed Assurance" and "Jesus Paid It All."

"I think people who grew up in your more traditional style churches, they don't necessarily listen to that kind of music. I think this kind of music, the more modern contemporary style, is more suited to the kind of music they listen to now," Murray said. "The truth of the words is still the same, but the style of the music has been (altered)."

The musicians sometimes play with pre-recorded tracks when pieces call for instruments they don't have, such as accordion or banjo. Lyrics are projected onto a screen, and LED lights and video segments are often incorporated as well.

Piedmont aims to create a comfortable, casual and engaging environment, Murray said.

"A lot of the songs encapsulate that message of who God is. It's a time that we can use to be reminded of who he is," he said. "As a congregation, there's nothing more powerful than God's people coming together and singing together about who he is."

SEPARATE SERVICES

Vineville United Methodist Church in Macon has offered both traditional and modern Sunday services for 16 years. But, it also combines the services for holidays and special occasions and plans regular fellowship events to bring everyone together.

Two traditional services are held in the sanctuary and attended by about 60 percent of the congregation, Asbell said. Musical selections are classic, choral, scriptural-based selections, with organ as the main instrument, said Dennis McCleary, the church's director of music and organist/pianist.

A violinist, flutist, cellist and harpist sometimes accompany as well. Separate adult choirs sing for each gathering, and a preschool and elementary choir and hand bell group also perform on occasion. Between 30 and 45 people usually attend the earlier service, which can be more "quiet and meditative," and hymn lyrics are shown on a retractable screen.

The modern service, held in the church's Christian Life Center, keeps almost the same order of worship but trades the choir and organ for four singers and drums, keyboard, bass, acoustic and electric guitars, said youth minister and contemporary worship leader Mike Kennibrew.

The musicians lead the congregation in song, with the words projected on a screen, and perform special pieces every four to six weeks. Old hymns are given a fresh sound through modern arrangements, but new songs are also in the lineup.

"There's definitely plenty of people who would much rather be in the kind of service they grew up in with the piano, organ and choir. Others say, musically, it feels like there's more life and it feels more fresh and authentic (at the modern service)," Kennibrew said. "I think whatever speed you're at in terms of the type of worship that you prefer, it's being offered and it's being done well."

Two years ago, First Baptist Church in Centerville began blending modern and traditional music in its services, which attracted more young families but caused them to lose some seniors, said former associate worship pastor the Rev. Matthew Schallmo.

Membership has increased since the church transitioned to two separate services in May, and both services are equally attended.

"The second service is louder and feels more like a Christian concert. The first one is more tame and classical," said Schallmo, who just moved to Florida after two years with First Baptist. "With two services, I think it gives us a bigger target to reach as many people in our congregation as possible on one given day, based on their heart language."

These two options have created an environment where the majority can best connect with God, he said.

The early service has piano-led music from the hymnal and a choir that performs more special pieces. The contemporary service is more energetic and band-driven. Schallmo leads on guitar along with a praise choir.

BLENDED STYLES

Other places of worship have chosen to incorporate many music styles into their services. Hebron Fellowship Baptist Church in Byron has four main choirs: Youths of Purpose, Prayer and Praise for ages 9-18; the Onesimus male choir; the Fire praise team; and the Hebron Inspirational Singers men's and women's group.

Each choir does one song per service, backed by the Descenders of Faith band or organ, said First Lady Dianna Vining. Once a quarter, all the choirs combine to sing together. The Worship Warriors dance team, Sonshine Choir for ages 3-8 and Drama Ministry also perform on their own and with the choirs. The choirs do a bit of everything, from quartet pieces and classic hymns to hip-hop, a cappella, gospel, R&B and rock.

When old spirituals are sung, Pastor Daryl Vining Sr. explains why they are important and what they mean to the older generation so young people can better understand them, his wife said. He also ministers by adding Godly lyrics to recognizable songs, such as "Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flack.

"We try to be as diverse as possible, because our congregation is diverse. You want to try to meet the needs of all the members. Music is very important to our congregation," Dianna Vining said. "We range from 60- to 70-year-olds to two 6-month-olds. You want to be able to get the message of Jesus and his love to everybody regardless of what level they're on."

She said some people like the contemporary songs better and others relate more to the traditional pieces, but the congregation "kind of rocks to whatever the music is." The most important thing is that people are getting something out of the songs.

Union Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Warner Robins takes a similar approach. Minister of Music David Little said the services use music ranging from old worship pieces to popular tunes with new inspirational words, although the early Sunday program is a little calmer and incorporates more traditional songs and hymns.

Little has adapted songs from artists such as Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, the Commodores, Kenny Rogers and Phil Collins. Sometimes the congregation joins in, and other times they just sit back to enjoy special performance pieces.

"It brings curiosity. It's nothing like coming to church knowing what you're going to get -- that's boring. If you come to church and you've got the spirit of redundancy ... I wouldn't want to come back next Sunday. But when you come with the spirit of expectation, that is a drawing point and it causes a reaction in your congregation," Little said.

The mass choir performs the first Sunday of the month; the praise team and women's choir on the second; the children on the third; and the men's choir on the fourth. There's also a dance group, and members contribute by playing instruments such as piano, organ, keyboard, bass, drums, percussion, trumpet, trombone, clarinet and violin on some Sundays.

The goal of the music ministry is to meet the unique needs of everyone in the congregation and present important faith messages, Little said.