Music - take it to church

This is not a religious post, but it is inspired by church. Someone asked me why I go to church. I know they were expecting an intelligent response, but I ended up replying “to listen to music for free”.

Before you judge me, where else can you go to listen to uplifting music for free? I mean, the church performance (praise and worship) is rehearsed, the instruments are live, and the singers are always on key.

I recently attended the mid-week service at a pentecostal church in Lagos and the sound coming from the choir was so energetic. Just listening, I felt the power in the room and I was drawn to it! I had gone into the church hall with fear and doubt on my mind. Then I heard the band and felt a presence - all of a sudden I had goose pimples and the fear and doubt was gone! I couldn’t remember what I was worried about, I was taken by the music and the spirit of God. Music is really a powerful thing. (We’l l talk about the psychology of music another day).

Back when I lived in Sheffield, I took a friend of mine along with me to Hope City church, as the choir/band performed, she seemed teary. After church, she asked why I didn’t tell her it was a jam session.  Church music has evolved just the same way secular music has over the years. Even the presentation style of the praise session has changed. Depending on the church you go to, there might even be light effects and a smoke machine, it's almost like a concert and you don’t even have to pay to attend. Somebody shout hallelujah!

For many of us Nigerians, our first exposure to music and musical instruments was at church either singing hymns in the traditional institutions or praise and worship in more modern pentecostal churches. If there was thanksgiving you were to dance, sing, clap and celebrate to the alter. If you didn’t go to church, I'm sure they probably made you sing at school. I remember my primary school assemblies and singing from my s.o.p (Songs Of Praise) booklet.

Now I see why many of artistes boast of kicking off their music careers in church. The rehearsals, coordination and exposure to all kinds of instruments would without a doubt provide some form of music discipline. Several Nigerian artistes like Don Jazzy, Iyanya, Timaya, Waje and Wizkid had their early music beginnings in church.

Come to think about it, I’ve only just realized that the first concert I properly ever went to was not a Jay-Z concert but a church one. There are several reasons why I go to the house of God and music is one of them.