I was raised by a Pastor, who was ultimately just a lover of God that enjoyed learning about pretty much anything and everything.  He also enjoyed sharing that knowledge with pretty much anyone and everyone.  While I may not have been too thrilled as a 10 year old, I really appreciate it now.

Two of the people that I heard about the most often were John & Charles Wesley, and for good reason.  Both incredible men, John and Charles are credited with starting the Methodist movement.  John being known more for theological works, and Charles as a musician and song-writer.  (Bonus factoid: John Wesley was the first person to put the term “agree to disagree” in print, and it was around the theological differences of Armenianism and Calvanism.)

Anyhoo, the other day I stumbled across some writings of John Wesley and the following golden nugget was in there:

John Wesley’s singing rules for Methodists:

1. Learn the tune. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.
2. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.
3. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.
4. Sing lustily and with a good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, than when you sung the songs of Satan.
5. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy harmony, but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.
6. Sing in time. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to sing too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.
7. Above all, sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually.

I think this is incredible, and it blows me away that each of these 7 rules is just as applicable in our worship settings today as they were in the 1700’s when Wesley was working in the church.

I love how he lays out 6 very practical musical boundaries and expectations that create a framework for his final and most important rule: the importance of the heart and the motive.

~chris