Gosport church worships God with power ballads and rock ‘n’ roll

By the Rev Chris Richardson, curate of St Mary’s Church, Alverstoke
Churchgoers use a variety of musical styles to worship GodChurchgoers use a variety of musical styles to worship God
Churchgoers use a variety of musical styles to worship God

I wonder what style of music you like? Classical, power ballads, grime, R’n’B, rock and roll – there are many different kinds.

There are also different styles of music that we use in church. People automatically think of organs and choirs, if they think about church music. We have both of those at St Mary’s Church.

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Like lots of other churches, we also have a music group that includes guitars, vocalists and keyboards. They tend to play worship songs that sound more like pop songs.

That might feel wrong to some of you, but there’s nothing in the Bible that says God can only be worshipped via a certain style of music.

In fact, people in the Bible worshipped him using all sorts of instruments.

For some, a choir singing an anthem brings them closer to God. For others, it will be a melodic worship song with a guitar solo, or a choir singing an up-tempo gospel number, or someone rapping over a garage beat.

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I genuinely don’t think God minds, so long as we mean what we sing. 

At St Mary’s, we host an evening service each month called ‘Invite’, which features our own band, who play more contemporary music.

We invite our churchgoers and those who don’t normally come to church to experience a style of worship they might not be familiar with.

I think it’s helpful to ring the changes like that. The lyrics of a new song might express how we feel about our faith at that precise moment.

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A new combination of instruments might breathe fresh life into a worship song we’ve sung for years.

This Sunday evening at 6.30pm is our latest Invite service. You’re welcome to try it out.

Worship of God does involve much more than just singing, of course. To truly worship God means to devote your whole life to him.

But music is a great way of expressing that devotion. Just ask the crowds at Fratton Park – they express their devotion of their team each week through song.

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I hear it for myself as I go to most of Pompey’s home matches.

And they certainly don’t mind ringing the changes, as they think of different ways to worship their heroes.

St Mary's Church is in Green Road, Alverstoke. Go to stmarysalverstoke.org.uk.