Gospel Music Features in the Christian Liturgy of the Pentecostal Essay

Gospel Music Features in the Christian Liturgy of the Pentecostal Church - Essay Example James (2001, p. 56) claims that the style of gospel music that exists in any given Pentecostal church depends partly on the age of the singers. Thus, the senior adult tend to prefer the transitional and traditional gospel music while, the young adults prefer modern gospel music that may predominate the main worship service. Whatever the period and age, the singing is given in the form of gospel songs in the Pentecostal churches. Development of gospel music People who were enslaved and worked in the field during the civil war told their stories in the spiritual way explaining their current life and teaching their children on the hardship they endured. When the enslaved adopted the Christian religion, their faith naturally became the focus of their songs. However, their songs were no longer limited to the spiritual because they started using the hymns written by white composers like Isaac Watts and Wesleys. The enslaved accepted the gospel music because it was attributed to their style and culture, especially the meter hymn that is still used in the most Pentecostal churches. As the civil war came to an end and enslaved were finally emancipated, it marked the beginning of what is referred to the historical gospel hymns. According to James (2001, p. 55), these songs flourished during the social and economic deprivation of depression and started to make their way out of the Pentecostal churches. According to Anderson and James (2007, p. 285) indicate that the civil rights movement brought rebirth of older songs, especially spiritual songs that became the freedom songs. These spiritual songs were the bridge between what is known as historical gospel and modern gospel songs. The publicizing of the Pentecostal churches and protest brought a wider exposure to the gospel music and its popularity spread. Currently, the modern gospel is one of the most popular sounds in the music industry. In the twentieth century, the most widespread and celebrated of the people traditio n was the growth and development of gospel music, especially in the Pentecostal churches. These churches were visited by the traveling musicians and evangelists from the Chicago gospel scene like Sallie Martin and Thomas Dorsey. Despite this contact with new gospel sounds, arranged spirituals, and hymns were still popular styles of church music. Pastors and Pentecostal churches supported the expansion of gospel music by starting gospel choirs and hosting outstanding concerts in various Pentecostal churches like opportunity Baptist. Various composers started transcribing and publishing their gospel music and gospel performers protected themselves from exploitation by forming gospel unions. Anderson and James (2007, p. 289) indicate that the gospel growth extended beyond churches in the black community and moved to worldly white venues around the city. Most of the gospel composers and performers received attention via television programs, firms and release of albums by choirs. Thus, t he developed technology has assisted a lot in developing the gospel music worldwide. Many gospel singers have developed new styles of singing and different, exciting music ministries. From neo spiritual to the modern gospel and praise and worship music, these song writers reflect the range of gospel music in Pentecostal churches today. The gospel music composers Wallace (2005, P. 104) indicates that the gospel music was brought substantial change in the Pentecosta