QUESTION: If choirs that mostly sing songs not known to the rest of the church are allowed, would the church be allowed to sing any song that some of the members don’t know?
ANSWER: Choirs in worship to God are not authorized by the Scriptures whether a song is known by the rest of the church or not! Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 authorize only vocalized (clearly enunciated words) congregational singing. These passages demand the exclusion of solos, duets, trios, quartets, choirs of any size, and instrumental music, under any and all conditions, in worship to God (Galatians 1:6-9; Revelation 22:18-19)! Worship to God is to be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).
Certainly, when a song leader (a man) uses the worship period to teach music, including new songs, he is in error! This does not mean (when there are no songbooks available) that everyone in the assembly, including visitors, must be totally familiar with every song that the leader might select. How is the song leader, or anyone else, to know who knows what, and how much they know? Must he know that every person in the assembly knows every word and every note of every verse? Such is surely impossible and, certainly, God does not demand the impossible. The song leader, however, must always do his best to carefully select scriptural songs and direct the song worship so that all things can be done according to truth, and “decently and in order.” (Clearly, it would be indecent and out of order if the song leader were to lead a song that only he and a few others knew!) As well, each individual within the assembly must do their best to scripturally fulfill the demands of Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, within the bounds of their own individual capabilities.