God's people have always been a people who sung, so it seems more appropriate to ask for a defense of why we wouldn't sing together as a ministry. Singing together is biblically commanded and edifying to the brethren.

     In singing together, we engage in corporate worship, not stated worship. That is to say, our worship of the LORD is never to be seen as a replacement for stated times of meeting for worship in local churches; it is, though, corporate worship in the sense that we are engaging in worshipful song (see below) and doing so corporately (together, as a group). The only exception would be on those occasions when a retreat or conference treats its Sunday morning meeting as a stated worship service, in which case the singing (as well as all the other aspects of the service) are done under the oversight of a teaching elder in the PCA.

     Worship at its core is the proclamation of the glories of the One to whom such activity is due. Note the language of the worship of Jesus Christ presently occurring in heaven: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Rev.5: 12). We are proclaiming and rejoicing in His "worth-ship" (from which our word "worship" is derived).      Accordingly, this has implications for the sorts of songs that we make use of as a ministry. It is not enough that a song merely mentions God or Jesus Christ, or that it picks up on biblical themes about Christian living. We strive to use those songs that are lyrically God-centered rather than man-centered. In addition, we strive to use God-centered songs that are theologically strong and substantial in their content (the more God-centered they are, the more this should hold true!). This accounts for why R.U.F. tends to make use of hymns more than gospel songs, psalms more than choruses. We welcome gospel songs and choruses that are God-centered and substantial in content, but we also strive not to compromise our standards in the interest of what is easier.