REALLIFE STUDY GROUP

"Singers Who Sing!"

ICEBREAKER:

What is your favorite sport at the Winter Olympics? Or

Who is your favorite singer?

CONFESSION:

I sing because I'm happy

I sing because I'm free

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know he watches me

This is my story this is my song

Praising my savior all the day long

This is my story, this is my song

Praising my savior all the day long

I will sing to The Lord a new song

DEFINITION: Singer: someone who speaks to themselves in psalms and

hymns and spiritual songs making melody in their heart which produces

a change in your mood and attitude.

STATISTICS & BENEFITS:

Benefits of Singing

· Singing releases pain-relieving endorphins, helping you to forget that painful tooth/knee/whatever

· Your posture improves

· Lung capacity increases

· Singing clears sinuses and respiratory tubes

· Your mental alertness improves

· Singing tones your facial and stomach muscles

· It boosts your immune system, helping to fight disease and prolonging life expectancy

· Your confidence increases

o The two Canterbury studies provide the evidence from their interviews with members of the university's choral society: Of the respondents:

§ 49% said they received spiritual benefit from their singing (and not necessarily through 'spiritual' music);

§ 58% benefited physically;

§ 75% emotionally; and

§ 87% socially.

· Singing increases poise, self-esteem and presentation skills

· Singing strengthens concentration and memory

· Singing develops the lungs and promotes superior posture

· Singing broadens expressive communication

· Singing adds a rich, more pleasant quality to speech

· Singing animates the body, mind and spirit

· Singing enables the performer to delve into characterization/acting

· Singing stimulates insight into prose and poetry and piques interests in the inner meaning of words

· Singing enriches one's ability to appreciate the art of great singers

· Singing is an ageless enjoyment - you are never too young or too old

· Singing is therapeutic, both emotionally and physically

Dementia Singing Study

"Investigating group singing activity with people with dementia and

their caregivers" Davidson, J. W. and Fedele, J. (2011). University of

Western Australia, Australia. Musicae Scientiae, 15(3), 402-422.

A study of a six-week singing program conducted with two groups of

adults over 70 with mild to moderate dementia (29 individuals) and

their caregivers (19 individuals) in Australia.

Persons with dementia engaged in reminiscent storytelling 60% of the

time after attending the sessions

29% of participants experienced improved short-term memory after the sessions

Participants showed improved social interaction with the facilitator,

caregivers, and other participants during the sessions

89% of participants appeared lucid during the sessions

OUTLINE:

10 Characteristics of Singers

1. Set the atmosphere

2. Access the prophetic realm

3. Sing their way out of barrenness

Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. (Isaiah 54:1-3 KJV)

4. Confuse their enemies

5. Win impossible battles

6. Sing before, during and after the battle

7. Sing their way out of prison

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!" (Acts 16:22-28)

8. Redeem the times

See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Ephesians 5:15-20 KJV)

9. Sing a new song

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice Before the Lord : for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth. (Psalms 96:1-13 KJV)

10. Understand when you sing a thing it locks it in your memory

O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvelous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth. He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant: Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance: When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm. Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron: Until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him. The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free. He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators wisdom. Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger than their enemies. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants. He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings. He spake, and there came diverse sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts. He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts. He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number, And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength. He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the night. The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven. He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river. For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant. And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness: And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people; That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise ye the Lord. (Psalms 105:1-45 KJV)

TEXT: Psalm 100

STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS:

1. What does the Bible mean when it says to sing a new song?

2. If you were to write a new song, what would it be about and what style would you sing it in ( country? Rock? Classical ?, etc.)?

3. How would you feel if President Obama positioned you on the front lines of the Afghanistan Battle? Why do you think God did that in the Old Testament?

4. They say you can remember things best if it is associated with music. If you were to set music to a Bible verse which Bible verse would you choose?

5. Music changes the atmosphere. So, in what area of your life do you need to sing a song?

6. Try to write two lines of lyrics to that song and share them with the group. Add music if you can.

7. Psalm 100 says we are to come into God's presence with singing. Why do you think He requires that?

PRAISE REPORTS & PRAYER REQUESTS:

ACTION POINT: This week I will sing my way out of my difficult

circumstances and sing my way into the presence of The Lord.