Liturgical Choral Contributions of J. S. Bach: Issues and Lessons for Present Day Transformative Church Music Ministry in Nigeria

This paper, Liturgical Choral Contributions of J. S. Back: Issues and Lessons for Present Day Transformative Church Music Ministry in Nigeria, characterises Bach's liturgical music ministry at the St Thomas Kirche, Leipzig, for 27 years as a model for the essentially unfaithful, common and routine church music practice in many Nigerian churches, especially regarding the composition of liturgical music or the issue of finding appropriate music repertoire aligned with Scripture. Given his day's religious and cultural climate, it takes a cursory look at his music ministry's fidelity to Scriptural narratives, church traditional and theological standpoints, and values, showing music as a liturgical educator and a reflector of reality and hope, among others—as a Bible narrator. The paper calls on church leaders to provide for music ministries in their churches and make it possible to infuse music in worship with the necessary biblically inclined language to impact faith and held beliefs.