I love to sing in church. There is emotion and beauty in praise music that lifts my spirit.

Now some churches meet in lovely cathedrals with the light filtering through stained glass windows to land upon the deep mahogany of the pews.

We have fluorescent light that bounces off the gym floor to land on the folding chairs.

Some churches have beautifully robed choirs singing harmonious songs that have been rehearsed and perfected.

We have a volunteer group, who sing well, but who can only practice early on Sunday morning before service.

The depth of what we sing somehow transcends the talent of congregation and is not limited by the lack of beauty in the building.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not saying there is anything wrong with beautiful buildings or talented choirs. All I am saying is that those are not present at our church, yet the beauty, depth, and meaning of our singing is not hampered a bit. In fact, the pure simplicity of singing in a school gym may even enhance it.

I love what Paul David Tripp says:

'Corporate worship is designed to remind you that the story of your little life had been included in the grand eternal story of redemption."

That is it. The power of the music and the effect it has on my soul are found, not in a performance, but in a corporate act of standing together with other broken, hurting individuals while agreeing in our souls and proclaiming with our mouths that, "In Christ alone, our hope is found."

And as we declare together the truth of the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord our own stories are put into perspective. Our pains are halved and our joys are doubled. We, the saints gathered in a Texas school gym, agree with God that He is charge and He can write our story because He has a big, fat, universe-containing plan and we are just privileged to be included in it.

Therefore, I will stand and sing loud every Sunday morning. Not because my voice adds in any way to the beauty of the harmonies but because my proclamation adds with the other saints to declare the glory of the Lord.

That is why I love singing in church.