Five Favorite and Five Least Favorite Instruments Used in Worship Services

Jonathan Howe told me I was opening a can of worms by conducting this Twitter poll.

He was right.

Still, I wanted to hear from churchgoers what their favorite and least favorite instruments are. Some of the responses were anticipated. Many were not.

Favorite

  1. Piano — Piano is not only a favorite; it is one of the few instruments that did not also get mentioned as a least favorite.
  2. Acoustic Guitar — This instrument was a clear second preference.
  3. Organ — This instrument was also the number one least favorite. There seemed to be a clear generational divide here.
  4. Violin — The violin and the organ were only one vote apart.
  5. Cello — This choice surprised me. Maybe it should not have surprised me.

Least Favorite

  1. Organ — Wow. There were very strong negative sentiments here. One person wrote, “I will ask God for permission to haunt my wife if she allows an organ at my funeral.”
  2. Tambourine — I was surprised at the negative sentiment here. Apparently, many churchgoers believe this instrument to be the choice of those not musically inclined.
  3. Drums — Again, there was mostly negative sentiment here, but the reasons for the negativity varied.
  4. Handbells — Handbells did not get one positive vote.
  5. Banjo — I can’t remember the last time I heard a banjo in a worship service. Maybe there’s a reason for that.

I was also fascinated to see the “one-vote wonders,” those instruments noted by only one person.

  • One vote wonders, favorite: Hammer dulcimer; mandolin; and ukulele.
  • One vote wonders, least favorite: Oboe; jazz flute; whistle; kazoo; harmonica; recorder; tuba; shofar; cowbell; accordion; chimes; and saxophone.

I bet this discussion will be fun. Let me hear from you.

Posted on January 11, 2016


With nearly 40 years of ministry experience, Thom Rainer has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of local churches across North America.
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124 Comments

  • Paul Papp says on

    As a banjo and guitar playing pastor I appreciate both in worship.

  • We are a RePlant in the KC metro area about 1 1/2 years old and actually had banjo used yesterday during service. On occasion we have both the banjo and the mandolin used during the same set. Our worship set is varies in look and sound week by week. We have had some of our most vocal and consistent feedback from our bluegrass oriented worship sets. This feedback has come from our younger and older members. I have seen a significant trend/shift towards the including of this style of worship in the KC metro area.

  • Some of you won’t agree with me, but I prefer to stick with the traditions handed down to us by the apostles and church fathers: traditional Byzantine chant done a cappella.

    There’s just something about it that moves beyond the material world and speaks to the soul.

  • I love being part of the worship ministry at church. We do have several instruments (piano; acoustic, bass, and electric guitars; drums; mandolin; and saxophone), and I’m thankful my church family supports each of us using our talents to glorify God.

  • No mention of “shawms” and other wind instruments. Or the Ullian pipes or the bag pipes. And the harp, the glockenspiel, the stacked bells, and the sistrum. Much less the unadorned human voice.

  • We offered a Cowboy Church Service at one of my previous congregations in rural SE MN. Musically it was built around a steel (slide) guitar, electric/acoustic guitars, bass guitar, fiddles, mandolins, and yes, a BANJO! In a community of around 40 people the service averaged 150 in attendance and drew folks from over 100 miles away.

  • Let them worms out! Seriously, every church has its own musical personality so if we have someone who is proficient with their instrument I plug them in, with the goal of Spiritual development being paramount while trying to create an enhancing vehicle to carry the praises of God’s people. Easier said than done, but well worth the effort! By the way, the only thing worse than not having a drummer is having a bad one! I need some more cowbell!

  • IF we could get worship that used organ, drums, handbell, banjo and tambourine at the same time, you may get the next monster worship band out of it (Crowder meets Hillsong). Or it could be a disaster.

    This poll is unscientific and silly and I hope the comments reflect that. #morecowbell

  • Warren Smith says on

    I started attending church in the mid 60s, came to know Jesus as my Savior in 1966. during that time we sang with a piano, organ and violin. Over the years we have added many more instruments in our worship service. We sing many songs, old and new. We use our voices and are accompanied by man made instruments. Our songs of worship should be God Honoring in praising Him with our focus on Him, not on personal preferences of what instrument we want want on the the platform.

    • The fact is we have personal preferences – we all do, as we’re only human. You would have a hard time sitting through a Middle Eastern Maronite service, with all its Syriac chanting, because you’re not enculturated for that. And yet it is probably much closer to the music Jesus enjoyed while on Earth than anything you listen to now.

      We can afford to indulge discussions of what instruments we like. When the music reaches us, we let go and let God. As Augustine says, to sing is to pray twice, so let each sing according to his or her freeing place.

  • Jonathan Rayburn says on

    Are the votes for instruments in the context of solos or small ensembles or as a part of a large group like an orchestra? I have played solo tuba several times in our services as well as in small groups (positive tuba vote). Granted, everyone has their preferences (just like hymns vs. choruses), but it is important to remember that the person who doesn’t play their instrument well is just like the person who can’t sing well: they just want to praise and worship the best they can.

  • Thom, who is surveyed for such a question. A sincere question. Would you characterize those surveyed as Baptist, general Protestant, general evangelical, a solid mix of conservative Protestants, those with traditional worship alone, with both traditional and contemporaary or other. I am from LCMS with two traditional services and one contemporary.

  • Bob Johnson says on

    As a former worship leader and now Director of Missions, this topic was very interesting to me. I definitely had a style that I preferred as a leader, but tried to incorporate new and old and use a variety of instruments…when they were available at a quality level. Coincidently, when given the choice to move from music/education to the position of education/administration, I was glad to move away from the stresses of worship leading. This was, of course, smack in the middle of the worship wars, so God protected and led me to a new vision for ministry away from worship leadership…whew!

    Now as a DOM, I have churches that do full blown blue grass, contemporary with praise band, traditional with choir and organ and everything in between. But there are some characteristics of worship that can overcome the personal preferences. Please note that these are from an unscientific study and just personal observation, but are of growing concern to the parishioners I am visiting, especially the next generation.
    1. Is it authentic? My wife and I have heard some pretty poor stuff sung in churches, but the genuineness of the leader and message has overcome the poor quality…at times. Does it point others to God or the performer? See #3
    2. Is the service/flow “well-crafted?” Developing a worship event should always take more care, prayer, and preparation than just picking 3 songs and a special before the sermon. Is there a theme? Do the songs enhance the sermon? Are the keys related so that movement from song to song is smooth? Are other elements worked into the worship event (scripture, prayer, video, testimony, etc.). A well-designed service can overcome a number of ills. Also, mix up the use of the instruments. Don’t do every song with every instrument set at 11.
    3. Does the service show care/preparation by its quality? I know this seems to contradict #1, but very poor quality can sometimes be such a distraction that it takes away from the ability to worship. Sometimes this is limited by the skills of the musicians and the quality of the instruments. But more often than not, poor worship and poor sound is a result of lack of rehearsal and preparation of both the heart and body.
    My thoughts, any instrument and any style can work when used properly and incorporated into the worship experience. We must always remember though, “God is the audience…not the audience (congregation).”

    My best memory on this topic was when I was leading music in a revival in a very country NC church. We had prepared “I’ll Fly Away” with piano, banjo, and I think bass (or a track). Out of the corner of my eye, this girl from one of the “wings” in the sanctuary reached into this big ol’ bag and pulled out the largest tambourine I think I’ve ever seen and just started gettin’ it. Needless to say, Chet (on banjo) and I barely made it through on that one. I’m not sure about the worship value, but it was memorable.

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