Why sing the Gospel?
When we read the scriptures we can see that the Bible urges us to sing spiritual hymns, for example in Exodus 15.1-2:
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord. They said, I will sing to Yahweh, for he has burst forth his glory; He threw the horse and his rider into the sea. The Lord is my strength and the subject of my praise; It was he who saved me. He is my God: I will celebrate him; He is the God of my father: I will exalt him.
And also, in Ephesians 5:19:
On the contrary, be filled with the Spirit; nurture yourselves in psalms, in hymns, and in spiritual hymns, singing and celebrating with all your heart the praises of the Lord.
Presentation of Gospel
Origins and history of Gospel
Gospel is an energetic way of giving thanks to God. First a means of communion with the Lord, Gospel today has almost become a secular musical style which brings together millions of spectators around the world. But what about its history and its origins? African-American songs appeared in a tragic setting, linked to slavery in the United States ...
At the beginning of the 17th century, in 1612 more precisely, the first slaves from Africa were sold in North America. Consequently, they are mistreated and they are deprived of any expression linked to their beliefs, traditions and even their musical culture. They then invent “worksongs”, a capella songs that they improvise during their hard days of work in the cotton fields. To give themselves courage and give rhythm to teamwork, a leader sings a sentence that the others take up in chorus. The "worksongs" also served as a coded message to warn of dangers or organize escapes.
In the 18th century, a spiritual revolution spreads in the United States, it is "The Great Awakening". The movement allows, among other things, the simplification of lithurgy and promotes ease of access to sacred texts. Whether through priests or pastors, slaves discover the Bible and some even have the opportunity to attend lithurgical cults. They then become very believers, developing a new and ardent faith. In the biblical writings, they find in the Hebrew slaves in Egypt the physical and spiritual experience of their uprooting and their daily suffering. The slaves then sing prayers and sermons that echo the history of the Jewish people and begin to dream of a new Promised Land: Canada, where slavery is prohibited. These songs mixing African melodies, verses from the Bible, improvisations and interjections characterize Negro Spiritual , the first form of Gospel.
https://gospel-event.com/gospel-histoire-et-evolution/#origines