Someone inquired whether it was proper for there to be a female soloist at a funeral. Presumably, the question implies the singing of a religious song at a funeral of a Christian and attended by church members, perhaps in the auditorium of the church’s meetinghouse. It is impossible to know all of the particulars that the one posing the question had in mind from the brief information provided.
First, a funeral is not precisely a worship service such as we experience upon the first day of each week (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Prayers and singing hymns are worshipful activities, but a funeral is no more a worship service than is each of the meals that we eat daily because we preface them with prayers. Therefore, strictly speaking, strictures for congregational singing that are applicable to Sunday worship may not apply with the same force for a funeral, irrespective of the location or in what building it transpires.
However, to avoid confusing non-Christians who may be aware that we religiously refrain from instrumental music, solos, etc. in our worship periods, it may be prudent to abstain from any of those things in funerals. This may be especially true when the general public may construe it as a religious activity of the local church due to the number of members present, those officiating or the funeral commemoration occurring in the church’s meetinghouse. Even Christians may register a complaint through doubts or strongly held opinions.
Similarly, weddings, strictly speaking, are not equivalent to worship assemblies either, though sermons may be preached, Scriptures read, prayers offered and religious songs sung. Since the public may view it as incongruent with our firmly held beliefs, usually churches of Christ do not permit the use of instrumental music in their church buildings for weddings, though the leaders recognize that the proceeding is not worship. However, solos (e.g., bride or groom) are more likely to be sung at weddings than at funerals. Yet, there is materially no difference (i.e., other than sorrow on one hand and joy on the other hand) between the funeral and the wedding.
Some things are not wrong, but they may not be advisable. “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient…” (1 Corinthians 6:12 KJV). Yet, some things are a matter of judgment. For instance, there are some things that I might not do and that I do not like, but it may be a different matter of whether that thing I would not do is right or wrong according to the Word of God.
