Mission or localization? : a case study of congregational singing in two African-pioneered churches in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas.

This dissertation sets out to explore the dynamics of congregational singing within African-Pioneered Churches in the United States, focusing on Ghanaian-led Hope International Church and Ministries and A-Life Baptist Church, both located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, as primary case studies. Central to this research is a desire to understand how these congregations navigate the complexities of identity, belonging, and community through their musical selections, particularly in their choice of African-originated versus American songs and styles. The dissertation examines the implications of such musical choices on the congregations’ diasporic identity in the United States. Despite the deliberate integration of American Contemporary Worship Songs (CWS) to appeal to a broader audience, including non-Africans, the congregations remain predominantly African, raising questions about the effectiveness of such practices and the underlying factors influencing congregational composition. Using ethnographic exploration, this study seeks to unpack the complexities of congregational singing practices and their role in shaping and reflecting this African immigrant congregations’ identity in the United States. It employs musical localization as a lens to examine the extent to which the adoption of CWS and other musical forms contributes to the congregations’ efforts to either adapt or assimilate into the North American religious milieu, all while preserving their distinct cultural and religious identities. Through this examination, the dissertation proposes the process of “Afro-modifying” as a subtype of musical localization for understanding the unique congregational singing practices of these African immigrant churches in the diaspora, offering insights into how music acts as a critical vehicle for expressing and negotiating identity among diasporic communities.