Should Christian congregations have an office of "worship leader?"

[Dino246]

I know Matt Maher, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and David Crowder; I don't know them personally, but I know what they're about—they're all Catholic loving ecumenists. These guys are all popular recording artists and are the ones (among others) influencing how song worship is supposed to be done these days.

And? Does that entitle any of us to slander all worship leaders with the same brush?

Every song needs to be assessed on its own merit. If the artist is ignorant as to the gross errors of Catholicism, but that ignorance is not reflected in their lyrics, what is the issue? Many (if not most) Christians are ignorant on that matter. We are still to worship God in song.

 

[Oblio]

Is there an office of worship leader in scripture? Not that I'm aware of.
Does God anoint and commission worship leaders? My answer is a definite yes as He did both of these things with me.
Should a worship leader teach? I think the local leadership should answer that question.
Though it's been many years since I led, when I did, it was to help others enter into the Lord's manifest presence.

 

[pottersclay]

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations

 

[pottersclay]

Miriam cries out in worship with the other women: “The Lord is my strength and song and He has become my salvation (KJV)!” Miriam sings a new song of deliverance and her musical tribute to the Lord is the first recorded congregational worship experience in Scripture!

 

[Beckie]

Lemme guess... neither of you is a musician who serves in their local church. Neither of you has ever actually spoken with a song/worship/music leader about their biblical knowledge or motivations. In other words, you don't have a hot clue, but are happy to toss around generalizations and slander others with no actual evidence.

The posters are correct according to those "leaders" i have spoken with.
We today do not wish to grasp the difference between a Jesus Pep rally and Worship. Personally i believe there is place for both.

 

[peldom10]

In many megachurches, worship leaders have become routine fixtures. Oftentimes they preach or even teach between songs. This practice has had a trickle-down effect on many other smaller churches.

Voddie Baucham believes worship leaders have a "pastoral responsibility" and should have sound theology. The only thing he laments is that today's worship leaders aren't qualified for the office. His views can be read here and here. These articles supposedly quote Baucham's Question and Answers section of his website: voddiebaucham.org, but it's either been scrubbed or I can't find it.

There is no office of "worship leader" mentioned anywhere in scripture. Have we given them more power and influence than they should have?

...workshop leader?....have you ever attended Sunday school sessions? What you speak of is nothing new.
There are many different terms for positions...what they do is the defining element.

 

[ResidentAlien]

Does God anoint and commission worship leaders? My answer is a definite yes

I'm just curious. What reason would God have to "anoint" a worship leader?

 

[SomeDisciple]

"Worship leader" is not a specific ministry outlined in the NT: but, it doesn't mean that there cannot be a worship leader any more than it means there cannot be someone in charge of the soup kitchen or cleaning ministry. But there doesn't even have to be a specialized music ministry any more than there has to be a soup kitchen or, or a cleaning ministry, or even a building to clean or cook soup, or play music inside of. A "worship leader" (or any other individual in the church) is going to have whatever authority and responsibility that God gives them. I think that dude in the article is definitely right that if you do have a worship leader, they should have sound biblical beliefs and understanding, but that goes for anybody doing any ministry.

The answer to whether or not they "have too much authority" depends on the church and the worship leader. There's always the potential for a head of a ministry to put the importance of "their" ministry higher than what it is. When that happens, hopefully the church doesn't just go along with it. I recently heard a message on the radio from a pastor in a nearby city about the idea that it is possible to idolize "worship", and we always have to ask ourselves whether or not it's actually God we are loving or if it's just what we are doing for God that we actually love. And while musical worship was the context of his message, surely it's possible to idolize any ministry. And that's crazy, right? Because it seems like you're doing the right thing, but really you're not.

 

[Oblio]

I'm just curious. What reason would God have to "anoint" a worship leader?

I'd played guitar for my own pleasure for years. If I played in front of people, I shook like a leaf. I couldn't sing and play at the same time. I was terrible at song writing. I hated singing and writing.
Within a few months of the Lord anointing me, I was singing my heart out to Him while I played. About that time, the sweet fragrance that the Lord put on me began to be noticed in my small group. As a result, I was asked to bring my guitar and play along with the worship leader.
Several weeks later I was asked to take over the worship leading duties for the group. When it was learned that I also played electric guitar, I was asked to audition for the Sunday worship team. I was accepted. At one point I was asked to lead the team with a song that I'd written. It went well.
Awhile later, the worship leader realized that the Lord was raising me up to be my fellowship's worship leader. He stepped aside and cancelled plans to move to my town. A year after the Lord anointed me, I was leading Sunday morning worship. I was amazed that I was able to do it all. It was the anointing that was responsible.
When I would lead worship, the anointing on me enabled people to sincerely worship the Lord and experience His presence! For me, that was what it was all about. Ultimately, giving glory to Jesus Christ, and Father God!

 

[Runningman]

In many megachurches, worship leaders have become routine fixtures. Oftentimes they preach or even teach between songs. This practice has had a trickle-down effect on many other smaller churches.

Voddie Baucham believes worship leaders have a "pastoral responsibility" and should have sound theology. The only thing he laments is that today's worship leaders aren't qualified for the office. His views can be read here and here. These articles supposedly quote Baucham's Question and Answers section of his website: voddiebaucham.org, but it's either been scrubbed or I can't find it.

There is no office of "worship leader" mentioned anywhere in scripture. Have we given them more power and influence than they should have?

"Worship leaders" are often just people who are good at leading the church members in songs. It seems to be more about making the church service look better and sound better. They aren't necessary and worship leader is a bit of a misnomer. Singing to God isn't what worship is.

Singing is about praises to God:
Colossians 3:16 KJV
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

True and proper worship is righteous living:
Romans 12:1-2 KJV
1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We should consider if the devil has gotten us to believe that singing a song to God on Sunday is what constitutes proper worship to God in truth and spirit. Have people been so easily led astray as to believe they have satisfied worship to God by singing songs and not righteous living? Think about it.

 

[ResidentAlien]

"What is the outcome then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each of you has a song, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."—1 Corinthians 14:26

We've gotten very far off track. Christian worship should involve the whole congregation. "Each of you has a song." There were no "head pastors" or "worship leaders" in the early church, and for good reason: there should be group participation. Speaking for myself, I hate going to meetings where there's no group involvement. It's getting nearly impossible to find such groups today.

I attended chapel services at a Salvation Army awhile back; there was no worship leader, people stood up and said what song they wanted to sing and if everyone knew it we sang it. I thought to myself, yeah, this is the way it should be.

This is the main reason I don't attend institutional "churches" anymore—no congregational participation. But we don't need it these days, that's what we pay head pastors and worship leaders for.

 

[ResidentAlien]

I'd played guitar for my own pleasure for years. If I played in front of people, I shook like a leaf. I couldn't sing and play at the same time. I was terrible at song writing. I hated singing and writing.
Within a few months of the Lord anointing me, I was singing my heart out to Him while I played. About that time, the sweet fragrance that the Lord put on me began to be noticed in my small group. As a result, I was asked to bring my guitar and play along with the worship leader.
Several weeks later I was asked to take over the worship leading duties for the group. When it was learned that I also played electric guitar, I was asked to audition for the Sunday worship team. I was accepted. At one point I was asked to lead the team with a song that I'd written. It went well.
Awhile later, the worship leader realized that the Lord was raising me up to be my fellowship's worship leader. He stepped aside and cancelled plans to move to my town. A year after the Lord anointed me, I was leading Sunday morning worship. I was amazed that I was able to do it all. It was the anointing that was responsible.
When I would lead worship, the anointing on me enabled people to sincerely worship the Lord and experience His presence! For me, that was what it was all about. Ultimately, giving glory to Jesus Christ, and Father God!

Okay, you feel this was the work of the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure I would agree, but I'm not here to tear anyone down so I'll just leave it at that.

 

[ResidentAlien]

"Worship leaders" are often just people who are good at leading the church members in songs. It seems to be more about making the church service look better and sound better. They aren't necessary and worship leader is a bit of a misnomer. Singing to God isn't what worship is.

Singing is about praises to God:
Colossians 3:16 KJV
16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

True and proper worship is righteous living:
Romans 12:1-2 KJV
1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We should consider if the devil has gotten us to believe that singing a song to God on Sunday is what constitutes proper worship to God in truth and spirit. Have people been so easily led astray as to believe they have satisfied worship to God by singing songs and not righteous living? Think about it.

Amen.

 

[Oblio]

Shalom.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Is the "office" of worship leader prescribed in the scriptures? That's the question.

There is no such office in the New Testament. The only two offices are those of elders (plural) and deacons (plural). Since all believers belong to a Royal Priesthood, all are to be involved during worship, and the "leader" would be the Holy Spirit. Furthermore as noted in 1 Corinthians 12-14 (and other passages) the spiritual gifts would be applicable at this time.

ROMANS 12: THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS TO BE USED BY FAITH
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

This passage rules out either a worship leader or a one-man ministry.

 

[Oblio]

When it comes to worship ministry, some have no idea what they're talking about. I do, so I'll excuse their ignorance.

 

[Runningman]

Amen.

I mean, it seems like the pastor is actually the worship leader and the person leading the songs would be the praise leader. I think this improper naming convention within the commercialized church is more damaging that can be measured.

People who come in to church looking for God are often not well-read on the Bible and that's totally okay because God just asks for faith. However, telling someone that if they sing a song on Sunday then they are worshipping God adequately then they're being deceived.

 

[ResidentAlien]

When it comes to worship ministry, some have no idea what they're talking about. I do, so I'll excuse their ignorance.

Why don't you educate us then.

 

[Dino246]

… ROMANS 12:…

This passage rules out either a worship leader or a one-man ministry.

No, it doesn’t. Don’t confuse affirmative statements with restrictions. Where something is precluded, the Bible uses phrases like, “Thou shalt not…” or “Don’t…”.

 

[Oblio]

Whether it be Vineyard, Four C's, Pentecostal, United, Christian Reformed, or whatever, no matter where I led worship, everyone recognized God's presence. Because it was God.
I see what goes on today, I'm not blind. If I had ever led worship, and when people clapped, if I thought for a minute it was directed at me, I would've stopped the service and given the people a stern lecture! God alone is worthy to be worshipped and revered!