Categories: Prose

Can Church Worship Teams Send the Wrong Message?

The answer is a most emphatic yes. Psalm 33:1-3 says, “Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord, it is fitting for the pure to praise Him. Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre; make music for Him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song of praise to Him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.” (New Living Translation) These are the things Christian worshippers are supposed to do. The call of the modern day praise team and worship leader is to usher in the Spirit of the Lord Most High: the Holy Spirit. It is their calling to lead the congregation to the very throne of God with songs of adoration, praise and exaltation. Praise and worship teams, which usually include a host of male and female singers and musicians, are extremely useful in leading the audience in worship. However, problems can arise when the focus is taken off of Christ and placed on the individuals members of the praise team, or the group as a whole and their talents; talents which are given to them by Christ to begin with. Unfortunately, this happens all too often in churches across the nation.

In Exodus 15, we find Moses and the children of Israel singing a “song of deliverance” to the Lord. Verses 20-21 read, “Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. And Miriam sang this song, ‘Sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously; he has hurled both horse and rider into the sea.'” (New Living Translation) If you’re familiar with the story, this “deliverance” they sing of refers to their freedom of the captivity of Pharaoh, just after God led them through the Red Sea on dry land, crushing Pharaoh’s army under the weight of the water. Praise teams today should learn from Miriam’s example and sing from a pure heart, thanking God for our deliverance from our enemies and from sin, remaining void of any pride in our own talents or abilities. Remember, “The Lord detests the proud…” (Psalm 16:5a, NLT)

Modern worship teams should sing to the glory of God, and not sing to gain glory for themselves. One of the theme verses for any worship team or ensemble should come from Isaiah 26:8: “Our hearts desire to glorify Your name.” (New Living Translation) It is all about Christ receiving glory, not the individuals of the praise team. It is not about which member sings the best, plays the guitar the best, who stands in front or who has the most solos. It is all about the name of the Lord receiving all due honor, glory and praise. If for any moment the focus is taken off of Christ and placed on the praise and worship team, the wrong message will be sent to the congregation of worshippers.