Have you ever wondered – why do we have worship teams?
Is it really necessary to have all these musicians and sing all these songs and invest all this time and money into making music in the local church?
Or maybe you’ve just wondered why you do what you do. Are you simply a warm-up to the message or a resident entertainer getting people warmed up for the rest of the service?
In this post I want to explain the power and purpose of worship teams in the plan of God. And I also want to hear your thoughts in the comments, because it’s just better that way.
4 Reasons Why Worship Teams Exist
Here’s the bottom line: as long as God is a big deal, worship will be a big deal.
We have worship teams because…
1. The Glory of God Needs to be Experienced
Our gatherings are about one thing, right? The glory of God. The music you create as a worship team helps to paint a picture of the Glory of God. The glory of God is too great, epic, and amazing for us to simply think about it and discuss it.
People need to experience it.
It’s one thing to talk about the glory of God. It’s another to show off the glory of God through art. I like how Tim Keller says it
“If you can’t visualize truth, you don’t have a sense of it in your heart.”
Something happens when you as an artist hear about the glory of God and your heart lights on fire. The artists that God is raising up aren’t just passionate about their art, they have a driving passion to see Jesus glorified.
I’ve said this before: His glory is their goal. His honor is their aim. His renown is their responsibility.
The art you bring to worship ministry is a gift to display the wonder, the beauty, and the glory of God. Believe it.
2. Art Helps Us Remember Truth
How many of you can carry on full conversations in movie quotes? My two brothers are ridiculous when it comes to this [and awesome]. A whole day can pass and all that’s mentioned is Lord of the Rings quotes. It’s crazy.
Maybe movie quotes isn’t your thing. Maybe it’s songs.
That’s the beauty of corporate worship and our responsibility as a worship team. We are curators of theology. We are creating a liturgy and providing a language for the church to sing.
What a responsibility, right?
Worship teams aren’t just a creative outlet for Christian musicians. Creativity isn’t the goal. Knowing, believing, declaring, and internalizing truth is.
I like how Bob Kauflin put it in his book Worship Matters:
“If your church’s theology was based entirely on the songs you chose, would your congregation know God?”
As worship leaders, we have the privilege and responsibility of shaping the theology of the generations. Worship transforms. The songs we sing influence. The moments we have in the presence of God can change destinies.
3. We Need to Make Disciples
What better use for your worship team than to disciple musicians into followers of Jesus?
It comes back to this question: Are you making disciples or abusing volunteers?
You’re not simply called to make music. You’re called to make disciples.
It’s time for you to not just care about the musical product of your band. It’s time for you to kindle the flame of passion for Jesus in their hearts.
What were Jesus’ final words to us before he ascended to heaven? “Go into all the world…and make disciples.” You, my friend, are a disciple-maker.
4. We Need to Reach the World
Is the corporate gathering for the church or for those who don’t know God? I believe the answer is “yes”.
Once again, Tim Keller drives this home:
The Church needs artists because without art we cannot reach the world. The simple fact is that the imagination ‘gets you,’ even when your reason is completely against the idea of God. There is a sort of schizophrenia that occurs if you are listening to Bach and you hear the glory of God and yet your mind says there is no God and there is no meaning. You are committed to believing nothing means anything and yet the music comes in and takes you over with your imagination. When you listen to great music, you can’t believe life is meaningless. Your heart knows what your mind is denying. We need Christian artists because we are never going to reach the world without great Christian art to go with great Christian talk. –Tim Keller
When it comes to reaching the lost, mere discussion can simply end in debate. But when the Gospel is displayed through a community of “on fire” artists, it can reach deeper.
Isn’t this why we pursue deeper creativity and excellence? The more excellent, true, unique, and beautiful our art, the more God can use it to draw hearts to Himself.
I would love to hear your perspective on this. How would you continue this list?
Why do we have worship teams in the local church? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
[ois skin=”Beyond Sunday 2″]
We have the same struggle, here, in Romania: is it necessary to invest so much money and effort in all those instruments? So much time…?
The answer is YES! Because I consider the investment as an investment in people, not in material things.
What we have to do, is to raise the right motivation for the team. They have to know – REALLY KNOW – who is the One they serve, who is the One they are pointing to.
Well said, Marius. You’re making disciples!
I would have to say that Art is not the only, exclusive way to reach the world. the Bible talks an awful lot about being servants, meeting real needs. I think that art is a VERY effective way to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but being the “hands and feet of Jesus” is also effective. It brings people to ask “Why are you doing this?”. What do you think?
Definitely. I wouldn’t say there is any “exclusive” way other than preaching the Gospel. But there are so many methods and God uses many to reach lost hearts. Thanks for bringing this up!
Great article! It comes to me at a crossroads, where I question the effectiveness of creating the worship experience versus reciting great poetry (singing hymns).
Hey Jason, can you expound on this? I want to make sure I understanding where you’re coming from. Thanks!
All of your posts motivate me, even if it’s just to go back to the drawing board. I’ve been leading since ’92 and, well, that’s a long time! I will share your thoughts with our team this week and get them thinking about their place in God’s perspective, their role in lifting God right into people’s lives. I will begin a more purposeful discipleship plan. Thank you.
My pleasure, Tod. Thanks for being a part of the community here! Having led worship for a while, I’m sure you have much to offer.
One of my most feared things when I lead worship is that the congregation is not moved by the music. Some practices seem to be slow and not moving in the Spirit, but when Sunday comes, and I worship God through my voice and keys, the congregation lights up and I can see them worship! It is all completely worth it. My main goal has been to reach out to the people who come in so that they may KNOW and SEE God in the music. I have these humanly fears and then God steps in and says “it’s all about me and I want you to do this, so it will be good.” And it always is. 🙂
Good thoughts, Keely. It’s true – the “human fears” will always be there. We just need to become skilled at ignoring them and keep stepping out!
I would definitely add to your first point in that we exist to give God glory. Many times as worshipers it can be easy to get caught up in “give me, give me..” mode and forget worship is about us giving to Him honor, glory, and the highest praise with all that is inside us. 2nd I would say we help to facilitate that experience for the worshiper with the songs we sing, scriptures we declare, connection to the body, etc. that they may experience the glory of God. Great thoughts! 🙂
I loved this- as a worship pastor it’s huge for us to remember worship is both horizontal and vertical…we exalt the name of the Lord and also encourage one another as we testify of His goodness by engaging in worship and modeling for the congregation what that “worshiping in spirit and in truth” looks like…when we know others stories, trials and struggles we can be ministered to by one another as we watch others give a sacrifice of praise through the storm. There’s powerful testimony in corporate worship!
I was asking the very same question you started this article with, “Why should we have worship teams and Are what we are creating passonable to the next generation?” I have led worship for about 17 years and trained worship leaders and wonder how practical my training is especially in developing countries, meaning, to start a worship team we need a keyboard, guitars, drums, speakers, a sound board, Mics etc. Etc
However, i must say that i am encouraged to see how you have touched two vital areas in the development of a believer, Worship and Making Disciples.
My concern is if you can quote some important texts alongside your comments then we can look into those texts and pass on those truths to the younger men and women we are training on our teams. You have quoted Tim Keller, I love this Pastor teacher, but we would love to have you quote scriptural texts alongside your comments. Again, i loved this article
Phillip Meiselbach