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Should unbelieving musicians lead worship?

Should non-Christians play on the music team during Sunday services?

On an issue often discussed in worship ministry, here’s some arguments presented by Ronnie Martin on today’s TGC Worship blog post.

Excerpts:

So what’s the big deal? Does it matter if we have unbelieving worship leaders on Sunday? After all, if all they’re doing is playing an instrument, they’re not really “leading” are they? I mean, isn’t having an unbelieving musician on stage who can play well going to be less distracting than a believing one who’s chops aren’t all that great? How would anyone know if the drummer’s not saved, anyway? It’s better for him to play at church than at a club, right?

I think a better question to ask is this: who does God call to lead worship and how does He call them to lead it?

The problem with using unbelieving worship leaders [meaning, all musicians involved in leading a worship service 2 Chronicles 5:13] is that they’re unable to offer either praise or thanksgiving, regardless of how in tune or in time they play. Before Christ enters our hearts and the Holy Spirit stirs our affections for the glory of the Lord, the strumming of our guitars and the beating of our drum kits will ultimately be an exercise in self-glory.

“For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” — Philippians 3:3

…Only people filled with God’s spirit can point others to His glory.

Bob Kauflin states a similar thing in his book, “Worship Matters“:

Even though musicians aren’t necessarily “elders” or “teachers” their presence in front of the congregation week after week implies that their life is worthy of emulation—not flawless, but demonstrating the fruit of the gospel. When that’s not true, the church gets the message that worship is more about music than the way we live. Likewise, when non-Christian musicians are used, we’re implying that the art of worship is more important than the heart. (p. 230)

At HBC (where I serve as the worship director), I try to interview each prospective musician and gain confidence in their testimony of God’s saving work in their life (sometimes it means asking their parents, or elders, where I’m not sure). Those who lead prayers, creeds and bible readings (e.g. worship leaders, bible readers) are held to a higher requirement and should be church members. It’s not a perfect science and probably not 100% consistent, but it’s an attempt to be faithful to shaping our gathered worship to communicate that true worship occurs where Jesus transforms hearts and lives.

Tim Keller and Dr Tom Jennings, in “Worship by the Book” takes the opposing view by appealing to the Reformed view of common grace:

We often include non-Christian musicians in our services who have wonderful gifts and talents. We do not use them as soloists, but we incorporate them into our ensembles. We believe this fits a Reformed “world and life view.” The dualistic view in many evangelical churches is that a godly, sincere Christian who is an average musician is more pleasing to God than a non-Christian professional musician. But Reformed theology teaches that God’s natural gifts in creation are as much a work of grace as God’s gifts in salvation. In the film Amadeus, Antonio Salieri can see that Mozart, through “unworthy” in many ways, has been chosen by God’s grace to receive an artistic gift. Musical talent is a gift of God, and to ask a musician to offer up that gift in a service of worship is a good thing both for him or her and for us.

It could be that Tim Keller writes from the point of view of including the 15th violinist in their string section for a worship service with classical music. I disagree with him on this because whether you’re the sole drummer in a band or the 30th choir member, by being up in front of the church body in a leading role you’ve communicated that you’re leading them in worship. And there’s a danger of giving false assurance to a musician that they’re fit to do so if they don’t even understand true worship (through the perfect worshipper, Jesus Christ).

But I could be proven wrong, and it’s not a close-handed issue (i.e. other churches might land differently after thinking it through, and that’s OK with me).

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Leading a worship song I don’t personally like

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10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman has been #1 on CCLI, on the Planning Centre weekly aggregates, and sung at nearly every conference I’ve been to, or listened to, or heard about recently. People have told me how blessed they have been singing this song in their private worship and other areas.

Now, I love singing Matt Redman’s songs (e.g. How Great Is Your Faithfulness, Blessed Be Your Name, Once Again).

But I’m OK to go on record saying that I don’t like 10,000 Reasons.

Sure, the musical hook is perfectly crafted, it’s loosely inspired by Psalm 103, and the theme of praising the Lord in all seasons is helpful (even “on that day when my strength is failing”).

My personal gripes are the use of the words “sing like never before” (how? why?), the absence of the gospel explicitly (though that shouldn’t be a problem in itself), the plodding feel of the song (even though it’s marketed as an “anthem”), feeling that other songs cover this topic better, the desire not to do a song “just because everyone is doing it”, and a feeling that the Body of Christ won’t be singing it in 50 years’ time.

But I don’t think my personal reservations break the song, and so (though Cheryl disagrees with me on this) on Sunday I introduced it at our home church for the first time. And it turned out fine: it fit the flow of the service (a time of thanksgiving after explaining and praying for the new missions initiative, for church family recovering from illness, for the opportunity to give financially), and the congregation sang it with immediate gusto.

And I’ve also had to think through this when using other songs I don’t personally like (Shine Jesus Shine comes to mind).

But for leaders and service planners (and a reminder to myself in future), here’s a few reasons to occasionally use a worship song that we don’t like ourselves:

The words speak Truth that we should be singing to one another (e.g. the attributes and actions of God, our response to His revelation, the person and work of Jesus Christ)
The congregation can already sing it well (especially when both the high school student and the senior citizen get it!)
You might end up liking or appreciating the song.
No one died from singing an occasional song they didn’t like!
It’s good practice when we get to Heaven, where no one person’s musical preferences will be entirely catered for. I like this quote by Marva Dawn:

“If our churches are really going to reflect the diversity that makes up the body of Christ then everybody is going to have to sing songs they don’t like.”

Laying our preferences aside

Ultimately, a song I don’t like gives me an opportunity to show love and encouragement to brothers and sisters with different tastes to mine.

Just as Jesus laid his preferences aside in humbling himself to the point of death on a cross (Phil 2:1-11), we can likewise lay our preferences aside at times in order to bless each other.

Mike Cosper asks in his book “Rhythms of Grace”:

“I know many worship leaders who cringe at the thought of incorporating one of CCM’s big “hits” (I often cringe myself), but we need to think about who our church actually is. Do the people listen to those songs? If so, they’re ready to sing them in worship—they’ve been listening and preparing all week! Is it worth incorporating one or two of those songs in our gatherings to serve people who are encouraged and blessed by their style and substance?”

I’ll still have my own musical preferences, and in leading worship I’ll still pass on using unhelpful or untrue songs and texts. But I’m happy to hear, and join in, if we’re singing:

Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes

Bless the Lord O my soul
O my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I’ll worship Your Holy name!

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first drawing

I will stand on every promise of Your Word

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AW Tozer once said that “after the Sacred Scriptures, the next best companion for the soul is a good hymnal.”

For date night Cheryl and I spent some time adding songs to our fledgling family hymnal. We enjoyed researching the stories behind each song and then singing them together (Eden mostly babbled but we’ll get there…)

One song in particular, Every Promise written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty, captured our attention and helped us to consider how we need to rely on the promises of God’s Word not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout our week, amidst the peaks and troughs of life.

Stuart Townend explains:

There are many songs and hymns in the church that help us to encounter God in the Sunday service; but not so many that help us to live out the gospel in our daily lives. And yet songs are a great way of remembering and meditating on the great truths of the faith during the 6 days and 22 hours of the week when we are not at church! This song is an attempt to begin to redress that balance; it reminds us that when we fall into sin, when we are faced with difficult decisions, we can rely on God’s promises to forgive, to guide, to strengthen us just when we need it. Jesus Himself said we are to live not by bread alone, but by the word of God – perhaps songs like this can help us to do that.
- Stuart Townend

Here are the words:

1. From the breaking of the dawn to the setting of the sun
I will stand on every promise of Your Word
Words of power strong to save that will never pass away
I will stand on every promise of Your Word
For Your covenant is sure
And on this I am secure
I can stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word

2. When I stumble and I sin condemnation pressing in
I will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
You are faithful to forgive that in freedom I might live
So I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
Guilt to innocence restored
You remember sins no more
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of your Word

3. When I’m faced with anguished choice, I will listen for Your voice
And I’ll stand on every promise of Your Word
Through this dark and troubled land
You will guide me with Your hand
As I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
And You’ve promised to complete
Ev’ry work begun in me
So I’ll stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word

4. Hope that lifts me from despair, love that casts out ev’ry fear
As I stand on every promise of Your Word
Not forsaken not alone for the Comforter has come
And I stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word
Grace sufficient grace for me
Grace for all who will believe
We will stand on ev’ry promise of Your Word

Words and Music by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

I like the turn of phrase in verse 3, anguished choice. And here is an example of how repeating one line can be done effectively, as the rest of the lyrics give us examples of when, how and why we can stand on every promise of His Word. This is a neat song to sing about the sufficiency of Scripture.

Of the two videos out there, Cheryl prefers the Stuart Townend one (complete with trombone, fiddle and accordion!):

Stuart Townend and Mission Worship: