TODAY I WANT TO SPEAK about a concern that has been on my heart for many years. I raised it a few years ago on my Facebook page and earlier this week I raised it again via a Facebook Live video.
My concern is directed primarily towards church leaders as they are the ones responsible, and I encourage the wider Christian community to take time to analyse what I will share to see if there is any validity or value in my concern.
My motive here isn’t to cause shame or offence but to see the restoration of order within the church and hopefully it encourages discussion within the body of Christ.
There are four basic things Christians engage in whenever they go to church – worship, prayer, Bible study and preaching. My concern surrounds corporate worship and unsaved individuals being part of worship teams.
It is my belief that every single person in a worship team has value. There is a train of thought that the worship leader is the most important person in a worship team. I do not support that view.
The worship leader, the back-ups, the musicians and the technical personnel (such as the engineer) are all equally important, though they have individual roles. Collectively, they all make up the worship team. The main purpose of a worship team is to use their voices, instruments and other resources to create an atmosphere where believers can worship God.
There is a growing trend among some churches in Barbados to place unsaved individuals, that is, those who aren’t born-again or have any relationship with the Lord, as part of the worship team especially during Sunday service. This practice is more predominant among the band or musicians.
Some of these musicians play with secular bands, who play music that encourages revelry, fornication, drunkenness and the like. They leave the clubs, fetes and parties on Saturday nights and join the worship team on Sunday mornings. This may not be a problem for you, but it is a significant concern for me and here is why.
Worship is translated in the New Testament Greek as “to fall down before” or to “bow down”. In essence, worship is the action of showing worth to God and the total submission of who we are before Him. When we worship, we are literally declaring or attributing worth to God and one way this is manifested is through our praises.
Although believers gather corporately for worship, it must be understood that worship to God is personal and individualistic. The scriptures teach in 1 Peter 2:9 that we were chosen to praise God, and in John 4:23-24, that “those who worship God must worship Himin spirit and in truth”.
It is impossible for a person to worship “in spirit” if they aren’t born-again (have received the Holy Spirit). In John 17:17, Jesus states that “Thy word is truth”. It is therefore impossible to worship “in truth” without being in relationship with God, which is based on knowledge and understanding of who He is, and which is achieved through reading and studying His Word (the Bible).
If the above is indeed true, how can any pastor encourage and allow unbelievers to be part of a worship team? And many of these musicians only play if they are paid as they see it as a gig. They aren’t committed to the church, ministry or the kingdom and normally “lime” outside the church after worship. I am not angry with the musicians, as their motivation is to play music; it is church leaders with whom I am disappointed.
There are secular bands in Barbados that in order for you as a musician to play in them, you must have achieved a certain standard in your musicianship. The Kingdom of God also operates by standards, but sadly some choose to ignore God’s standard for whatever reason and are willing to compromise.
Maybe this is why so many worship sessions are just emotional and reflect a concert – the music sounds and feels good, but God isn’t being glorified or honoured. Worship is from the inside out and no one who isn’t a worshipper should be allowed to be a part of a worship team.
Talent and competency are important, but character and the state of a person’s spirit and heart are more important to God.
• Corey Worrell, a former Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, is director of C2J Foundation Inc., a project-based NGO focusing on social development. Email: [email protected]
