Worship was the recent topic for discussion at the small Bible study group I attend. And a long practising worship leader was sharing his experience. While recalling moments of ecstasy when the Lord’s presence became “very real” he also expressed concern at how shallow much of church worship is today.

Others complained that church singing, having long departed from the “Scripture in Song” choruses that were the backbone of the Charismatic Revival in the 1970s and 80s, was now mainly composed of “make me feel good” lyrics.

Truth about Jesus as God, his saving power and what he requires of those who trust Him was largely missing from today’s worship, they felt. Bible doctrine was noticeable by its absence from popular songs, whereas in times past it had been the key feature of well sung choruses.

There was, one older Christian pleaded, a need for “balance”. Yes, it was good to worship the Lord and seek to “enter his courts with praise” but it was also important to teach biblical truth through songs and hymns.

There was evidence, one participant suggested, of choruses being sung largely to “give a buzz” to those singing them, not to truly submit to praise, worship and learn more about our Saviour Jesus Christ. Another complained there was little or no “fruit”, in terms of spiritual progress by participants, from what is often a half to three quarters of an hour-long praise and worship session.

Enough was said to convince this writer that it was time to see what the Bible actually says about the “worship leader” whose role is held to be so important in church services today.

So, I searched the scriptures and was surprised to find there is no such ministry as that of “worship leader” mentioned in the biblical lists of spiritual gifts and appointed ministries. Take 1 Corinthians 12:28 for example:

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that, miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

So, then, even in the long ago Acts period Pentecostal dispensation of the “Church of God” there was no divinely appointed music ministry in the hands of one man. Most likely praise and worship came spontaneously as the congregation was led by the Spirit and songs and hymns were supernaturally given and inspired.  What’s more, in the absence of a written New Testament (the gospels and Acts had yet to be written; 1 Corinthians, was the first letter written to the Corinthian church by the Apostle Paul) the then current truth and teaching of the Pentecostal dispensation was often spoken out in meetings by supernatural prophetic inspiration. Later when Paul’s teaching was widely published in written form, the emphasis (in his last seven epistles) was on reading and teaching of the written word, not on singing as such.5

This sea change was heralded in Romans 16:25-26 where Paul declares that now the preaching of his gospel and of “Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery”, kept secret from since the world began but now made “manifest  by the SCRIPTURES of the PROPHETS”, according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known unto all nations for the obedience of faith”.

Teaching that once given by inspired utterances in assemblies of believers was now permanently set down in scripture written by inspired “prophets” who no longer spoke but wrote their message for all to read.

But back to music. The next shock from Scripture was that no “worship leader” as such, is mentioned in the later “dispensation of grace” list of “ascension gift” ministries given by the Lord Jesus and recorded as such in in Ephesians 4:11.

These apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and pastors men were divinely given as temporary appointments to “edify” and “perfect” (in truth and knowledge) the Acts period believers, ushering them into the greater truth and experience of the new “dispensation of the grace of God and the mystery now brought into being by the Apostle Paul under the Lord’s direction (Ephesians 3:1-5).

And He gave some apostles; and some, prophet; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (that existed in the Acts period, that is).

Till we all (both Jew and Gentile, Acts period Pentecostals and those now quickened into the new “high calling” of God (Philippians 3:14) come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT  man , unto the measure of the stature of the FULNESS  of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Again, there is no mention of a music ministry, still less of a “worship leader”. Yet today scarcely any “church” of whatever stripe and persuasion conducts a service without a music and song leader.

Even in the quaint and hyper Calvinistic “Strict and Particular Baptist Chapel” I was brought up in, where organ, piano and guitar were banned as “instruments of the devil”, one man was still designated to blow a whistle to sound the tune for hymns that were sung. As such he was a “worship leader”. The congregation followed his lead, singing from both tune and hymn books.

I should explain that there were then (and, probably, still are), “strict” and “not so strict” streams in this little known and still less recognised movement. The chapel we as a family attended in Rochdale, Lancashire, was of the “not so strict” persuasion. Services were held in a superbly appointed chapel that featured a large pipe organ painted in blue, red and gold.

Imagine the shock when a visiting “really strict” minister took umbrage when the organist played the tune for the first hymn. Outraged he thundered: “Shut Dagon’s mouth; we’ll have no works of the devil in this service.” The organist angrily shut the lid and stood down. I can only wonder what this outspoken minister might make of today’s typical worship service today, with pounding drums, electrified guitars, rock-like music and, of course, a worship leader.

But back to the Bible. Where can we find scriptural mention of a ministry of music? Why, in the psalms, of course. In his time King David appointed singers, musicians, no less than 4,000 of them, and music directors (plural not singular) to conduct praise and worship. The psalms were both poetic and prophetic; that is, they were both inspired and also often given by God supernaturally on the spot as the singers sang and the musicians played. 

And modern Pentecostal practice seeks, but in my view fails, to reproduce the divine and supernatural music and worship of David’s time. In sharp contrast truth for today is the God-given mandate from the Apostle Paul to:

Let 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 heart to the Lord (Colossians 3:16).

It’s the WORD not the music that is to have predominance. But today modern church worship has it the other way around. Yet in Ephesians 5:18-19 the Apostle Paul advises:

Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in spiritual song, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Notice this form of worship is personal. It’s singing and speaking to “yourselves” not to God nor to others. It’s an entirely individual way of encouraging oneself with his presence and the truth of his word. Just as David did 1 Samuel 30:6).   

Before I am condemned as being hard set against worship leaders, let me make clear that is not the case. As an avid Bible believer, I recognise Scripture two great worship leaders, though that phrase is not used for either of them.

One is Lucifer once appointed by God as the worship leader and master of all music and singing in heaven. The other is the Lord Jesus Christ now composing and inspiring the hymns and choruses that express his latest TRUTH which He sings with his people.

Note the emphasis on TRUTH. It is true God “inhabits the praises of his people” but only when they set forth the teaching He wants true believers to know now. And those truths are not what He said in past dispensations, such as that of the Pentecostal Acts period or the earlier Old Testament pronouncements. For example:

Rather, today’s message from God and celebrated in psalms, choruses and songs is the “form of sound words” found in Paul’s last seven epistles, written from his prison cell. It is the message of grace, of a fully completed salvation, and of being for ever made one with Christ.

When our singing is about the Lord’s truth, especially the message of grace and of being complete in Christ, that is knowing a fully completed salvation, his WORDS for today as found in the “prison epistles” of Paul, then, amazingly, He sings along with us Gentiles. That God wants to sing with us is easily proved.  He says so in Romans 15:9:

And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy, as it is written, for this cause, I will confess to thee among the Gentiles and SING unto thy name.

And in Hebrews 2:12 our Lord says:

I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will SING your praise.

So, as Jesus once led the disciples to sing a hymn Matt, 26:30, Mark 124:26, so today He sings with those who truly pay attention to his WORD. Here’s more proof that God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, is our only true worship leader:

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will rejoice over thee with joy He will rest in his love; He will joy over thee with (loud) singing (Zephaniah 3:17)

John Dudley Aldworth

Email: johndaldworth42@gmail.com