Since this week’s Worship Survey did not involve statistics, Jonathan gets a break on commenting this time. However, tomorrow’s poll will involve calculations of your answers. Thanks to all of you for taking part! The more people involved – the bigger picture we’ll see. I'll try to post a new worship survey every Sunday morning and we'll review the results the following Saturday.
Praise Teams may not be for everybody. I appreciate Andrew’s comments about tailoring everything for each individual congregation’s personality. It always bothered me when I traveled overseas and found missionaries trying to “Americanize” foreign churches, instead of applying the Gospel’s eternal truth to their unique cultures. Maybe that was a poor analogy, but the point is this - we should always be sensitive to the best approach for each church and for each type of setting.
Julie, I have also found singing to be better with a praise team than without. And as Corey pointed out, it helps people to learn the parts and provides an overall support. It is a blessing for the praise teams to go “off site” and minister to the elderly, the sick and also be used in evangelistic settings.
Shane, your summary provides a platform for further discussion. If you will indulge me, I will post some additional articles on the praise team subject in the near future.
Yes, there is a difference, as Todd pointed out, in the model of “leading” versus “supporting.” Again, the setting should dictate what is appropriate. I have seen situations that called for a more direct “leadership” role, and I have also enjoyed the praise team providing a much needed “supporting” role as well.
Amen, Brad! You are preaching to the, ahem, “choir,” (I mean praise team) when you say that music deserves top priority in our assemblies. Yes, we found out a long time ago that music will touch some people when preaching and other methods don’t. Preparing a church for this process is of ultimate importance and can make all the difference in how well it is received. It was very thoughtful that you were polling visitors as well! It is great to hear a success story of how "uninspiring singing" was transformed into the opposite through praise team ministry and worship renewal. I like the idea of establishing a larger singing group and also providing other “venues” for singing ministries, realizing that not everyone is gifted enough to handle the responsibility of being amplified. It’s too bad that some have perceived praise teams as a tool of evil, when they are probably more afraid of change or of anything outside their comfort zone. (Here is where I should insert the mistaken prediction that the computer would not be widely used; and, how the early Trademark and Patent Office Director predicted that we would quickly run out of new ideas to register.)
Jerome, you shared a beautiful comparison of how most churches have “virtual” praise teams, recognizing there are individuals who are gifted “section leaders,” (although most of them would humbly loathe the idea of being referred to as an influential singer, or as being recognized for adding to the overall beauty of the congregational mix.) You also made some outstanding points that go along with our “participation” dilemma. How do we convince everyone to be fully engaged, even if they believe they “can’t sing well” or “don’t have a good voice?” (Actually, this will be part of tomorrow’s Worship Survey.)
Rick, you are blessed in that the congregation already went through the “process” before you arrived. When I began full-time worship ministry, I prayed for a place that was already “there,” but that was not to be. When the praise team concept was first introduced at our congregation, one leader said, “Take away the praise team and pretty much all our worship disagreements will go away.” His prediction was totally inaccurate. I don’t want to go into the resulting, ugly worship war, but it was not fun at all. (I think we need another topic just to discuss the psychology of transitions and analyze the process.) Rick, I agree that God can make something special out of our “loaves and fishes,” but I’m also aware of problems that occur when we hand a microphone to someone who has a lot more desire than talent. Thanks for bringing that up. (We keep thinking of additional things for future discussions that might be helpful for others who are launching praise team ministries.)
Chuck, thanks for challenging us to move beyond our “logic-based faith” and accept the worship revival that is sweeping the Body of Christ. We should allow the Spirit to shape us and take us where God intends. Far be it from us to find ourselves becoming the Pharisees who judge others, restrict spiritual growth, and even as Gamaliel warned, find ourselves “fighting against God.”
