Christian: Are Worship Teams scriptural??? (Jesus, ritual, reject, Moses)

[Scuba Pete]

This may get absolutely no input, but since we don't have our own forum, I thought I would ask this of my brethren who might be on this forum.

Worship Team: A group of brothers and sisters who sing through microphones during service.

Those who use them say that they are JUST as authorised as a song leader, and fit under the "Orderly Worship" concept.

Those against them say they are a trend towards "performance" in our worship services.

What say ye?

(Caveat, I am an active member (Bass & sometimes Tenor) on my church's Worship Team.)

[Tzeitel]

I don't believe that worship teams are scriptural.

Much of the music is bordering on worldly music. It ususally doesn't focus on what Jesus did for us, but a generalized spiritual experience.

It is emotional, and the Bible tells us to be sober and vigilant.

Many times it is lead by women, who are NOT to lead in the congregation, or teach over men.

Many times, the teams promote dancing. Men and women never danced in the presence of each other.

God never tells believers to dance in order to worship him. He tells us to worship in spirit and truth, with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Worshiping God is following proper doctrine and following the Great Commission, and serving him. It is not having an emotional experience, which many of these worship teams promote.

[Scuba Pete]

Do you have scriptures to support your stance???

[Linus]

Funny, I grew up in the CoC and I have never heard of this kind of thing before. Interesting.

I guess it would depend on the real intent of having one.

If the purpose is just to make the singing sound better, then I would be opposed to the idea. It seems like it would be focusing on the physical side of the worship rather than the spiritual. I don't think God cares about what we sound like, but rather what is in our hearts. I think a song leader is enough to do that and we don't even have to have those. Who cares if we sing out of tune as long as we are worshipping in spirit and in truth. What do you think NetDoc?

[Scuba Pete]

Well it's great to have opinions, but I am looking for scriptural support or rejection of the principle.

As for motives, well many of the songs we sing are not in the hymnal. The only way to learn the parts then is to hear them. The only way to hear them is to have them amplified. Singing has improved dramatically since inception.

[Linus]

Well, we have no biblical evidence to support anything like it. Obviously microphones didn't exist back in the day, but there is no mention of anything like it. I don't know. To me it is like having a choir. Why do we not have a choir? It just seems to single people out during the worship.

[Dadball]

NetDoc



I personally believe that praising God in song either by chants, hymns or with electric guitars is worship to God. I also think if someone were to look closely enough, they can probably find scriptural reference to either side. I'll reference some here.



Exodus 15

1 Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea. 2 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.



Number 10

10 Also at your times of rejoicing-your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals-you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, [a] and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God."



1 Chronicles 6

32 They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.



Psalm 81

1 Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob! 2 Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre.



Psalm 98

4 Shout for joy to the LORD , all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; 5 make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, 6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn- shout for joy before the LORD , the King.



Amos 5

23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.



Luke 19

37When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[b] “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40“I tell you,” he replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”



Colossians 3

16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.



Hebrews 2

12He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”



Revelation 15

2And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God 3and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds,

Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways,

King of the ages. 4Who will not fear you, O Lord,

and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come

and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

[No*s]

******MOD POST******

This is a same faiths debate for the Church of Christ. I would ask everyone in here who is Church of Christ to fill out their religion field accordingly. If you are not Church of Christ, then please do not post.

[Scuba Pete]

As many do not realise, most who are invloved with the churches of Christ refuse to be called anything BUT Christian. We don't believe in denominations (not found in scripture) and so we refuse to belong to one. The churches of Christ for the most part are independentat assemblies that are committed to worshiping in the same fashion as the First Century churches did.

I have since talked with No*S and he has agreed that those professing "Christian" as their faith may also post here. I guess he learned a bit about us in the process as well!

[Tzeitel]

Don't you also believe in baptismal regeneration?