Is Corporate Worship Discipleship?

This quote drives me as a Pastor and Worship Leader. The part that we play in helping our people to think rightly about God is so overwhelming to me at times. Thankfully God is a gracious God and our part in that equation is not what justifies us before Him. How we disciple our people by any and all means is a very important topic that I think Worship Leaders need to be much more mindful about. In my experience most young Worship Leaders have a very narrow view of what worship is and how discipleship is connected to it. When I have had the opportunity to talk about this topic with other Worship Leaders I tend to hear words like “experience” and “passion”, but I rarely hear words like “orthodoxy” or “theology”. I am in no way saying that corporate worship is not or should not be an experience that is moving and passionate. I am, however, saying that the emotional experience of the worship gathering cannot be the goal. Making disciples who love and worship Jesus is the goal.

If at the end of the each year you sat down and evaluated all of the song lyrics that you used in your gatherings, would you be able to see a trajectory moving towards mature Christian discipleship? Would the themes seen in the lyrics point to the glory of God so that our people can be “transformed from one degree of glory to another”?(2 Cor 3:18) Would the themes in the lyrics help our people to preach the Gospel to themselves daily? Throughout the Epistles the Apostle Paul is constantly preaching the Gospel to Christians. We should be helping our people to do the same for themselves and for their families and the Church community we are serving. We must not be satisfied with songs that are nothing more than a nice melody with some “fluffy” words. Our purpose as leaders is far greater than simply being musicians who lead songs. Yes, we should be the best musicians we can be, and yes, we should hone our craft with diligence. However, we need to understand that the call to worship ministry is the call to make disciples. While every Christian is called to make disciples, those of us who lead in the Church from such a public platform need to understand the influence we wield with our people, whether they ever realize it or not. The songs you choose and put in front of your people will influence what they listen to. Those songs will influence how they think about God over time. The temptation to cave on theological depth and clarity for the sake of singing what your people “want” is ever present. We must remember though, that God has you in this role for a reason, no matter how you ended up there. Therefore, God has placed you in a position of influence and authority in His Church. Take this role seriously! Hebrews 11:17 should be a verse that is sobering and humbling for any of us in Church leadership. You are part of “keeping watch over” the souls of your people! So give your people what they need, and not just what they want! Of course, play songs that musically make sense for your people, but not at the expense of their discipleship! Don’t sacrifice the discipleship of your people for the sake of musical taste.

Yes, this will make your job harder. It will be tougher to choose songs and arrangements that work for your team and your congregation. It will probably mean that you don’t play peoples “favorite” songs from Christian radio as often. It may mean that you need to study Scripture and theology more than you do now(as we all do!). The benefits over time are so worth it though! You will be a part of a community that longs for more of Jesus in every regard! You will be continually pushed to a higher level of accountability as those who you are discipling become more and more mature! You will have the same joy as the Apostle John: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4) This is the goal, this is the end: that our people would walk in the truth!

Push yourself in this area, brothers and sisters. God has asked you to care for the minds and souls of His Church. Care for her well, and let that be your greatest joy!