“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say
what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
I love Christian music! In fact, I’m in a Christian worship band. We lead worship all over the country. In fact, I am the worship pastor at my church!
Music has been an important part of my life, so my issue is NOT with Christian music. The issue is with modern day worship leaders. I have been noticing a trend with Christian artists in the last two months.
The trend is now to take a stand against a biblical worldview. Here are a couple of examples:
- Jars of Clay lead singer says that he’s now OK with gay marriage.
- Gungor states that they no longer believe the Bible, and they have a song out now that is called “GOD OUR MOTHER.”
Here is a line from the song:
‘God our mother…leading us into peace, leading and comforting all those in need… hallowed be thy name in all the earth.’
These are just a few things that are happening inside the world of Christian worship leaders. It’s sad and concerning. Worship leaders are to prepare the hearts of the church (people) to hear God’s word. Or help the church respond in worship after hearing the Word of God proclaimed. But if you have worship leaders who A. Don’t believe the Bible is inspired and B. Don’t believe in a biblical worldview, then what in the world are they doing in the business of leading people in worship to the GOD OF THE BIBLE?
What’s the point? Seriously? How did we get here?
I think one of the major problems inside of Christendom is that we (as a culture) have placed Christian artists and worship leaders on a platform that they really should have never been placed on. As a result of placing them on this platform, we have, in a way, defined them and given them an influential place at the table. This is not always a bad thing, but fame and money have a strange effect on human beings, and if you’re not in a solid Biblical community of accountability, it can go dark fairly quickly. These people who have been given a gift by God to lead folks in worship can get a ‘ROCK STAR’ mentality.
As a result of having this mentality sometimes what happens is people don’t think they need to be in church or any type of biblical community with ‘normal folks’, and as a result they surround themselves with people who think this same way, and this in turn becomes their community. This can become dangerous.
How do we fix it?
We need worship leaders who have a SERVANT’S heart and leaders who desire to live out a biblical worldview on and off stage, not a rock star’s heart. I know that most folks start out with a servant’s heart in mind, but somewhere along the line we start to think too highly of ourselves. And we’re all in danger of being a part of something like this, if we are not careful.
I have strategically placed people in my life to keep me humble. I have friends and family who don’t think I’m a rock star. They know me as a flawed human being who needs God’s grace daily.
I am a member of a local Bible-based community (i.e. The Church) where people see me every week in a normal capacity and not just on a stage. I’m not unwilling to step up and clean a bathroom or help in a Sunday school class (as the background man) if need be.
Now, I know what some people will say, ‘Well, you’re just bragging’. Nope! I’m simply saying these are helpful ways to keep us humble.
We need leaders in the Church who actually believe the message of Jesus, and not just some of the message, but all of it.
I think we’ll see solid and long lasting growth if we actually do it this way.