worship and music theology

Worship Training SeminarDefinition, Philosophy, Principles

Killorglin Baptist Churchby Pastor Shaun Abrahams

Session 1

Definition

How does the bible define worship?

proskuneo pros-koo-neh'-o From G4314 and probably a derivative of

G2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand); to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): - worship.

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Reverence. Isaiah 6:1-3, Revelation 4-5

Sacrifice-Service. Matt4: 10; 1Cor14: 25, Rom12:1-2

Thankfulness. Rom12: 1-2.

Spiritual and Truthful John 4:24

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Only to be given to GodExodus 20:3, Deut. 5:7; 6:13, Matt. 4:10; Acts 10:26; 14:15; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10; 22:8, Rev. 5:9–14

Must be on God’s termsGen. 4:4; 8:21, 1 Chronicles 16:29, Col. 2:18

By those who are His.Matt. 10:37,

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John MacArthur – The Ultimate Priority – Worship is ascribing to God His worth, or stating and affirming His supreme value.

Frame – The work of acknowledging

the greatness of our covenant Lord. Peterson – An engagement with God on the

terms that He proposes and in a way that He alone makes possible.

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Wiersbe – The believer’s response of all that they are – mind, emotions, will, and body – to what God is and says and does.

MacArthur – Honour and adoration directed to God. Our innermost being responding with praise for all that God is, through our attitudes, actions, thoughts, and words, based on the truth of God as He has revealed Himself.

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John MacArthur – The objective of

redemption is making worshippers. The

primary reason we are redeemed is not so

that we may escape hell—that is a blessed

benefit, but not the major purpose. The

central objective for which we are redeemed

is not even so that we might enjoy the

manifold eternal blessings of God.

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John MacArthur cont …

In fact, the supreme motive in our redemption is

not for us to receive anything. Rather, we have

been redeemed so that God may receive

worship—so that our lives might glorify Him.

Any personal blessing for us is a divine

response to the fulfilment of that supreme

purpose.

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John Piper

“Missions exist because worship does not”

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.

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Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps 97:1). “Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” (Ps 67:3-4).

But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. Missionaries will never call out, “Let the nations be glad!” who cannot say from the heart, “I rejoice in the Lord…I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High” (Ps 104:34, 9:2). Missions begins and ends in worship.”–John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993/2003), 17. 11

Worship should not be confined to our worship services; but ultimately to the giving of our earthly lives to the glory of our God. – 1Corinthians 6: 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Stopped here

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Worship includes these areas: 1.1 Worship is submission to one another (Eph. 5:19,21) “out of reverence for Christ” thus worship and (acts of) thankfulness (v. 20) are premised in one’s personal relationship with the Lord, Himself. This all results from a life that is controlled by the Spirit of God, Eph. 5:18.

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1.2 Prayers made for all, based on specific acts, lifestyles (i.e. “clean” or “holy hands”). 1 Timothy 2:1-15; and 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 (Note:Amplified Bible).

1.3 Teaching the Word. Titus 1:9; 2:1-15 + 1 Timothy 2:12

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1.4 Leadership. Biblical leadership is a matter of Bible-based authority, i.e. that the leader’s authority is founded not in title, or even in position or office but in the truth of God’s Word by which and through which moral power and excellence of soul – i.e. authority is derived. 1 Corinthians 4: 17-21. 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; 11:28; Hebrews 13:7,17; 1 Peter 5:1-11.

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1.5 Praise. Praise is a ministry or sacrifice to God. Hebrews 13:9-10, 15; 10:15. Praise is life-based, heart-felt and, of course, voiced music. Ephesians 5:19, 18-21. Colossians 3:16; 1 Peter 2:15.

1.6 Doing Good. Hebrews 13:16; Acts 10:38; 14:17, James 1:16-27; 2:1-16.

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1.7 Sensitive to Christ and His Word. Not “seeker sensitive” but Christ sensitive. Word sensitive worship is taught in numerous places in Scripture. A sampling includes such passages as: Psalms 119:104; Mark 16:15; John 8:32, 15:14; 17:17; 2 Timothy 4:2.

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1.8 Worship is established in outward action, not inner emotional experience. Worship is focused in a clear and practical call to the lost to come to Christ, and not in the ever-growing emotional emphasis of the Spiritualists and Charismatic worship that is focused on a realised eschatology: a heavenly-styled or so-called “Kingdom” worship experiences.For now: The Spirit and the Bride say “come.” Revelation 22:17 For now. The building-up (edifying) process is for ministry – action. Eph. 4.

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1.9 Worship is giving. Our Finances are a part of our worship and are thus included in Sunday Worship observeances. Acts 2:45; 5:1-16; 1 Corinthians 16:1; 2 Corinthians 8:1-24; 9:1-15.

1.10 Worship includes tribulation or trials – and with persecution or even martydom. Stephen Acts 5:41; 7:all; 14:22; 2 Corinthians 4:6-9; Philippians 1:27-30; 3:10.( These ten points are taken from “The Historic and Early Church Form of Worship and Its Impact on our Modern Philosophy of Worship By Marc S. Blackwell Sr.”

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What do we mean by worship?

Task for Class. Write a definition of worship.

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Extra thoughts/recap in different way. Through reading God’s Word

Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27; 1 Tim. 4:13; Rev. 1:32.

Through studying God’s Word Acts 6:2; 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:153.

Through teaching God’s WordActs 2:42; 6:7; 12:24; 18:28; 19:20; 1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 1:13; 2:24.

Through preaching God’s Word2 Tim. 4:25.

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Through the keeping of the ordinances 1 Cor. 11:26.

Through the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songsEph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; James 5:137.

Through the lifting up of prayers, intercessions, supplications, and thanksgiving Acts 2:42, 46; 3:1; 4:31; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2; 1 Thess. 5:17; 1 Tim. 2:1-2, 88.

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Through the receiving of his Son John 1:11-129.

Through the sacrifice of our bodies Rom. 12:110.

Through the sacrifice of our praise Heb. 13:1511.

Through the sacrifice of our good works Heb. 13:1612.

Through the sacrifice of our substance Phil 4:8

Willmington, H. (1987). Willmington's book of Bible lists (362). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.

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What do we mean by worship?

A general definition of worship might then be:Worship is the believer giving to God, a response of praise, adoration, submission and service based upon the revelation of God through His Word.

SH

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Session 2

God and your Music Philosophy

If as a believer you must worship God with all and in all that you do, are you prepared to grow and change in your understanding of music and its influences in your life?

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God is the Object of Our Worship.

We are created for God’s pleasure. We belong to him and by our actions we can demonstrate how much worth we ascribe to him. Gen 1:27, Deut 6:5.

God is a jealous God and desires that his creation worship only Him. – Exodus 20:1-8

True worship is a spiritual act, because God is a Spirit Being. John3: 3-5; 4:23-24.

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Our Music Must Worship God.

1Corinthians 10:31 sets out a principle that Christians do all things to bring glory to, or worship God. One of the ways we can worship God is through our music.

At this stage it is beneficial to see what God says about music?

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Are you willing to grow as a Christian? What do you believe about music? Is it

biblical? Are you growing in your appreciation for

music? Can you discern what is good or evil music? What does God says about music?

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Our Music Must Worship God. i.

Music comes from God.

The bible is filed with references to musicFrom Genesis to Revelation the bible sings with over 600 references to music, singing, praising, worship, songs, choirs, orchestras, musicians and instruments. Isaiah 12:2; Exodus15: 2; Psalm118: 14: The Lord is my strength and my song he has become my salvation. Strength, trust, grace and music (song), is a part of God’s character.

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Music comes from God.

God created music and creativityPsalm90: 16-17, Ecclesiates3: 14, tells us that God establishes the foundation for our creativity. Genesis 4:21 Jubal was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. Zephaniah3:17 says that God himself sings. He is the creator. In heaven He is surrounded by music Rev 4:8, Rev 5.Music is from God. The Christian is created to worship God through music.

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Our Music Must Worship God. Music Must Express God’s Character.

Isaiah saw the Lord in Isaiah 6: 1-8. He saw God transcendent, high and lifted up. The same God is the Shepherd of Psalm 23, caring, gentle, longsuffering and close by in our times of trouble. He will never leave nor forsake us. He is imminent. Furthermore God is a God of order and design. - Creation is our witness. –Rom1: 20 Paul admonishes the Corinthians to do things orderly in 1Cor14: 40.Psalm 113 says that God’s work is honourable and glorious. Psalm 139 “marvellous are Thy works and that my soul knoweth right well.”

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What do you think of this statement?

“Worship has nothing to do with the style

or volume or speed of a song. God loves

all kinds of music because He invented it

all – fast and slow, loud and soft, old and

new. You probably don ’t like it all, but

God does.”

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Knowing what the bible says is vital.

As we ask ourselves why all this controversy, it may

very well be that a lack of biblical understanding is a

major contributor to this adversarial experience (Eph.

4:13). It seems that many have not really thought

through the biblical theology and principles pertaining

to this matter of music. Many have used a proof texting

approach of incorporating the Scriptures, without the

benefit of addressing God’s Word exegetically and

allowing the text to dictate belief and practice.

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Our Music Must Worship God. iii. Music is not Amoral

1Samuel10: 5 the prophets are making music of praise with only instruments.

In 1Chron16: 42 we find that Heman and Jeduthun were responsible for the instruments when David brought the Ark back.

2 Chronicles 7:6 we see the Levites were ministering with instruments. Notice there is no mention of singing. The end of the verse says “ and all the Israelites were standing”. Thanksgiving, sadness or joy with music instruments only.

Moses and Joshua were on the mountain, taking too long for Israel in Exodus 32, they designed a calf and were worshipping it. In verse17 Joshua hears the “sound of war” from the camp. Moses described it as not the sound of triumph nor of defeat, but singing.

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Our Music Must Worship God. iv. Music is a tool For Worshipping God and ministering to the Saints.

Israel is worshipping God in Exodus15: 1-21. David called Israel to sing to the Lord, Psalm30: 4. Paul commands the congregation at Ephesus to sing to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs and sing and make melody to the Lord. Ephesians 5:19. Col3: 16, Paul says that as the word dwells in us richly we will sing songs of thankfulness to God and we will admonish and teach the saints through the music.

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Biblically then, worship music should - Worship God - make melody to the Lord.- Minister to the saints – teaching and admonishing each other.

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Our music must reflect the whole Christian experience Music can be a tool to teach about salvation, assurance of salvation, baptism, the cross, the Lord’s supper, grace, patience, peace from God, reconciliation, regeneration, sanctification, service, missions, evangelism. There is no need to sing the repetitive music that has no association with this dispensation.

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The music that we sing in church or is “ministered” in church is a new song.David writes about his salvation in psalm40: 1-3. Verse 2 “ He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my foot on a rock and gave me firm place to stand, he put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

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Psalm98: 1. We are to “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things: 2 Corinthians 5:17 “ If any man is in Christ he is new creation; the old has gone and the new has come.”

There are songs that appeal to the old nature. The words, the style and the overall message appeal to the old nature. Consider these verses Psalm33: 3,96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1;Isaiah42: 9-10;Rev: 5:9.Rev14: 3.

Rom 6-8. Music is the perfect tool to assist in this area of sanctification. . Even though we are new creatures in Christ and have overcome the world 1John5: 4, we are still being sanctified.

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If our pastor preached messages that satisfied the old nature, had no spiritual value to the hearers, was not biblically accurate, and was of pure moral content we would not stand for it. Yet we are prepared to use poor music in our services that has no, or little biblical backing.

We must remember that when we sing or play music we are ministering a message that either edifies the new man, or edifies the flesh.

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Our Music Must Worship God. Music is a tool For Worshipping God and ministering to the Saints.

2 Chronicles 5:13-14 – When Solomon dedicated the temple the singers and trumpeters were as one as they praised God. God blessed their praise by his presence. – “ For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God”

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The Goal of the Worship Service.

Who is the audience of our music? Who should it be targeted to? What is it’s purpose? Is it evangelism?

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The Goal of the Worship Service.

This is the goal of our daily worship, and in particular our worship services: - for God’s name to be lifted up and for God’s people to be edified through the singing, music and preaching in the anticipation that God will bless.

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Words we sing

My view of Christian singing is that we bless the Name of God and edify each other by singing what is biblically true, with words that reveal the whole message of the bible with special emphasis on God’s plan of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ and with music and words that edify our brothers and sisters in Christ. Our songs or hymns must be set in suitable music with tunes that convey the message without distraction.

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Our Music Must Worship God. Words we sing

The chief instrument in the worship of God is the human voice. No violin or trumpet is moved or indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but the body of the believer is, 1 Corinthians 6:19. Our lips and throats are holy and are to be instruments of righteousness, Romans 6:13.“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice,” Psalm 5:3.

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What music is Biblically Correct?

Our music and the words we sing should not be a matter of right and wrong”, but a matter of what is based on biblical principles.

Our own Preferences of style and our cultural influences should not impact our choice of what is biblically acceptable to God, but sadly they do.

The inspired truth was set in the words. Then it became the job of the musicians to come up with the music to use to make those words “singable” and memorable, that is biblically correct.

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What music is Biblically Correct

Today so much of our CHRISTIAN music (a.) does not reflect biblical truth about this dispensation in particular, and (b). it is vague in it’s content. If you look at the psalms they were not vague nor lacking in truth, and they all did not carry the same theme. As all of today’s “kingdom related” songs do.

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Specific biblical principles about Worship and Music.

1. Worship should be our ultimate priority. John 4:23 - ...for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

If worship is that important to our heavenly Father, it issomething He seeks, then it should be important to usas well.2. Worship is an action verb. John 4:23 - But anhour is coming, and now is, when the trueworshipers will worship the Father...we should notview this as something we passively observe, orsomething for which we have no responsibility

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3. Worship involves reverence and serving.

the two original words in the Bible translated

with our English word “worship” literally mean

bowing down in reverence, or serving someone

out of love and honor. that’s why we’ve used

the definition “worship – ascribing to God

His worth, or stating and affirming His

supreme value.” we got that by studying these

specific Biblical passages.

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4. Worship is a continual activity from the heart. John 4:21 - ...an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. why?...because...John 4:24 - God is spirit... so it’s not about the place or the time or the external circumstances...as a NT believer in Christ, you have all you need to worship God at all times...

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5. Worship must be centered on revealed truth.

John 4:24 - those who worship Him must worship in ...truth. we also saw that in the worship passage in the OT, Isaiah 6, where the focus was on the holiness of God. When worship went bad in the Bible it is because humans ignored God’s truth like Nadab and Abihu or Uzzah, or when people tried to add their own truth to the equation like the religious leaders of Jesus’ day.

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6. Worship must involve the whole man. John 4:24 - ...those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. God detests half-hearted worship, and indifferent worship, and many of the worship passages in the Bible speak to that issue... our worship should be passionate, and gripping the entire inner man...our hearts, our emotions, our wills, and our desires...and of course that is always to be balanced... - 1 Corinthians 14:15 - I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

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7. Worship should be centered on the glory of God and the sufficiency of our Savior. even OT worship pointed to the cross...and the great joy of forgiveness and yes there is a place in our worship for the fear of God, and for conviction of sin, and for confession and repentance, but the emphasis should be on the joy that comes because of the finished work of Christ on the cross, and the forgiveness available through Him, and the change that results.

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8. Worship should be understandable to people in today’s culture.1 Corinthians 14:9 - So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken?

we should value intelligibility – in fact, that is one of the major themes of that entire chapter.

John Frame - It is a good idea, then, for all of us to learn to appreciate music that doesn’t immediately appeal to us. In that way we serve one another, and we also grow by learning to praise God in new ways.

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9. Worship should include a variety of music. Ephesians 5:19 - speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; God gives us all kinds of music with which to praise Him, new songs, and as we’ll see today, with a variety of instruments.

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Specific biblical principles about worship and music.

10. Worship should appeal to the body and the emotions, but always under the control/direction of a biblically informed mind and heart.- that is why we read so much in these passages about clapping, and raising ones hands, and shouting, and dancing.- and I’m not saying that is the standard of spirituality, but anyone who believes that music that appeals to the physical body in some way is sinful, is out of balance.- now, that’s not exhaustive, but those are some of the most important direct passages in God’s Word about worship and music, and principles that flow out of them.

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Instruments?

David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs, accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals. 1 Chron. 15:16

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Instruments?

2 Chronicles 5:13indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the Lord, saying: 1 “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, (NKJV)

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Instruments?

Music is a powerful and vital element in the worship life of God’s people. But precisely because it is so significant, we need to give careful thought to it. We must be sure that we are pleasing God and not entertaining ourselves. The temptation to turn worship into entertainment is great because as sinners we are much more inclined to be self-centered than God-centered. We are much more inclined to amuse ourselves than to serve God.

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Excellence

1Chron9: 33, 15:16-29, 2Samuel 6:5, Nehemiah 12:27-47. As you read these verse you are astounded at the time, preparation, skill and practice that must have preceded these worship services. The directors, musicians and vocalists were committed to producing services that worshipped God through excellence. -1Corinthians12: 31

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John Frame – Worship in Spirit and Truth – In the context of worship, these terms refer primarily to the service of God carried out by the priests in the tabernacle and the temple…we can see that worship is far different than entertainment. In worship, we are not to be passive, but to participate.

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Excellence

Class Task. Write a job description for a worship team.

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Excellence

A worship team must be dedicated to assist the congregation to conform to the image of Christ through the worship service by choosing music in which text; the music itself, the performers and practices are committed to the goal of ministering to the saints.

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The Worship Leader/Team

Saved and committed to the Lord and to the church

Growing in understanding what the bible teaches on music and worship

Have a desire to serve God with their gifts of music

Understand worship ministry is about serving, edifying, ministering and not performing.

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Be committed to prepare, practice and play music to bring honour to God. This preparation is in four areas:

1. Preparation of heart 2. Development of skills 3. Developing and training the team 4. Planning for the service at hand Be thankful for the privilege of serving Gods

people in this capacity.

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The Worship Leader should be a worshipper first and a musician second.

Musical talent and skill, singing ability and a good voice are important to the Worship Leader.

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Must be seen as a ministry to the Lord first and ministry to the people second.

Must not be looked at as "the preliminaries" to the service, but must be seen as a key element of the gathering of God's people.

Is not entertainment or performance, but ministry. There must be unity and agreement between the

Worship Leader and the Pastor and other leaders on just what Praise and Worship is and how it is to be developed and practiced in the church.

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Praise and Worship is as important as the Fellowship we experience when we meet together and the Word that is preached.

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