Worship team or congregation worship?
Team for worship is not New Testament pattern of worship. Praise Team replace the congregational worship. Singing praise in the Scriptures is congregational as an act of the entire assembly.
The Praise Team would rehearse ahead of time and perform the samel. So only the Praise Team actually sing and congregation watch the performance. Worship is not to be performed.
One of Luther’s most intentional reforms was to re-introduce congregational praise, and he did so both by writing almost forty hymns, but also by translating others and encouraging the writing and translating of more. For Luther and Calvin, “the priesthood of all believers” meant that the entire congregation now offered the sacrifice of praise to God.
If we call it a “Praise Band” the title also designates a performance, and we hesitate to replace the congregation’s vocal praise with someone else’s performance thereof (even though, in fact, this is largely what the Praise Band does). If, on the other hand, we designate it a “Praise Team,” well then, what is the congregation? A small group within the congregation only do the praise. For example When we have a “football team” on the field, we on the sidelines observe their performance, but do not play the game ourselves. Having surrogate praisers is simply out of accord with the teaching of Scripture. The Scriptures call the entire assembly to present vigorous praise to God. Scriptures do not command “worship music;” they command congregational praise. Praise Team” or a “Praise Band,” either one is problematic.
Our earthly assemblies are anticipations of the heavenly/eschatological assemblies, in which the redeemed cry out songs of praise in loud, united praise. In the book of Revelation 4 and 5 mention about 24 elders which is the whole church worship and no team for worship.
The church usually puts talented singers and performers front and center during Sunday services. Hence, a service is largely judged by how good the band performed. This is the kind of setting that shows man worship instead of Jesus worship. Worship leaders and performers often have big egos to match their talent and many erroneously (subconsciously) think that the service is all about them.
Mathew Eldo
He presently deals with contemporary exegetical issues to defend the fundamental convicted doctrines of the Bible. And also deals with Christian home issues.
Now serves as the Faculty of South India Baptist Bible College and teaches various subjects majoring in New Testament Koine Greek and NT Koine Greek Syntax and Exegesis ...