Why Should Worship Leaders Study Theology?
To put it simply, you cannot worship a God you do not know. Jesus said in John 4 that the Father is seeking worshippers in spirit and in truth. We must allow our worship and leadership to be encompassed by the truth of the Word and the characteristics of who God has revealed Himself to be. How can we proclaim His excellencies week to week without a comprehensive grasp of who our God is, what He has done, what He is doing, and what He has promised to do? If you do not know wholeheartedly that God is faithful, loving, true, merciful, righteous, steadfast, eternal, unmoveable, sovereign, omnipotent, etc. — then how can we preach that to our congregations?
As Christians, we must be continuous and dedicated students of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16–17, Heb. 4:12). Therefore, as theologians we must have a full understanding of God’s character, His past works, and how the Bible applies to us today. Throughout Scripture, we can see who God is and why His works throughout history point towards Jesus as a Messiah. We see humanity’s need for a Savior in its fallen nature, and how we must respond to the call for salvation with a life set apart for the glory of God.
When we carry these truths in our hearts and in our conduct, it impacts the way we lead, sing, and play. We are held to a high standard of personal excellence (Ps. 3:33) because our God deserves such devotion (Rom. 12:1) and discipline (Prov. 10:17). A greater knowledge of who God is also drives us to lead others with humbleness, humility, grace, and patience as Christ modeled for us in the New Testament. It also impacts our sincerity in worship and our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Our primary task as worship leaders is to be in the constant pursuit of knowing God intimately. We do this by praying without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:16–17) and abiding in the Word (Jn. 8:31–32). While excellent music-making should be a priority, our first is to be a living sacrifice as described in Romans 12 — which includes being deeply committed to the inerrancy of Scripture and promoting Biblical truth and wisdom through our responses in worship.
