Why Should Worship Leaders Study Theology?
In his book, Real Worship: Playground, Battleground, or Holy Ground, Warren W. Wiersbe surmises that the average congregant forms the bulk of their theology from the songs they sing rather than the sermons they hear.[1] This is a sobering thought for worship leaders because whether we acknowledge it or not, we play an integral role in the spiritual formation of those we lead each week. The songs we string together during the musical portions of our services have a powerful influence on our congregation’s understanding of the God they’re worshippers. Worship leaders are not simply musical leaders — they are spiritual teachers tasked with informing and guiding those around them. What a congregation believes about God will directly inform their worship of Him. A solid biblical understanding of a great and perfect Creator Who is infinitely worthy of praise will elicit a different response than an abstract being who merely wants to meet our requests. Strong theology will result in strong worship, while a poor understanding of God will result in shallow worship. It is imperative, therefore, that worship leaders become studiers of theology.
Throughout scripture, there are numerous instances where music and songs are utilized to educate the people of God. In Colossians 3:16, Paul writes to the church in Colossae to ‘let the word of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs….” Likewise, Exodus 31:20, Joshua 4:21–22, and Psalm 78:2–4 all instruct the reader to utilize singing as a teaching tool for the subsequent generations. Psalm 119:54 states, “Your statutes have been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived.” Songs are a powerful tool for teaching and educating a congregation about God and His character.
If Wiersbe is correct in his assessment that the majority of congregants receive a large percentage of their theology from worship songs, then the leaders choosing the choruses and hymns they are singing must understand exactly what is being communicated. Worship leaders must have a steady awareness of the doctrines they are putting before their churches each week. In John 4:24, Jesus initiates that those who worship God correctly will worship Him in spirit and truth. A song cannot be fully God-honoring or worshipful if it does not align with God’s word. Therefore, it is just as crucial for worship leaders to possess the theological comprehension required to assess and evaluate the messages and doctrines within the songs they choose as it is they possess the skills to lead the musicians. As Matt Boswell points out, worship leaders should lead “with a guitar in one hand, a Bible in the other.”[2]
Unlike teaching pastors, worship leaders do not have a great deal of time on Sunday mornings to delve into the intricacies of theological doctrines. What limited speaking time they do possess is usually spent encouraging participation in worship or setting up the next song. Therefore, in order to maximize the time allotted, worship leaders must select doctrinally strong and theologically rich songs that will inform the congregation’s view and understanding of God. Simply put, worship leaders teach through songs, not sermons. If a song lyric is ambiguous in its’ intention or has the potential to be confusing to a congregant, it must be sagaciously weighed whether it is appropriate for congregational worship. Each line and stanza must be held up to the light of God’s word in order to have a place in a worship setting. If a lyric isn’t true, then it has no place in the worship of a holy and perfect God.
The adept worship leader must realize that through singing songs, they are equipping their fellow believers with theology about the God they serve. Whether for good or bad, the lyrics our churches sing each week profoundly influence what our congregations know and believe about God. In order to fully understand and comprehend what theologies are being communicated, worship leaders must humbly submit to the study of God’s word while carefully holding each element in our services up to the light of scripture.
[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Real Worship: Playground, Battleground, or Holy Ground?, 2nd ed (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Books, 2000), 136.
[2] Matt Boswell et al., Doxology & Theology: How the Gospel Forms the Worship Leader (Nashville, Tenn: B&H Publishing Group, 2013), 18–19.
