Why Worship Leaders Should Study Theology
When worship leaders lead people they direct them into this state of constant awareness of the presence of God and the knowing of who he is. This essentially guides and enables a congregation to go further in their walk with God and the offering of themselves as living sacrifices. Yet, to do so properly, the worship leader must not only believe in Christ but know different aspects of the faith and know God on a deep level. By them having this foundation they can properly teach and authorize others to have the right view of God, the act of worship, and how they correlate. Theology is the study of God, and it goes hand in hand with worship. To truly know God and understand him initiates continual worship. Therefore, to properly lead others in worship, knowing theology is imperative.
Our knowledge and backgrounds affect us in everything we do. We may not know it, but everyone has different presuppositions and biases that come from their past experiences and upbringings. So, if one is raised Catholic or Baptist and had those church experiences then they may consciously or subconsciously bring those thought patterns into their worship leadership. Additionally, the same goes for different theological perspectives and worship. What we think and know about God and the different layers taught about him affects our demonstration of worship in front of others. Apart from clearly understanding what true worship is, how we view God and what we think worship is will ultimately determine how we worship and lead others to do so as well. So, when it comes to knowing theology, it branches into the other domains and our comprehension of them.
While each branch is deeply important, different ones take precedence when it comes to worshipping. The reason we worship is simply that God has saved us. We were once Gentiles living in sin, and whatever mess we once called living, God sent Christ and saved us, giving us a new life and purpose. Therefore, the study of salvation is the most important to first understand. The doctrine of salvation in the biblical story highlights our relationship with God and defines Christian’s identity in light of it.[1] Knowing what salvation is through a theological viewpoint not only gives realization to what the Lord has done but can craft a heart posture that grasps God as who he is that then leads to worship. When the worship leader knows and understands soteriology, they are impacted, but with that same passion and comprehension spread what they know and see to others through song, prayer, and other demonstrative acts of worship. Awareness of soteriology allows leaders to form, know, and share a true fear or awe of God.
Nevertheless, the study of Christ, the Holy Spirit, and theology proper are all equally important. Each of these areas of study and understanding enables and shapes the leader and the congregation. However, Pneumatology is often misunderstood and neglected. Many times, he is only called on for specific reasons, yet he is the power behind it all. The Holy Spirit empowers, teaches, and inspires. He is the strength behind our ability to minister, serve, and share the word of God. As well as planning worship sets that point to God and glorifies him rather than us. The Spirit humbles and leads leaders and the congregation to Christ. Without the Spirit right healthy worship and worship leadership are impossible. It is the power of the Spirit that fuels the church and without it, leaders and unable to minister to the people in a way that gives life and leads others to Christ. Therefore, knowing pneumatology is key.
Lastly, Ecclesiology is a foundational knowledge that people in worship leadership should be aware of. After building a consciousness on the basis of theological domains such as Soteriology, Christology, Pneumatology, and theology proper, Ecclesiology comes into play. One must first know why believers worship and who they worship to properly understand the function and reason of the church. Specifically, worship leaders should know the importance of leading the body into one song and one mind and why. “Our theology is not merely our own individualistic endeavor but is integrated into the whole of life and pursued in community as the people of God under the authoritative Word of God.”[2] Once worship leaders understand the Trinity and salvation, they not only comprehend it in a personal way, but it then branches out into a communal horizontal form of worship.
With the many different aspects of worship come the many different aspects of theology to back it. Therefore, worship leadership is upheld with a firm theological agreement that supports and leads them into the calling and anointing placed on them by God to be a light, teacher, and minister. Worship leadership is built on more than musical understanding, but on theological knowledge that points to the heart of God the Father and transforms those who worship him. So, leaders in worship must be aware of the foundation behind what they are doing. It is an act of leadership that is bigger than them, their individual congregation, and dates to before Christ. This form of leadership can mold and shape a people. As believers who lead in such an influential way, we must shape minds in the right way of Christ and not on a false knowledge that glorifies man. When worship leaders know theology, they are able to constantly ask and correct themselves with the power of the Holy Spirit and in community to ensure that they are leading and living in a way right in the eyes of Christ.
[1] Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020), 23.
[2] Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, Christian Theology: The Biblical Story and Our Faith (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2020), 24.
