5 changes toward restoring Biblical worship leadership

Jim Farrer May 12, 2022

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The most visible action of church leadership involves worship. Leaders often go through the service without thinking about or sharing the meaning or the background of each part.

1. The opening of worship

In "contemporary" worship a music leader often comes on stage and invites the congregation to praise the Lord and leads choruses. While this is appropriate, it could be nonchalant or naive.

The Reformed tradition was one of the groups which suffered oppression by secular governments. In reaction they began worship by quoting Psalm 124:8: "Our help is in the name of the LORD." Thus the first purpose of a verbal call to worship is a political statement that we have a right to assemble no matter what any government declares or does. We have no king, but Christ.

The second purpose of a verbal call to worship is to claim holy ground and the victory of Christ. It thus warns the enemy principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12) in the spirit realm that Jesus' mopping-up exercises are beginning again, so scram!

2. Yes, worship is a battle!

Ed Stetzer, PhD, Billy Graham Distinguished Chair of Church, Mission, and Evangelism at Wheaton College, remarks: "As I travel and speak among God's people, I also pray that God will awaken them to the spiritual battle that is taking place around us."

In Numbers 4:23 and 8:24 almost every Bible commentary concentrates on the age limits of the workers at the wilderness tabernacle. Of the translations only the American Standard Version of 1901 (and only in a footnote) points out that the Hebrew is literally "they shall go in to war the warfare of the tent of meeting." Wow!

The word for war istsabhawhich is also used in the phrase"YHWH sabaoth"or LORD of Hosts/heavenly armies(Psalm 24:10and Isaiah 6:3). The same idea is emphasized in Ephesians 6:12.

Should not church members be aware of these important happenings?

3. Good news is too feeble.

In his book Go and Make Disciples, David H.C. Read points out the etymology of the word evangelism. The prefix ev or eu is used in words such as euphoria (wonderful feeling), euphonium (glorious sound) and utopia (most fabulous place.) Thus evangelism is not simply sharing a "good" message, but astonishing, unbelievable, yes, euphoric news!

4. Leading the Lord's Supper

Having leadership at Holy Communion is a special privilege. In Acts 2:46 many translations including KJV, RSV, ESV and NIV read that the early Christians broke bread with "glad...hearts." However, the word glad is much too tepid. The word in the New Testament Greek is agalliasis. It is one of the most joyful words in the New Testament. It is the word in Luke 1:44 where the baby in Elizabeth's womb jumps/leaps for joy. The word indeed means bounding, leaping, exuberant jubilation.

The Lord's Supper is the victory meal of Jesus. It re-announces that Jesus is alive and well and "kicking up his heels" against all that seek to hurt or destroy.

The service of Holy Communion is very serious but never to be too solemn in light of its Passover background and of the resurrection. Many make this a private "me and Jesus" moment to the chagrin of I Corinthians 11:21, 29 and Matthew 6:6. At least during part of the distributing and eating of the Lord's Supper (especially serving the cup), a leader could brighten the atmosphere by playing or singing a festive praise chorus or hymns such as "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" or "Joy to the World" which in reality is a paraphrase of Psalm 98 and may be used at all seasons of the year.

5. Proper baptism word

The world media raised quite a fuss when a Roman Catholic priest admitted he used the baptism phrase "We baptize you." The proper phrase according to the Vatican was "I baptize you." Few pointed out that the Eastern Orthodox use "You are baptized" and that phrase is optional for Lutherans and Presbyterians.

No one discussed the phrase "in the name." Here in the New Testament Greek the "in" is literally "into." Charles B. Williams, former dean of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in his 1937 translation shows that "into" expresses "transfer of relationship" into union with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The NIV and ESV have footnotes with the option of using "into" (Matthew 28:19).

What new understandings will you re-introduce?

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Jim Farrer is the founder of Vital Signs Church Consulting and a member of the Society for Church Consulting. A broadly-trained church consultant, Jim is also a veteran of ministry positions in Canada and the U.S., he has trained leaders from 18 denominations and led seminars and coaching sessions nationwide. His articles have been published in the Journal of Evangelism and Missions and the Great Commission Research Journal. You can reach him by e-mailing revup1@yahoo.com or calling 814 629-5211. Learn More »

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