Re: [Worship] Worship leaders serving?

[David Stone <dstone@chem.utoronto.ca>]

"Paul LePine" <plepine@snet.net> wrote (in part):

>When I read 2 Chron 5:12-14, I noticed that there was little emphasis on a
>singular "leader" at all.  Rather, it seems like a review of the various
>functions that each group performed, and how it all worked together into
>"one voice."

Paul, if you compare with 1 Chron 6:31-47, 1 Chron 15 & 16 (esp 15:22),
1 Chron 23:5, 1 Chron 25:1-26:19 you will see a number of specific
individuals singled out as leaders in various capacities.  You should
recognize at least some of the names from the Psalms.

The emphasis seems to be not on identifying (and certainly not
>on instituting) a leadership position, but on the unity in worship that
>resulted when each group had done their part.  As Dave points out, SOMEBODY
>had to shout out the "hymn number" and give the cues, but that person's
>identity isn't revealed in this passage.

Well, this is part of the "model", isn't it?  "For the Son of Man also came
not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."
(Mark 10:45).  I think we could quite reasonably construe what little
we DO know about the Temple/Tabernacle worship practices as examples of
servant-leaders, i.e. both New and Old Testament leadership principles
were the same (or, at least, supposed to be!).  I certainly don't find
anything here even remotely approaching the "cult of celebrity" that seems
to attach to certain "big name" worship leaders, preachers, etc, today....
didn't we have that thread already??  A GOOD leader is, in my opinion, the
one who gets the job done WITHOUT being noticed.

 If anyone had the role of "worship
>leader", it might have been Solomon himself, who takes charge at the
>beginning of the next chapter.

Who knows?  It would be fun to go back in time and find out, though!!
Where's Margo, Moki and whatisface when you need them?! :) (Cue music)

>
>So while some might read into this passage a model for worship *leadership*,
>I read into it a model of worship *servanthood*,

One of my failings is an overly-optimistic naivete - I tend to assume
everyone knows that this is a GIVEN (much like "keep breathing") so
I probably don't state it as explicitly as I should.  All too often
people seem to forget that leadership and servanthood are MEANT to be
one and the same thing, and we go badly astray when we forget that.
Thanks for the reminder, Paul - I'll do a little minor revision of my
"Worship Manual" before the next edition is released, and the passage
you cite will be a good illustration (hope you don't mind?)

>What does this mean to me, personally?  I'm not any more or less valuable to
>my church's worship than the diakonos - ushers, janitor,

Actually, I think church janitors are some of the most highly underated
and overlooked people around.  All church pastors should be required to
work as janitors for at least a year before their first pastorate!

 altar guild who
>sets the Table, even the congregation.

Even the WHO????  :)  (JOKE!)
We have rotating "worship leaders", which means that 3 out of 4 Sunday
mornings I'm sitting in the pews along with everyone else.  Amazing the
perspective you get from there!

 I may have a more specialized skill
>than many of them, but woe to me if I think that makes me special.

Exactly - where would we be without the church spleen anyway? (1 Cor 12:12ff)

Enjoying this thread...

Dave Stone


----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Worship List sponsored by WorshipMusic http://www.worshipmusic.com/ -
 Visit the Worship Resource Center at http://www.praise.net/worship/ -
 Need help with your subscription?   Contact worship-help@praise.net -
----------------------------------------------------------------------