Rogue Worship Leader: A Journey from 'Worshiptainment' to True Worship
Contemporary Worship Leader Reevaluates Church Music Approach | Rogue Worship Series
I’ve Gone Rogue
One of my favorite Instagram accounts is called Rogue Worship Leader. The entire purpose of his profile is to post Star Wars memes with commentary on the week to week experiences of worship band members. There are even a few reels where a band member (let's face it, its always the electric guitar player) tries to secretly sneak one of the many Star Wars themes into the middle of a musical bridge or instrumental. I find these antics particularly funny because for most of my life, I've played on worship teams. I know the brand of nonsense produced when you have a group of musicians who are too talented for their own good.
Laughs aside, I titled this post "Rogue Worship Leader" for a completely separate reason.
I am a rogue worship leader.
I've spent the majority of my time in church ministry playing and leading congregations in worship. More specifically, contemporary worship - guitars, bass, synths, and, of course, the nightmare of every Baptist Church Lady - a drumset. Back in the early 90s during the "worship wars," I would have been considered a real problem for the hymnal and organ crowd. I even once led regularly in a church that tried the ill-fated split-service approach: one service for contemporary, one for traditional. One with skinny jeans, the other with suit jackets. One with Hillsong, the other with Wesley. You get the idea.
If I’m honest, this is all I've known - Bands, in-ear monitors, lighting, hazers, confidence monitors, lyric slides instead of hymnals. It wasn't until the last few years that I began to question whether or not this is the's best approach for the local church. My questioning, in part, has to do with my own spiritual growth, but everything became much more convicting and urgent in the last few weeks. In fact, this whole series of posts are influenced by a book I just finished - "Worshiptainment: The Modern Church’s Golden Calf" by Pastor Matthew Everhard. To help you understand what I mean, here's a quick quote from Pastor Matt explaining the idea of "worshiptainment":
"... Worshiptainment is the combination of some aspects of worship along with heavy does of entertainment. And just as Mary Poppins told us that 'a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down,' so our modern praise and worship leaders would have us to believe that a very large spoonful of entertainment helps make the worship more palatable and understandable (read: preferable) to a modern audience."
‘Worshiptainment’ Conviction
Now, let me be clear, I don't have a disconnect with music. I still love playing and singing, and I am still actively serving in this capacity at my church. Just this past Sunday, we enjoyed a particularly powerful service using our (very talented) worship band. Our church employs a regular preaching rotation which affords me a weekend or two to continue using my musical gifts to bless our congregation. My conviction, however, has less to do with what I am doing now, and more with what I have done in the past. I have, in many ways, promoted a worship "experience" that could easily be described as "worshiptainment." Granted, I've never punted a Bible during a "Super Bowl" Sunday service at a trendy megachurch, but I've still fallen into the typical mold I learned in my youth.
What exactly makes a successful time of worship in a local church? What does the Bible prescribe for us? Where do we start?
That is the goal of this new series. I'm calling it "Rogue Worship" and whether you're like me, leading in a contemporary service, or you are simply a member of a congregation, this topic is of utmost importance. It is time that we start turning the dial away from entertainment and toward the key biblical mandates on corporate worship. I think we've lost our way over last 30 or so years. Maybe it's time to get back.
I know why the modern worship band has risen to prominence, and I love being a part of one, but the question I've had recently is, "Is a worship band really the best way to do this?"
Like I said, I've gone rogue.
Next week, we'll explore several elements often absent from modern services, such as a Call to Worship and a time for Corporate Confession. I hope you'll follow along. What are your thoughts on the modern worship experience? Share your story or subscribe to join the conversation on returning to biblical worship.
