Performance, Entertainment, and Worship

By Rick White – January 30, 2009

There is a philosophy that exists in evangelical Christian churches regarding corporate worship that is troublesome to me. In fact, in my more than twenty-five years as a worship leader, I have been confronted with this philosophy on several occasions. Each time, my heart sank as I tried to bring clarity to the discussion. The purpose of this essay is to articulate my beliefs with regard to this philosophy in a logical, deliberate manner, in hopes that those who read will either be reaffirmed or challenged in their position on the issue.

The philosophy is this:

“Performance and/or entertainment have no place in corporate worship. In fact, a worship leader is either performing (entertaining) or worshipping. Doing both is not possible - they are mutually exclusive.”

This philosophy is communicated in statements like:

“We want worship, not performance.”

“There is too much of an entertainment component to that church’s music.”

“They sound worldly.”

“It seems like that guitar player is ‘in it’ for the performance.”

“He sure enjoys playing that instrument, but is he really worshipping?”

As with most church related fallacies, this philosophy seems spiritual at first. In fact, because it is assumed to be true, not many seem to give it a second thought. However, just a little examination shows how it is not only false, but it also has the potential to cause great harm to individuals and to the corporate worship of the church.

“We want worship, not performance.”

Let’s examine this idea for a second. What are the components of a performance? Usually there is someone performing and an audience. In a worship service the entire congregation, made up of those on the platform and those in the assembly, is the performer. God is the audience. So, in this sense worship is most definitely a performance.

Some who decry performance in worship are against the service being a spectator event. They do not feel it is appropriate when the main dynamic consists of the congregation passively listening and watching the worship leader and band. I agree that this type of service does not represent the optimal corporate worship situation. If the congregation never participates, we are not really worshipping corporately.

However, many who decry performance in worship mean something else. They are often criticizing the way the musicians, singers, and worship leaders go about leading worship, even if the congregation is fully participating. The thought is that there is some kind of knowable line in the musical and physical behavior of the musician or singer. Once that line is crossed, the person is no longer leading us in worship, but is instead performing for us or, God forbid, even entertaining us.

There are at least two problems with this philosophy.

1) It holds to a subjective and arbitrary standard, and therefore is an unjust weight.

       Proverbs 11:1 says that “an unjust weight is an abomination to the Lord”

We do not apply this standard to preachers in the pulpit. In fact, good sermons are entertaining as well as enlightening. Good preachers often use humor very effectively. A joke placed at the exact right spot in a profound message can break the ice, relieve tension, and drive home the relevance of a point. That joke is certainly entertaining. However, that does not reduce its spiritual effectiveness. In fact, a well placed joke increases the spiritual effectiveness of the sermon. Pastor’s study homiletics (the art of performing a sermon) and use humor (a form of entertainment) to deliver God’s message in the most impactful way. Why then are performance and entertainment not acceptable in the area of church music? This is a double standard and an unjust weight.

2) It presumes to know the motives of the musicians and singers.

It is never acceptable for a Christian to conclude that a particular singer or musician is ’in it’ for performance, entertainment, or ego – never ever.

The reason this is not acceptable is because it is a subjective judgment of someone’s motives, not actions. It is subjective because the imaginary boundary between ‘music for God’ and ‘worldly entertainment’ varies based on church demographics and culture. If a particular church is accustomed to a choir and pipe organ, they will see an acoustic guitar player as worldly entertainment. Even if that guitar player is one of the most humble, dedicated worship leaders, he will invoke images of Elvis in some minds, which will equate with worldly entertainment to them.

It is judgment because it presumes to know the motives of the musician’s heart. Only God sees the thoughts and intents of the heart. In fact, it is never acceptable to say that a person was only performing, not worshipping. How does anyone know except God? To judge someone’s heart in this way is a sin that is very damaging.

Usually, when someone says that they do not want performance in worship, what they mean is the exact opposite. What is desired is a very specific type of performance. This performance may involve closing the eyes, donning a particularly devout or emotional facial expression, lifting the hands on cue, etc. The problem is, if this is not the way a person is wired to express worship to God, urging them to behave in this manner is actually encouraging meaningless performance. Again, it’s not that we don’t want performance; it’s that we want performance that seems spiritual to us.

But what if a drummer or guitarist really enjoys playing their instrument, and does so with visible enthusiasm, grateful to God for the talents with which he has been blessed? How do we know that he is not worshipping? Why can he not fully enjoy playing his instrument and praise God at the same time? The Pastor enjoys telling the joke and getting the laugh, doesn’t he? – Double standard!

I think I know part of the reason that this double standard exists. If you haven’t turned against me yet, you might after this next statement.

Sometimes, people judge church musicians unfairly because they are envious of the musician’s abilities and talent.

Some of the attacks about ‘performing’ in worship come from people who wish they were musicians. Here is how the subconscious thought process works:

“Since I can’t play a guitar solo like that, why should he get to? Does he think his worship is better than mine because he is a better musician? God doesn’t care about that. In fact, God doesn’t need professionals like him. I’ll bet he’s just doing this to show off.”

Ok. I realize that what I just wrote sounds judgmental on my part. And I also realize that my opinions on this are affected by the wounds I have received in this area. Still, I do believe that jealousy is often at the root of this issue. If that is true, pointing it out does not make me a judgmental or egotistical jerk. I am an egotistical jerk already. Most of us think too highly of ourselves, and I am no exception. Still, I feel it is worth pointing out. All of us can’t be talented at everything. But most non-musicians are envious of musical talent. That envy can be morphed into pseudo-spirituality. It comes cloaked in phrases like:

“That was good today, but don’t get a big head”.

(You don’t have to remind us that we have an ego – we know – it would be better not to get the compliment than to get one spoiled by that warning)

“I enjoyed your singing, but I’m giving God the glory, not you.”

(Of course you are and you should, but telling us is insinuating that we want the glory)

When comments like these are made, musicians feel degraded and devalued.

It is time that we put the silliness of this debate behind us. Do musicians sometimes get too full of themselves? Of course they do - so do pastors, youth ministers, church secretaries, sound engineers, and anyone else that still has a pulse. If worship of and service to God were contingent upon our completely pure motives, we would all be incapable of worship and service. Yet grace makes it possible for those who should be struck dead to stand and sing and dance and perform for God. God is He who looks on the thoughts and intents of our heart. He also knows that in us dwells no good thing. He has seen us as we really are and yet he still desires our praise, our singing, our playing. We should be careful not to condemn what God welcomes and desires.