By Steve

I just received this question by email this morning from a friend:

I wanted to ask your opinion, I hope you don't mind. Is there any way to have a great worship team who does a great job with the music and the energy and a true passion to please God, and have a congregation that loves the music, has great worship yet gets the impression that you are putting on a Christian rock concert each week and not truly leading the crowd into a personal worship time?

Here is part of my response:

The short answer to your question is, I believe its possible but not probable. At least not in the American model mega-church. This model focuses on excellence and attendance…and those things, even if unintentional often come across like big production. One other thought. All of us Christians would do well to think more deeply about your statement, “congregation that has great worship.” Great worship and great music are not synonymous. What is at the heart of great worship? What really matters? Whose “job” is it to help us get there? If all of us in attendance on Sunday morning would rethink such things, it would probably take some unnecessary pressure off of the band. Just a thought.