Worship Pastors

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arapahoepark

arapahoepark

Puritan Board Professor
What do the people of the board think about 'worship pastors'? I have met some Christian women who are like, 'Ooh! I want to be a worship pastor!' And I am kind of dumbfounded. Isn't a worship pastor one who just does the music, picks the music, period? Now granted this is probably just an American evangelical thing.
 
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arap said:
What do the people of the board think about 'worship pastors'? I have met some Christian women whobare like 'Ooh! I want to be a worship pastor!' And I am kind of dumbfounded. Isn't a worship pastor one who just does the music, picks the music, period? Now granted this is probably just an American evangelical thing.
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No mention of worship pastors in Ephesians 4.
 
American evangelicalism thinks of music as being the "worship" component of a service, but this is grossly unbiblical. Preaching, prayer, reading of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments are all elements of public worship. It is the duty of a minister of word and sacrament to lead the people of God in public worship. All pastors are "worship pastors."
 
Dearly Bought said:
American evangelicalism thinks of music as being the "worship" component of a service, but this is grossly unbiblical. Preaching, prayer, reading of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments are all elements of public worship. It is the duty of a minister of word and sacrament to lead the people of God in public worship. All pastors are "worship pastors."
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Incredibly well stated, Bryan!
 
There is just no biblical basis for worship pastors. The bible specifically forbid women from being pastors. This is not because men are superior. It is because men and women have different roles in the church and the role of leadership has been assigned to men.

Without digressing from the issue. There are some "worship" pastors here in the UK I believe that this term has been coined because the church today lacks discernment.
 
I've not heard of 'worship pastors' over here in the UK - such people would often be called 'worship leaders', however.

As said above, it must stem from an unbiblical view of the 'music' part of a service as what is 'worship'.
 
PaulMc said:
I've not heard of 'worship pastors' over here in the UK - such people would often be called 'worship leaders', however.

As said above, it must stem from an unbiblical view of the 'music' part of a service as what is 'worship'.
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I will probably place Stuart Townend as such. It is very unbiblical, yet I am amazed that many professing reformed churches use his songs for worship, even though he is part of the new frontiers charismatic group
 
I think it's fine for the church to appoint different leaders to lead different parts of the worship service. It makes sense to have the songs led by a person with musical giftings, provided that person also has the spiritual giftings to be leading the church in the worship of Christ. To aspire to such a role is a good thing in itself, but the question to ask such a person, especially in this day and age when it gets overlooked, is "do you believe you have the spiritual qualifications and calling for this leadership role in the church?"

The question of what those spiritual qualifications ought to be is a matter that could consume a lot of space here (and it has before), but a healthy start for many believers in American churches today is simply to consider that the question ought to be asked at all.
 
One area that concerns me in that "ministers" of music take up a large percentage of our budget in many of our Reformed churches and In my most humble opinion this could be better spent on the salary of our Teaching Elders, or other expenses. Just another practical reason to follow the RPW. :)
 
I'd heard of worship leaders not worship pastors.

We have a female percentor along with one or two male ones.

The role of worship leader/worship pastor isn't in the NT.

We should seek to maintain a clear distinction and clear blue water between the Christian service of worship and the Christian concert.

This is done by strict adherence to the Regulative Principle of Worship including unaccompanied Psalm singing.

Our Second Reformation divines were on the money here, and ahead of their time, as usual, because God's Word, which they were carefully following is ahead of its time. It's very difficult/impossible (?) to turn a worship service into a concert or entertainment when adhering carefully to the RPW.

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*Moderation*

If I understand the OP correctly, this should be a discussion of church office. Please stay within that scope or this will have to be moved to a different forum.
 
Dearly Bought said:
American evangelicalism thinks of music as being the "worship" component of a service, but this is grossly unbiblical. Preaching, prayer, reading of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments are all elements of public worship. It is the duty of a minister of word and sacrament to lead the people of God in public worship. All pastors are "worship pastors."
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I agree with this. Especially in evangelicalism there is a tendency to think this way.
 
Before we go too far down a couple of rabbit trails, we need to be sure that we know exactly what the term "worship pastor" is intended to mean in a particular setting.

For there is a hidden ambiguity in the question which is best clarified by juxtaposing the term "worship pastor" with a similar term that is also used in evangelical circles that of "worship leader." The latter term goes back a long time - to Moody/Sankey perhaps - and refers to the person who selects the items to be sung and leads congregational singing. The difference turns on whether or not the "worship leader" also has a pastoral role and if yes, what is the extent thereof.

In some churches, including some I have been in, the worship leader had no specific pastoral role. In others again including a couple I've been in or seen, which involve widespread use of small groups for discipleship purposes, the worship leader also provided pastoral help to members of (fairly large) choirs and musicians of the church.

BTW in all the churches I have been in the worship leader (however called) did not have final choice of sung praise items but selected them in conjunction with and under the oversight of the pastor.
 
American evangelicalism has wholesale adopted the "every member a minister" exegesis of Eph 4. The larger issue has to do with the depreciation of the office of pastor. But, among the many other consequences and effects, we find evangelicalism pioneering the turning of every task and job at church into a "ministry." Naturally, insofar as evangelical worship services major in producing the "appropriate" emotional reaction in those in the congregation, it is a BIG deal. So, why not have it presided over by a worship "pastor"?

Maybe we need a business pastor to help run the mega church? Oh, wait, we already have it: "executive pastor."

When I was growing up, this change to "pastor" nomenclature for every church job was defended as an empowerment of the Body of Christ, an acknowledgment of the diversity of gifts in the Body, and an opportunity to affirm the various talents that the Holy Spirit distributes throughout his church. In practice, it has merely resulted in diminishing the office of the ministry.

But, what do I know? Maybe there is time for me to become a Pastor of Custodial and Housekeeping Ministries?
 
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