Tuesday, June 12, 2012
A few last thoughts -- for now -- on women leading worship.
I may share some thoughts on men, women, and leadership/authority in the church later, but for now I want to share a few last thoughts -- for now anyway -- on men, women, and leadership in the worship assembly.
It is not a matter of spirituality. I am fairly certain that no congregation selects the worship leaders based on who is the most spiritual. Of course, you want those leading the assembly to be spiritual but that is hardly the only consideration. So do not make who leads worship into a question of spirituality. It is not.
Only a small fraction of most communities of faith will ever lead in worship. Aside from whatever the Scripture teaches, practical considerations limit the number of those who will lead prayer, preach, or lead the singing in worship.
We should watch our terminology. Not leading a prayer in worship is not the same as not praying in worship.
I am convinced that small, intimate house gatherings do not have near the issues over some of these things as do large assemblies where everything is geared to an "up-front" leader and an audience. We can argue all day long that we are not a performer/audience worship, but for most of us the reality is that we are.
I think there are men that want to cling to their percieved power and I think there are women who want power. But not most... of either sex.
I think there is a difference in preaching, singing, reading, prayer, announcing, reporting, and even a testimony. And those on all sides of the women leading in worship discussion can sure "split hairs" to justify their position.
So I think that the whole discussion of who leads worship may be much deeper than a simple matter of gender.
And I think the real issue is deeper than who stands up front. I think it really is about authority and leadership.
Well, feel free to disagree. Or agree. I am just thinking out loud and sharing. At this point, I just really want to gather ideas and thoughts that will help me draw conclusions.
It is not a matter of spirituality. I am fairly certain that no congregation selects the worship leaders based on who is the most spiritual. Of course, you want those leading the assembly to be spiritual but that is hardly the only consideration. So do not make who leads worship into a question of spirituality. It is not.
Only a small fraction of most communities of faith will ever lead in worship. Aside from whatever the Scripture teaches, practical considerations limit the number of those who will lead prayer, preach, or lead the singing in worship.
We should watch our terminology. Not leading a prayer in worship is not the same as not praying in worship.
I am convinced that small, intimate house gatherings do not have near the issues over some of these things as do large assemblies where everything is geared to an "up-front" leader and an audience. We can argue all day long that we are not a performer/audience worship, but for most of us the reality is that we are.
I think there are men that want to cling to their percieved power and I think there are women who want power. But not most... of either sex.
I think there is a difference in preaching, singing, reading, prayer, announcing, reporting, and even a testimony. And those on all sides of the women leading in worship discussion can sure "split hairs" to justify their position.
So I think that the whole discussion of who leads worship may be much deeper than a simple matter of gender.
And I think the real issue is deeper than who stands up front. I think it really is about authority and leadership.
Well, feel free to disagree. Or agree. I am just thinking out loud and sharing. At this point, I just really want to gather ideas and thoughts that will help me draw conclusions.
Comments:
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I agree with you that "We should watch our terminology." Such is the case with the term "worship assembly". Over the past few years I've come to realize this is neither a Biblical term nor a Biblical concept.
The New Testament does not instruct us to gather for worship, but rather so that we might encourage one another (see Heb 10:25 in particular). Yes, corporate worship takes place in our assemblies, but that's just an outgrowth of living worshipful lives -- Let your light so shine in your works (Matt 5:16); feed the hungry, clothe the naked, change the old lady's flat tire (Matt 25:31ff); do pure religion by tending to the orphans and widows (James 1:27); present your bodies as a living sacrifice as spiritual worship (Rom 12:1); do all in word or deed as a representative of Jesus (Col 3:17; Rom 14:5-8).
So it's natural that when individuals who worship come together as a group, they will continue worshiping, only now as a group, decently and in order.
But as far as I can tell, the New Testament never specifies the purpose of our assemblies to be worship. The closest to that is Paul's reverse-implication that the assembly is for the purpose of taking the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:17). Nor does it refer to our assemblies as "worship service", etc, as if there's a distinction between when we are and are not worshiping. As I understand it, we're always worshiping, presenting our bodies daily as living sacrifices. The only difference is being alone or in a group. (This also has implications for the concept of "It's time to start our worship" and the ending of such with a final "amen", between which only certain acts may be performed.)
So maybe, in order to be Biblical, we should refer to our assemblies as "encouragement assemblies". Of course, then we'd have to rethink how we "do" our assemblies, because as it is now, we don't have the opportunity to encourage one another during the assembly, but only before and after. Our assemblies look nothing like the assembly in 1 Cor 14, wherein everyone has a part to offer (v. 16), one by one (v. 31), for the purpose of everyone learning and being encouraged (v. 31). Still, watching our terminology is a step forward.
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The New Testament does not instruct us to gather for worship, but rather so that we might encourage one another (see Heb 10:25 in particular). Yes, corporate worship takes place in our assemblies, but that's just an outgrowth of living worshipful lives -- Let your light so shine in your works (Matt 5:16); feed the hungry, clothe the naked, change the old lady's flat tire (Matt 25:31ff); do pure religion by tending to the orphans and widows (James 1:27); present your bodies as a living sacrifice as spiritual worship (Rom 12:1); do all in word or deed as a representative of Jesus (Col 3:17; Rom 14:5-8).
So it's natural that when individuals who worship come together as a group, they will continue worshiping, only now as a group, decently and in order.
But as far as I can tell, the New Testament never specifies the purpose of our assemblies to be worship. The closest to that is Paul's reverse-implication that the assembly is for the purpose of taking the Lord's Supper (1 Cor 11:17). Nor does it refer to our assemblies as "worship service", etc, as if there's a distinction between when we are and are not worshiping. As I understand it, we're always worshiping, presenting our bodies daily as living sacrifices. The only difference is being alone or in a group. (This also has implications for the concept of "It's time to start our worship" and the ending of such with a final "amen", between which only certain acts may be performed.)
So maybe, in order to be Biblical, we should refer to our assemblies as "encouragement assemblies". Of course, then we'd have to rethink how we "do" our assemblies, because as it is now, we don't have the opportunity to encourage one another during the assembly, but only before and after. Our assemblies look nothing like the assembly in 1 Cor 14, wherein everyone has a part to offer (v. 16), one by one (v. 31), for the purpose of everyone learning and being encouraged (v. 31). Still, watching our terminology is a step forward.
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