Facilitation or Manipulation?

The buskers were out in force at the Rocks in Sydney last weekend. Ric and I were over there for three days to mark a certain milestone in my life, and enjoyed our first visit to this vibrant and creative city. The most interesting of the buskers were the aboriginal didgeridoo players, who demonstrated their talent for connecting lungs, tongue, cheeks and fingers with their centuries-old instruments. But the busker I liked least was a sort of juggling, joking con artist who had recruited a kid and was exploiting him to get a few laughs from the fifty or so watching. What annoyed me most about him was the script he seemed to be following, a bit like a pantomime, where the audience is expected to participate with very twee and predictable responses. "I don't like him," I said to my husband, "he's like a Pentecostal pastor."

Without getting into the issue of whether it is fair to lump all Pentecostal pastors together in this way, let me explain what I was feeling. Being of a more intellectual, less-demonstrative temperament, I find that words and their meaning are more important to me than feelings, especially of the hyped-up variety. I am well aware that not everyone is wired like me , and therefore have had to embrace people's preferences for Ric Warren's joviality, Benny Hinn's narcissism, and Joel Osteen's hubris. I know it's often a matter of style not substance. But there are times when being in church feels like being at an old British pantomime, where the emotions are prescribed and responses scripted. In other words the worship leaders are there to manipulate as much as facilitate.

This notion was fresh in my mind when I went to Aussie, because that week in one of our team meetings, some of us involved in "worship leadership" had been considering just that issue. For any readers who are from traditional churches where the worship leader is always the clergyperson in charge, let me explain how it works in many evangelical churches these days. The teaching/preaching is usually offered by the theologically-trained, which will include the official pastor/pastors, but won't necessarily be restricted to that group. The "Master of Ceremonies" or "curator" of the flow of the service, however, is usually someone else, possibly one of the musicians or someone else who has an appreciation for worship and the different ingredients that will help people connect with God. In our local church, a variety of people and styles fill this "worship coordinator" role, so what you get "between the songs" each week varies from a fishing story to a kids talk to a carefully-worded prayer of intercession. This is good, it reminds us that we are all called to ministry, and it rings the changes so that the service does not become predictable or - perish the thought! - boring. What this group ended up discussing was the temptation for the worship leader (we try and say "coordinator" but most churches say leader) to go beyond enabling people to connect with God to a place where they are actually orchestrating the actions and emotions of worshippers.

Examples of this seductive practice are myriad - choosing fast (allegro) songs to start and moving into slower-paced (andante) ones is probably the most common. (I prefer to choose songs about God first then move into the ones we sing to him. In practice this may be the same as the above!) Singers and leaders expressing joy and faith by enthusiastic smiling, raising hands and jumping up and down are also frequently seen. Calling for hand signals during prayer or "coming forward" to an altar call can be perceived as manipulative by those not used to it, while others consider this is part of a normal Christian service. In our meeting we were talking about the musicians preferring songs that stir the emotions over ones that speak the truth, but in the end we agreed that nearly everything a worship curator says and does - even taking a time of silence - has the potential to be manipulative. In the old days the organist had a lot of control in the speed at which they played the hymns. I recently heard Mark de Jong say on the radio that even certain chord progressions are known to have an effect on the emotions. That is power that could easily corrupt.

This whole discussion was fresh in my mind as we made our way to Surrey Hills in Sydney last Sunday morning. We had decided to attend worship at the City branch of the megachurch Hillsong, which provides much of the music and some of the culture that shapes the faith of young people in our churches. We were undoubtedly going for the experience - to check out the opposition and also to learn from what is a very slick multimedia presentation - but we were also going as followers of Jesus, wishing to meet with his people for Sunday worship. We were blessed with a warm and specific welcome, a thoroughly-Biblical sermon from gifted communicator Joel A'Bell and the opportunity to participate in some very, very loud praise and worship. Talk about orchestration - the choir was exquisitely choreographed, the communion seamlessly led and delivered, and the offering painlessly exacted with ten minutes of impassioned appeal that hit all the notes between prosperity and abundance with a counterpoint of vision and impact. There were a few cringe moments, but they were all ones I had expected. Overall though it was very impressive - and this was only the smaller City branch.

But are we supposed to be impressed? Where is the line between a worship leader facilitating people's journey into connecting with Christ, and actually coercing them? I'm not being judgmental here, because as a worship leader - sorry, coordinator - I too have intentions and strategies, and like others I spend hours preparing. I take very seriously the responsibility of accompanying without obstructing. So in a way I manipulate. I choose songs that take us on a journey. I put together stories, prayers, poems, pauses and visuals that I expect to enhance the individual's ability to encounter Jesus. I make choices to go in one direction or another, conscious that the way I choose won't be for everyone, but making my best judgement as to what will be helpful to most. It will be quite different at my multigenerational home (Baptist) church from when I serve in one of the little congregations of elderly Presbyterians who contract me for the occasional Sunday. But the goal is the same - to use my skill and experience with the musical and other arts to enable the gathered community to both express and experience the whole gospel of Christ. Bob Kauflin calls this "motivating the church ...to cherish God's presence and live for God's glory."

So how can we lead humbly and authentically? How do we hold rightly that power to move souls that we can undoubtedly can develop with practice? How do I model worship in spirit and in truth, demonstrating my joy and faith in a manner that gives others permission to be demonstrative in their own way? Its an ongoing conversation, with God and the team, and perhaps that is the key. I need to be open to the invitation of the Spirit to change or broaden my approach, and to his warnings when my ego is getting in the way. In both cases he may use a fellow Christian to bring that critique. And in all things I need to be ready to "submit myself to another out of reverence for Christ" (Ephesians 5: 21)

A lay leader in an AOG church once wrote this sage advice to other worship leaders:

The task of the worship leader is not hype, not to "pump folks up." You are neither a performer putting on a show nor a cheerleader trying to work the congregation into a frenzy. In fact, your task is not to work (read, manipulate) the congregation at all. You don't need to hype the people, and you also don't need to persuade God to come meet with us or to come and do something. God is present. He is willing and able to meet all needs. We are assembled to worship Him, not to try to convince Him to show up or act on our behalf.

If you are going to lead people in worship, you must first understand what it is. Worship is our response to God's revelation of Who He is and what He has done. It is recognizing God's worth and ascribing to Him His greatness. Worship is predicated on a loving relationship. It includes what we say in word and song, giving of our time and resources, and every act that submits to His rulership. The first prerequisite to leading people in worship is that you must worship. If you yourself are not worshipping, you are not likely to inspire others to worship.

I couldn't have put it better.
To Chew Over: What helps you connect with God? What gets in the way? Why?

When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus...

© Matt Redman