Praise Teams
by: Dalton Gilreath

I.                Introduction

A.    Some would consider praise teams in worship a “gray area”

                                                    i.     That is, a subject God does not get any information about

                                                   ii.     Therefore, many conclude it is up to us whether to have them or not

1.     There are gray areas, such as what our souls look like

2.     However, there are no gray areas in worship

B.    Praise teams came about from miking up individuals in the audience

                                                    i.     Someone wanted an alto, bass, and tenor on the microphone and not just the soprano song leader

                                                   ii.     Soon women were miked as well and before long the group was on the stage turning into a choir

                                                 iii.     Consider why praise teams are not acceptable in worship today

II.              Old Testament Worship

A.    Under the old law it was never God’s plan to have instrumental music or special singers

                                                    i.     But David decided to use instruments to praise God (1 Chr 23:1-5)

                                                   ii.     Solomon followed in his father’s footsteps (2 Chr 8:12-15)

                                                 iii.     Hezekiah, generations later, continued to follow David’s example (2 Chr 29:2, 25-27)

1.     God intervened and governed how the instruments were to be used

2.     This was not in God’s original plans but was allowed

B.    The same could be said of special singers

                                                    i.     David had those involved with singing as well as instruments (1 Chr 25:1-8)

                                                   ii.     Some were leaders of the songs in general (1 Chr 15:22)

                                                 iii.     Like today, they wanted to make the music sound better

III.            New Testament Worship

A.    We know the Old Testament has been done away (Col 2:14)

                                                    i.     Continuing to live under it anyways is spiritual adultery on Christ (Rom 7:1-4)

                                                   ii.     Some try to justify their actions by using the Old Law to their own demise (Gal 5:3-4)

B.    We must remember that while silence in the Old Law gave some exceptions that under the New Law silence is prohibitive not permissive

                                                    i.     Jesus could not be a priest of Aaron’s order because He was not a descendent of Levi but of Judah

                                                   ii.     Notice, the Bible says He could not be after Aaron because Moses spake nothing concerning Judah (Heb 7:14)

                                                 iii.     It wasn’t that Moses said Judah wasn’t eligible but simply that all he said was Levi was the only tribe authorized

                                                 iv.     Silence was prohibitive!

IV.            Why is it sinful?

A.    We don’t have authority to mike up more individuals than a single leader

                                                    i.     It is necessarily inferred that singing in unity means a leader (Ex 15:1ff, Acts 16:25)

                                                   ii.     However, we do have authority for one to lead a song (1 Cor 14:26)

B.    Women are not to usurp authority over man but to be in silence (1 Cor 14:34-35, 1 Tim 2:11-12)

                                                    i.     Women take a leadership role in worship when they are miked up to lead a song basically

                                                   ii.     We have no right to put them in that situation

C.    Lastly, it is sinful because the only motivation behind it is selfish

                                                    i.     Why have praise teams? Because we want it to sound better

                                                   ii.     It isn’t about the sound or about us (Gal 1:10)

1.     It is about true worship to God (Matt 15:9)

2.     It must be in spirit and Truth (John 4:24)