Lincoln Christian Seminary WORSHIP LEADERSHIP in the BIBLE A
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Lincoln Christian Seminary WORSHIP LEADERSHIP IN THE BIBLE A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree by Kent A. Sanders December 2006 CONTENTS THESIS APPROVAL FORM ............................................................................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & DEDICATION ................................................................... v ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vi INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 1. MODELING WORSHIP: MOSES & DAVID ............................................................... 9 Moses ....................................................................................................................... 9 David ..................................................................................................................... 14 Summary of Defining Marks ................................................................................. 24 2. DIRECTING WORSHIP: FAMILY LEADERS, PRIESTS & KINGS ...................................................................................................... 25 Family Leaders ...................................................................................................... 25 Priests .................................................................................................................... 29 The King as Royal Priest ....................................................................................... 35 Summary of Defining Marks ................................................................................. 38 3. CELEBRATING WORSHIP: THE LEVITES ............................................................. 40 Establishment and Organization ............................................................................ 40 The Levites as Musicians and Worship Leaders ................................................... 43 Summary of Defining Marks ................................................................................. 52 4. INCARNATING WORSHIP: JESUS ........................................................................... 53 Jesus as a Worshiper .............................................................................................. 54 Jesus at the Center of Our Worship ....................................................................... 57 Jesus as Our Continual Worship Leader ............................................................... 61 Summary of Jesus’ Worship Leadership ............................................................... 65 Summary of Defining Marks ................................................................................. 66 ii 5. ADVANCING WORSHIP: PAUL ............................................................................... 67 Paul as a Theologian .............................................................................................. 68 Paul as a Worshiper ............................................................................................... 68 Paul’s Use of Hymns ............................................................................................. 69 Paul as a Pastor & Teacher .................................................................................... 73 Summary of Paul’s Worship Leadership ............................................................... 77 Summary of Defining Marks ................................................................................. 78 6. APPLYING WORSHIP: THE DEFINING MARKS FOR TODAY’S WORSHIP LEADERS ....................................................................... 79 The Defining Marks of Godly Character ............................................................... 80 The Defining Marks of Humble Competence ....................................................... 86 Summary ................................................................................................................ 97 CONCLUSION: HOW OTHERS CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS STUDY ........................................................................................................ 99 APPENDICES: MATERIAL FOR FURTHER STUDY Appendix A: The Prophets: Prompting, Purifying & Restoring Worship ....................... 101 The Ministry of the Prophet ................................................................................ 101 The Prophets as Worship Leaders ....................................................................... 104 The Relationship between Music & Prophecy .................................................... 106 Appendix B: Priestly Garments ....................................................................................... 108 Appendix C: Kings of Israel & Judah Linked with the Nation’s Decline ....................... 109 Appendix D: Voicing Worship: The Psalms ................................................................... 110 Origin & Development of the Psalms ................................................................. 110 Categories of Psalms ........................................................................................... 112 The Theology of the Psalms ................................................................................ 113 The Poetry of the Psalms ..................................................................................... 115 The Music of the Psalms ..................................................................................... 118 The Psalms in Israel’s Worship ........................................................................... 120 Summary of Defining Marks ............................................................................... 122 Appendix E: Jesus: The Singing Savior .......................................................................... 124 Bibliography .................................................................................................................... 126 iii THESIS APPROVAL FORM Candidate's name: Kent A. Sanders Candidate's major: Worship Studies Title of the thesis: Worship Leadership in the Bible Date of oral exam/presentation: November 29, 2006 Date of graduation: December 31, 2006 This form is to certify that the above candidate for the Master of Arts degree at Lincoln Christian Seminary has successfully completed the written thesis requirements and oral exam/presentation, and that the thesis has been accepted by this committee. (Date) (Primary Reader/Adviser, Chair of Thesis Committee) (Secondary Reader on Thesis Committee) Note: I hereby grant permission for the Seminary Library to make copies of my thesis for any person or agency who may request a copy in the future. ______________________________ (signature of student) iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & DEDICATION I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge those who, in one way or another, have made a significant contribution to the completion of this thesis. First, I express my thanks to the leadership of Central Church of Christ (Streator, IL), supported my seminary education with encouragement, time away from the office, and not least of all, the necessary finances. I am sincerely grateful for my years of ministry there. Second, I acknowledge those who helped shape the content of the thesis with their comments and insights: • Students in my Introduction to Worship class at Saint Louis Christian College (Spring 2006), many of whom read initial drafts of chapters and offered helpful comments. • Don Thiessen, author of Selah! A Guide to Music in the Bible, who offered helpful insights at a critical juncture; • My mother, Mary McEntire, who proofread the project. Above all, I express my love and gratitude to my beautiful wife Melanie—God’s greatest gift to me aside from salvation. She has endured nine consecutive years of my “seminary habit.” It is only because of her grace and patience that I have been able to complete this thesis. The author of Proverbs 31 must have been thinking of her when he wrote: A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” (Pr. 31.10, 29, NIV) v ABSTRACT There is much confusion in the contemporary church regarding the worship leader. Local churches, Christian colleges, the Christian music industry, and worship leaders themselves have often competed to establish a definitive understanding of biblical worship leadership. When combined with a general unawareness about the meaning of biblical worship, it becomes clear that Scriptural guidance is in order concerning the vital role of the worship leader. The purpose of this thesis is to survey the Bible in search of the timeless, transferable principles of worship leadership. We will demonstrate that the defining marks of a worship leader are godly character and humble competence, as revealed through the various men and women who led worship in the Bible. Godly character (who a person is) describes the extent to which a person has submitted himself or herself to the character of Christ, while humble competence (what a person does) points to skills or abilities that are given by God and developed for the purpose of glorifying God and building up the church. The chapters correspond roughly to a chronological overview of worship leadership in the Bible. Chapters 1-3 we examine the worship leadership of key Old Testament figures: Moses and David (Chapter 1), Tribal Leaders, Priests &