Boundaries in how a leader worships
Keller this week actually got me upset. The thing that he said that made me upset was in his second point, ‘Leading in Corporate Worship’. (p. 223) In the last class we had touched a little bit on emotions and how a leader in music might have to watch how they are worshiping and how it might be influencing (or manipulating) the congregation. Keller approached this by saying ‘one sign of genuineness is that there is a full range of emotions’ (p. 223). How can one tell whether someone is being genuine or not by how many emotions they use in a service? That made no sense at all! I might be leading a congregation in an upbeat major-scaled praise song and be feeling crummy inside the whole time. That’s not genuineness it’s forcing myself to sing praises when I’m not feeling like it. I’m manipulating myself!!! The other thing that Keller said on this topic that got me upset was: ‘…we should not let our feelings have full scope, leaving the congregation behind’. (p. 224) No offense to Keller but I love it when I’m no longer realizing that I’m in front of a bunch of people. That’s why I close my eyes, than at least mentally it’s just me and God. Do you think it is right for us to be putting boundaries on how a leader should worship? I would think that one of the points of a leader being on stage is to set an example for others. Didn’t we say that about prayer? When someone leads a prayer for a congregation, whether one realizes it or not, we are learning how to pray by what the leader says.
As a side note:Keller does address the topic of a non-believer playing in the praise band. (p 239) 
It seemed to me that Keller set far too many rigid outlines for how a leader should lead worship, but I think in his comment about the full range of emotions, he was simply saying that a leader should feel free to draw on whatever emotion he/she is feeling in the moment, regardless of which end of the spectrum it originates from (prepositions are not words that I end sentences with. : )). In reference to leaving the congregation behind, I think that our current tendency is to flee the performer/audience problem but zeroing in on our individual relationship with God. I think we should rather focus on that aspect of our life during the rest of the week and use this special time when we are all together to enjoy praising God as a body! If we are not aware of each other’s presence, then what is the purpose of being gathered together in the first place? (There may be an answer to that question that I am not aware of)
“prepositions are not words that I end sentences with.”
brilliant
I seem to have understood Keller quite differently from you on this point. I understood the “full range of emotions” as being experienced throughout a more extended time than one set. I have seen my wife very angry, mildly annoyed, bored, amused, and super excited. However, I usually see only a limited scope in one day. I see the different emotions over time and in different circumstances. I would expect a worship leader over the course of five or ten years to show some variety in emotion, and he wouldn’t need to pretend to be happy when he feels crummy. Understood this way, I hope he no longer upsets you.
I can’t even think of a reply to this post because of the double chinned happy face yoder has supplied us WITH.
Jessie, I think, has hit upon the seemingly contradictory statements. Thanks for that insight.
I have seen and probably been guilty of letting emotions have full sway and I am sure that can be distracting to a congregation. Hopefully, when I have cried my way through a song (like last month), the Spirit is able to still communicate. The tears came because of my gratefulness to Jesus for bringing me from darkness to light, and I was once again overwhelmed by His grace. I had tried to prepare for the emotions, and to detach so the message I was asked would be clearly sent, but some music just pours into my soul, and so it happened again. But I hope that is the exception and that I can enjoy full participation with the Body in worship, and not always be focused on the “I” experience when I am corporately worshiping. (:))
I don’t think its our job to judge the emotions that the leaders show why they worship, however i thinks its good to take note on there emotions, because some worship leaders are just trying to manipulllate. This sunday at church it was Pastor appreciation so there were alot of specials. One lady went up to sing and she had such a beautiful voice, she did alot of movement through the song….its hard to describe. though she had a beautiful voice, I kind of felt like she was just her performing through her emotions…..but WHOM AM I TO JUDGE HER! god knows the heart. So yeah i don’t think we should limit and leaders bounderies in worship, but its ok to observe them.