Worship Band

Definition and Meaning

A worship band is an instrumental ensemble that leads the congregation's singing during the praise portion of a worship service. It usually consists of a worship leader, singers, keyboard, guitar, bass, and drums. Some churches also add violin or wind instruments.

A choir performs prepared sacred music for the congregation to hear. A worship band, by contrast, exists primarily to lead the congregation in singing together. In Korean churches, the singers and instrumentalists together are often called the praise team.

Biblical and Historical Background

Supporters of worship bands point to two passages. The first is Psalm 150:3-5, which calls for praising God with many instruments, including the trumpet, psaltery, harp, timbrel, and cymbals. The second is 1 Chronicles 25:1, which records David appointing Levites to take charge of instrumental music for the temple.

During the Reformation, views on the use of instruments differed. Huldrych Zwingli removed music from worship in Zurich. The tradition of John Calvin emphasized singing the Psalms without instrumental accompaniment. Thereafter, the organ long served as the principal instrument in Western Protestant worship.

The worship band in its present form is generally said to have spread through the Jesus movement in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, in which young people sang praise in popular-music styles. It later spread to churches around the world with the rise of contemporary Christian music (CCM) and contemporary worship.

Practice in Korean Churches

In Korea, worship bands are said to have spread to local churches in the 1980s and 1990s through the praise gatherings and young adult meetings of parachurch mission organizations such as Youth With A Mission (YWAM). Many churches today use worship bands in settings such as the following:

• The praise portion at the beginning of the Sunday service
• Young adult and youth group services
• Friday prayer meetings
• Seeker-sensitive (open) services

The repertoire consists mainly of gospel songs and CCM, though hymns are sometimes sung in new arrangements.

Usage varies by church tradition. Churches in the Pentecostal tradition are generally known to have adopted drums and electronic instruments in worship relatively early. A considerable number of Presbyterian, Methodist, and other churches use bands for young adult services or evening gatherings while retaining an organ- and choir-centered format for the Sunday morning service.

Assessments of worship bands are mixed. Supporters hold that they help churches connect with younger generations and increase congregational participation. Critics argue that the volume can be excessive and that worship can drift toward performance. They also contend that the lyrics lack the theological depth of hymns. These questions are discussed in the article Worship Music Controversy.