Worship Matters and Gender Issues…
Bob Kauflin’s has a new book, Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God. I cannot wait to get this book. I have long been wanting to read some books on corporate worship, but there are few out there that I have found written by an author I respect and rooted in Reformed theology. Bob Kauflin is a name I hear of quite often on the blog circuit. You can read his blog here. He is connected with Sovereign Grace Ministries and is one of the worship leaders at Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where Josh Harris serves as pastor.
Here is what he has to say on “The Leader” in his new book:
I came across an interesting discussion on his blog about who should serve in the role of worship leader. His views as a complimentarian affect his thoughts on this. Now, I’m probably not a complete complementarian because I remain “confused” on some particular issues, but I continue to be surprised at how much the complementarian view separates the roles of men and women. I’ve now been challenged with the question of whether or not it is okay that I, a female, lead worship and fill the role as the worship leader. What do I say to that? Well, I won’t say too much now because I would only get myself in trouble.
I will say that I have yet to think it unbiblical for a woman to lead congregational worship. Since Scripture doesn’t say anything in particular about this, and since women are encouraged to pray and prophesy, I am quite at peace with my role in the church right now.
I do see my role, in some sense, as a teaching role – especially because I write many of the songs that Basilica sings. I also think that women like Fanny Crosby and Charlotte Elliot take up the role as teachers every time one of their hymns is sung, just like John Newton’s and Isaac Watts’ hymns. I think the songs we sing are extremely important and I don’t take songs lightly. It is important that what we sing and the words that we offer up together as worship be theologically and scripturally sound, pointing to the glory of God and the message of the Gospel. I do seek to place myself and my songs fully under the authority of Scripture as well as under the authority of my pastor because it I think it is important for me to do so.
What are your thoughts on the matter?
I say two things. 1) I agree with your statement about Scripture’s lack of precedence against women leading worship. 2) You said “fanny”. That’s funny to me.
Andy,
How can Scripture speak against a woman leading worship, when there were no “worship leaders” in the early church?
Strangely enough, sometimes, when you wash Christians’ feet or use your gifts for the edification of the body, this puts you in a position of “authority”. As we define it.
The pagan world Christianity invaded treated women like crap. Their options ranged from being a temple prostitute to being a “good wife”, which meant you went out into public as little as possible. Christianity was light years ahead of the “women’s liberation” movement of the Twentieth Century. But how far did Paul and the other apostles go? That is the 64,000 dollar question.
I think that was his point – that scripture is silent on that particular matter. There are a few references in the OT where women seem to lead in some sense of corporate worship (Miriam, Deborah…).
What is interesting to me is the desire to equate the role of worship leader to that of pastor simply because the text is silent. Why not see it more related to the role of praying, reading scripture or prophesying in the church?