Praise Teams

In the past five years an increasing number of congregations have started using praise teams. What is a praise team? It is a group of four, six, eight, or more singers who lead singing as a group. Some praise teams will have a dominant soprano voice as the primary leader with others as supporting leaders. Other groups will use a blended group with complete equality among the participants. Some churches will place the praise teams on the pulpit where they lead singing in a visible manner. Other churches will place the praise team in the congregation where the church will not see the singers but can hear their voices over the voice amplification system.

Why?

Why are some churches using a praise team? Three reasons are given. The following is a brief discussion of each reason.

• First, it provides balance. The traditional system of solo song leading actually provides leadership only for the soprano voice. In the traditional system the alto, tenor, and bass lack leadership. The praise team provides vocal leadership for all voice parts. This enhances the coordination of four-part harmony.
• Second, praise teams provide a fast and efficient system for introducing new songs. A praise team can introduce a new song on Sunday morning, and most churches can quickly pick up the melody of the song and join in the singing. Churches that do not use praise teams have a more complex and time consuming task of bringing new songs into the assembly.
• Third, praise teams provide more general focal blend. The traditional system of solo song leading provides a dominant voice for the soprano. Visitors often discover this if they arrive a few moments late to a public assembly. When they enter the foyer, they can only hear the song leader's voice on the P.A. system. When a visitor arrives a few moments late in an assembly led by the praise team, the visitor hears a balance of all voice parts over the P.A. system in the foyer.

Many church members are objecting to the use of praise teams. They express the view that they fear that Biblical principles are being compromised or violated in this new fad. Three different objections are expressed. Let us briefly describe them.

• First, some contend that there is no Biblical sanction for praise teams. This objection is based on the belief that churches should not engage in an action with a clear Biblical precedent There were no praise teams in the first century church, so this means that there should be no praise teams in the modern church. This is the weakest of the three objections because an honest Bible student will have to admit that we find no clear precedent for song leaders, hymnals, four-part harmony, or P.A. systems in the early church. We have no problems recognizing the cultural role of song leaders, hymnals, and four-part harmony. But some have difficulties extending this same principle to something that is different from past customs. The only difference between a solo song leader and a quartet of song leaders is one of custom or culture. Second, many people contend that praise teams are a clever, but subtle introduction of the choir.
• Some churches that have brought praise teams into the assembly have experienced a diminutation in congregational participation in singing. Some singers prefer listening to the more professional praise team over participation in the assembly. The validity of this objection is determined by the way a praise team system is managed. This writer is aware of one congregation that has allowed its praise team to become a choir. Congregational singing has greatly diminished in that church. But this writer is also aware of several congregations where the praise team has improved congregational singing. If we are to preserve our heritage of congregational singing, then churches that use praise teams must pay attention to the way they manage the system.
• Third, many people object to the role of women in praise teams. They fear that the New Testament principle of patriarchal leadership is gradually being compromised by the role of women in praise teams. The validity of this objection is also determined by the way a praise team system is managed. Some praise teams do indeed position women in a position of leadership that is open to question by all who would defend the principle of patriarchal leadership. But many churches have taken steps to overcome this problem without canceling the use of praise teams. With the use of wisdom, we can have praise teams that eliminate these objections.

Will the day come when all churches adopt praise teams? No. Why? The answer in part has to do with the size of churches and the dynamics of a praise team.Approximately 50% of all churches of Christ have 50 members or less. Another 25% have a membership near 100. 15% of all churches have a membership near 200, and only 10% of all churches have a membership of 300 or more.

In the average church only one member in 40 has the ability and ambition to participate in a praise team. (However, the ration can be as low as one member in 20 in a church in a college community). Thus, only churches of 200 members or more will generally find enough talent to organize an effective praise team. This means that only 25% of all congregations have the likely potential of finding the talent necessary to create a praise team.

The ratio of talent to membership means that most churches will do well to perpetuate the tradition of solo song leading. Praise teams in many churches may be a short-lived fad. Successful praise teams are labor intensive. Team members must research repertory, sight-read new songs and rehearse group singing. In the history of our brotherhood, other popular labor intensive projects have experienced a relatively short life cycle. Membership turnover, time management complications, and interpersonal conflicts have restricted the durability of such projects. The churches that experience long-term success in labor intensive team efforts are often those that employ professionals to provide leadership. Congregations that employ a full-time worship minister may be able to perpetuate their praise teams for many years.

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