Worship band

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A worship band (sometimes referred to as a praise band or worship team) is a band that leads singing in Christian worship. Worship bands often play contemporary choruses (or praise songs).

Many churches which use modern styles of music in their worship form their own worship bands. Some mainstream Christian Contemporary music bands also act as worship bands for events, and may label themselves as such.

As a trend within the Emerging Church phenomenon, there has been an evolution in the style of music employed in congregational or small group worship. This involves an increased use of contemporary choruses to either supplement or entirely replace traditional hymnal selections. Worship bands are most common in Evangelical groups, but can also be found in mainline Protestant churches as well as in Roman Catholic worship.

Along with the new styles of music is the incorporation of non-traditional church instruments. Typical band instruments such as guitars, synthesisers, and drum kits have emerged as the instruments of choice in many churches, leaving out the more traditional organ/piano combinations.

Another development in this trend is that worship bands themselves will lead the congregational singing. The traditional church choir is replaced with a band that has one main song leader and one to several back-up singers.

A worship band can create a contemporary sound to the worship that younger worshipers can identify with. Also, seeker-sensitive churches often utilize worship bands in order for non-churchgoing visitors to feel comfortable, whereas in traditional worship settings they may feel intimidated.

[edit] Criticisms

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This movement has not been without its critics, however. Traditionalists argue that some of the newer choruses contain watered-down, if not dubious, theology in their lyrics, and that as musical compositions the choruses are unimpressive. There has been a feeling within many churches that the newer choruses do not survive the test of time in the same way as the old hymns, many of which have been favourites for over one hundred years. Therefore, choruses that were at one time very popular, such as There is a Redeemer, Shine Jesus Shine, or Majesty, are now themselves considered traditional and out of date, to be replaced by a new batch of songs.

However, some churches take the view that a balance between old and new should be met- that we can learn things from the past but we should not become stagnant. Worship leaders such as Matt Redman and Tim Hughes try to strike a balance in their "sets" (the collection of songs in a worship session) of hymns and new songs, notably at the Soul Survivor events to encourage the new generation to not ignore the past.