A theologian is someone who makes it his life’s mission to know God’s nature, character, will and ways with the highest level of expertise possible. A theologian is a warrior shepherd who knows God’s truth, instructs in God’s truth and fights for God’s truth in the church. Who holds “firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).
When we are leading our people in worship through singing, we are actually putting words into their mouths to sing to God. And those words matter.
As a student of the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible, a worship leader must prayerfully examine what each song is teaching and ask the question, “Is this true according to what God has revealed about Himself in Scripture?”
Additionally, we must ask, “Is this song making much of me or of God?” God is very passionate about His glory. He will not give it to another (Isaiah 48:11). Yet, we are prone to mistaking sentimental or emotional experiences with the type of worship that God desires from us; namely, worship that is in spirit and truth.
As theologians, we must be able to lead away from me-centered worship and toward worship that glorifies the attributes, character and actions of God—His power, majesty, glory, justice, mercy, compassion and greatness.
But this will not come with a light, cursory skimming of the Scriptures whenever we feel like it. We cannot neglect to read God’s Word because we are too busy, don’t understand it or don’t enjoy it. If we are to know God, if we are to delight in Him and lead people in that delight, we must know Scripture.
Jonathan Edwards says of God’s Word, “This is the fountain from which all knowledge in Divinity must be derived. Therefore, let not this treasure lie by you neglected.”
God’s Word is our treasure. It is paramount and is to take prominence in our studying. At the same time, we also have the knowledge of theologians before us to take advantage of. At the click of a mouse, we can read the greatest works by theologians and historians of the last 2,000 years.
Jonathan Edwards himself was a theologian who often spent 14 hours per day studying the Scriptures. Today, we can glean much from his studies, as well as from those of many other spiritual fathers who have gone before us. To say the least, the words and works of Athanasius, Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, Charles Spurgeon, A.W. Tozer and C.S. Lewis ought to occupy a large chunk of our studies of the living God, as well as reading from such contemporary Christian thinkers and theologians as John Piper, Timothy Keller, Wayne Grudem, J.I. Packer and R.C. Sproul.
Fiction is good. Leadership books are fine. Self-help or how-to readings—sure. But learning from these spiritual giants who have gone before us should occupy the worship leader’s reading more than anything but the Bible itself. We must work to let the deep truths of their labor in theology shape the way we relate to God as well as the way we relate to the church in the songs we sing and the way we sing them.
If songs are a teaching tool, we must drench our worship in doctrine and saturate our services in Scripture. In doing so, we will lay a strong theological foundation on which the Lord will build His kingdom. He will be lifted up and draw men to Himself. After all, to borrow a phrase from the song that taught you your left from your right, “that’s what it’s all about.”
