Friends and family ask why I, as a decades-long contemporary worship leader, have left the contemporary worship scene. For a brief overview, I created a few reels on my social media platform (click here). For a deeper dive, I wrote this article.
My Personal Journey
I’ve been involved in the worship ministry for as long as I can remember. My dad, a multi-venue worship leader, had me singing Jesus Loves Me on Christian TV when I was four years old. At 14, nearly overcome by stage fright, I “blessed” my church with a much more contemporary version of that same song – DC Talk’s rap version. Surprisingly, even the older members were invigorated by it. By 20, a powerful encounter with Vineyard music deepened my passion for worship. I joined the praise team and played guitar and keyboard, eventually becoming a worship leader, serving alongside my wife in our local church.
A few years and many seminary classes later, in 2010, I took a full-time worship leader position at a small church in Erie, PA. Though we left due to its excessive charismatic practices and prosperity teachings, I remained active at my next two churches, building a youth praise band at one, and serving as the interim worship pastor at the other.
Over time, however, I developed an unexplainable longing for the historically rooted traditions of the church—ancient worship over modern rock bands, congregational participation over soloists, liturgy over spontaneity, reverence over informality, and sacraments over mere symbols. This conviction grew stronger when my last church shifted toward a more production-driven worship style under new leadership. Though well-intentioned, these changes pushed me to examine contemporary worship in light of Scripture, particularly Ephesians 5:19. This passage has had a profound impact on me personally. In this short article, I invite you to explore its implications with me.
Ephesians 5:19 and the Power of Corporate Worship
Ephesians 5:19 is a simple admonition – “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” This admonition follows a stern command to avoid being filled with wine which leads to a fleeting, hollow, and chaotic gathering, and instead to be filled with the Holy Spirit who leads to a true, lasting, and joy-filled, communal lifestyle of worship. This lifestyle is characterized by several active participles: Speaking (v19), singing (v19), making melody (v19), giving thanks (v20), and submitting (v21). Some of these are done during our corporate worship service (the first four), while others are more prevalent outside of that context (the last one). Nevertheless, all of them call for mutual encouragement among believers, evidenced by the repeated phrase “one another”. Believers should be speaking to one another (v19) and submitting to one another (v21).
The Loss of “One Another” in the Contemporary Worship Performance
In many contemporary worship settings, the corporate dimension emphasized in Ephesians 5:19 has been eroded, replaced by a performance-driven model that prioritizes atmosphere over participation. True congregational singing and its prerequisites – the ability to see and hear each other – have been overshadowed by numerous production elements. Loud music, dimmed lights, fog machines, and unnecessary instrumental interludes create an environment that feels more like a concert than a gathering of believers singing to one another. Instead of voices rising in unison, the congregation often finds itself drowned out by amplified sound. Instead of interacting visually, worshipers are often unable to see each other in dark fog-filled rooms with blinding strobe lights flashing all around. This environment tends to create worshipers who are either: 1) passive listeners entertained by the band on stage, or 2) active worshipers isolated to their own emotional experience with God.
This shift has unnecessarily elevated the role of music in worship. In Ephesians 5:19, singing is the element of worship that believers are commanded to engage in, leaving instrumental music as a mere circumstance—a tool meant to support, not replace, the voice of the assembly. In fact, the New Testament doesn’t explicitly command the use of any instruments when we sing. Paul simply tells us to sing, “making melody in your heart to the Lord”. So, our primary instrument is not the guitar, drums, or keys, but the human heart. When any other instruments take center stage, the focus moves away from the corporate edification commanded in Ephesians 5:19 toward an individual audiovisual experience.
Another concerning feature of contemporary worship is the centrality of worship leaders and soloists. Historically, worship leaders and singers were positioned in the back or sides of the worship space. The central visual element was the altar with communion elements, representing Christ’s presence. While skilled leaders can enhance the experience, spotlighting individuals—through extended solos, fancy vocal riffs, or exaggerated physical expressions—tends to shift attention away from the active, corporate worship of Christ toward the passive observation of individuals.
Where Has the Spoken Worship Gone?
Ephesians 5:19 does not simply call believers to sing—it calls them to “speak to one another.” Historically, Christian worship has included spoken elements such as responsive prayers, corporate confessions, and recited creeds. These practices reinforced the communal nature of worship, ensuring that the gathered assembly was truly interacting with one another.
Throughout church history, the Lord’s Prayer was a central element of communal prayer in worship services, reflecting the early church’s emphasis on unified prayer. The recitation of Psalms, adopted from Jewish worship, was a core component of Christian liturgy. Early Christians often recited creeds, such as the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, to affirm their faith and doctrine. The list could go on and on.
Yet, in many contemporary services, spoken participation has nearly disappeared. Extended musical sets and over-repeated choruses have replaced the structured liturgical elements that once encouraged dialogue among worshipers. The congregation is no longer called to speak aloud in unison; instead, the only voices consistently heard are those of the worship leaders. This silence represents a significant loss, as it strips worship of an essential element of mutual edification.
If the church is to recover the richness of biblical worship, it must restore the congregation’s voice. Worship should not be a passive experience where people merely watch and absorb; it should be an active engagement where believers truly speak “to one another”. By returning to a model that emphasizes congregational participation, the church can reclaim the full depth of worship that Ephesians 5:19 envisions.
Essence versus Emotion
Contemporary worship songs, typically modeled after secular music, use orchestrated builds to drive emotional responses throughout the song; starting with the quiet solo on verse 1; layering in the rest of the singers at the chorus; adding powerful harmonies the second time around; scaling back for a bridge; building the drums on the bridge until the peak; coming out of the bridge with the drums cut out; building everything back up in one final chorus; ending with a “grand finale” of ringing chords, crashing cymbals, and shouts. This climax may lead into a few quiet choruses, depending on the worship leader’s read of the audience’s engagement.
This orchestration can create powerful moments and connect people on an emotional level. However, it’s important to remember that true faith comes, not by hearing song dynamics, but by hearing by the Word of God (Rom 10:17). The content of the sung Word of God is what truly changes us, not the skillfully orchestrated crescendos and minuendos. So, while the Old Testament encourages skillful worship (Psa 33:3), such orchestration should never take priority over the content of the message and the transformative power of God’s Word. Otherwise, we will manipulate people into confusing an emotional response with a true work of the Spirit. With this established, let’s see what Ephesians 5:19 says about the content of what we should be singing.
The Central Role of the Psalms in Worship
Ephesians 5:19 explicitly calls for the singing of “Psalms”. Like the Book of Psalms? Yes. By including “Psalms” in his exhortation, Paul underscores the importance of Scripture’s own songbook—the inspired hymnal of God’s people—within Christian worship. The Psalms are uniquely superior to contemporary worship songs because they are the inspired Word of God. When the church sings the Psalms, it is singing the very words of Scripture, ensuring that its worship is shaped by divine truth rather than fleeting human emotions or cultural trends.
Additionally, the Psalms are profoundly Christ-centered. Jesus Himself declared that the Psalms spoke of Him (Luke 24:44), and throughout the New Testament, the Psalms are quoted as prophetic revelations of Christ’s life, suffering, resurrection, and reign. Many Psalms, such as Psalm 2, Psalm 22, and Psalm 110, contain explicit messianic prophecies that point directly to Christ’s kingship and redemptive work. By neglecting the Psalms, modern churches unintentionally sideline the inspired testimony of Christ that God has provided for worship. This omission is a break from the Biblical model of worship and from the historical tradition.
The Church’s Historic Use of the Psalms
Throughout church history, the Psalms have formed the backbone of Christian worship across various traditions. In the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, the Psalms have been central to the Liturgy of the Hours, a practice of chanting or reciting the Psalms at fixed times throughout the day. The Orthodox tradition, in particular, preserves the practice of chanting through the entire Psalter regularly, ensuring that worship remains deeply rooted in Scripture. In the Roman Catholic Mass, Psalms have historically been sung in the form of responsorial psalmody, in which a cantor chants the verses, and the congregation responds with a refrain. The Lutheran church has followed a similar pattern, with a weekly Psalm recited responsively by the Pastor and Congregation right after (or in the place of) the Introit.
The Reformation saw a revival of Psalm singing, particularly in the Reformed churches, which sought to restore biblical worship by emphasizing the inspired texts of Scripture. One of the most significant developments was the creation of metrical Psalters—paraphrased versions of the Psalms set to meter, making them singable by entire congregations. The Genevan Psalter (1551), compiled under the direction of John Calvin, and the Scottish Psalter (1650), used by Presbyterian churches, ensured that every Psalm could be sung by the gathered church. These Psalters reflected the conviction that Scripture itself should provide the content of worship rather than human inventions.
In contrast, much of contemporary evangelical worship has abandoned these historic practices. Modern worship services rarely include entire Psalms in sung form. Instead, worship is dominated by contemporary praise songs, which often borrow biblical themes but lack the depth and fullness of the inspired text. This shift has resulted in a theological shallowness that weakens the spiritual formation of the church.
If the church is to recover a biblically faithful approach to worship, it must restore the Psalms to their rightful place. The inspired songbook of Scripture is not merely a historical artifact but a divine gift for the praise of God’s people.
“Spiritual Songs” and Theological Depth in Worship
Ephesians 5:19 calls believers to sing “spiritual songs”. What does that mean? When I was entrenched in the charismatic movement, I believed that “spiritual songs” were either given spontaneously by the Holy Spirit or had a certain level of deep emotional engagement, which I discerned as an “anointing.” It felt as if these songs transcended ordinary music; they carried a weight and depth that I couldn’t quite explain but deeply resonated with my soul. But, in a Biblical framework, “spiritual songs” are something very concretely objective, requiring no emotional validation or mystical discernment.
The Call for Christ-Centered Worship
True “spiritual songs” are those that exalt Christ. Jesus Himself taught that the Holy Spirit’s role is to glorify Him and bear witness to His truth. In John 14:26, He says, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” In John 16:14, Jesus states, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.” Given these teachings, songs that are genuinely “spiritual” naturally direct the heart and mind towards Christ. They focus on the profound truths of the gospel– God’s triune nature, the fall of humanity, the incarnation of Christ, the atonement, the resurrection, salvation by grace through faith, and eternal life both now and forever. The Spirit does not invite us to “soak” in His presence to feel peace, comfort, and joy. Rather, He points us away from Himself to the finished work of Christ, where all of those things are found. Faith doesn’t rely on feelings and is often strongest when those feelings are absent. Spiritual songs create such faith by heralding the unwavering truths of the gospel. They lead us into a deeper understanding of who Christ is, what He has done for us, and how we should respond in our daily living.
The Shallowness of Many Contemporary Worship Songs
In contemporary worship, theological richness is often missing. Many modern worship songs lean heavily on personal feelings and subjective experience. Lyrics frequently (and repetitively) emphasize the individual’s emotions rather than biblical truths, with phrases centered on “me, myself, and I” rather than on God’s character and redemptive work. While personal struggles and victories are an important aspect of the Christian life, even reflected in some Psalms (e.g. Psa 142), corporate worship should ultimately lift the congregation beyond personal focus into the objective reality of Christ’s finished work.
As an experiment, I put four new worship song lyrics into ChatGPT to see if it could identify them as uniquely Christian. I asked whether these songs could also be sung by someone from a Muslim or Jewish tradition, or even as a love song to another person. ChatGPT’s response? They could easily be sung by any of them! No mention of the name Jesus; generic themes of gratitude, victory, and love; no Trinity, no cross, no resurrection, no heaven gained, no hell shunned, no Gospel! For a song to be uniquely Christian, it needs to reflect essential elements of our faith, such as Trinitarian theology or content focused on the finished work of Christ. Without these distinctive elements, the song could easily fit into the worship of other faith traditions that reject Christ.
The Theological Superiority of Historic Hymns
In contrast, the historic hymns of the church provide a model of theological depth and Christ-centered worship. These hymns are filled with rich doctrinal content, clearly articulating the gospel and exalting the person and work of Christ. Rather than focusing on transient emotions, they ground worshipers in biblical truth, forming their theology through song. Hymns like “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Martin Luther or “Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me” by Augustus Toplady powerfully proclaim the sovereignty of God and the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” speaks of God’s grace in drawing sinners to Himself. “How Great Thou Art” celebrates the majesty and greatness of God, reflecting on creation, Christ’s sacrifice, and the hope of His return. Let’s look at a few lyrics from this masterpiece:
“And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.”
Here, the hymn addresses the heart of the gospel—the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. It emphasizes the incredible act of God sending His Son to die for our sins, capturing the essence of John 3:16, where God’s love for the world is demonstrated through the giving of His only Son for our salvation.
“When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart; Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And there proclaim, “My God, how great Thou art!””
This verse speaks to the future hope of Christ’s return, reminding believers of the promise of eternal life with God. It reflects 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, which describes the Lord’s return and the gathering of believers to be with Him forever.
As demonstrated, these time-tested hymns reflect the intent of Ephesians 5:19 by ensuring that worship remains “spiritual”—deeply rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don’t deny that some modern hymn-writing ministries, such as Sovereign Grace Music and CityAlight, remain committed to producing equally spiritual content. Several popular worship songs, like Revelation Song and In Christ Alone, are replete with Christ centered truth. Even Hillsong has some theologically rich credal songs, like King of Kings and This I Believe. However, much of contemporary church music still falls short of this standard. To recover a Biblical approach to worship, we must move beyond shallow, repetitive lyrics and embrace songs that glorify Christ and instruct the congregation in sound doctrine.
Philosophical Differences Between Contemporary Worship and Liturgical Worship
At the heart of the debate over worship styles is a deeper question: What is corporate worship for? The answer to this question shapes everything—the structure of the service, the style of music, and even the role of the congregation. Contemporary worship and historical liturgical worship operate from fundamentally different philosophies, each with distinct views on the mission and purpose of gathered worship.
Mission and Purpose: Attraction vs. Divine Service
The Contemporary Worship Movement is largely driven by the desire to make church accessible and attractive to the “unchurched”, thereby causing numeric growth. Worship services are often designed with a seeker-sensitive approach, emphasizing cultural relevance, emotional connection, and production value. The goal is to create an experience that feels familiar and inviting, minimizing barriers that might make outsiders uncomfortable. This has led to an emphasis on entertainment — high-energy music, stage lighting, and emotionally driven moments designed to engage the audience.
While evangelism is an essential part of the church’s mission, this approach shifts the primary focus of worship away from God and toward the preferences of the audience. It assumes that worship should be shaped around what is most effective at drawing people in and engaging their emotions, rather than what is most faithful to Scripture. In doing so, it subtly redefines worship from an act of offering praise to God into a tool for outreach.
In contrast, historical liturgical worship is rooted in the understanding that worship is first and foremost a Divine Service—a sacred gathering where the body of Christ offers praise to God and receives His gifts (i.e. means of grace). The focus is not on appealing to unbelievers but on faithfully worshiping in a manner that reflects the holiness and majesty of God. Both Old Testament worship and heavenly worship described in Revelation present a picture of structured, reverent, God-centered worship, distinct from the surrounding culture.
Scripture itself does not treat corporate worship as an evangelistic tool. In fact, unbelievers attending Christian worship is described as an exceptional occurrence (1 Cor 14:24-25). When they do attend, they are meant to encounter something set apart—something that reflects the transcendent reality of God’s kingdom, rather than something designed to make them comfortable. When Paul and Silas were “praying and singing hymns to God” in prison, their fellow inmates were anything but comfortable; yet they intently listened to them and shared in their liberation (Acts 16:25-26). No special treatment, just the simple allure of authentic God-centered worship; a taste of Heaven from the pit of prison. The world doesn’t need to see secular-looking worship to be attracted to Christ. They need to see heavenly worship. That picture, along with our faithful evangelism after church, are enough to win unbelievers to Christ.
Conclusion: A Path Forward in Worship Renewal
In critiquing contemporary worship practices, particularly through the lens of Ephesians 5:19, we’ve seen how modern trends often diverge from the biblical and historical foundations of worship. From a diminished sense of congregational participation to the prioritization of personal emotions over theological depth, much of today’s worship risks focusing on cultural relevance instead of the holiness of God.
However, this critique is not a call for an abrupt, wholesale change. Recognizing the context of today’s church, where cultural shifts and contemporary challenges have shaped worship, we can aim for a gradual reintroduction of more Scriptural and historical practices. Here are a few ways this can be achieved:
Reintegrating Congregational Singing with Simplicity:
Begin by shifting the focus back to the congregation as the primary voice of worship. One way to do this is by simplifying the musical arrangement, such as using acoustic sets or reducing the volume and number of instruments. This encourages engagement rather than passive observation. Furthermore, try to avoid dimming the lights too much during worship. Darkness can unintentionally promote isolation, whereas visible faces and shared participation foster the “one another” aspect of worship.
Recovering Congregational Responsive Worship:
To gradually incorporate congregational responsive worship, consider having the congregation repeat a section of a psalm after one of your songs. Including the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer during times of prayer can also help re-establish communal participation. Small steps like this can pave the way for a more interactive and mutually edifying worship experience envisioned in Ephesians 5:19.
Recovering the Psalms:
One way to introduce the Psalms back into worship is by starting with a brief call to worship—a psalm that the congregation and worship leader can read together at the beginning of the worship service. Psalm 150, a short six verse Psalm, can be a great encouragement to “Praise the Lord”. This is a simple yet powerful way to anchor worship in Scripture and invite the congregation into a communal expression of praise. Over time, you could explore singing entire Psalms or their paraphrases, deepening the congregation’s scriptural engagement. You can brush off an old Psalter (the ones I mentioned earlier), or find online resources for contemporary versions of the Psalms. I have put a few of them to music recently (here). Other ministries that have done significant work in this area are the Psalms Project (thepsalmsproject.com), and Project of Love (projectoflove.com).
Christ-Centered Songs and Hymns:
Consider incorporating refurbished hymns into worship, maybe one per week. These hymns are rich in theological content and provide a solid foundation for worship. Additionally, ensure that at least one of the songs each week highlights the gospel—whether through an old hymn or a modern song with a strong Christ-centered message. It’s also important to be mindful of repetition. While repetition has its place in worship (Rev 4:8), too much can reduce the theological depth of a song. Aim for a balance between familiarity and fresh expressions of truth.
These changes don’t need to happen all at once. The goal is to move toward a worship experience that directly engages people with His Word in a way that is corporately and mutually edifying. This is an Ephesians 5:19 worship experience.
The Middle Ground 