In the 70's and early 80's...the seminary schools invented a new "ministry"...called..."The Worship Leader". Previously, in the predominately Baptist south the majority of the worship leaders were older males and they were the only "worship leader" on stage. As this position became a paid position which welded more power over the direction and order of service...more and more persons (especially the youth) saw the attractiveness of becoming a "worship leader" and seminaries saw the attractiveness of opening new fields of income for themselves.

Of course...more and more people entered seminaries for this new and exciting worship field, but there were only so many paid positions available.....so the TEAM concept was invented so more people could join in on the experience.

What they soon discovered is that having "paid positions" is not what attracted people to the field in the first place. It was the attention of the crowd, the thrill of the band, and the performer "rock star" fantasies that drew people to the worship field in the first place. One can perform like a professional singer, prance and preach like a preacher, have an audience who believes you are "cutting edge" (at least in the religious world)....all in the name of the Lord....all under the guise of ministry.

Add a little energetic bounce, repeat one verse 50 times and you have the makings of local church rock stars....c.d.'s available at the booth....single coming out in the fall.

Bible teaching Sunday schools are cancelled and discarded to give "worshipers" more time for "concert" style worship. Ministers, upon seeing the crowds and money it attracts, are content to let the "worship" experience last 1.5 hours while his message (based on the relevant needs of his congregation of course) of carefully worded pep rallies full of "feel good drama". Next, hire a younger "praise leader" paid to entertain the children full time and you got one "rockin growin church".

NOT

Hos 8:1-4,7
Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law. 2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. 3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. 4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off...7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.