6 Reasons We Don’t Need Song Leaders in Worship - BY JONATHAN AIGNER

Found here. My comments in bold.
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One would expect the author to provide at least one biblical reason for not having song leaders. In fact, we would expect the author to quote or even reference at least one Scripture to document his case.

He does neither.
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In many ways the song leader is the single most important person in leading great congregational singing.

A friend sent me this quote last week, found buried within promotional material for something called a “Word in Song” conference put on by some group called Emu Music. A look at their “Who We Are” tab reveals this group to be predominantly Anglican. Keep that in mind. We’re not talking about a bunch of Hillsong disciples or quasi-charismatic evangelicals here.

(...)

Naturally, as one who believes wholeheartedly that each Christian church should be a singing church, this quote and its source made me shudder. It’s long been obvious that as modern society moved from being one of music-making to one of music-consuming, the free church was following suit. (Undocumented assertion.

And we wonder how one can consume music unless someone is also making music.)

But increasingly the liturgical church is giving itself over to the standards of commercial pop music, as well. And one of its central tenets is that you’ve got to have someone singing into the microphone. You’ve got to have a song leader.

Here are a few reasons why I must disagree.

1. It leads people toward music consumption, rather than participation.

During my most recent trip to the dentist’s office, my hygienist asked me what I did for a living. After I finished rinsing and spitting, I told her that I was a church music director. As normally happens when people don’t understand sacred music, she proceeded to tell me all about her church, which of course meets in a converted grocery store. Apparently, her pastor once played in Tommy Lee’s band. No, not Mötley Crüe, one of his other equally awful but less well-known bands.

“So, as you might expect, our pastor really makes sure our worship is awesome. It’s like a rock concert every week.”

“Yeah, that’s just about what I’d expect,” I said.

The worshiping church doesn’t consume music, it makes music. (The author's anecdotal story does not establish his conclusion. The young lady made no statement about "consuming music."

Yet he uses this example to make sweeping statements.)

But the modern concept of a lead singer arose from commercial pop music, written for a soloist or a small group. (This is woefully incorrect. Solo singers have been around for as long as there has been music. There is no "modern concept" of lead singer.)

It’s no wonder, then, that most live pop worship sounds quite similar to the concert hall. A “leader” singing with pop inflection and affected tone, while ad libbing and improvising rhythm and melody, doesn’t ask of a congregation, “Sing with me.” It says, “Approach congregational singing like it’s a concert.” (We long for documentation of these assertions, but the author is content to throw grenades from a distance.

We can supply anecdotal evidence as well: Every church we have experienced has had vigorous congregational singing with contemporary worship.

We will concede to the author that a singer's deviations from the melodic line are distracting.)

2. Amplification suppresses congregational singing.

A solo leader singing into a microphone sends a message to the congregation that its role is similar to that of an audience at a rock concert: “Sing along if you like, but it doesn’t really matter.” (As mentioned, our experience contradicts the author's assertion.)

As a result, the corporate nature of gathered worship is deemphasized, (Unsupported assertion.)

and the voice of the congregation becomes entirely dispensable to the whole thing. (Unsupported assertion.)

Though some may be singing, even loudly at times, the congregation’s function is more passive than active. (Unsupported assertion.

And we note for the record the biblical precedent for skilled musicians leading worship:

1Ch. 15:22 Kenaniah the head Levite was in charge of the singing; that was his responsibility because he was skillful at it.

1Ch. 23:3-5 The Levites thirty years old or more were counted, and the total number of men was thirty-eight thousand. 4 David said, “Of these, twenty-four thousand are to supervise the work of the temple of the LORD and six thousand are to be officials and judges. 5 Four thousand are to be gatekeepers and four thousand are to praise the LORD with the musical instruments I have provided for that purpose.”

Here is some helpful information for the author:

The Davidic Order of Worship

Although the tabernacle was replaced by a temple, the Davidic order of worship was embraced and re-instituted by seven subsequent leaders in the history of Israel and Judah. Each time this order of worship was reintroduced, spiritual breakthrough, deliverance and military victory followed.

Solomon instructed that worship in the temple should be in accordance with the Davidic order (2 Chronicles 8:14–15).

Jehoshaphat defeated Moab and Ammon by setting singers up in accordance with the Davidic order: singers at the front of the army singing the Great Hallel. Jehoshaphat re-instituted Davidic worship in the temple (2 Chronicles 20:20–22, 28).

Joash (2 Chronicles 23:1–24:27).

Hezekiah cleansed and reconsecrated the temple, and reinstituted the Davidic order of worship (2 Chronicles 29:1–36; 30:21).

Josiah institutes Davidic worship (2 Chronicles 35:1–27).

Ezra and Nehemiah, returning from Babylon, reinstituted Davidic worship (Ezra 3:10; Nehemiah 12:28–47).

Historians have also speculated that around the time of Jesus, in their search to find communion with God, the Essenes of the Judean wilderness reinstituted Davidic worship as part of their life of prayer and fasting.

Clearly the concept of a primary worship leader is firmly cemented in Scripture, commanded by no less a worshiper than King David.)

3. The organ is a better leader.

(That is, an instrument leading the congregation is somehow better than a singer leading the congregation. The reason for the distinction escapes us.)

Many people, especially song leaders, will say this is simply my own opinion. I don’t think so. And while many would also point to a couple historical examples of organs being banned from some churches, they often fail to recognize that the pipe organ actually developed from within the church in service of the church’s liturgical needs. (That is, the organ eventually supplanted the previously established order of musical worship in the church, much like contemporary worship bands have been doing.)

The instrument itself is unequaled in its ability to enable good congregational singing. The organ can sustain pitches without decay, leading through the phrases, drawing the song out of the congregation. Precise articulation at the console punctuates the phrase for the congregation, breathing with them and pacing the following phrase. An organ that is well voiced and sized for the room (We note that Item 2 decried the use of amplification. But the author approves of the organ's mechanism for amplification.)

will emphasize the lower and upper partials in the tone, while leaving room in the middle for the human voices to fit in. And while it can provide a supportive musical framework to embolden singers, it cannot sing the text for them.

4. Singers with microphones tend to talk.

The worst theology happens in worship when we go off script, and coupled with the fact most (but certainly not all) so-called “worship leaders” are not well-trained theologically, (This, if true, does not speak to the issue. A church with an untrained worship leader is its own problem apart from the issue at hand.)

even planned statements tend to fall short of good theology or meaningful connection to the liturgy. (A pitfall of pastors as well, we observe.)

Even if they are trained theologically, corporate times of sung prayer have traditionally used refined, elevated language, seasoned by ages, steeped in Scripture and theology. (Good contemporary Christian worship does the same thing.)

It isn’t the time to throw out a bunch of extemporaneous babble, which can be nothing short of disastrous. (The author appears fearful of what people might say while at the podium. Why this might be is a mystery, for the people of God are called to discernment and maturity of faith. They can weigh what is said as Scripture commands.)

(...)

5. The song leader often becomes a showcase for ego and personality.

(I'm sure the author's church features a pastor, and the congregants hang on his every word. He also is superstar status, the big fish in his little pond.)

We are living in the days of the celebrity Christian. As I’ve said before, we have witnessed the advent of the “worship superstar,” especially over the last two decades. Granting a microphone to a musician is offering them a whole lot of power and prestige. (We acknowledge this as true but look in vain for some reason to dismiss the ministry of worship leaders because of it.)

Some turn corporate worship into stand up comedy routine with their wit and charisma. (True, but irrelevant.)

Some take the opportunity to showcase their own affected pop stylings and build their celebrity in the mold of so many others. (True, but irrelevant.)

Some have exploited the vulnerability of an emotionally-compromised congregation.  Just look at the record sales for the so-called “worship industry.” Even those who would shy away from the title of “superstar,” well, can they really deny that’s what they are? (True, but irrelevant.)

The so-called “worship industry” has exacerbated this phenomenon. (True, but irrelevant.)

Because our culture is so used to listening to music for entertainment, we make our own celebrities. (True, but irrelevant.)

Make no mistake about it. The church does this, too. We begin to associate worship with a person and a performance, (True, but irrelevant.)

rather than corporate prayer through Word and Sacrament. (The author offers a false choice. The two are not mutually exclusive. One can enjoy the gifts and ministry of a particular musician [or preacher for that matter] and simultaneously embrace "corporate prayer through Word and Sacrament.")

6. The traditional music of the church practically sings itself.

We have a rich history of psalms, hymns, chants, and songs, set to beautiful, eminently singable melodies with a rich harmonic framework, a group to which each generation added their best. (Except that our generation is not granted this privilege to add its best, apparently. The excellent songs written in our day are not allowed into the "canon" of the hymnal, according to the author.)

Then we decided we didn’t need that stuff anymore. (Who did? Most contemporary worship is replete with hymns, albeit adapted on occasion to modern settings.)

So we replaced our hymns with new songs, written for solo commercial recordings. (The author never tells us why this is bad.)

And that’s when we decided we needed a song leader, with a top-notch house cover band.

But we didn’t. We never did. We just needed to sing.

Let’s Move On

I’m ready to move on from the song leader in worship. I’m ready to move on from the amplified musical assault. The church should be, too, and it’s time to self-correct.

We need to teach our congregations to sing, not just have someone with a mic singing at them.