My favourite ever church musician was Barry the saxophonist. Everybody loved Barry but not everybody loved Barry’s saxophone playing, especially as Barry got older. It didn’t matter because Barry loved being a part of the worship team, even if others thought he was making a ‘joyful noise’.

The Church of Barry

Barry was a Vietnam War veteran. He deployed with US forces and saw death and mayhem. He was significantly impacted by PTSD and later went on to be a part of the Navy band.

Later in life Barry landed at our church and found his way onto the worship team. He would often play off tune, and rogue notes would escape from his saxophone, startling his fellow musicians. Some felt that Barry should be asked to step down in the name of excellence. I always resisted it, because I believe in the Church of Barry.

The Church of Barry is a church where excellence is a value that competes alongside other values, such as inclusivity. The pursuit of excellence, whether in music, liturgy, or presentation can be a powerful means of honouring God and edifying the congregation. However, if excellence becomes the only consideration, we risk distorting the deeper purpose of worship: a communal offering of hearts, not just polished performances. Worship is not a concert, nor is the church a stage. Rather, it is a sacred gathering of God’s people, where all are invited to participate regardless of skill level, background, or artistic refinement.

Scripture makes it clear that God values the heart over performance. In 1 Samuel 16:7, God reminds Samuel that “the Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Worship that prioritises performance over participation risks excluding those whose offerings may be less refined but no less sincere. When churches elevate excellence to the exclusion of participation, they inadvertently send the message that only the talented are welcome to lead or contribute—this contradicts the inclusive and grace-filled nature of the Gospel.

Worship, at its heart, is about the gathered people of God responding to His grace. In the New Testament, worship is not reserved for a select few with mad level skills, but is described as a communal, participatory act “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” (Ephesians 5:19). This image of mutual encouragement and shared expression reflects the inclusive nature of the early church, where each person, regardless of ability, was seen as a vital part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). To honour this biblical vision, space must be made for people of differing levels of talent to contribute meaningfully to worship.

Everybody Welcome Worship Team

I was pleased to find that at my church a new member of the singing worship team is a twentysomething man with Down’s Syndrome. I doubt that his mic is turned up much, but that doesn’t matter. It’s a wonderful picture of a church that values all people and provides an opportunity for all people to participate in ministry. It would mean the world to this young man to be on the worship singing roster. The cost is that the worship singing team isn’t as ‘excellent’ as what it could be, but the gains outweigh the cost. It contributes towards a Daggy Church, rather than a broadcast worthy church.

I would reason that the Daggy Church is a more accurate reflection of the cross section of society than one where only the uber talented Colgate people get a gig. We need talent, and the source of talent is God. Talent is a blessing, and we must foster it through mentoring and recognising the talents God has blessed us with.

However, emphasizing talent excellence alone can discourage participation and alienate those who feel they “don’t measure up.” It may also cultivate a culture of consumerism, where congregants become spectators rather than participants.

In Search of Authenticity

A worship culture that welcomes imperfection nurtures authenticity and community, allowing room for spiritual growth, mentorship, and the formation of deeper connections among members. You may have noticed that when you buy clothes these days, especially pants, you are given plenty of options for clothes that are sold in ‘distressed’ state. We yearn for authenticity, and as a result we often shy away from shiny, new and perfect looking products. People love old school looking products, because in that it they find a sense of authenticity. I’ve been around the evangelical/pentecostal block for of 40 years now and I’m done with the shiny and the shallow. Not everything has to look right, sound right and feel right. Real life isn’t like that. It’s important to have Daggy in the mix. I do draw a line at Dad jokes though, there should be no place for them in church or sermons…