049 Why ‘Nameless and Faceless’ Theology Is Hurting Worship Leaders

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Ever been told that it's more spiritual to be "nameless and faceless"? 

What began as a seemingly innocent call to humility decades ago grew and transformed into a powerful control mechanism. 

"Stay faithful, stay steady, and above all, stay small" became the unspoken mantra forced upon many worship leaders, artists, and creatives. 

The biblical evidence overwhelmingly contradicts this mindset. 

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction to Nameless and Faceless Theology
• 9:42 Biblical Evidence Against This Theology
• 14:15 Common Rebuttals and Responses
• 18:51 Breaking Free from Destructive Theology
• 23:05 Worship Leader Artist Accelerator Offering

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

The danger of nameless and faceless theology Kind of a heavy topic we're going to talk about today on the podcast, but it's one that I've been processing through on my own, talking with some really really close friends about to kind of come to a place of conclusion on this topic, and so I'm very, very excited about what I'm going to share. But I also recognize that for some people it might be a heavy topic that carries a lot of baggage with it. If you've been in Christendom for some time, if you've been in any kind of a platform ministry, specifically in a creative space worship leader design, whatever it is, you may have heard this phrase. If you've not heard this phrase, that's incredible. You were not tainted by its specific meaning, but you may still have some of the kind of undergirding negative thought processes that go along with this whole nameless and faceless theology. So nameless and faceless was born in the 1940s as part of the latter rain movement, was really popularized and brought to the surface in a worship movement 1980s to 1990s, even into the International House of Prayer where I was on staff for 15 years. So I heard this type of theology a lot and I don't think that for me, in my opinion. You might listen to this, have a different opinion, but in my opinion, I don't think this nameless and faceless theology started off as a negative, manipulative phrase to use, but I do believe that it got to the point where it was weaponized. And so, to kind of keep myself on track here, I wrote out a lot of what I want to share about this topic. Just because it's a really, really heavy topic. I had a lot of emotions come up in my heart as I was preparing this episode over the past couple of months. Again, I'm talking with some trusted friends of mine, some mentors of mine, to say, hey, am I crazy or is ABC? Is this true? And they're like that's absolutely true. And when you look at the Bible which I'm going to give, I have 50 Bible verses listed that go in complete contrast to the nameless and faceless theology. I'm probably not going to read all of them, but there are a lot of verses that go against this type of theology and I want to just hit it today and encourage you so to kind of set this up before I go in here. If you're a worship leader on here, this will definitely ring true, but if you're a business person or an artist or a creative in any way, shape or form, where you have some form of public-facing outreach. It might be social media, you might be a mom who's an influencer, or whatever it is on Instagram, any kind of public outreach that you have, specifically if it's in the Christian realm, this is going to be for you.

Speaker 1: 2:54

In the early 1980s, a phrase was made popular called nameless and faceless. It was poetic, likely, sincere and it was a reaction to platform obsession and it was a call for humility in an age of self-promotion. But what began as a posture quickly became policy and then, quietly, it became a control mechanism. It was handed to worship leaders like a mantle, but it was worn like a muzzle and caused so much confusion, so much confusion. It said stay faithful, stay steady and, above all, stay small. That was the message Just stay faithful, stay steady and, above all, stay small. We told a generation of worship leaders to suppress their voice for the sake of appearing spiritual, not because God asked them to, but because leaders did. Using this phrase, we spiritualized invisibility, we called silence maturity and we taught obedience by way of invisibility, and in doing so, we've made people question whether their boldness is a liability, whether their popularity, whether being seen by people on social media or on stages, is a liability.

Speaker 1: 4:21

This phrase is not applied universally. You'll begin to see this so clearly. As I began to think about this and process this, I was, like man, so interesting that even the ministry I was a part of for so many years, this was mostly weaponized with worship leaders, and again it spread far across America and even into the different parts of the world, I'm sure. But it was never universally applied. You never heard it said to a preacher. No one tells the pastor to omit their name from the sermon archive, no one asks the entrepreneur businessman to launch their business anonymously and no one tells the missionary to keep their testimony of what the Lord's called them to do as a missionary to themselves. It's mostly with artists, mostly with creatives and mostly with worship leaders, because only those whose expressions are harder to quantify and therefore they're easier to contain.

Speaker 1: 5:17

This phrase be nameless and faceless was used as a weapon of manipulation and control. Let's be clear. We're getting some Bible verses here in a minute. Let's be clear. God is not suspicious of visibility. I'm going to say that again. God is not suspicious of visibility. He names people, he raises them in public. He gives favor in places of influence, not as an endorsement of ego, but a display of his purposes. David was not anonymous. He had a name. Esther wasn't hidden. Paul didn't write under a pseudonym. Bezalel was called by name and filled with the spirit for craftsmanship. These were not self-promoters. They were God-commissioned workers and they were seen.

Speaker 1: 6:10

The real danger is not visibility, it's pretending that hiding is holy. I'm going to say that again. The real danger here is not oh, he's visible on a stage, oh, he's visible on Instagram or TikTok. The real danger is not oh, he's visible on a stage, oh, he's visible on Instagram or TikTok. The real danger is not visibility, it's pretending that hiding is always holy.

Speaker 1: 6:34

Obscurity can be obedience and the Bible gives examples of that for sure. Jesus, paul, different ones, right Moses, 40 years in the wilderness, we get it. But it can also be avoidance, and when we canonize nameless and faceless, we may be celebrating what God never, ever asked for. When we canonize nameless and faceless theology and make it this is what God says is true and is right, we're actually going against so many things that God says in the Bible. So many Bible verses are in complete contrast to the fallacy of nameless and faceless theology. It has been weaponized and it has been used to turn worship leaders and turn creatives in all kinds of different spheres of life to do things in a faithful, steadfast way, not caring at all, actually celebrating, never being seen, and it is not okay.

Speaker 1: 7:36

You don't protect God's glory by suppressing your story. Some of y'all need to hear that like real strong. You don't protect God's glory by suppressing your story. You don't honor God by editing yourself out of the calling that he has authored. You're not a threat to the gospel. Your platform is not a threat to the gospel. You are a vessel of the gospel. You don't need to apologize for being seen. You don't need to make sure that what is seen points clearly and honestly to him in every way, shape and form at all times.

Speaker 1: 8:13

That's actually not a good thing, I would say. That's actually like false humility and even an arrogance sort of thing, or false humility mixed together. It's not like, oh, just pointing people to Jesus. Pointing people to Jesus. It's like, no, there's a stewardship that you gave yourself to in your craft and when it's constant, oh no, it's all about Jesus, all about Jesus. It's like, no, jesus made you and utilized your gifts right and he's really good at keeping people from being prideful. He's really good at it. So if God has given you a voice, use it with conviction. If he's entrusted you with a story, tell it with integrity. If he's handed you influence, hold it lightly but do not bury it. Faithfulness is not invisibility and obedience is not silence. You were never meant to disappear. That's completely opposite of the Bible. You were never meant to disappear. You were meant to reflect something greater. So do that clearly, wisely and without fear.

Speaker 1: 9:13

Now there's a couple rebuttals Bible verses that people are going to throw at this podcast, and I'm ready to give rebuttals myself. We'll get to those here in a second, but first I'm not going to go through all. I'm literally scrolling in my notes here. I'm not going to do that to you guys. Just a couple of simple ones. We're all going to know.

Speaker 1: 9:31

Sermon on the Mount. Matthew, chapter 5, verse 16. Let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise the Father in heaven. Let your light shine. Psalm, verse 40,. He put a new song in my mouth. Many will see and fear the Lord from the song he put in your mouth. Acts 4, verse 13,. Peter and John. They saw the boldness of Peter and John Philippians, chapter 2, verse 15,. Shine among them like stars in the sky. Romans 10, verse 14, shine among them like stars in the sky. Romans 10, verse 14. How can they hear without someone preaching to them? Exodus 31, verse 2 and 3, we mentioned them earlier Bezalel, I have called by name Bezalel, to design artistically Esther, chapter 4, verse 14.

Speaker 1: 10:18

Who knows whether you've come to the kingdom for such a time as this, esther? If Esther was stuck in the stronghold of nameless and faceless theology, things would look a lot different in the Middle East right now. 2 Corinthians 3, verse 2, you are our letter, known and read by everyone. Isaiah 60, verse 1, I rise and shine, for your light has come. I could just I could go on and on and on Tons and tons of Bible verses. In some of my research I was doing upwards of like 300 Bible verses that I was looking at. Nameless and Faceless Theology has done a very negative number on many, many worship leaders and artists and I'm here to sound a trumpet or whatever it is just make it really clearly and plain that it is not good theology, it's actually horrible, horrible theology. So let's look at here a couple of rebuttals that people will probably come up with. So let's look at here a couple rebuttals that people will probably come up with.

Speaker 1: 11:26

John, Justin, john the Baptist said in John 3, verse 30, he must increase and I must decrease. This was John the Baptist's specific assignment, not a universal command to disappear. The verse reflects John's unique assignment, transitioning him out of the spotlight as Jesus's ministry began. It is not a universal command for all believers to become invisible so that only Jesus can be seen. That is not the way history works. That's not the way history works. John didn't disappear. He fulfilled his assignment and he passed the baton. God increased through John's boldness, not his erasing. Even Jesus said of John among those born of a woman, no one is greater. If John's theology, if we must decrease and he must increase, is to, ideally, whoever's listening, ideally, justin, we erase your name from every song you write, every movie, you produce, everything that you do, everything you do in your business, in your industry, whatever it is. If the goal we believe from nameless and faceless is, ideally, we don't, no one knows my name. It's like why would God then turn around and say among those born of woman, no one is greater than John the Baptist. He's clearly naming John the Baptist and honoring him and it made it into scripture Like my Lord, decreasing pride, ego and self-story is biblical. Erasing your God-given voice is not Decreasing pride and ego is biblical. Erasing your God-given story and voice is not.

Speaker 1: 12:58

Matthew 6, verse 3, some people say well, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, justin. We shouldn't seek recognition. Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, justin. We shouldn't seek recognition. Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. We need to avoid all public expression or platform of what we are doing. This verse is about giving to the poor in secret, not about erasing your identity or hiding your God-given talents or gifts. James 4, verse 6, I love this verse. I quote this verse all the time. Beautiful verse. I quote this verse all the time. Beautiful verse.

Speaker 1: 13:26

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Why in the world do we equate so often when we see someone's success, we see someone's platform, we see someone thriving in any sphere, in any market right? Why do we quickly, just immediately, say hope they're not prideful, I hope they don't fall off their high horse, because God resists the pride, but he gives grace to the humble. I heard this quote the other day and it was beautifully, beautifully put. It said never judge someone's blessing because you have no idea the cost of their seed. Never judge someone's success or blessing because you have no idea the cost of their seed and you know what. You know where their seed is Buried in the ground, long before you knew that person. They had a seed that fell into the ground and died, and now the blessing that you're now seeing come forth and man, we have to stop it as a high horse church so obsessed with just calling people out and making sure everyone's, you know, perfect and dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. Oh, you're prideful or whatever it is, and it's like no, like we are not here to be like the pride police, like you have no idea what people are going through, the cost of their seed. Um, so a lot of people use James four and say seeking visibility is prideful.

Speaker 1: 14:42

Humility means you're always in the background. But actually biblical humility is not about hiding. Biblical humility is not about hiding, it's about obedience to God. David danced before the Lord. Paul defended his apostleship by name. Jesus did not rebuke visibility, he rebuked the motive behind it. Silence or humility does not equal your being silent. The enemy wants artists to stay small, to stay quiet and invisible, so they will not impact culture. But God is not afraid of names and faces. He redeems them, uses them to point the world to Jesus.

Speaker 1: 15:27

You are not called to be nameless and faceless. I want to say it really, really clearly you are not called to be nameless and faceless. You are called to be known by God and used by him to make his name famous. You are called to be known by God and to make him known, make his name famous. You are called to be known by God and to make him known, make his name famous. This is something that is really really deep in my soul.

Speaker 1: 15:53

Again, I was part of a culture for many, many years where this was demonized and used to just kind of keep people doing the same thing. And sure, at the end of the day, everyone has a free will and you can. You know you can blame it on whoever you want to blame it on. But also you have to say when someone is young, you know their frontal lobe isn't even developed yet. Right, your frontal lobe or your brain is not even fully developed until you're 25 years old. So if you're like giving this mantra to say, hey, we'll go to the ends of the earth and just be nameless and faceless for Jesus, it is utterly confusing and incredibly unbiblical. I just want to make that really, really clear. It's utterly confusing and incredibly unbiblical.

Speaker 1: 16:32

We need to raise people up in the ways of God with a holistic mindset. I'm not talking about the food you eat, though that's important but we need to raise people up with a holistic mindset of what the Bible says about gifts, stewardship, visibility and hiddenness. We have to do it in a holistic way, not just pick and choose and cherry pick the parts that serve our little ministry or our little business or our little function to make us successful and to allow our thing to continue going. We have to raise young people up with a holistic view of what the gospel calls us to do, and gospel preaching, the gospel acting in your gifts, your abilities as a worship leader, singer, songwriter, business person, whatever it is, does not mean nameless and faceless.

Speaker 1: 17:25

Imagine telling a multi-billion dollar business person, a kingdom business person, let's say they love Jesus. Imagine telling them hey, man, it'd actually be way better if no one knew that your family owned this business, it'd actually be just way. God would honor you way more. No-transcript Matthew, chapter five, and be like no, you're literally like get behind me, you're completely wrong. That's completely like I actually heard a business person say this to me. Let me pull it up In Matthew lay your light, shine before others as they may see your good deeds and give glory. Give praise to the Father in heaven. And give glory, give praise to the Father in heaven. I won't say who because I don't want to give their name away, but someone literally said to me in the business they were in. They said let your light shine before men so that others may see XYZ. And it was specific to their business and their light shining before men was people experiencing this specific thing in this person's specific business, that they may give glory to God.

Speaker 1: 18:25

If you have been a I'll just say it a victim of the nameless and faceless theology, there is massive hope. I would encourage you to listen to this podcast again. You might want to transcribe some of the things that I shared as I wrote out here to share. So I would kind of keep my composure and say what I want, what I needed to say, but your life has so much more meaning than nameless and faceless and I just want to encourage you as I bring this thing to an end. I'm sorry it's been intense or whatever, but, um, as I bring this to an end, you may need to actually like shed and rebuke or get some of this garbage off of you Because, honestly, I did.

Speaker 1: 19:03

I did that doesn't make me prideful, like, don't worry, you know Justin's gone. Prideful now Justin's all about his name. It's like, no, I'm not about my name, I'm not about my face, but I'm confident with a holistic, biblical view of what it actually means to be a son of God and what it looks like to walk forward in sonship. And it would be preposterous for me to go about my day and you know my dad in real life, you know he's still living. He's incredible. It'd be ridiculous for me to go around and never, ever talk about my father, never, ever mention who he is. And I have taken upon myself his name and I am proud of the name that my father has given me in the natural and I am proud you should be proud of the name that God, the father, has given you as his son or as his daughter. And what does it look like for you to walk forward in the fullness of what look like for you to walk forward in the fullness of what he's asked you to do in your business, your art, your creativity. I promise you this.

Speaker 1: 20:03

It is not nameless and faceless. It's preposterous to think that a father would look at his children in the natural here and say like, hey, man, you're on the way to the Olympics and I'm really really proud of you. But the biggest thing we have here is that people know your name. So when you go to the swimming, when you go to the track and field stage and they say your name, I just want to let you know that it would be way better if no one knew your name. It's like Dad, are you okay? Like, have you been smoking? Have you been drinking? Like, what is wrong with you?

Speaker 1: 20:35

Again, I'm not saying that this nameless and faceless theology was intended to be used in a negative way, but I can, with full assurance and full confidence, tell you that it was intentionally weaponized, because people began to see what would happen in the hearts of young people singers, musicians, worship leaders, artists, whoever they are what would happen in the hearts of young people singers, musicians, worship leaders, artists, whoever they are, what would happen if they just compelled them to say you know what Nameless and faceless, aka small, is actually better. That's God's best for you, and you know I'm not going to talk about this because I'm going to end this podcast here but you know what this also ties to guys in a really, really negative way is poverty thinking as it relates to money, because if you're not supposed to be seen, you're supposed to be nameless and faceless. Well then, definitely, your bank account being as small as possible is definitely a win in the God column and people over there who still have money, who actually go on vacations, they're clearly a lesser of a Christian. You are definitely better because you're nameless and faceless and you have no money because you just quote unquote wasted it all at Jesus's feet. If God tells you to do that beautiful, I love that. I love that.

Speaker 1: 21:51

But it even says in Corinthians if I give all I possess to the poor, even my body to be burned, but I don't have love, what do I have? Right? Love God, love yourself. Do you have love in your heart for God? Of course I do, justin.

Speaker 1: 22:07

Second question do you have love for yourself or are you so bent on being nameless and faceless, living in poverty, thinking in your career, in your mindset, in your money, that you don't even know left from right or up from down. You've just been living with your head down, constantly saying nameless and faceless, more of you and less of me, any amount of like. I want to put my name out there. It's like, oh, I don't want to be prideful. That's a clear sign that you need to break yourself out of this nameless and faceless. And so do with this what you will. I laid it out there.

Speaker 1: 22:38

This was pretty vulnerable for me to kind of dig into my career and the place I came out of and talk about this Not throwing hate, but definitely throwing shade, definitely throwing shade because it was used in such a negative way and caused a lot of division and a lot of heartache for myself and a lot of other people. And so hope this is encouraging to you guys. I would love to hear your comments, your feedback, in the comments below and we'll see you guys in the next episode. Hey guys, thank you so much for listening to this episode. If it was challenging for you or maybe uncomfortable for you or encouraging for you, I want to invite you to sign up for a brand new course I just created, called the Worship Leader Artist Accelerator.

Speaker 1: 23:20

I created this artist accelerator, really in contrast to this nameless and faceless theology to look at the biblical way that we, as creatives and artists, are supposed to think and how we are supposed to live. I was a part of a culture where literally calling yourself a artist was was frowned upon. They said, no, we actually don't, we don't want to call ourselves that, because it's a prideful way to think of yourself in a prideful way to live. And so I created this, this course. It's brand new.

Speaker 1: 23:47

I just recorded it. There's 14 sessions in it, some different worksheets, but I walk you through the biblical framework for a artist, what the bible has to say, how we're supposed to think as an artist, how we're supposed to grow as an artist, how to walk in your identity as an artist, not growing in this prideful you know whatever, but in growing in confidence of who god made you to be. So if that's of interest to you it's not yet available to the public you can click the link below. This is just for you guys who are listening or watching this podcast. The Worship Leader Artist Accelerator is available to you guys only starting today. You.