Is there a good alternative word to “performance” to describe an evangelical worship team's actions?

I think you said it in your description. Whenever you want to say "performance", just use the word "production" instead.

You can also use another word in place that clearly defines the "performance" of something...

my example "There ability was out of this world and the atmosphere was breathtaking"

"The creativness of the artist was only exacibated by the excitement and sheer disbelief of the audience"

Not really. People perform during the show which is the established terminology for watching an event on stage whether live or via video.

Just like nave is the architectural term for the big space in a church while apse describes the stage area even if those terms originated with old style cathedrals and want to make you find alternatives like you sought for performance.

If your performance is also leading then you could use both to be more accurate. But you cannot get around the fact that they ARE performing during the show, even if done while leading. Sorry but that is the way the English language works for now.

Now even if you do not want to admit that the worship team IS performing while also leading you will have to change the English language to make that actually true.

As a former worship leader and musician, in that context (ie with a particular focus on the worship team's actions) we generally just used the word "ministry" or more specifically either "music ministry" or "worship ministry".

If that seems somewhat unwieldy, it's usually avoidable by just referring directly to "the worship" itself (in agreement with Machavity's answer), describing which, is an indirect commentary on the actions of those leading it.

Giving the Bible the once-over it seems your apprehension at the word performance as used for an artistic production is well founded

• perform
• performance
• performed
• performing
• performs

There's lots of performing good works and miracles and things like that, but the only one who performs an artistic work is Herodias, and that ended unpleasantly.

This may not be any better than performance, but at least it's totally in the Bible:

• act

The phrase "Be ready for your act." seems like it should be more than just a lyric to the Scooby Doo theme song, but apparently that is all it in in modern parlance. Anyway, if you have apprehensions about performance as being too showy, maybe act is too superficial.

On the other hand, actors know that there is back-and-forth between the actor and the audience and the act is for the audience not to show-off in the sense that performance is.

The fact that the oft-used word 'performance' is a problem to many who are involved in leading the music side of congregational worship, should flag up a warning to us all. I would add that the word 'performance' is a problem to many congregants observing what the music team is doing, because that is so often how it comes across. Even when the word 'act' is viewed as being better, it really isn't because people who put on an act are usually not being genuine; they are hoping to appear a certain way to others (whether acting in a stage play, or going through the motions of something expected of them). Only if the music is an integral, seamless part of the whole act of worship going on in the congregation is 'act' not a problem.

I speak from experience, first being a new member of a congregation in my mid-20s as a new Christian, then getting involved in the music side for many years, then changing denomination and being part of a Psalm-singing-unaccompanied congregation, and now having experienced two years of Covid-19 restrictions regarding church worship. Inbetween all of that, I sometimes went in the past to Pentecostal-type gatherings where the music band would be very loud and enthusiastic, with singers on the platform too, using microphones and really whipping up an atmosphere that others seemed to enjoy. Once, a young girl took to the platform, being backed as she sang a song solo, then everybody clapped at the end. That was a musical performance no different to any secular singer on a theater stage. She was being encouraged to start doing that (maybe because she had a good singing voice), she enjoyed the applause, and the audience enjoyed her performance.

A problem today is that most people in congregations where 'praise bands' are used have been conditioned by secular society into thinking entertainment is good, and can be 'adapted' by Christians to 'enhance' services of worship. An idea seems to prevail that if congregations are trendy enough, promoting the kind of music (or Rap) that teenagers adore, that will get young people attending. Another idea seems to be that atmospheres of worship require to be 'encouraged' by music and singing (usually at a level of decibels that hurt the ears of people with good hearing.) Then, when congregations are supposed to switch their feelings from happy, exuberant praise to quiet adoration, the band must enable them to do that.

I have one simple suggestion to make that could remove all performance and acting from services of worship. Let all who are 'leading' the praise/worship do so behind a closed door or drawn curtain so that nobody in the gathering can see them. Now, how keen would the musicians then be to do their music, only being heard but not seen? If they would be just as keen, then they would not be performers, acting a part to be seen and approved of by their fellows.

Then the music team could be called 'the supporting worship team', an integral part of the congregation, no different to the others in the building. They could then say, “We need to prepare to be ready for supporting worship.” Or, "We are prepared to be behind-the-scenes worshippers."

The merit of that latter phrase would be to ensure no attention was drawn to themselves, so that all the focus would be on the One being worshipped. Let's face it; many 'praise bands' are a total distraction. There. I've said it. Don't take it personally, brothers and sisters, for I include my own contributions in years past. And many preachers are also a total distraction (in certain 'evangelical' circles). You may view this last paragraph as a wake-up call.

The key in avoiding a "performance" is that a performer is someone who is doing something purely for the benefit of others. A performer might be compensated in some fashion, but that's not the same thing. Performers are trying to entertain an audience, and that does not include themselves.

The word you need here is "worship". When you go to church, you expect to worship. The people who are on stage at a church service are worshipers, the same as those in the pews/chairs. Thus I would call them "worship leaders", and as such, they "lead worship". Per your example sentence

You need to prepare to be ready to lead worship.

Is there a good alternative word to ”performance” to describe a music teams actions?

An alternative word for “performance”,when used as to a music team’s actions will very according to the Christian community involved.

Modern terms like a musical interlude may seem applicable to some Christian denominations, but not most.

In days of old when monks, chanted the Divine Office it was often described as a liturgical act that should be executed in complete unison and perfect harmony of voices.

Gregorian Chant: Perfect Music for the Sacred Liturgy

In other denominations outside the Catholic and Orthodox traditions (not completely true) music does seems to take on a performance style of worship service.

I would like to suggest the following as a replacement for the term ”performance” when describing a music team’s actions:

• ”custodians of the music of the divine service" It sounds biblical!
• singing accompaniment segment of our worship service
• inspirational moment of our service
• musical worship service
• musical portion of our worship
• (sacred) musical accompaniment portion of our service
• music presentation or portion
• musical interlude (when no singing is done)
• praise portion of the service.
• ”Praying twice moment(s)” could be a catchy way of replacing the term ”performance” as St. Augustine once said: “To sing is to pray twice.”

Ultimately, it comes down to singing: We sing when we are at one, or wish to be at one, with our activity or the object of our activity. This is true when we are in love with another person. It is most of all true when we are in love with God. That is the origin of the incomparably great music of the historical Church traditions. St. Augustine says: “Only the lover sings.” We sing… and we whisper… and we fall silent.

This question reminds me of the popular Christian radio station Praise 106.5 of the Pacific Northwest.

For many years, Praise 106.5 (KWPZ FM) has been dedicated to serving the Christian radio audience in the Pacific Northwest. - High praise for Praise 106.5

Thinking that the Bible can give a clue for terminologies, I scoured the NLT and the ESV translations for verses related to worship which has music & musicians (see "The Data" section below).

My findings

• There are singers and choirs. The instruments are harp, lyre, trumpets, cymbals, and tambourines. Other participants include: choir leader/director, King (David) or Governor (Nehemiah), gatekeepers, the people.

• "performed" is used in several verses, but as a verb, not as a noun, so doesn't have the negative connotation. Examples: "performed together to praise" or "performed the service of their God"

• Summary of phrases found:

  Who	Phrases
  musicians singing/playing	"sing joyful songs" "raised their voices and praised the LORD" "rejoicing and blowing {instrument}" "play/sound/blow/clash the {instrument}" "prophesied with {instrument}"
  leading during the service	"lead the music" "leading the people in a great celebration" "lead the choirs"
  Levites as a group during the service	"minister with music" "proclaim God's messages" "performed together in unison to praise and give thanks" "offering thanks and praise" "giving thanks"
  non-musicians	"skipping about and laughing with joy" (David) "worshiped the LORD as the singers sang" (people) "offered joyous praise and bowed down in worship" (Hezekiah & officials) "gave a great shout praising" (people)
  Levites's work in general (not during service)	"carry out their work" "trained in singing" "continue their service" "performed the service of their God" "service at the Temple" "conduct the worship service" "celebrate"

Recommendations

As a noun: “You need to prepare to be ready for your X”:

• music ministry (also recommended by bruised reed)
• worship ministry (also recommended by bruised reed)
• praise offering
• praise service
• celebration
• worship service
• service for church
• Sunday service

As a verb: “You need to prepare to be ready to X”:

• lead the music
• lead worship (also recommended by Machavity)
• conduct the worship service
• lead the people for worship
• perform for God
• worship the LORD
• offer praise

The Data

List of passages where there is mention of worship which has music & musicians. Note: list may not be complete, but sufficiently representative.

We've found ourselves asking a similar question (for context: I lead the music group in an independent evangelic church in the UK). I get around the issue by shifting from using nouns to using verbs. Usually, the music group would be "leading the singing", but since the congregation (in the building) cannot sing, I've started using the word "playing" more.

The advantage of this is that it's a fairly simple, but accurate, description of what the musicians are doing, free from any additional implications. I find using almost any other word will cause disagreement from someone. Many in my church would be happy to use the word "worship", whereas I strongly disagree, since a) all actions Christian's perform ought to be worship, and b) we already have the word "singing"! As you noted, many are unhappy with the word "performance", since it implies the congregation aren't involved. By simply describing the action performed, we avoid these issues, while still being unambiguous in what we're referring to.

Some examples:

• "I need you prepare to be ready to play on Sunday"
• "Can you send a list of the songs you'll be playing?"
• "As we start our service, the music group will lead us in singing that great hymn X, that helps teach us more about God's love"
• "Can you come up to the front once the music group have finished playing?"
• "I thought you played really well today"

Neither term completely encapsulates what the music group does at the moment, but I hope that regularly using both will give a complete picture. I trust that when I use the word "playing", I am understood not to be excluding the singer, and when I say "leading the singing", those in the building continue to know they are not able to sing at present.

• the set
• your set
• the music set
• the musical portion of the service
• the service
• the praise
• the worship

might all work, depending on your congregation.

Comment: If you are playing along with loops/tracks/Ableton, aiming to reproduce the recorded version of songs, then there may not be a way to avoid it "feeling like a production."

Set is an acceptable musical term and doesn't carry as many negative or "performance" overtones as other words may. It can be used of a final production in front of people, a studio session (session is another good possibility), or rehearsal. Much more important than the labels we attach, (is it congregation or audience?), is what we are doing and why we are doing it.

Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? - Luke 6:39

As worship leader for a decade I found it was a near constant battle to keep myself in an attitude of personal worship while also striving for the highest level of "performance" of which we were capable. At the end of the day I am firmly convinced that leading God's people in worship through any means (music in context here) is a spiritual endeavor and therefore if I am not actually worshiping the Living God I cannot hope to lead others.

Therefore, work hard in practice and rehearsal and then, on the day of the "performance", disappear into worship of the lover of your soul.