Praise Teams Are Replacing Black Church Choirs, and Worship Leaders Are Divided
A new report from Christianity Today finds that many Black Protestant churches have replaced traditional choirs with smaller praise teams. Worship leaders cite changing cultural rhythms, technology, and smaller post-pandemic congregations as driving factors. Scholars and musicians are divided on whether the shift strengthens or weakens the tradition.
Many Black Protestant churches across the United States have replaced their traditional choirs with smaller vocal ensembles called praise teams, and worship leaders are divided about what that means for the tradition.
A July 2026 report from Christianity Today found the shift is widespread and accelerating. Worship pastor and director Nathan Glasper Jr. said several factors are driving the change: shifts in church cultural rhythms, the use of prerecorded backing tracks, and the practical difficulty of sustaining large choirs in smaller or post-pandemic congregations.
Traditional Black church choirs have long been central to worship, community identity, and the preservation of gospel music. Critics of the praise team model say the shift reduces congregational participation and strips away a form of collective expression that has defined Black church culture for generations.
Supporters argue that praise teams allow for more consistent sound quality and are easier to sustain week to week. Some churches have adopted hybrid models, keeping a choir for special occasions while using a praise team for regular Sunday services.
The choral tradition remains strong outside local churches. Academic institutions including Calvin University and Baylor University continue to host and expand gospel choirs. Community choirs in the United Kingdom and Poland have also taken up Black gospel music, learning its history and performance practices in non-church settings.
Baylor University's Black Gospel Archive has spent 20 years collecting and digitizing rare recordings from the Golden Age of Gospel, roughly 1945 to 1975. Archivists say the work is urgent because many recordings exist only on deteriorating vinyl.
Artists including Dwan Hill and Jonathan McReynolds have said they are working to bridge the gap between historical gospel roots and contemporary musical expression, arguing that the tradition can evolve without losing its core identity.
