When Worship Gets Political with David Gate

Beyond Sunday Worship Leader Podcast · Jan 2, 2026 · 1h 8m

Topics Covered:

When David first noticed the politicization of American worship music

What David liked and disliked about the worship industry, as an insider

The musician similarities and differences between worship music and Wagner

How Hitler co-opted Wagner to serve his political agenda

Why it's not crazy to consider how worship music can serve authoritarian regimes

Paying attention to how worship music can manipulate a room

The difference between empathy and worship

Healthy and unhealthy triumphalism in church

Debrief of the Charlie Kirk memorial and what we can learn from it

Pro…