Re-focusing The Worship Experience

Theologically and historically, worship is prayer. - John Killinger, Leadership, Vol. 15, no. 2.

I appreciate your taking the time and making this a priority to be here on Wednesday evenings for the next few weeks.  It is not easy for any of us but absolutely necessary. 

I do not believe that it will be possible to pick this up in any other way than being present.  To try to pass it on by cassette tape or notes alone will not suffice.  There are certain intangible factors that do not translate out of the face-to-face context.  While I do not like the idea of insisting that people come, I do feel that this is sufficiently important. 

We are in the process of transitional leadership and it is a crucial time for our church.  Music is a vital component of worship and has been so from the days of the Old Testament.  It is intensely personal to each of us and serves as a vehicle to transport us into the presence of Christ.  Therefore the role that each of us plays is integral and the responsibility that we each bear to be more than musicians and instrumentalists is one for which we shall give an account.

The church board has hired Ruth Wood as our part-time, interim Minister of Music.  I want to personally thank Ruth for stepping forward, at my initiative to do this work.  Her work on the mission field was to work with choirs and train worship teams.  I do not believe that this is merely good fortune – but Providence.  We do not know where this is leading.  We are in prayer that God will give Ruth good health and personal resolve so that she will be fully able to help us through this time.  They have also asked that we pursue aggressively the person to fill this position in a full time manner.  I will select a committee from the people who are a part of these meetings and others who are vitally connected with this ministry to interview candidates.  The Minister of Music will be hired by the church board based on my recommendation.

I am leading these sessions to communicate my vision and my concerns relative to the future of effective music ministry at 1st Wesleyan.  Next week I will be speaking about “Leadership”.  We will be discussing it as a general philosophy and communicating whatever changes will affect us as we work our way through the coming months.

What Is Worship

o     It is adoring God.  He is the object of our worship.  It is God’s response to what we do that constitutes good or “not-so-good” worship.  I believe that God responds to effective worship by blessing with His undeniable presence.  I want to develop a God focus at 1st Wesleyan.  I want people to encounter Him.  When we truly have a visitation of the Holy Spirit and people are convicted and moved upon, we are relatively unconscious of the songs that we have sung together.  No one leaves services like that saying that they wanted more choruses or more hymns.  People don’t leave services like this talking about the music.  They leave talking about God.  I have no desire to build a reputation in the community as the church where they sing hymns or choruses.  I want people to come to our church because they can count on experiencing God in our services.

o     God doesn’t care what kind of songs we sing.  The Bible predates hymn books and choruses, Fanny Crosby, Bill Gaither, Charles Wesley, Vineyard and Integrity music.  Even so, the Bible speaks of psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  The Bible is the only sacred piece of literature of it’s kind.  While both hymn and chorus writers pen inspirational words, neither of these are in the same category as the Word of God.

o     I believe that it is greatly displeasing to God to have people argue over issues related to worship.  We never win as far as God is concerned and we never enjoy His blessing as we might when we are a participant in these disputes.

o     Worship is not 20 minutes on Sunday morning.  If people worship God regularly and vitally each day then these issues would be minimized or eradicated.

o     God doesn’t care how well we sing primarily.  Anyone, musical or non-musical can worship God effectively.  Years ago the church saw the songleader as the person at the front leading the music.  We no longer talk about leading the music – we speak of leading worship and that is much more comprehensive a term.

o     Worship is not performance.  While we want to do our best in order to bring Him further glory, we want Him to be the focus and center stage.  Anything that we do that distracts from Him, robs him of glory.

o     Our gifts are God-given.  They are not therefore to be held in ransom to the existence of certain conditions.  I will play (sing) if . . . I won’t play (sing) if . . .  If we perceive ourselves to be too talented to use our gifts in less than desirable conditions then this would seem to be prideful.

o     Our commitment to a local church must supersede our preferences for what happens in a 20 minute period on Sunday morning.  If we are truly balanced in our worship then there will be no one who is totally pleased as it relates to their preferences for the type of music that is presented.  There will be something in every truly blended, balanced worship service that someone doesn’t enjoy or find meaningful.

o     When people leave a church or choose a church based on the type of music that they are singing then their commitment to a particular style of music is greater than their commitment to a church.  Great churches are never built on people whose own agenda takes precedence over the agenda of the church.

o     You can’t sing good harmony until you can sing good unison.  You sing good unison by blending your voice with others so that your own cannot be distinguished either by part, or the unique qualities of your own voice.

o     It is our privilege to be on the platform in a place of visibility.  When we occupy that place the church is “vouching” for us.  We are saying that these people represent what we are all about.

o     “A servant of the Lord must not strive . . . “ Some of us have spanked our children and put them to bed for displaying attitudes that we regularly display in our interaction with others.

o     We worship God out of our most recent experience with Him.

o     The more self-conscious we are the less God conscious we are.  People can tell when we are self-conscious.  It is a worship inhibitor.

o     Stands and printed music are elevator numbers.

o     The sound man has a job to take care of the sound as it is heard from the congregation.  He should be left alone to do that job.  The worship leader should be the only one to vocalize their concerns.  Otherwise it creates needless tension.

o     It is a sense of what is appropriate and proper timing.  Primarily the worship leader must make that call based on the way that the Lord is leading at that time.

o     It is impossible to lead worship out of a heart where there are bad attitudes and ill will toward others.  If you are not demonstrating love to you brother, God says that you cannot possibly love Him.

Leadership?

Personal Vision

General Philosophy