Practical

13
Jan
2010

“Leading” Worship

One of the themes I am seeing around the blogosphere and on posting boards is the idea a worship leaders job is to simply worship. People will either follow or not but it’s not the responsibility of the worship leader.

I couldn’t disagree more.

Though there is some truth to the notion that we can’t make people follow and we definitely can’t make people worship however; the idea that the leaders job is simply to stand and worship in front of people couldn’t be more wrong.

Our job as leaders begins well before we stand on the platform in front of the congregation. Every situation is different and we need to make sure we are seeking God for what He wants to say to His people. When were in leadership we must consider every revelation or communication from the Lord as to whether it is for us or for the people we are leading.

We must live in the secret place. Seeking Him and His desire for His people. Leading worship is not about choosing 5 songs in the same key or chord family. It’s not about doing what were, necessarily, comfortable with. It’s about going to the mountain and hearing God’s heart for His people.

After spiritual preparation it’s about preparing your craft. Whether it’s an instrument, your vocal, a video, a congregational reading, or whatever we must prepare ourselves. Remember we must be about excellence not perfection. Excellence is about offering our best not being perfect or even the best.

When we show up to the service we should invite the Holy Spirit to ruin our preparation. We should have been listening to Him through our preparation but it is so critical to invite Him to disrupt the service. Make it clear to Him and the worship team that we are going to go with Him wherever He goes.

Finally when we stand on the platform in front of those who Jesus bought with His own blood, those who He loves so much He would rather die than be without, we must engage them. We must draw them into the secret place with us. Not by manipulating emotions but by being genuine, leading them to the throne and then getting out of the way. Having been with Jesus we should know where they are and what He has given us to say to them should connect with them right away.

I understand sometimes it’s hard work. There is an enemy who knows the power of God’s people in unity worshiping the living God and is actively at work to disrupt that activity. I am not saying if we follow the right formula everything will work. Sometimes it doesn’t. But if it doesn’t it’s not because we weren’t prepared and haven’t done everything within our control to make sure it does work.

Eddie Espinosa says “worshiping in front of a congregation is like eating a 5 course meal in front of starving people”.

Leading worship is about going somewhere and taking as many as will come with us. This is not a passive activity but a very engaging, purposeful, passionate activity. We cannot take responsibility for how “good” the worship was but we must take responsibility for being prepared and engaging God’s people.

Please don’t embrace false humility in any form but especially when it comes to the responsibility of leading God’s people in worship.

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Posted by Gary in Church Growth, Faith, Intimacy W/God, Practical, Worship
21
Dec
2009

Are We Asking The Right Questions?

Over the last several months I have been involved in conversations on blogs and forums surrounding all things related to the corporate worship service and the teams of people who facilitate our corporate worship experience.

The conversations are about everything from style, to heart, to practical aspects related to worship in the church. I hear the hearts cry from these leaders and team members and believe the motivation, for the most part, is good. They genuinely want to create an environment where the people of God can come together without distraction and enter into the presence of God with the community of believers they have chosen to identify with.

Today I ran across a conversation entitled “The Ideal Band Member”. I eagerly clicked the link thinking we were going to talk about the type of person we are looking for to be on our worship team. Someone who possesses a servants heart, a lover of God and His word. Someone who will lay down their life for the Bride of Christ, not positioning themselves for something bigger and better but sincerely serving the house. And oh by the way they are skillful. I was disappointed.

The conversation was about instrumentation. “We have two guitars, a bass, a drummer, and two keyboard players what should we be trying to add next?”

Please don’t misunderstand. This is not an invalid or unimportant conversation. If our goal is excellence this is a valid stream however; in the context of the last several months it made me wonder if we are really asking the right questions.

What is our purpose as leaders in the church in general and worship leaders specifically?

I remember receiving an email telling me I would not be asked to be a part of the worship team because the pastor wanted a cohesive group of musicians. And since I was an unknown they were going to choose people who they knew could deliver. I wanted to scream “our purpose is not to build a cohesive group”. Now if my skillset is not at an acceptable level fair enough but if the reason I am not invited is so you can have a “cohesive group” there may be a misunderstanding of our purpose.

Our purpose is first the equipping of the saints, and second to operate in our gifts. This is the order were given in Ephesians 4:12

“the equipping of the saints for works of service”  is first and then;
“the edification of the body”

I have much more to say on that topic but for now I’ll leave it there.

Certainly when we stand on the platform we must be invisible. Actually transparent is a better word and the best way to do that is to be excellent. Not perfect but excellent. Excellence is giving the best you have which is much different than perfection. This is not an either or proposition. We can, and must, accomplish both. It was God’s idea and He can certainly give us the wisdom to accomplish it in our context. But if were not even asking the question we are grossly missing the point.

If we are faithful with the faithfulness entrusted to us God will give the increase and bring the right instruments/musicians or whatever we need at the right time. People are our purpose and we must never lose sight of that priority.

Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. Acts 20:28
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Posted by Gary in Church Growth, Faith, Intimacy W/God, Practical, Worship
02
Nov
2009

Is there a purpose for pain?

As I sit here listening to Monday night football from my bed where I have been all day, I wonder about the purpose of pain.

I have ignored my back tooth for almost 5 years because I thought the worst case scenario was in play. My understanding was that the tooth was doomed and would need to be pulled and implants put in place. Big money that I didn’t want to spend until it was absolutely necessary.

Recently my good friend Dr. Garner looked at the xrays and believed it could be restored. So 3 weeks ago he took out the decay, filled the tooth and said lets see how we do. One week later the pain returned and he decided to go ahead and do the root canal. The root canal couldn’t be finished because of the infection in on of the roots so he sent me home with some medication to clam the infection before finishing.

I felt great for a week and today the pain is back so severely that I’m almost wishing i could die. It’s amazing how debilitating pain can be. I know one of the purposes of pain is to let you know something is wrong. Without it we wouldn’t address problems until it’s too late.

Is there any other purpose for pain? Love to hear what you think.

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Posted by Gary in Personal, Practical
15
Oct
2009

Are Worship Pastors Becoming Extinct?

The Key word here is “Pastors”. We have tons of technicians, musicians, etc. etc. but a shortage of pastors.

Glenn again nails it here. So I will re-post in total

Thanks Glenn:

Over the past seven years, I have served as the Director of the New Life School of Worship, a 9-month program designed to train worship leaders for local churches. We believe that to effectively prepare our students for local church worship ministry they need to be trained in more than music. They need to be grounded in theology, familiar with church history, and responsible with their handling of the Scriptures. Moreover, they need to learn what it means to be a pastor: to shepherd the people under their care. 

But it seems that some churches aren’t looking for that. They would prefer a musician who can lead the “singing”, oversee the tech team, and produce recordings of their original songs. None of these are bad expectations, of course. But are we looking for these trade skills at the expense of other, more essential pastoral qualities? Are worship leaders simply highly skilled technicians who have a “steady gig” at a church? 

Today’s worship leader may spend more time with his Macbook than with a real book. She may be more familiar with GarageBand than the people in her band. He may be better versed with directing the choir than providing spiritual direction. 

Of course, the trade side of being a worship leader and the pastoral side are not mutually exclusive. A person can be good at Pro Tools and at pastoring the people on his team. The trouble is we’ve lost the sacredness of the pastoral vocation. Any person who says their core role is to pray, study, and provide spiritual direction is not as “useful” to the corporation we call church. What else can you do? we ask. Then we proceed to fill so much of their time time with scheduling bands, arranging music, and working with the latest recording software that they are no longer doing any pastoral work. Musicians and singers become cogs in a wheel, things we use to fill slots. True, the administration needs to be done. And yes, musical excellence is valuable. But at what price?

Ross Parsley, the long-time worship pastor here at New Life, is fond of saying that music ministry is not about music; it’s about people. Worship ministry is first a sort of a “helps” ministry that serves the Body of Christ. But more to the point, it is an excuse for us to connect with one another. Music is the table we gather around, the place where we see each other face to face, and then learn how to walk alongside one another in this life of faith.

Perhaps the question every church who hires a worship pastor– and every aspiring worship pastor– should answer is this: What will Jesus ask us about: the music we produced, the services we programmed? Or the people we pastored, the sheep we fed?

Take time today and think about the people on your team. Pray for them. Pick up the phone and call them. Break bread with them. Talk to them about more than the setlist. Remember your calling as a worship pastor, not a music program manager. Clear some of the clutter from your week. Maybe it’s time to appoint others to do the tasks that are keeping you from your role as a shepherd. You have never met a mere mortal. Our music will not last forever; these people will.

glenn Packiams’s blog

Posted by Gary in Church Growth, Faith, Practical, Worship
21
Sep
2009

Walking Together

Our family has only one car and in a city the size of Colorado Springs with a family as active as ours this can present quite a challenge on some days.

Recently Kim and I were looking at our schedule for the day and realized we needed to be in several different places at the same time. Since I ride my bicycle a lot and don’t have to be dressed professionaly I volunteered to walk from a meeting at the church which is about 5 miles.

It was a beautiful day I had plenty of time and was in no particular hurry so I strode away from the church at a purposeful but leisurely pace. Very soon  I began to catch up with a young man just ahead of me. As it became clear I was going to overtake him I began the conversation in my head.

Should I just walk on by? should I acknowledge him, engage him in conversation? should I walk with him? Very soon the decision was made for me. He turned and said “Good Morning, where are you headed?”

As I walked with him I learned he is 21 yrs old from Nevada where he was the son of a prostitute and grew up in a crack house. Began selling drugs at a very early age and at the age of 17 he and his fiance came to Colorado to deliver some sold product where he was arrested and placed in jail in Colorado Springs. While there he received his GED and a certificate in computers. He now holds a good job but does not know how to drive and must rely on others to drive him. Today the ride didn’t show up thus the hike.

We also talked about his faith and his understanding of God and how God had a plan for him. At the end of the line for him I was able to give him my phone number, pray for him and encourage him to press into relationship with the Father who loves him and wants him to walk in the fullness of all He has created him to be.

The longer I study and consider Jesus time on earth the more I am convinced He came at a time without mass media, email, public transportation or interstates. He came at a time when people walked together. I think of Jesus walking for hours along the road with His disciples and the day of His resurrection when He walked to Emmaus with two men. Things were discussed and taught in ways we very seldom have opportunity for in our cars driving 4.5 mph over the speed limit.

Teaching classroom style certainly has it’s place but it’s only the beginning. We must spend time with those entrusted to us walking with them and answering questions in context using our surroundings to teach and illustrate. So much is missed and incorrectly inferred when we download information to those entrusted to us and leave them to work it out on their own.

This week as you are considering the conversations your going to have with those entrusted to you or with your wife, husband, children etc. etc. consider going for a walk.

Posted by Gary in Church Growth, Faith, Personal, Practical
24
May
2009

10 keys for effective worship leaders (10)

1. Submission to the Leader

2. A Lifestyle of Prayer

3. Preparation

4. A Lifestyle of Obedience

5. Excellence

6. A Lifestyle of Personal Worship

7. Humility

8. Vision

9. Love for Gods Church

Todays Key:

10. Love for Gods Word

Last but certainly not least and maybe the most important of the list.

Psalm 1:2 says “blessed is the man whose delight is the law of the Lord”.

Job 23:12 says “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

Jeremiah 15:16 says “Your word to me was the joy and rejoicing of my heart”

1 John 5:3 says “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome”

His commandments are not burdensome. As worship leaders we must know and have a love for His Word. We must be able to rightly divide the word of truth. It is in His word we find wisdom and understanding of how to lead those entrusted to us. Our team day to day and the congregation on Sunday. Unless we have heard from God we have nothing of value to give.

I’ll leave you with this thought from

Hans Ur von Balthasar:

Harassed by life, exhausted, we look about us for somewhere to be quiet, to be genuine, a place of refreshment. We yearn to restore our spirits in God, to simply let go in him and gain new strength to go on living.

But we fail to look for him where he is waiting for us, where he is to be found; in his Son, who is his Word.

Or else seek for God because there are a thousand things we want to ask him, and imagine that we cannot go on living unless they are answered. We inundate him with problems, with demands for information, for clues, for an easier path, forgetting that in his Word he has given us the solution to every problem and all the details we are capable of grasping in this life.

We fail to listen where God speaks; where God’s Word rang out in the world once for all, sufficient for all ages, inexhaustible. Or else we think that God’s Word has been heard on earth for so long that by now it is almost used up. That it is about time for some new word, as if we had the right to demand one. We fail to see that it is we ourselves who are used up and alienated, whereas the Word resounds with the same vitality and freshness as ever; it is just as near to us as it always was.

Hans Ur von Balthasar, Prayer. Trans. Graham Harrison (San Fancisco: Ignatius Press, 1986)

If we are going to be effective in ministry at any level, or in life, we must develop a love for Gods Word. They are the words of life where else can we go. In the busyness of life and ministry I exhort you to be unbalanced in the time you spend with Him.

Blessings

Posted by Gary in Practical, Worship
23
May
2009

10 Keys for effective worship leaders (9)

1. Submission to the Leader

2. A Lifestyle of Prayer

3. Preparation

4. A Lifestyle of Obedience

5. Excellence

6. A Lifestyle of Personal Worship

7. Humility

8. Vision

Todays Key:

9. Love for Gods Church

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus says to Peter “I will build My Church”.

The Church is His. They are His people. We have been asked to steward it until He returns.

The Church is not a place for my self actualization, or primarily an outlet for my gift. I have stated many times as leaders we must recognize, call out, equip, and release people into the fullness of their calling and gifting.

However the Church is not a vehicle to be used by me.

Phillipians chapter two says Jesus divested Himself of any self interest and was obedient to the point of death on a cross “therefore” God placed Him. We must have the same attitude.In order to be placed in the fullness of our calling we must lay down our life for the Kingdom.

We must serve His people.

When we have a proper understanding of our position in the body and our responsibility to serve Gods people it brings perspective and gives us more patience knowing God has our best interest at heart. The desire in your heart was put there by God and He wants it for you more than you want it for you. Lay down your life for the kingdom and watch God do a miracle in the body and in you.

Blessings,

Number ten is here.

Posted by Gary in Practical, Worship
28
Apr
2009

10 keys for effective worship leaders (8)

1. Submission to the Leader

2. A Lifestyle of Prayer

3. Preparation

4. A Lifestyle of Obedience

5. Excellence

6. A Lifestyle of Personal Worship

7. Humility

Todays Key:

8. Vision

Vision is a word we throw around a lot. I always hear people quoting Proverbs 29:18, we have all heard the importance of vision, I just don’t hear much vision casting going on.

Vision is what you see, the end result of what your doing. It’s not  a goal or an elevator speech. It can be very long and drawn out. It all depends on what you “see”. The best example I know of is the Hillsong vision, “The Church I See“. Don Cousins asks the question this way. “What will it look like when your done?”.

Every time we stand in front of our people we should be casting vision. What is your vision for the ministry entrusted to you? It needs to be big enough for people to come under and have their own vision flourish. (yes those entrusted to you have their own vision and yours needs to be big enough for theirs to fit into). What is your vision for the service this morning. What is your vision for the event were working on? What are you expecting God to do in this rehearsal?

Lets stop talking about vision and start casting it.

Blessings,

Number nine is here.

Posted by Gary in Practical, Worship
17
Apr
2009

10 Keys for effective worship leaders (6)

1. Submission to the Leader

2. A Lifestyle of Prayer

3. Preparation

4. A Lifestyle of Obedience

5. Excellence

Todays Key:

6. A Lifestyle of Personal Worship

Your personal worship time is where it all begins. It is in these times God brings you into the fullness of your calling and speaks to you things too wonderful which you do not know.

Only when we go to the mountain do we have anything of real value to give to the congregation. We cannot take people to a place we have not been.

There are times when I have known exactly what God wants to say to His people. There are other times when He is silent and I have learned when this happens often He is saying “what do you have to offer me this wee”. Either way He is faithful and will meet me where I am and at the same time meet with His people. I am constantly amazed by Him.

Don’t ever allow busyness to take the place of personal worship.

Number seven is here.

Posted by Gary in Practical, Worship
17
Apr
2009

Know Your Music Culture

In the midst of our 10 Keys for effective worship leaders I found this great post from Russ Hutto, Check it out.

As a worship leader it’s good to know WHO you’re creating worship spaces for. You have to view your “worship leading” as an act of worship through serving. You’re not up there to get famous or to worship mindlessly in front of a crowd. You are there to GIVE. Not to take, not to consume, but to give.

Be sure to click through and read the whole thing.

Know Your Music Culture (RussHutto.com)

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Posted by Gary in Practical, Worship