Leading worship week in week out is one of the greatest privileges. The joy of seeing people encounter God, the excitement of seeing a congregation respond; the encouragement of seeing lives transformed is nothing short of incredible.Leading worship week in week out is one of the greatest privileges. The joy of seeing people encounter God, the excitement of seeing a congregation respond; the encouragement of seeing lives transformed is nothing short of incredible. And yet the reality is that mixed in with these great highs are huge frustrations, many hours, often unseen, of hard graft, times of disappointment. In the light of this, as leaders, maintaining joy in what we do is essential. I’ve been thinking about how we view worship. Is it something we do through our own endeavor? Or is it something we’re invited into? As worship leaders whom are we ultimately following? How do we define a successful time of worship?James Torrence, a Scottish Minister and Theologian set’s out 2 contrasting views of worship. Firstly we can view worship as something we do – we sing, we pray, we give our time and resources to the church, we regularly attend small group meetings and the like. Essentially when we view worship in this light, we see it as a task. This concept of worship often leads to a perpetual sense of weariness. Our worship can lead to burnout. A contrasting view is to see worship as a gift, an activity we are invited to participate in. Here we understand that through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit we are invited in Christ to worship the Father. In worshipping we receive and enjoy all that God has for us. As Chris Cocksworth writes, “Worship is a gift we are invited to receive.” In viewing worship this way we rediscover joy, renewed purpose and hope. Of course there are elements of worship being both of these activities. Worship is about something we do. It involves sacrifice. But at the heart of the gospel is this truth, we are called and chosen by God to join in with the dance of the trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are saved for relationship. As we prepare to lead worship for the first time or hundredth time, how are we preparing? With a groan and a sense of ‘here we go again!’ Or with great anticipation and expectation? When we realize the privilege and honour it is to worship God, to be invited into relationship with the King of the Universe, I hope it will be the later. Derived from www.worshipcentral.org blogs
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A dynamic and spirit filled worship is always attainable when the worship team has the anointing to enter into a dimension of worship where God is bringing them. The worship team has the responsibility to create the atmosphere for the move of God’s presence. The success and failure of the flow of worship is in the hands of the worship team.
As we prepare to build the flow of worship, we must bear in mind that this is not only a musical activity but also a spiritual activity – acknowledging the Spirit and the presence of our Almighty God. Obviously worship has two areas to be considered: Spiritual aspect and the Musical aspect. The worship team must not only focus on one area, these two cannot be separated. Do not be contented in an “anointed worship” even if technically speaking it was badly performed. And likewise an excellent musical performance but lacking the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Flow - To move freely with continuity. - To move with continuity and pleasing rhythm as verse or music. The most blessed and powerful worship team are those who can flow with the move of God with no struggle. Here are some points to remember in building a successful flow of worship: 1. The Word of God The Word of God is the number one component in worship. It is impossible to worship God if we don’t know Him personally. We can know God and his will in our lives by reading his word. Joshua 1:8 says; “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.” So if you want a successful flow of worship read and meditate God’s word. The Word of God must be the “life” of the worship team. Each one must understand that without God’s word our worship will be dead. The Word of God is the “Fuel” that ignites the flow of worship. The Word of God gives life to our worship (John 1:1-4a). So everyone in the team (Singers, Musicians, Technical Team, etc) must be soaked in God’s word. By God’s Word the worship team is being cleansed making them holy and acceptable to God. “… Just as Christ love the church, he gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault.” – Ephesians 5:25-27 2. Teamwork The second important thing in building the flow of worship is Teamwork. As we all know, the worship team is composed of different people with different talents and skills. Each individual must not work alone heading towards a different directions and perspectives. The team must have a clear common goal to walk and achieve. God has put a river of worship in the hearts of the worship team. Try to imagine how powerful is the ten rivers combined and flowed into one direction rather than a ten rivers flowing separately in different directions. Another thing is the chemistry of the team. Know each other well; know your team mates strength and weakness. In this way you can adjust well with each other, boosting up the strength and help each other working out your weaknesses. Technically speaking, the team will only be as musically proficient as the individuals that make it up. “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting” – Psalms 133:1-3 3. Song Lists Song Lists give direction to worship. It serves a map where God wants the worship team and the congregation to go. Worship is a journey. So be sure that you know the road where God is telling you to go in a particular moment. The lineup of songs must be progressive. Meaning, it must have a build-up of the flow of worship. Songs must create an impact in the hearts of the people. There must be a peak of the flow. To create a progressive lineup of songs, be sure that you fully understand the intention of the songs before picking them up. Different songs have respective intentions. For your information, songs may boost or ruin the flow of worship. So be careful in choosing songs. Analyze songs before stacking them up. Be sure the messages connect with each other and it leads into a climax. 4. Musical Arrangement Musical arrangement gives beauty to the song. It can refresh or revive especially the old songs. But sometimes it can ruin songs for giving a “too cute” musical arrangement. So be careful in doing it so. For a neophyte worship musicians, it is advisable to make your musical arrangement as simple as possible. In doing this you can eliminate the possibility of making your music sound “dirty”. As time goes by, and as your skills increases, you can try some complicated musical arrangements to exercise your musical knowledge. To make “clean” musical arrangements, always consider the key of the song. The best way in singing your song is in the key where your singer is comfortable singing it. This means play it in a chord not too high or too low for the singer. Always remember that the vocal range of the singer you heard in the demo cd is not the same as your singer. Always make your singer as your basis in making chords. Dynamics is also a factor to consider in a musical arrangement. In applying dynamics make your sound softer in verses and make it louder on choruses. 5. Skills A skill is important, of course. You cannot play or sing beautifully if you lack the skill. Psalms 33:3 says; “…Play skillfully”. God does not deserve a low class offering, he deserves the best in everything we do. Skill is not an overnight achievement; it takes time to make you skillful. The question is how much time you allot in practicing whether you’re a singer or musician. If a secular musician consumes 3 hours practicing everyday, you must practice 6 hours. why? Because it will make you skillful, that’s the point. Unskilled worship ministers are said to be in bondage. Because their limited expression denies them the joy of freely flowing in worship. A couple of people suggested that “active” isn't the best word to use. When we say God is “present” we are implying He is active, whether that’s to sustain, illuminate, bless, convict, or something else. What I call God’s “active” presence is often the evidence of his “promised” presence. I agree.
But most Christians will acknowledge times in corporate gatherings when we are physically or emotionally affected and God seems “present” in an unusual way. This is in line with the many examples in Scripture when one or more individuals become experientially aware that God is in their midst. Do we pursue those times? Are we missing something or experiencing less than the abundant Christian life if we don’t experience them? How do we seek experiences of God’s presence without drifting into manufacturing or manipulating them? Are there seasons or locations when God chooses to manifest his presence in unique ways? These are some of the questions that prompted me to post on this topic, and they’ll take a lot longer than a few blog posts to answer. So let me offer a few thoughts and some practical implications. There’s no indication in the Bible that God manifests his presence routinely in a way we can “feel.” God does reveal himself in dramatic ways at different times, but the Christian life is lived by faith and not by sight. We live in the “already but not yet.” But as I mentioned in my first post, we are exhorted numerous times in Scripture to seek God’s presence, to expect God’s presence, and to treasure God’s presence (Ps. 105:4; Ps. 16:11; Ps. 21:6; Ps. 27:4). How do we do that without getting drawn into the pursuit of emotionalism and mere experience? Six Suggestions 1. Cultivate an awareness of your desperate need for God’s empowering presence. We are to walk by the Spirit and be led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16-18). If we don’t have the Spirit of Christ, we don’t belong to him (Rom. 8:9). Apart from Jesus we can do nothing (Jn. 15:5). We worship by the Spirit of God and put no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3). “Self-sufficiency” is a misnomer, and is a pure, complete, and very common delusion. That realization should make us more faithful to pray for God’s blessing and to express gratefulness for God’s aid. 2. Live with an expectation that God has promised to dwell in and among his people and is eager to manifest his presence to us. Too often we perfunctorily pray for God to act and then approach our meetings with no anticipation that he will. Too often we’re shocked when we or the people we serve are actually affected. Some of us are even tempted to look down on people who are regularly moved by experiences of God’s presence rather than desiring more of the same in our own lives. 3. Don’t let the pursuit of experience replace a pursuit of faithfulness to Scripture and the gospel. It seems every generation is tempted to value and pursue experience over faithfulness. The perils are numerous. It can lead to equating elevated passions to encountering God, feeling disappointed if we’re not emotionally or physically affected, making secondary means (technical skill, lights, videos, arrangements) primary in engaging people’s minds and hearts, and being over impressed with unusual manifestations. If the people I lead get more excited about the latest “move of God” than the fact that Jesus Christ came to die for our sins and rise from the dead to reconcile us to God (the gospel), then we’re responsible to lead them back to what is of first importance (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Likewise, if my congregation thinks “hearing from God” only means prophetic or spontaneous events, I need to help them treasure God’s sufficient and authoritative Word more than gold (Ps. 19:10-11). 4. Respond humbly to what you believe to be the Spirit’s promptings. Often we fail to experience God’s presence because we fail to respond to the Spirit’s leading. In 1 Cor. 14:24-25 if no one was prophesying the unbeliever wouldn't have his heart exposed. If I don’t step out to pray for someone that just came to mind I may miss seeing God work in a powerful way. 5. Thank God for his promised presence more than you ask him for his experienced presence. If God is truly with us when we gather, we should rejoice and be filled with faith! Both attitudes are undermined when we repeat/sing phrases like, “Come, Holy Spirit,” or “Fire fall down,” “Send the rain,” or “Show us your glory,” endlessly without corresponding expressions of confidence that He is indeed near as He has promised. If we only focus on our requests and longing, God in his mercy will often work in our hearts during that time, but it can also leave people confused, dissatisfied, or more impressed with our pursuit of God than God’s pursuit of us. 6. Eagerly anticipate his unveiled presence. No experience on earth will ever rival what we will experience in the age to come. That’s why Peter encourages us to “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:13). I don’t want to set my hope fully on what’s going to happen next Sunday or at some conference. I can be thankful for experiences of God’s presence here without making them the goal or foundation of my relationship with Him. Our hope is knowing that one day we will see our Savior as he really is and will be transformed into his likeness (1 Jn. 3:2). And then we’ll no longer be seeking his presence. We’ll be in it forever. Praise God. Derived from Bob Kauflin's Blog - www.worshipmatters.com In his kindness and mercy, God often reveals his active presence to us. By “active” presence I mean God’s presence as distinct from his omnipresence and his promised presence, both of which we accept by faith. Whether we “feel” it or not, God is present when his Word is faithfully preached, when his people meet in Jesus’ name, when we celebrate the Lord’s supper, when we sing, and we were serve in his power (1 Tim. 6:13; 1 Cor. 5:4; Mt. 18:20; 1 Cor. 11:27-32;Acts 10:33; Eph. 5:18-19; 1 Pet. 4:10-11). At those times and others we can know that God is with us, empowering what we do. But there are times when God makes his presence known more clearly, more tangibly. Like in 1 Cor. 14:25, when the secrets of a man’s heart are revealed by prophetic words and he declares, “God is really among you” (1 Cor. 14:25). We experience it when our hearts are flooded with peace, or we are suddenly aware of God’s greatness and majesty, or when someone is healed. It might come as well when God’s preached Word pierces to our heart and we find ourselves weeping at the Holy Spirit’s conviction or God’s mercy in Christ. We think, “God is really here.” While God’s active, or manifest, presence is to be treasured and even sought after (Ps. 27:4;Ps. 105:4), there are some unhelpful perspectives about God’s presence we want to avoid. 1. We can’t manufacture God’s active presence. Good intentions notwithstanding, no one can consistently and meaningfully “bring God’s manifest presence” to a group of people. No musician, no pastor, no singer, no preacher, no leader – nobody. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit and he functions on his own terms, not ours (John 3:8; 1 Cor. 12:11). Of course, the Spirit uses means. When God’s Word is preached in an engaging, faithful, Christ-exalting way, people will often experience a greater awareness of God’s presence. When we sing biblical truths together, God will often make his presence known among us in a tangible way. It’s the rare Christian who hasn't at some time experienced the nearness of God at a Sunday meeting. The richness of those experiences can tempt leaders to think our ultimate goal is helping people experience the presence of God. Well, yes and no. If “helping people” means doing everything I can to exalt the glory of Jesus in their minds, hearts, and wills through biblical informed words and actions, then yes. But if my goal is to have people “feel something,” and if the measure of my success is the degree of emotional fervor in the room, I’ll tend to use what ever means I can to produce that emotional response. I may start to believe my song, my leadership, my voice, my set list, or my playing will bring God’s presence. And it’s possible I’ll begin to view every experience, regardless of its source, as the result of an encounter with God. 2. We can’t market God’s active presence. Marketing God’s presence refers to promoting my ministry, song, book, or concert on the basis of how consistently people experience God’s presence as a result. I recently received a promo for a Christian artist who said his ministry goal is to “take people into the presence of Jesus Christ where there, they are forever changed by His amazing love!” Actually, I can’t take people into the presence of Christ. But I can proclaim the gospel that assures us we have been brought near to the Father through the finished atoning work of Christ (Heb. 10:19-22). I leave it to the Holy Spirit to apply that to people’s hearts. I’ve been invited to attend conferences, download songs, attend concerts, buy books, and listen to preachers who all claim they will bring me into God’s presence – for a price. But we can’t buy the presence of God. Simon the Magician realized that when he saw the disciples laying their hands on people with dramatic effect. He offered them cold cash, saying, “Give me this power.” Peter rebuked him. God’s power, like God’s presence, can’t be bought or sold. God doesn't call us so much to be facilitators of his glory as faithful to the gospel. Our job isn't to create an “environment of excitement” but an environment of response to the true God through the gospel in the power of the Spirit. If I want people to spend money for something related to my ministry, I want to be clear that it’s for production costs, salaries, resources, and a commitment to be faithful to God’s Word – not because it will bring them into the presence of God. 3. We don’t want to minimize God’s active presence. God has always intended to dwell with his people. We see this with Adam and Eve in the garden, in God’s command to the Israelites to build a tabernacle so that he might dwell among them (Ex. 25:8, 29:46), in Moses’ plea that God’s presence go with them (Ex. 33:15-16), in the building of the temple (2 Chron. 6:2), in the incarnation of Christ (Mt. 1:23), and in the final chapters of Revelation (Rev. 21:3-4). It’s a cause for continual wonder and amazement that the transcendent Creator of the universe would want to dwell among with those he created. God’s presence continues to be one of the distinguishing marks of the people of God. But does that make any difference in real life? Time after time we meet together expecting nothing unusual, nothing out of the ordinary, as though it was just us, as though we were attending a Rotary Club meeting. We’re satisfied if we simply execute our plans well and avoid train wrecks. We act as though the Holy Spirit only suggests thoughts for a meeting beforehand and never during. We’d be shocked if anyone in our meetings ever lifted their hands in wonder, shed tears of conviction, laughed for joy, or knelt down in awe. We just don’t expect that kind of thing in church. We should. When the church gathers, God himself is present with us to bless, to guide, to speak, to convict, to strengthen, to illumine, and to build up, all that we might more profoundly and consistently glorify Jesus Christ. We worship a risen Savior, not a dead historical figure. Sundays are never “business as usual” because God is among us. We are never merely “singing songs.” We are proclaiming and meditating on life-transforming realities that God uses to change our perspective, fill us with fresh faith, and open our eyes to his immeasurable power. We are joining in with the myriads of saints and angels around the throne who unceasingly praise the Lamb and the one who sits on the throne (Heb. 12:22-24;Rev. 5:11-14). We are never merely “hearing a sermon.” God himself is speaking to us as his Word is faithfully, carefully, thoughtfully, and persuasively proclaimed. The Spirit of God is seeking to soften hearts, open eyes, reveal sin, and impart faith. God is present and working in our hearts. We are never merely meeting with each other. We meet with God in the presence of God at his invitation to celebrate the gospel, enjoy the miracle of being his adopted children through Jesus Christ, and to be changed. Derived from Bob Kauflin's Blog - www.worshipmatters.com Read Matthew 25:14-29 When I say "Successful Christian Musician," what names come into your mind? Probably names like Paul Baloche, Lincoln Brewster, Abe Laboriel, and more. These people who are: - Insanely gifted - Known throughout the world - Have sold or played on a million CDs But what about the rest of us? are we successful? Can we be successful? Is our definition of success totally defined by what we see? Does God want us to pursue success? Here are the three characteristics about Successful Christian Musicians, drawn from this parable in Matthew 25: 1. Successful Christian Musicians don't look the same. Success looks different on different people. Mat. 25:15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. We have to get away from the idea that success is only about big names or big numbers. You're successful because you played with... sang with... were on stage with... toured with... co-wrote with... known by... somebody who is a BIG NAME. Or we think that NUMBERS determine our success: - The size of my church - How many CDs I've made - How many CDs I've sold - How many people know who I am - How high I am on the charts - The number of countries I've been in Ministry and fame have become so equated with each other that is nearly impossible to think of anything but fame if one contemplates a ministry in music. (Harold Best, Music, Through the Eyes of Faith). God is not against success as names and numbers. He makes a connection between being skillful and becoming successful. Prov. 22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. For a time, Jesus was "successful." We're told that great crowds were following him, and the disciples were overjoyed at the numbers he was attracting. He had a big name and was drawing some big numbers. But names and numbers are not the only ways God measures success. Both can be deceptive. They can make us think we're really doing God's will, when were not. God gives us different abilities, so success will look different. - You can be successful in a small church. - You can be successful and never record a CD. - You can be successful and not famous. Some of us get 5 talents. Some get 2. Some get 1. Some of us get .05. Success doesn't look the same for every Christian Musician. 2. Successful Christian Musicians are faithful to grow the gifts they have received. "He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them..." "He who had the two talents made two talents more..." The Christian Musician who's always seeking to grow and learn is a success. Defining success only in terms of names and numbers can have two negative effects. First, we can create idols that rule our lives and draw us away from the God we're supposedly trying to honor. Second, we can resist seeking to improve. We'll never get there. So what's the use? You don't have to be as good songwriter as Paul Baloche, a good bass player as Abe Laboriel, or a good guitarist as Lincoln Brewster to be better than you are now. You don't even have to be as good as someone in your team. If you're a "B Team" vocalist, be the best "B Team" vocalist you can be. You don't have to be as good as anyone on the "A Team." We need to ask ourselves: How can you be better than you are? What are you doing to improve? Are you waiting to be asked to play more, or are you working at developing your skill, growing in knowledge, and improving your craft? Or are you the 1 talent servant, living in fear that you have nothing to offer, no resources to work with, and no one to serve? Maybe you're waiting for your big chance! It didn't turn out so well for the one talent servant. Jesus called him wicked and slothful. Successful Christian Musicians are faithful to grow the gifts they have, not the ones they don't have. 3. Successful Christian Musicians seek to please the audience of One. Mat. 25:21 His master said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." Ultimate success can't be measured by comparing myself to what others are doing or achieving. It doesn't have to do with how many people know my name or how much money I make. It doesn't have to do with my position, whether I'm the leader or assistant or regular or alternate. In fact, true success can't be fully determined in this life. We won't know how successful we've been until the last day when we hope to hear the Father say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." The problem with our ideas of success is that they're temporary. They're incomplete. They don't go far enough. We aim and settle for success in this life. We're easily distracted by statistics that will mean absolutely nothing in eternity. We limit our ideas of success to the music realm, and fail to see the broad picture of success. God isn't going to be highlighting names and numbers on the last day! So where are your eyes directed? What's your ultimate goal? Whose opinion do you value the most? are you aiming for success only in this life, or do you want to be successful in eternity? How badly do you want to hear the Father say, "Well done..." Of course, we could never hope to hear "well done" apart from the Savior who bore our sins on the cross, endured the penalty we deserved, suffered the wrath of God in our place, and rose triumphantly from the grave, reconciling us to God through faith in his blood. His success has now become our success. He is our life! He is our reward! He is our Success! So may we lay aside every sin that so easily entangles us - sins of comparison, and bitterness, and pride, and despair, and competition - and pursue what it truly means to be successful. May we all, every one of us, use the varied musical gifts God has given us to bring honor to the only one worthy of honor, Jesus Christ. So that on that final day we may hear the words we long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." Brothers and sisters, there is no greater success for the Christian Musician. Happy New Year!!! Its been quite some time that I've been posting topics about worship and being a musician. This time I have decided to include topics about the other area that evolves around and obviously gives a lot of help in the ministry and the church... Technology! Technology or the technical aspect of the ministry sometimes less recognized but plays a big role in the church. From the audio system that gives us a good sound for the praise and worship and hear the preacher's sermon, the video presentation for the sermon outlines and other video clips that are related to faith, down to the cooling systems to keep us comfortable while inside the church... its all because of technology. Modern technology have played much more than just a role in worship and faith, and from the day the first evangelist testified over the radio waves to the modern web broadcasts and television networks devoted to faith, technology will continue to influence the way parishioners participate in church functions and how the churches keep in touch with their congregations. Technology is a gift of new knowledge. The use of it is what really counts. Today, the internet and global communications technology are being employed to reach out to people across the world by churches, religious and community organizations, and charitable groups in a wide variety of ways. As advances continue to emerge and new ways to use them are discovered, we are sure to see more and more modern technologies being used for praise and worship. What is Technology? - The practical application of science to commerce or industry. - The discipline dealing with the art or science of applying scientific knowledge to practical problems. The use of Technology: 1. Technology, whether it be equipment, software, internet, etc. are tools for accomplishing things. 2. Technology is terms of enhancing and improving the way we can do things. It’s about looking at the things we do and would like to be able to do it better, or things we could not have done before and would have liked to be able to. Areas in the Church that needs Technology: 1. Evangelization and Communication - Sermon Outlines - Email - Still Images - Social Networking Sites - Video & Clips - Social Media - Praise and Worship Lyrics - Audio System - Websites and Networking 2. Administrative Tasks - Documentation and Reports - Filing and Safekeeping of Documents (Hard and Soft Copy) Technology is not about replacing and “changing” the church. It’s about using the tools available to us to expand upon the things we can do to fulfill our mission. It’s about “changing” how we approach doing things at time to overcome barriers and improve our effectiveness. The Basics of Becoming a Worship MinisterBecoming a worship minister is a BIG responsibility. Whether you are a Worship Leader, a Backup Singer, a Musician, a Sound System Operator or any work that you can do under the Worship Ministry, it all ends up in this reality: “We are doing all these things not for man’s pleasure, but for GOD alone…”
As I remembered way back 17 years ago when I decided to be a part of the Worship Team, I approached my Pastor and said to him; “Pastor I want to be a part of the worship team.” “Good!” he replied. As we talked about my desire in joining the worship team I remembered one question he asked me; “What’s your reason why you decided to join the worship team?” I answered back; “I want to serve God through my talents…” And the rest is history. Presently, for the neophytes who are willing to join the worship team, the same old question is being asked, and the same old answer is being heard from them. There is no wrong in answering “I want to serve God through my talents” It is a wise decision that people will use their talents for the glory of God. I just want to clarify that becoming a Worship Minister does not end up in just “using our talents to serve God.” There’s more in being a worship minister. Live in the good of the gospel. Living in the good of the gospel at least requires knowing the gospel. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ, fully man and fully God, died and rose again to rescue people from their sins and God’s judgment by bearing their guilt and punishment on himself at the cross (1 Cor. 15:1-4; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 Pet. 2:24; 2 Cor. 5:21). He did this out of unfathomable love for us and ultimately for the glory of the Father. The gospel isn’t trying to be better, viewing Jesus as a good example, or loving everyone. It’s the objective reality of Jesus Christ saving people from death, hell, and judgment. But knowing the gospel isn’t the same as living in the good of the gospel. Living in the good of the gospel means enjoying to some degree all that Jesus died to win for us. Release from condemnation (Rom. 8:1). The joy of knowing we’re adopted into God’s family (Rom. 8:15). The security of God’s faithful love (Rom. 8:37-39). The assurance that God will provide all that we need (Rom. 8:32). Freedom from sin’s power (Gal. 5:24). Victory over our fear of death (Heb. 2:14-15). Know the God of the Bible. God calls every Christian, especially leaders, to know the Word of God and the God of the Word. There are a number of ways we can grow in our knowledge of God, including studying creation, reflecting on our experiences, and talking to others. But the God has given us the ultimate and authoritative revelation of himself in his Word. All other knowledge of God is to be tested by and weighed against Scripture. Take time, make time, and seize time to take in God’s revelation of himself. If you can find time for Facebook, sports, TV, video games, movies, and hanging out, you can find time for God’s Word. Ultimately, nothing is more important to read than God’s inerrant, unchanging, sufficient, life-giving, motive-revealing, Christ-exalting, joy-fuelling, strength-imparting Word. Challenge yourself to read more than you think you’re able. Start a Bible plan and read so much that you actually get ahead of the plan. Don’t just read. Meditate. Reflect. Ruminate. Interact. Memorize. Take notes on Sundays. Find great preachers of God’s Word and listen to them. Most importantly, obey. You’ll never regret knowing Scripture as well as or better than you know your instrument and gear. Get to know the living God through his Word and you’ll continually be amazed at how little you really know him and how much more of him there is to love and trust. Be the best musician you can be. Godly character isn’t a replacement for lousy musicianship. Wherever you’re at musically, you can be better. God doesn’t need our musical talents but he can use them. The more tools we have in our musical tool kit, the more likely we won’t be distracted when something unexpected comes up. Have trouble keeping time? Practice with a metronome. Can’t stay on pitch? Get some voice lessons (or just start breathing more deeply). Can’t play more than 10 guitar chords? Get a chord book or talk to a more experienced guitarist and work at it. Don’t know what a Csus, Eadd2, and dominant 7th are? There are some good online theory resources. Limited song repertoire? Spend time researching, or check out You Tube and other sites Technology have you confused? Talk to someone who knows more than you do. Visit a music store. Check out YouTube… Becoming a worship minister is not merely an “involvement” in the ministry. Progression is a must. Focus on the three areas above, you’ll be in a better place for God to use you now, even as he prepares you for what you’ll be doing in years to come. Theology is not the most popular topic among Christians. The word itself conjures up images of proud old men studying thick books, arguing about secondary topics that no one will understand in anyway.
Theology literally means "The Study of God," particularly as he revealed himself in the Scripture. It includes not only studying the Bible, but understanding how the different parts of the Bible fit together. Worship Teams need to know theology. But let me address four objections before I tell you why. 1. People just argue about theology Yes. Partly because we're sinful. But mostly because there are some truths that are worth defending and fighting for. Even dying for. 2. Theology just makes life complicated It depends on what you mean by complicated. If you think that knowing how to play your instrument makes it complicated, then yes, theology makes life complicated. And I can tell you that knowing God well involves more work than enhancing your musical abilities. But if we could grasp God completely, he wouldn't be much of a god. If God is really God, our minds will be stretched to their limits as we try to understand him better. Theology doesn't make life complicated. It actually makes life simpler. It protects us from reading verses out of context or reading only our favorite passages. Theology tells us what matters to God and helps us avoid making decisions based on impulse rather than truth. Theology tells us what words like glory, gospel, salvation, and love means. Theology helps us understand what we're actually doing every Sunday. What complicates life is not theology but ignorance of theology. 3. Studying Theology makes people proud It shouldn't. The better we know God, the humbler we should be. The more we should realize that we know will always be dwarfed by what we don't know. Listen to theologian Paul: Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! For who can know the LORD’s thoughts? Who knows enough to give him advice? And who has given him so much that he needs to pay it back? (Romans 11:33-35 NLT) 4. We'll never know it all anyway Just because we can't know everything about God, doesn't mean we can't know some things truly. God has revealed himself to us in his word and given us his Spirit so that we can know him. Scripture is divine revelation. It is not a collection of opinions of how different people see things that tells us more about the people than the things. No. It gives us God's perfect knowledge of himself and of all reality. It is given to us in a form we can understand. The reason God give it to us is that he wants us to know. Not to guess. Not to have vague impressions. And certainly not to be misled. He wants us to know. - David Wells, The Courage to be Protestant Instead of causing problems, theology, rightly applied, solves problems. It tells our minds what to think so our hearts can know what to feel and our wills can know what to do, all so we can love God more fully and passionately. Here are three reasons why theology should matter to worship teams: 1. You're already a theologian. Every Christian, musical or otherwise, is already a theologian. The question is, are you a good theologian or a bad one? We're good theologians if what we say and think about God lines up with what the scripture says and affirms. We're bad theologians if our view of God is vague, or if we think God doesn't really mind sin, or is we see Jesus as a good example and not a savior, or if we our god is too small to overcome evil or too big to care about us. How can you become a good theologian? First, by reading, studying and meditating on the Bible, God's self-revelation. Many of us study our Bible like we exercise, we know it's good for us. We try to get to it. We talk as though we actually have a regular routine. You also become a theologian by reading books written by those who have read, studied and meditated on the Bible. 2. God reveals himself primarily through words, not music. Like me, you've probably had profound encounters with God during musical worship. The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments. They raised their voices and praised the LORD with these words; "He is good! His faithful love endures forever!" At that moment a thick cloud filled the temple of the LORD. (2 Chron. 5:13 NLT) Or how about when David played the lyre for King Saul (1 Sam 16:23), Haven't you experienced an unusual peace or sensed God's nearness in an unexpected way while music was playing? When that happens it's a gift from God. But we can wrongly start assuming that words restrict the Spirit, while music enables us to experience God in fresh and powerful ways. We're drawn to that exciting world of emotions, unpredictability and spontaneous impulses that's hard to define but definitely experienced. If God had wanted us to know him primarily through music, the Bible would be a soundtrack, not a book. Being moved emotionally by music is different from being changed spiritually by God's truth. Music affects and helps us in many ways, but it doesn't replace truth about God. By itself, music can never help us understand the meaning of God's self-existence, the nature of the incarnation, or Christ's substitutionary atonement. To put it simply, truth outlasts tunes. If we want to know God better, we'll have to study his Word. What if I were as devoted to studying and listening to God as I am to studying and listening to music? The result could be radical. 3. Being a good theologian makes us better musicians. I'm not saying that we should study theology so that we can become better musicians. But being a better musician is simply a fruit of being a good theologian. Here are some of the things theology teaches us: a. Theology teaches us what music is meant to do. - Music is meant to draw out and express strong emotions for God. - Music is meant to serve words, not overpower or overshadow them. - Music is meant to edify and express unity in the church, not discourage and divide it. - Music, with all its styles, variations, and genres, is meant to give us picture of God's creativity and glory. - Music isn't meant to bring God down, make God show up , or somehow manipulate God's presence. That's the Holy Spirit's job, and he can make us aware of God's presence with or without music. b. Theology teaches us that worship is more than music. - The words we use to translate "worship" in the Old and New Testaments have to do with bowing down, showing reverence, and serving God in all of life. Only a few times worship is connected with music. - Music is an expression of my worship to God, not the sum total of it or even the best part of it. c. Theology teaches us that Jesus is better than music. - Music can give me temporary comfort. Jesus can give me lasting comfort. (2 Thes. 2:16) - Music can't bring me into God's presence - Jesus can. (Heb. 10:19) - Music didn't die for my sins to reconcile me to God. Jesus did. (1 Pet. 3:18) - Music is not the mediator between me and God. Jesus is (1 Tim. 2:5) - Music can only make me feel hopeful. Jesus rose from the dead to give me real hope forever. (1 Pet. 1:3) So let us practice and develop our skills, pursue excellence in music with passion. But let's remember that we are called to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Let's seek not only the best we can be, but the best theologians we can be. And may the name of Jesus be honored in our lives as we use our gifts for his glory. Five sound reasons to lower the volume
Can you hear me? You can? I'm sorry if I am shouting, but I have just spent half an hour in a church service with a typical worship band, and my ears are ringing. I'm sure to be fine in a minute. Or hour. Or day—I hope. Why does everything every Christian musician performs nowadays seem to require high amplification? I was at a Christian camp not long ago where we gathered to sing around a bonfire. Guitars appeared, but just before I could get nostalgic and suggest we sing "Pass It On," the microphone stands appeared, too. Apparently three guitars for 40 people were not enough. No, they had to be amplified. I am not 110 years old, friends. I grew up in the 1970s with fuzz boxes, stacks of Marshall amplifiers, and heavy metal bands loud enough to take on Boeing 747s and win. I have played in worship bands for more than 30 years, and like lots of juice running through my Roland keyboard or Fender bass or Godin guitar. Furthermore, I'm a middle-aged man and my hearing is supposed to be fading. But even I find almost every worship band in every church I visit to be too loud—not just a little bit loud, but uncomfortably, even painfully, loud. So here are five reasons for everyone to turn it down a notch—or maybe three or four. First, I know it's breaking the performer's code to say so (the way magicians are never supposed to reveal a secret), but cranking up the volume is just a cheap trick to add energy to a room. The comedic film This Is Spinal Tap showed us all the absurdity of using sheer noise to compensate for a lack of talent. (The knobs on the band members' guitars and amplifiers were modified to go to 11.) Do not compensate for mediocrity by amping it up to MEDIOCRITY. Second, when your intonation is not very good—and let's face it, most singers and instrumentalists are not anywhere close to being in perfect tune—turning it up only makes it hurt worse. If I hear one more "harmony singer" have trouble deciding whether to hit the major or the minor third and instead split the difference at a scalp-tightening volume, I think my head will split also. Third, the speakers in most church PA systems cannot take that much energy through their small, old magnets and cones, especially from piano, bass, and kick drum. So we are being pounded with high-powered fluffing and sputtering—which do not induce praise. Fourth, consider that you might be marginalizing older people, most of whom probably do not like Guns N' Roses volumes at church. And if you suspect older congregants may be secretly delighted behind their tight smiles, ask them. I dare you. Fifth, let me drop some church history and theology on you. By the time church music matured into Palestrina and Co. in the 16th century, it had become too demanding and ornate for ordinary singers. So Christians went to church to listen to a priest and a choir. The Protestant Reformation yanked musical worship away from the professionals and put it back in the pews. Luther composed hymns based on popular melodies, including drinking songs. Calvin insisted on taking lyrics from the Psalms. This was music in which almost anyone could participate. The problem today, to be sure, is rarely elaborate music. We could use a little more artistry, in fact, than we usually get with the simplistic and repetitive musical figures of many contemporary worship songs. No, the contrast with the Reformation is the modern-day insistence that a few people at the front be the center of attention. We do it by making six band members louder than a room full of people. But a church service isn't a concert at which an audience sings along with the real performers. Musicians—every one of them, including the singers—are accompanists to the congregation's praise. They should be mixed loudly enough only to do their job of leading and supporting the congregation. Derived from www.christianitytoday.com posted February 2, 2009 by John G. Stackhouse Jr. Worship is the reason for the existence of the church.
Worship is another calling for us Christians to execute out of our love and devotion for God. It is one of the "ingredients" being in relationship with the creator. But every person has his or her own way and perspective of worship. Without a biblical reference and foundation, this will sometimes misled from the true essence of worship God seeks. John 4:23 (NLT) says that "The Father is seeking for those worshipers who will worship him in spirit and in truth." God wants the true essence of worship in our hearts. This time I would like to discuss different Forms of Worship to help us increase our understanding about worship. 1. SEGAD - Means to bow down and pay homage to a dignitary or somebody higher than you. "So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then a herald shouted out, people of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command! when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow down to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue. Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace!" - Daniel 3:3-6 (NLT) The Hebrew word for worship of God that carries the fullness of God's expectation and desire is the word SHACHAH. The Greek word for worship is the word PROSKUNEO, and both of them carry a meaning of bowing down but it does not stop there only. It carries a greater meaning than that. We can see that there are other words that talk about bowing down. If the words Shachah and Proskuneo means to bow down and that is all God desires, then He could have used the word SEGAD instead of using that special word Shachah and Proskuneo. The word SEGAD means to bow down and pay homage to a dignitary or somebody higher than you. And it may not include your heart. It only refers to your body posture. I am sure a lot of people in Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom didn't really want to bow before all these idols that he commanded. Some of them may do it unwillingly. Some of them may do it out of fear. After all the command goes out and says whoever does not bow down would be burned. A lot of people bow down not because they respect that golden image or treat it as a god. They do it because if they don't do it THEY WILL FRY!. It is either bow or fry. And many chose to bow, but their hearts are not involved in that bowing down. Some do it out of fear. Some do it because they believe that Nebuchadnezzar has some supernatural power. We have the story in Daniel Chapter 3 where the music was played and everyone has to bow. There were three heads sticking up, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They refused to bow. When the king gave them another chance, they still would not bow. The whole Chapter 3 the word SEGAD is used. The word SEGAD is never used in a true sense of worship to our God. This tells us that God doesn't just want our outward form, our outward worship, our physical worship or posture alone. 2. ATSAB - Means to make some objects an idol and to burn incense or give offerings. "... Besides, the women added, do you suppose that we were burning incense and pouring out liquid offerings to the Queen of Heaven, and making cakes marked with her image, without our husbands knowing it and helping us? of course not!" - Jeremiah 44:19 (NLT) Here is a worldly form of worship. The word ATSAB is to make some objects an idol and to burn incense or give offerings. This is Animism. Animism is the worship of objects, stones, and trees. People become afraid just because somebody put an alter there. But the altars we read about in Genesis are not the same altars that we look at today. The altars they made were just plain stones to make blood sacrifices. But here, it is to make the object a god, as if the object has spiritual power. People would worship all kinds of things. They worship the sun, the moon and the trees. All they did is ATSAB worship. In Atsab Worship people worship with things and objects. It could be a food offering or an incense offering. Some Christians has a concept of God in that way. They may not be like those that seek God who think that worship is something you do. They think the moment you put your face to the ground you are worshiping, you are fulfilling the act of worship. Notice that tithes and offerings are part of our worship. But they are only part of our worship. Yet some people think that worshiping God means to give Him something. If that's our thinking, we only understood ATSAB Worship. On Sundays, we may not bring something to the altar and burn some incense to God. But the principle if we think in our heart that doing something for God or giving something is the essence of worship, then we are reducing worship to Atsab worship. If God is your first love, you want to give Him your life, but the essence of worship is not that. I give God my life and I bring to God my tithes and offerings because I love him. It is the result of my worship. It is not because I worship him with our tithes and offerings. In other words, God don't want a single centavo from us. He wants our lives more than our money. When he has our life and he becomes our Lord, we automatically surrender our tithes and our offerings to him. It is the result or consequence of our relationship with God. 3. ABAD - Means to serve. "He sent messengers throughout all Israel summoning those who worshiped Baal. They all came - not a single one remained behind - and they filled the temple of Baal from one end to other. And Jehu instructed the keeper of the wardrobe, Be sure that every worshiper of Baal wears one of these robes. So robes were given to them." - 2 Kings 10:21-22 (NLT) The word ABAD means to serve. The word ABAD is used here referring to Baal worshipers. Abad worship is the kind that only dwells in service. Just doing something all the time. Whereas in ATSAB is giving something. If you stop giving, you are not worshiping. You notice that some of these definitions have reference to what is out there prevailing in the world. If they stop giving something to those idols, it is tantamount to stop worshiping. These are all definitions out there. For others, if they stop serving, they stop worshiping. 4. EUSEBEO - Means reverential fear. "So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: "To an unknown God", this God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I'm telling you about." - Acts 17:22-23 (NLT) A worship based on fear. And that is not the worship that God wants. It is EUSEBEO. Eusebeo is based on fear. If I don't worship God, something bad is going to happen. But there is an element of that that still plays in Christian heart and mind. The principle is still there and Christians can still end with Eusebeo worship. How do we do it? We know that the blessing of God that comes when we obey him. But when we turn that negatively, we say that if we don't worship him, something bad is going to happen. When the bad thing does happen, you say, "I knew its going to happen." And in fact, your faith is so built up in the wrong sense that when you didn't worship him that day you would expect something bad would happen. That is EUSEBEO worship. 5.THERAPEUO - Means healing, wholeness (Therapy) - Worship for it's therapeutic value. THERAPEUO speaks about worshiping God because of it's therapeutic value. It's a bit selfish in that. We take worship like a medicine. What God can do for us? worship him because he can do this and that for you. That's the opposite of Eusebeo worship. In Eusebeo worship, you worship him so that he won't do something. Now you go to the extreme and say, "worship him so that he can do something." This kind of worship still isn't right. We worship him because of the therapeutic value of worship. We get something out of it. We get healing, we get blessing, we get a tangible feeling of him, we get encouraged. Yes! all these things happen when you really worship. But when we worship because of that, it is not the essence of what God wants. 6. THRESKEIA - Worship defined as to be religious observance or being religious about something. "Don't let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud..." - Colossians 2:18 (NLT) THRESKEIA worship is defined as to be religious observance or being religious about something. Sadly, if you think that is only true about non-Christians, I want you to know that even Christianity ends up with rituals that are no more worship. A lot of traditional churches have traditional rites. It is a Threskeia worship where we follow some prescribed order in a bulletin - congregations bow down, congregations stand, sing hymn no. 288 - Amazing Grace. Someone who is not even a worshiper of God plans the whole service beforehand in the church office. This can be classified as a Christian ritual and some churches call it worship. Anything can be ritual. Threskeia worship is ritualistic worship. Clapping, dancing, singing & praising in tongues can happen in true worship. But when they are instructed rigidly instead of being open to the Holy Spirit then it becomes mechanical, empty and wrong. 7. SEBAZO - Means to venerate, respect. - Venerate means to pay homage and respect to "One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worship God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying." - Acts 16:14 (NLT) Here is another one from the book of Acts 16:14. A certain woman named Lydia who worship God. The word worship here is the word SEBAZO. And it means to venerate. To venerate is to pay homage and respect to. Now Lydia in Acts 16:14 has not come to know Jesus yet. But she has a deep respect for God in her heart. She would not take God's name in vain, when God's name is mentioned. In General, she is the type of person who really respect God. And that indicates her openness to God because she was already having some respect and direction towards God. SEBAZO means that we respect God. Now some need to have that kind of SEBAZO or respect for God because they don't have respect for God in the way they refer to God in their conversation and daily life. In heaven, every word is so vital. I mean you dare not say anything except what God wanted you to say. We talk about entering his gates with thanksgiving, enter his courts with praise. There is more there. Wait until you go to the Holy of holies. The four creatures around the throne with the twenty four elders say, "Holy, holy, holy." We need Sebazo to a certain extend. Respect of God in your life will build a form of devoutness and outward holiness. 8. SHACHAH - Means to bow down yourself. - Worship in its essence means to humble ourselves to God. "Stay here with the donkey, Abraham told the servants. The boy and I will travel a little farther, we will worship there, and then we will come right back." - Genesis 22:5 (NLT) The word used here is the word SHACHAH, which means to bow down yourself. But it is different from SEGAD. Segad means to bow down, Shachah means to bow down yourself. Remember Daniel Chapter 3, the people bow down themselves, they are bowing down under threat of life. Bow or fry, so they bow. Here SHACHAH is God said Abraham give me your son. Abraham took the son himself, bound the son himself, sacrifice the son himself. He himself bow down before God. He all did these to show SHACHAH worship for God. The essence and the meaning of worship is a humble heart. There is a Hebrew and Greek words for humble. But Shachah is an inward condition of the heart. God always opposes pride, "In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, serve each other in humility, for God opposes the proud but favors the humble" - 1 Peter 5:5 (NLT) Pride is the very opposite of the essence of worship. God opposes, tears down, removes, and resists pride. But he love to see people bowing down not only outwardly Segad but Shachah in their heart, they are contrite and they say, "God we worship you." The essence of worship is a humble heart. 9. PROSKUNEO - Means to kiss toward - Humbling our heart, our mind, bending of our wills to God. "They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave them gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." - Matthew 2:11 (NLT) Look over at Matthew Chapter 2. The Greek definition of PROSKUNEO is to kiss toward. But look at it very carefully and you will see the depths that are in line with Shachah. Now they also have gifts to him but was the consequence or result of their worship. We confuse between the result of worship and the essence of worship. You can give those gifts but if those gifts come from pride, worship is automatically gone out. Although worship involves giving ourselves to God. You can sing to God and singing is a part of worship. But when it is not from a humble heart, worship disappears from the scene. The essence of it is humility. If humility is there, all those gifts are correct. Look at such humility when they fell down and they bow down before him, knowing that he was just a child. PROSKUNEO is not just kissing towards. You are at the feet of Jesus kissing his feet recognizing you are zero. I mean that is the feeling you will have if you are kissing somebody's feet. The kissing on the toes and feet is one of the most humiliating acts. And you feel like you were a dirt. You are nothing. That's part of Proskuneo. You are bowing down and kissing not standing up. PROSKUNEO speaks about humbling of our heart, our mind, and bending our wills to God. That is the meaning and definition of worship. |
AuthorWarren Jhun Ocampo Archives
September 2017
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