Just linking back to a post on Ragamuffin Soul about the relevance of leading Worship - Dear Worship Dude
The gist is that it's no good to be passionate in worship yourself if you don't teach others how to do it; that's the difference between Leading Worship and Leading the band.
It's taken me an age to figure that out.
Yet I remain convinced that when we meet together, any non-christian or 'seeker' should be slightly uncomfortable; or at least require an amount of learning. Otherwise we assume that they understand about God whereas neither we, nor they, really do.
Hence the need to teach...
Showing posts with label Worship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Worship. Show all posts
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Worship vs. Serving
I think I have finally got to grips with my objection to the teaching 'Worship is a lifestyle'.
As I have been trying to work out here, here and here, I know it misses something.
Steve Chalk reminded me that Jesus never asked us to Worship Him.
Why not? and why do we try to then?
Well, Jesus never asked us to worship Him because He came to serve and sent us to serve after him. He served because He was God and knew that to be equal to God, to have the Father's power, was not something to be misused (grasped) so to best reflect the Father, Jesus emptied Himself to become human.
(Why then do we not associate God the Father with serving???)
I have been listening to some teaching from Menlo Park Presbyterian Church recently and yesterday I had a 'penny drop' moment. Here goes:
Worship is not a life style, or at least a valid one, because it is not how Jesus lived. Jesus loved, served, led, taught, befriended, mourned, prayed, laughed (I hope!) wept (we know) and so much more. Maybe Worshipping is just more comfortable than serving and that's why we chose to spend more time talking about it and build/focus so much theology around it.
Worship is a gift to God. A chance to give back to God the thanks and praise he deserves. The use of song and other creative arts is therefore quite an obvious response. There is also no need to restrict this to a Sunday morning service.
Romans 12:1 is often quoted when people talk about Worship. It talks of giving our bodies as living sacrifices. This really means serving, giving up our plans and ambitions and following His. The bible calls this our 'spiritual act of Worship'. You can see where the line starts to get a bit blurry, but only if you place too high an emphasis on that one verse and ignore or bypass the rest of Jesus' teachings. After all, when Jesus was asked to boil down all of God's commandments, what did he say? Worship God? or Love God and other?
SO, service is a life style. It is the lifestyle, because it was His lifestyle.
(and why do we serve? because that's what Love does.)
As I have been trying to work out here, here and here, I know it misses something.
Steve Chalk reminded me that Jesus never asked us to Worship Him.
Why not? and why do we try to then?
Well, Jesus never asked us to worship Him because He came to serve and sent us to serve after him. He served because He was God and knew that to be equal to God, to have the Father's power, was not something to be misused (grasped) so to best reflect the Father, Jesus emptied Himself to become human.
(Why then do we not associate God the Father with serving???)
I have been listening to some teaching from Menlo Park Presbyterian Church recently and yesterday I had a 'penny drop' moment. Here goes:
Worship is not a life style, or at least a valid one, because it is not how Jesus lived. Jesus loved, served, led, taught, befriended, mourned, prayed, laughed (I hope!) wept (we know) and so much more. Maybe Worshipping is just more comfortable than serving and that's why we chose to spend more time talking about it and build/focus so much theology around it.
Worship is a gift to God. A chance to give back to God the thanks and praise he deserves. The use of song and other creative arts is therefore quite an obvious response. There is also no need to restrict this to a Sunday morning service.
Romans 12:1 is often quoted when people talk about Worship. It talks of giving our bodies as living sacrifices. This really means serving, giving up our plans and ambitions and following His. The bible calls this our 'spiritual act of Worship'. You can see where the line starts to get a bit blurry, but only if you place too high an emphasis on that one verse and ignore or bypass the rest of Jesus' teachings. After all, when Jesus was asked to boil down all of God's commandments, what did he say? Worship God? or Love God and other?
SO, service is a life style. It is the lifestyle, because it was His lifestyle.
(and why do we serve? because that's what Love does.)
Friday, March 28, 2008
Worship is not a Lifestyle; Revisited
An interesting couple of blog posts in my Google reader today:
Firstly Rick Kirkpatrick with a refined view of worship as a life style in the latest in his Mythbusters series.
Followed by some practical advice on how to be effective in your Worship of God from Jeff over at Consuming Worship.
Suffice to say that I appreciate reading this stuff to help me refine my own thinking (and in turn my decisions and actions.)
Firstly Rick Kirkpatrick with a refined view of worship as a life style in the latest in his Mythbusters series.
Followed by some practical advice on how to be effective in your Worship of God from Jeff over at Consuming Worship.
Suffice to say that I appreciate reading this stuff to help me refine my own thinking (and in turn my decisions and actions.)
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
People are Irritating
I am singularly amused by my ability to title blog posts in a slightly inflamatory way but then to post something a little different.
People are indeed irritating me at the moment. Not, however, in a bad way. It's more in a 'hang on, that's not right' or 'that's not what I think at all' kind of way.
So many people are commenting on what I'm saying, including some respected people on this blog, and what I'm hearing is this;
1 + 1 = 2 Agreed
2 + 2 = 4 Agreed
3 + 3 = 16 NOoooooooooooooooo!
I really do offer this out in humility by the way. I am not arrogant enough to believe that I could not be wrong. It may even be just for me to learn and symantics for the rest of you.
What I mean by my example is that I agree on the basics but it's the out working that I disagree on. My thinking is changing, even if it's not quite settled yet.
I was explaining some of this to a friend tonight and even he, in his understanding, gave the same argument which proved my point (sorry for going on so much Chris and thanks to my family for listening over the weekend. Apologies that you've heard this before. )
I will go on to explain how the 'argument' goes and where the divergence seems to come in, in a further post, however I would like to finsh with my paraphrase of the wise words of Guy Partridge from Welcome Baptist Church, Heathfield (across the road from my Mum and Dad):
"...no matter how you look at it, it always comes back to prayer, the word, service to the poor and Love."
People are indeed irritating me at the moment. Not, however, in a bad way. It's more in a 'hang on, that's not right' or 'that's not what I think at all' kind of way.
So many people are commenting on what I'm saying, including some respected people on this blog, and what I'm hearing is this;
1 + 1 = 2 Agreed
2 + 2 = 4 Agreed
3 + 3 = 16 NOoooooooooooooooo!
I really do offer this out in humility by the way. I am not arrogant enough to believe that I could not be wrong. It may even be just for me to learn and symantics for the rest of you.
What I mean by my example is that I agree on the basics but it's the out working that I disagree on. My thinking is changing, even if it's not quite settled yet.
I was explaining some of this to a friend tonight and even he, in his understanding, gave the same argument which proved my point (sorry for going on so much Chris and thanks to my family for listening over the weekend. Apologies that you've heard this before. )
I will go on to explain how the 'argument' goes and where the divergence seems to come in, in a further post, however I would like to finsh with my paraphrase of the wise words of Guy Partridge from Welcome Baptist Church, Heathfield (across the road from my Mum and Dad):
"...no matter how you look at it, it always comes back to prayer, the word, service to the poor and Love."
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Re-evaluate Church
So, I wouldn't be the first to suggest that we should re-evaluate church.
How we see church and what we think church should be, should be in line with what we believe, but how many of us have really thought about it?
Especially those of us who believe we should be living for God beyond the end of the Sunday morning church service.
I struggle with leading Worship. Initially it was because I was exploring the whole 'Worship is a lifestyle' thing (yes, back to that again) and I needed to break out of the 'Worship = Music = Worship' trap. Beyond that there will (and should) be issues of worthiness and rightness before God. I'd flip around and keep coming back to the priviledge and responsibility that being a Lead Worshipper is. I knew I was missing something but I was caught in a thought process that was never going to change until I actually [i]thought[/i] about it. I am reminded of something Marcus Buckingham talked about at the GLS; the importance of asking the right question (that's a real learing point; if you are struggling with a question and you just can't seem to get an answer, make sure that you are asking the right quetion.)
Today it hit me.
I need to re-evaluate where church fits in to my theology and I haven't yet. Not that I want to discard church; not in the least. The implication though, is that if Worship, or as I'd prefer to phrase it 'following Jesus' is more than just church, then I can't move on fully to everything else God has for me until I downgrade or move my 'Sunday Service' to where it should be.
I don't think I have very far to go. I don't think it has anything to do with the church I go to either. Just, in the same way that my understanding of prayer has changed radically in the last week, that my thinking needs to shift. I couldn't even tell you what I need to change, just that I need to let God expand my thinking.
I'm getting very 'Big Picture' these days. I don't know where that's leading.
How we see church and what we think church should be, should be in line with what we believe, but how many of us have really thought about it?
Especially those of us who believe we should be living for God beyond the end of the Sunday morning church service.
I struggle with leading Worship. Initially it was because I was exploring the whole 'Worship is a lifestyle' thing (yes, back to that again) and I needed to break out of the 'Worship = Music = Worship' trap. Beyond that there will (and should) be issues of worthiness and rightness before God. I'd flip around and keep coming back to the priviledge and responsibility that being a Lead Worshipper is. I knew I was missing something but I was caught in a thought process that was never going to change until I actually [i]thought[/i] about it. I am reminded of something Marcus Buckingham talked about at the GLS; the importance of asking the right question (that's a real learing point; if you are struggling with a question and you just can't seem to get an answer, make sure that you are asking the right quetion.)
Today it hit me.
I need to re-evaluate where church fits in to my theology and I haven't yet. Not that I want to discard church; not in the least. The implication though, is that if Worship, or as I'd prefer to phrase it 'following Jesus' is more than just church, then I can't move on fully to everything else God has for me until I downgrade or move my 'Sunday Service' to where it should be.
I don't think I have very far to go. I don't think it has anything to do with the church I go to either. Just, in the same way that my understanding of prayer has changed radically in the last week, that my thinking needs to shift. I couldn't even tell you what I need to change, just that I need to let God expand my thinking.
I'm getting very 'Big Picture' these days. I don't know where that's leading.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
This is why I Love other people
We've been sold short.
It's not true.
Worship is not a lifestyle.
Your lifestyle could be Worshipful, but Worship is not a lifestyle.
Perhaps I should explain...
I can see how we got there. In the words of Matt Redman "I'll give you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what you have required."
In fact, tonight, at band communion, one guy shared his impression of this song. He said that he didn't know the song particularly well but that it made him think specifically about what the music finishes (fades) on a Sunday and we all go back to our lives, that it's '...all about you...' and I've never heard anyone interpret the song like that before. I really liked it. That is why I love other people (well, one of the reasons.) Onwards.
So, the thinking goes that Worship had to be more than singing, which is right. I just think we've plumped for the wrong solution to the problem we all face.
We all want to figure out this relationship on offer from God. It's mind blowing, so we have to have a system. Across history different people have tried different ways; from retreating from the world to trying to embrace all of it. Getting the balance right is very difficult. 'Worship' seems to be another one. 'It's close, but it's not right!' to quote the legendary Roy Walker.
Anyway, back to worship. Worship is simply not enough. Yet it is actually very inviting, it seems like we can achieve it and it can be guilt free!
Prayer on the other hand could be a lifestyle. Following Jesus is definitely a lifestyle. Both can cause the greatest guilt in us sometimes, whether we think we're doing well or not. Maybe that's why we choose Worship so easily. Then we can just let Worship be 'music' if we want and opt out. And back in again... It can be costly or without cost at all. Sometimes, we just don't want to pay the price, so we don't.
If your starting point is 'Prayer is a lifestyle' and that's how you lived, then I believe that you would see fruit coming from that lifestyle choice like thanksgiving, service, praise, discernment, joy, worship... Nirvana really had it right when they sang "Come as you are..." and it is this that we miss so often in prayer. We try to pray about the things we think we should pray about, rather than the things that are actually on our hearts. No wonder we struggle so much then. Prayer needs to be where we come as we are, pray how we are and pray for the things we think and feel at the time. God wants us how we are now, in order to lead us forward. Jesus modelled this time and time again, meeting people where they were, maybe up a tree or maybe by a well. If we accept this, we can be released from guilt, because there is no success or failure. Simply choosing to be with God, or choosing not to be.
Some would say that learning to Worship in all life's circumstances is the same sort of thing, but it comes to this: Worship should be one way. From us to God. It is about Him, not us. Prayer should be two way; a dialogue.
I think this is what God's really teaching me right now. God has been asking OG 'Will you Love me?' for some time. I think I need to re-arrange thing to get them back in the right order.
So I choose to learn what 'Prayer is a lifestyle' can teach me about following the One I love.
It's not true.
Worship is not a lifestyle.
Your lifestyle could be Worshipful, but Worship is not a lifestyle.
Perhaps I should explain...
I can see how we got there. In the words of Matt Redman "I'll give you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what you have required."
In fact, tonight, at band communion, one guy shared his impression of this song. He said that he didn't know the song particularly well but that it made him think specifically about what the music finishes (fades) on a Sunday and we all go back to our lives, that it's '...all about you...' and I've never heard anyone interpret the song like that before. I really liked it. That is why I love other people (well, one of the reasons.) Onwards.
So, the thinking goes that Worship had to be more than singing, which is right. I just think we've plumped for the wrong solution to the problem we all face.
We all want to figure out this relationship on offer from God. It's mind blowing, so we have to have a system. Across history different people have tried different ways; from retreating from the world to trying to embrace all of it. Getting the balance right is very difficult. 'Worship' seems to be another one. 'It's close, but it's not right!' to quote the legendary Roy Walker.
Anyway, back to worship. Worship is simply not enough. Yet it is actually very inviting, it seems like we can achieve it and it can be guilt free!
Prayer on the other hand could be a lifestyle. Following Jesus is definitely a lifestyle. Both can cause the greatest guilt in us sometimes, whether we think we're doing well or not. Maybe that's why we choose Worship so easily. Then we can just let Worship be 'music' if we want and opt out. And back in again... It can be costly or without cost at all. Sometimes, we just don't want to pay the price, so we don't.
If your starting point is 'Prayer is a lifestyle' and that's how you lived, then I believe that you would see fruit coming from that lifestyle choice like thanksgiving, service, praise, discernment, joy, worship... Nirvana really had it right when they sang "Come as you are..." and it is this that we miss so often in prayer. We try to pray about the things we think we should pray about, rather than the things that are actually on our hearts. No wonder we struggle so much then. Prayer needs to be where we come as we are, pray how we are and pray for the things we think and feel at the time. God wants us how we are now, in order to lead us forward. Jesus modelled this time and time again, meeting people where they were, maybe up a tree or maybe by a well. If we accept this, we can be released from guilt, because there is no success or failure. Simply choosing to be with God, or choosing not to be.
Some would say that learning to Worship in all life's circumstances is the same sort of thing, but it comes to this: Worship should be one way. From us to God. It is about Him, not us. Prayer should be two way; a dialogue.
I think this is what God's really teaching me right now. God has been asking OG 'Will you Love me?' for some time. I think I need to re-arrange thing to get them back in the right order.
So I choose to learn what 'Prayer is a lifestyle' can teach me about following the One I love.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
What it takes to be a Worship Leader
As usual for me, I'm talking about leading sung or musical worship to God. So, what does it take? and almost more importantly, what does it not take? What does God require, and what could he take or leave?
Ok, so He want's us, our very spirits. No lies, no pretence. We all know that pretence doesn't work with God, don't we...
Right at the Heart. Even in ways that we don't understand. This is speaking generally, not just about leading worship, it's about our whole lives. If we turn that around, then, can we say that that is all he wants?
What would be the benefit?
I would suggest that God is all about training our Hearts, and therefore our very beings. If we seek to meet with him and express our feelings and thoughts to him through music, then surely the music we use, the style we use, the instrumentation we have and the arrangements we use are all very secondary to this foremeost purpose.
Compare this to your experience of being in church and leading or participating in sung worship. does it look the same? or different?
Why?
Is it too easy to miss the point and pursue these distractions in the name of giving our best to God? I think so. We can chase excellence in music, but isn't that a subtle form of idolotry if we let it get that far? That's not to ignore the gifts God has given us, and the responsibility that goes with it, but we should not let them get between us and God. Afterall, isn't that what sin is? a barrier between us and God?
For me I want to lead from a place of truth; that may be messy and broken, or joyful and strong. Quite possibly changing every five minutes to and fro! but it cannot be false. It's not good enough, and I don't believe that God wants it or wants His church exposed to it.
Then again, that's all true for every aspect of our lives.
Ok, so He want's us, our very spirits. No lies, no pretence. We all know that pretence doesn't work with God, don't we...
Right at the Heart. Even in ways that we don't understand. This is speaking generally, not just about leading worship, it's about our whole lives. If we turn that around, then, can we say that that is all he wants?
What would be the benefit?
I would suggest that God is all about training our Hearts, and therefore our very beings. If we seek to meet with him and express our feelings and thoughts to him through music, then surely the music we use, the style we use, the instrumentation we have and the arrangements we use are all very secondary to this foremeost purpose.
Compare this to your experience of being in church and leading or participating in sung worship. does it look the same? or different?
Why?
Is it too easy to miss the point and pursue these distractions in the name of giving our best to God? I think so. We can chase excellence in music, but isn't that a subtle form of idolotry if we let it get that far? That's not to ignore the gifts God has given us, and the responsibility that goes with it, but we should not let them get between us and God. Afterall, isn't that what sin is? a barrier between us and God?
For me I want to lead from a place of truth; that may be messy and broken, or joyful and strong. Quite possibly changing every five minutes to and fro! but it cannot be false. It's not good enough, and I don't believe that God wants it or wants His church exposed to it.
Then again, that's all true for every aspect of our lives.
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