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Do you lead worship with your eyes open or closed?
When you lead worship or play in a worship team do you tend to close your eyes or leave them open? I have heard arguments for both but would be interested what you find most helpful...
Tags: eyes, eyes closed, eyes open
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Coxster on -
Officially I don't know. I've not led a service in about a year, I'm the 3rd string ( or maybe 4th and that's WAY OK with me ). I do know that I sing better with my eyes closed, and don't always know I'm doing it. I don't force it to look like some music star involved in the emotio0n of the song, I just close my eyes so I can focus on the notes I'm trying to sing
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Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on -
Wow, this created a lot of discussion!
I feel that being a worship leader is a lot like being a host or hostess at a party. Sure, you're there to enjoy the party but your bigger job is to make sure the guests have what they need. When I'm on stage, I do enter into worship, but I'm always aware that both the congregation AND the band are counting on me to keep things moving in the right direction. So I'll close my eyes once in a while, be not for long.
On the reverse side of things, I've taken the band into a spontaneous extended instrumental part, only to find I couldn't get them out of it, because THEY had their eyes closed, playing their hearts out to God! It was cool:)
Isn't it great, though, that God takes eveyrthing we do, and works it to His purpose.
Blessings.
Rick
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Permalink Reply by Rick Cogbill on
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I don't think you'd want to be there if I took my shoes off...;) However, my drummer goes barefoot...and I used to play with a lead guitar player who just had to play barefoot as well. Could have been the holy ground thing, but I doubt it. They're just very laid back guys!
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Permalink Reply by Patrick Craig on -
For me, there are several progressive stages in a worship service. Psalm 100:4 says "I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will come into His courts with praise." So my wife and I generally start a service with songs of praise and thanksgiving. I tend to keep my eyes open and connect with the congregation to help them get their minds off themselves and start to focus in on Him. A little teaching, a prayer, a testimony of His wonderful works - these are all appropriate at this point and require my personal attention. The next step for us is corporate identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Just as the priests could not go in to minister in the Tabernacle without stopping at the brazen altar, so spiritually, it is very difficult to reach a place of real corporate worship unless the hearts of the folks are focused in the foundation of our worship - that we are born again through His sacrifice and resurrection - so we take them to the cross. I tend to keep my eyes open during this part of the service so I can use verbal cues and a little more teaching if needed. The next phase, in alignment with the laver in the Tabernacle, would be do sing some songs of cleansing from the word (Create in me a clean heart, Refiner's Fire, Holiness, etc.) These are usually eye-closers for me since this tends to be a real personal time with the Holy Spirit as he prepares me to worship. (Son, you know that attitude you are holding onto? Now would be a good time to give it to me....) Then comes service worship in the Holy Place - where the priests are not only ministering to God at the Altar of Incense, but interceeding on behalf of their church, their families, their community, nation, etc. The place of real eye-closed worship for me is when the whole congregation can come to a place of adoration in the Holy of Holies - nothing else going on, just worshiping and adoring God. Unfortunately it is very hard to bring a church to this place corporately. Most of the current top 40 Christian hits are all "I" centered ditties (I love, I think, I feel, I want, I sing, I'm free, etc.) and they don't tend to help people focus on Him. Suggested choruses for this part of the service would be songs like Agnus Dei, Highest Place, Glory to the Lamb, How Great is Our God, etc.) If you can make it to this place in your service, closed eyes are totally appropriate.
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Permalink Reply by Alicia C. on -
Wow... You all bring up some really great points. I have to say for me that I do all the above. Sometimes I find my greatest encouragement in leading when I look at a particular someone in the congregation. Last Sunday night we had a joint service with another church and I looked out and saw my friend, Jackie (who also attends another church). She just made my heart soar. Ever find someone like that who lifts you up as you minister?
Anyway, I like to close my eyes from the distractions of disinterested or unconnected congregants. Then again, sometimes I'd like to drag them by the ear into the presence of God so they'd get a good taste of what it's like. I really don't think that'd work, but there are times I'd sure like to try! I'm sure some of you can relate.
I take my shoes off from time to time depending on how tall or comfortable they are. The last thing I want to do is trip on stage and watch my feet go one way and the microphone the other. Our pianist (aka the Worship Director) ALWAYS worships with his shoes off. We tease him about it. Then again, we can... we're family. :)
I also connect visually with my team members. Sometimes they give me the extra "umph" I need to lead. They are a great source of joy in my life and we absolutely have each other's backs.
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Permalink Reply by David Michael Carrillo on -
I do both..I open them at maybe a verse or point of the song I feel is a "teaching moment" or ministry moment for the body and will look at the people in the eyes..or when I need to cue who ever may be with me at the time..or the people when we repeat a verse.
Most of the time I close them..especially when the words of the song is directed to the Lord.
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Permalink Reply by Martin Kane on -
both. I often stop singing and just listen to the congregation worshiping God. What an uplifting thing for me when I take the time to experience this.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Harvey on -
Mostly open, looking up, but sometimes with my eyes closed..
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Permalink Reply by MIke on -
For me, its a little bit of both. WIth me its more of a habit than anything else. I think though if you keep your eyes closed the whole time that the congregation can feel like the worship leader is off in his own little world. Although if you keep your eyes open the whole time you might look paranoid! LOL!
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Permalink Reply by Alee on -
it depends....if the worship is high...most of the time my eyes are closed because i am weeping so hard :)
During the upbeat songs, i try to connect with the audience...
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Permalink Reply by Mike Miller on -
Both.
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Permalink Reply by David Barber on -
umm.... haha I would have to say both. When I lead worship I dont feel like I need to leave my eyes open or shut. I experiance worship the same as anyone. If I am praying I am going to shut my eyes. Thats about it. I often times find myself closing my eyes when I ingage in worship. D.J.
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