Worship Leaders Network | Worship Leader Forum | Worship Leader Resources & Jobs
Singing or ministering???
When leading a congregtion into a place of real worship, are you allowed to show off your waving and riffing skills as an artist or are you to humble minister to people by speaking biblical words as well as singing your songs? Genuie responses are required as it will bless and change as many worship leaders that you can imagine.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Brad Heydon CCLI on -
Paul Baloche talks about this, and does it really well, there is a small portion of performance in every worship set, but it can never be "hey look at me im on stage" it still has to be about worshiping God and leading the congregation into and encounter with God, i think Paul Baloche talks about the small portion of performance in a way that you bring your best before God, and as stevo said, if the congregation is just watching,. then were pretty much failling as worship leaders... anyways. im not doing his explanation much good.. but he does a good job.. here is the video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NTHzSTu_RQ&feature=player_embedded
-
Permalink Reply by Stevo on -
Why play in bars for personal praise when you can play in church...ooh, did I cross a line somewhere?
-
-
Permalink Reply by Cory Zipperle on -
"there is a small portion of performance in every worship set"
Perhaps I'm being sensitive here, but when you play your instrument, sing, even alone, you are, by definition, performing. What separates the performance from worship of self, money, or God, is the reason for the performance.
-
Permalink Reply by Ian MacLaren on -
A certain level of musicality or performance may help to lead the congregation into worship. This could include dance or visual arts.
Too much may distract from the main point.
We are servants both of the living God and of our congregations. There's no point doing stuff that just offends and loses persons in our congregation unnecessarily (Romans 14). (There are occasions where doing the right thing will cause offense to one or other individual with their own problems). We might be there to go a little in advance of where our congregation is at, but perhaps not a couple of light years in front!
I'm convinced that working with the leadership team is vital. If good worship leading is backed up by good teaching about worship, then most of the congregation should be able to join the journey into deeper worship.
-
Permalink Reply by Greg Moore on -
Am I deluding myself, but is there a current floating around through this discussion that somehow we are amiss if we ourselves enjoy the music we are creating, or the people enjoy the music? Are we still worried that Cain's kids invented the instruments (and somehow they found their way onto the ark), so such a thing as simple delight in music is to be looked at askance? Can't we just say honestly that we like to have good music in church? And is it possible to think that maybe God enjoys people enjoying music, especially music written to, for, and about Him? Does God just possibly enjoy the fact that ore, oil and silicon from the earth, plus the inventive brains He built into us, have been wrought into keyboards that can make the sweet sound of a flute, an artificial rainstorm, or a set of tympani? Now if we have all of these things taken away from us in the Great Magnetic War, or by a despot or natural disaster, we have our voices -- still a marvelous instrument that no animal possesses; and we may distinguish between ugly and beautiful sounds. And God may be happier with it than us; for while we attempt to judge voices, He delights in the person whose heart sings of love, no matter whether it be a croak or an operatic tenor; and there's a whole army of Scriptures to support the idea that God likes improving things, building things, and multiplying good things.
-
Permalink Reply by Stevo on
-
I think God enjoys music period. I don't even think it has to be written about Him.
Greg - if I didn't know better, I would think this would be your form of a rant.
-
Permalink Reply by Cory Zipperle on
-
"but is there a current floating around through this discussion that somehow we are amiss if we ourselves enjoy the music we are creating, or the people enjoy the music?"
For clarification, I'm not saying that we can't enjoy the music, or the teaching. But the point isn't enjoyment. The point is worship - which is an act of giving. If I don't enjoy it, that doesn't give me call to change it. I have my preferences too. But when they aren't met, it isn't my place to exercise them - even as a leader.
-
Permalink Reply by Vic Salt on
-
My friend Chris has started a service that is mostly muscially led and has only a short talk. It's in the evening and has a small music team and minimal lighting so that the team fall in to the background.. In his Church it's experimental and the idea is people can join in with singing or pray, sit, stand kneel and/or lay down etc
He told me of a recent one of these services which went on nearly an hour longer than programmed because the team discerned that people were doing business with God.. People were informed when the end of the service was coming up.
Chris also told me that he has had difficulty with trained musicians for this service as they can't go with the flow or changes in groove as it's not how it's written.
-
Permalink Reply by Elman Authement on -
Hey Greg and Stevo....sometimes your wisdom just amazes me! Other times...OK I'm joking now.
But really as Greg stated, it's not rocket science. We like good music. Worship music is a means to an end. It should be the medium to carry me into God's presence. Too often though I find "we worship worship music". Being a musician and a lover of "good music" I find this happening to me often.
Throughout to Psalms we see the idea that "playing skillfully" was encouraged... as opposed to what? Playing poorly? He didn't say "play humbly". That should be an unwritten rule.
-
Permalink Reply by Stevo on
-
Too often though I find "we worship worship music" - There was a book about worship many years ago from Multnomah, the title escapes me. But his premise was to watch out for "art worship" instead of "heart worship." Is this what you're referring to, oh thou wise French descendant?
But you gotta enjoy a good song no matter if it's for God or just a good ballad. Where is that fine line? Do we find it in the buffer of smoke that fills the room of a good blues club? I know, it's in your heart. But how do you draw it?
-
Permalink Reply by Elman Authement on
-
Yea it could refer to that also but I just find that many times because of the beauty of music and it's effect on our emotions, we stop at the beauty and wonder of a great song and never get to the beauty and wonder of the Great God. But then again, we stop in awe at the beauty of a mountain scene or valley and God's presence touches us there... Am I contradicting myself? Or is it just that there is an either/or?
Psa 19:1-6 MSG
God's glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. (2) Madame Day holds classes every morning, Professor Night lectures each evening. (3) Their words aren't heard, their voices aren't recorded, (4) But their silence fills the earth: unspoken truth is spoken everywhere.
Welcome to
Worship The Rock - Worship Leader Forum & Social Network
Providing worship leaders with a worship leader social networking community of worship pastors, worship leaders and team members. Worship leader resources on WTR include worship set lists, worship leader forum, worship groups, worship leader jobs, popular worship songs, worship blogs from worship pastors, worship events, festivals and conference listings, a place to chat about all things worship related, videos and photos. WTR aims to resource worship leaders in the best possible way - by providing free worship leader tips and training resources.
© 2013 Created by Phil Williams.
