So Fresh!

When I was a kid I was in love with the show, "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire".

I thought the jokes were funny, my parents appreciated the cleanliness of the content, and I just liked it.

I recently got laughed at because I said something was "fresh"! It was as though I told them that something was groovy! (I remember a letter from my dad to my mom that said she was "groovy"(sorry dad). Every generation, and every individual has some word to replace my "fresh" and my dad's "groovy". Even though the word is different, the point is the same. It's not in the word, it's in the object of the word. Whatever I'm describing fits well, is new, is "happenin' ", it's FRESH.

Keeping worship FRESH does the same thing. When the opportunity for worship you present has something new and fresh in it, you're allowing whoever you're leading a new way to see God. A new way to respond. You're taking the "rad" and making it "tight." You're taking the "groovy" and making it "slammin." I was joking tonight with some guys about the Jamba Juice chain. I suggested that we should use "Jamba" as a new word like "cool". "Man that was Jamba." I know it sounds dumb, and I was making fun of the fact that these words do change quite a bit, but I think it's an important principle. After awhile, just like "cool", our words start to lose their meaning. It's not that the attitude of our hearts has changed, just the ability to describe our hearts to God. Our words get stale and we need something "Fresh".

So let's use slammin' new ways to convey the groovy passions we have in our sweet hearts to our radically cool God.

Tight.

The Beauty of All That Sings

Casting Crowns recently("recently" being over a year ago) came out with a new Album titled "Lifesong." One thing I really appreciate about that album is that they thread the word "lifesong" through every track. At first I thought it was a really dumb way to make the name of the title track a "buzzword", but then I started to appreciate the message.

I've really been into writing songs these last 2 years. I've really come to enjoy the process; I really enjoy helping others in their process of writing. It's so interesting to listen to someone else's music, or plain old writing for that matter. Sometimes what you hear are the cries of the heart, the hurts of the past, the joy of life, and the praise of God. There's not too much that hasn't been written about, or sung about. The human mind has created and created and created for centuries.

The great thing about Casting Crown's "lifesong" is that it describes the reality of each person's song. We all have one. Sometimes it's majestic, sometimes it's quiet. Sometimes it's violent, and sometimes it's soothing. When Mark Hall(of Casting Crowns) sings, "let my lifesong sing to You...", he doesn't mean 'let me be singing all the time because that will Glorify You." That might be annoying! Instead it's "let everything that I do be as pleasing to you, like I'm living out a well-crafted song."

I heard someone say that Christians don't speak lies--We sing them. It's an easy thing to sing a song to God. Anyone can do it. And it's funny, well, not-so-funny, I guess, that people who refuse to sing to God with their lips do so in their hearts just like you and I do. It's a good thing that God doesn't tattoo an "explicit lyrics" warning on our foreheads when we screw up! Hopefully, the songs that we're all writing to God with our actions and obedience and surrender are songs that are a sweet sound in His ear. The "record" button of our worship to God is always on. And He's always listening.

The next time you find yourself in the valley, make sure that your song(actions) sing a line of beauty to God, dependence on Him, and quick obedience to His ways.

Who's got the golden ticket?

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory was a favorite movie of mine when I was younger. In fact, when I would go to my grandmother's house with my brothers, that was one of the only movies she had for us to watch.

The characters of the movie find "golden tickets" in their Wonka bars, which affords them a trip through the Wonka Chocolate factory. Through the movie, Willy Wonka gets frustrated with some of the characters. I'm thinking to myself, if you wanted them to behave differently, you would think that you would change the way you responded to them, or just made clearer expectations at the front of the tour...

I read an article from Matt Redman recently which stated some truths he learned as a young worship leader. He mentioned that when he was young, leading worship in the youth group, he remembered singing the song, "Isn't He Beautiful." He enjoyed the song, but was approached following a youth service by a fellow youth leader who made the challenge that it may be a little much to ask a physically and emotionally budding teenage boy to say that God is "beautiful." The point of his article was to consider the audience that we're presenting the opportunity to worship, and plan the service with them in mind.

Would certain songs be a better fit in an older crowd? Younger Crowd? Howabout other cultural differences? How would the decisions of our music selection change? Or would it change at all?

Simply said, Wonka could have made the tour more enjoyable for everyone had he been more clear and concise with his directions. We, as worship leaders, ought to be clear and concise with the opportunity we bring before people to enter into worship, but to do that effectively, we must consider our audience.

The Corner of Surrender and Promise

Exodus was always one of the most fun books of the Bible to read because it has so many good familiar stories. The end of the book, however, seemed to be just a bunch of rules for the ancient Israelites, and completely worthless for today.

Until recently...

I read the One Year Bible everyday, and last month brought me to the book of Exodus again. I started to get bored with the lists of rules and specific guidelines God was giving the priests and almost tuned out. I'm glad God got my attention again.

God tells the line of Aaron(the priests) all of the specifications for how to build the temple. He goes into detail about the tables for incense, the number of eyelets on the wall panels, and the dress code for the temple. The last thing he describes is the Ark of the Covenant. He mentions that the Cherubim on top of the Ark cover are to be hammered from one piece of Gold. I thought that was pretty cool, but then I was overwhelmed with the next part. After all of these rules and guidelines, God says, "And THERE I will meet with you." (Exodus 30:6)

Where is it that God will meet with us? In a bunch of rules? No. In our surrender. In our obedience. God promises that He will inhabit the praise of His people. What is the highest form of worship to God? Obedience. Surrender. Giving up our natural inclinations to the flesh and seeking the Godly. To hear the voice of God and follow. The level of our surrender and alignment with the ways of God will determine the level of the revelation of God to us. Paul said, "He must increase, I must decrease."

God inhabits our emptiness. Once we let go, He fills up.

I know where to find God. It's the corner, where the surrender of my will, and God's promise to inhabit my worship, meet.

We Don't Get It!

A friend told me recently about his new job. He said, "I enjoy the work, but I hate working with 'stupid' people!" I think we've all been there--You know, the place where we "get it" and someone else doesn't. It's good to be "in the know," but it also requires some responsibility.

There have been many times when I didn't want to know something. Maybe it was some information which required some action. Sometimes it's knowledge about the "wise" way to handle a situation, even though it's more "pleasing" to handle it another way.

Last night I heard a young speaker named Matt Brown speak. With his message so fresh in my mind I remember much of it, but one thing stuck out to me. It was as though God, through the Holy Spirit, made special application of Matt's message to me. Let me explain the "light bulb" moment I had, by expanding on his original statement.

Philippians 2:10,11 says that, "in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." We've heard this before, that one day(presumably in heaven) that every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Matt said something though that brought new life into that statement for me. He that he believes that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord BECAUSE in that moment we will see Jesus! Could it be that the Glory of God will be what draws every human and all of creation to its knees? What a thought!

1 Corinthians 13:12 says, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I read a commentary about this verse that says that in Paul's day, the "dark glass" was really a mirror, which was a shined piece of metal. It never really gave you a clear picture.

I think this way about worship. I'm thankful for the ways which God has revealed Himself. BUT we only see through this glass darkly. In our tiny, miniscule, blip on the radar understanding of God, we worship fully, but only to the extent of our understanding. My worship is my response to God, and every day He reveals Himself more deeply as I dedicate myself to knowing Him.

There is coming(SOON!) a day when I will see Jesus FACE TO FACE! What a revelation! God told Moses that he wouldn't even be able to handle a glimpse of the Face of God. But I'm going to see Him FACE TO FACE! What will I do? I think I'll be impressed with myself if I'm able to stay at my knees and confess that Jesus is Lord. I think I might fall facedown and speechless!

1 Corinthians does say "Every knee." That means the unbeliever will also bow. Listen to this, from Matthew 24:30, "Then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."

A day of rejoicing for the found, a day of sorrow for the lost. BOTH will bow in reverence and confess Lordship at the FULL revelation of God.

Awesome.

I'm a needy man!

I love getting new CD's. Things have been different this way since the creation of I-tunes where I can download a whole album of songs more inexpensively than buying the CD jacket. However, next to the music, I enjoy the CD jacket. I love to go to the back of the lyric sheet, past all the words laid out perfectly in form, to what's usually the last page. It's where the recognition section is. The "thanks to..." section. You know what I'm talking about. I love to read those because you get such a great idea of who the artist is from seeing who they recognize as an influence to their album and/or lives.

I'm all about accolades. I think it's great to be recognized. I love to aknowledge people and I love to be aknowledged.

Jesus says in Matthew 5:3 that, "blessed are those who know their need for God."

In January of 2005, I made a resolution to credit God with all the things that happen in my life. Whether or not I was successful is another story, but I intended that year that I needed God and I ought to give Him credit(worship Him) for all the things that happen in my life.

What an important attitude to have! Whether it's "God is blessing me with good things," or "God is trying to teach me through this trial," recognizing our need for God puts us in a "blessed" position. Jesus is the one that said that!

It's a "blessing" to know that God--the FAITHFUL, ALL-POWERFUL, ALL-KNOWING, Ruler over EVERYTHING--is the one that supplies for and satisfies my every need.

I'm blessed to worship God in the midst of my need.

How Far Do You Swing?

When I was young I remember heading off to the park with my two brothers(I'm in the middle, you know). We enjoyed the park because once in a while there was a cute girl there, but most of the time we enjoyed the park because we liked to play on the playground equipment. My favorite Jungle Gym piece was the swings. I could say my favorite "is" the swings because I still really enjoy them. I just don't get to do it as much... anyways... I remember having competitions with my brothers on the swing sets. There was only one factor for who would win the competitions: whoever could swing the highest won. I don't recall if I was a regular winner, or if I just whined about losing. Nevertheless, I remember the competition.

Several years ago I led worship for a College-age Christian fellowship service where a missionary was invited to speak. I finished the worship set like I always did, she talked about whatever she talked about, and we all had a great night. If I'm sounding vague with the details, it's because I wasn't impacted much by the normal programming of the night. I don't remember so much as her name, but I'll never forget her exhortation. After the service was completed she told me that worship was nice, but I didn't mention the name of Jesus one time in any of the songs, nor did I say His name in prayer. She simply reminded, "If [worship] doesn't point to Jesus, what's the point?"

Today I passed a school while driving and noticed some kids on the playground dodging raindrops as they expelled their energy between classes. I saw two kids on swings. I was quickly reminded: Sometimes we get caught up in a lot of different things regarding the worship set. We consider style, theme, quality of musicianship, and dynamics. We're always trying to get "better." These are noble aspirations. However, I hope we never forget what our focus ought to be: "Jesus Christ and Him crucified"--I Corinthians 2:2. Just like the kids competing for the heights on the swings, their motion always comes back to the point of their pivot.

Jesus, Be the Center.

The Opportunity Begins

Let's begin with a definition and some opening thoughts...

It’s all about the opportunity.
Worship leader(WL) job description, “The job of the worship leader is to create the best possible opportunity for someone to enter into worship by eliminating distractions and leading by example.”

It’s not about personal agenda.
Being elevated to a WL is being elevated to a greater servant.
There’s no room for personal agendas

Worship Leadership is more about who you are than what you do.Your ability to lead directly relates to your relationship with God when you’re not leading. The more you develop worship in the quiet of your relationship with God, the greater your ability to lead. The “revelation” or “conversation” between you and the Lord during a worship service you lead, will be more clear/less clear based on how you worship alone.

What's the song and dance about?
Leading people in worship can be really satisfying. It’s always great to see and hear the people of God turning their hearts towards Him in worship.
In our worship services, regardless of whether they are in a home, a smaller organization of believers for a meeting, or a regular service in the church, our job as WL’s is to fashion together a group of songs that create an attitude of worship that invokes a response to God from the people we’re leading.
As WL’s, your challenge is to go beyond meaningless recycling of your few favorite songs and creatively lead the congregation to respond to the truth of who God is in meaningful expressions of love, devotion, praise and obedience.
You may well spend more time up front in the meetings in which you lead and influence the tone of those meetings more than any other leadership role present for the same event. This is a large responsibility, which you must carry with integrity and a vision for the overall purpose of the church. Yours is a vital role so use it well!

Back to the heart of worship
We use the word worship in rather a narrow way today. The Bible sees worship as the response of every part of our lives to God. It embraces our relationships, our priorities, our work and our evangelism as well as the times when we meet together as God's people. It is important that we lead those times together in a way that makes this clear to people.
Our congregation is made up of people from many church backgrounds, or no church background, all of which creates a challenge towards brining people together in unity. It is vital to understand and make the most of this by using a whole range of musical styles and approaches within our meetings, rather than just trying to imitate your favorite worship leader or style of your favorite song. The aim of worship is to glorify God, not to try and 'make everyone else do it my way'.
Do keep in mind that there may be some people present who aren't yet Christians so there needs to be a simple consideration of the songs used and the implications of their words in light of the truth of the Gospel. Worship whets the appetite of the unbeliever. To see people rejoicing in God and declaring His Lordship is attractive to the unbeliever’s soul.
Worship in Spirit and in Truth.
Check through the words of your songs to see whether they will make sense to people (do they make sense to you?) and whether what they say is true to the gospel. Biblical worship is a response to truth so what we sing really matters.
When we lead worship in “truth” we are using the opportunity before us to teach the attributes of God. We also can teach healthy responses to the love of God. Since we can use worship to teach, we have the responsibility to make sure of the truth of what we’re leading.
When we lead worship in “spirit”, we’re just declaring and believing that as we worship God, it’s like a conversation where he speaks to our souls. Since God chooses to inhabit the praise of his people, then we have the responsibility to create the atmosphere where people can respond to the “spirit” of worship.

Singing to a different tune
It is tempting when you are up front to allow the focus of attention gradually to shift onto you and away from God. In our culture we’re used to worshipping human personalities and it is vital that we don't let this happen in Christian worship. Model leadership that is clear and Biblical but humble and self-effacing, with the focus firmly on God and not on you or the brilliance of the musicians. It is a great challenge but also a great opportunity for service to the Great Servant (Jesus) who was unconcerned about his personal status but who's character was second to none.