Evangelistic Worship

A must read from Tim Keller!

Worship isn’t just about honoring tradition or keeping up with culture, it’s about attracting nonbelievers through comprehensible worship and leading those people to personal commitment.

The Worship Wars

One of the basic features of church life in the United States today is the proliferation of worship and music forms. This in turn has caused many severe conflicts within both individual congregations and whole denominations. Most books and articles about recent worship trends tend to fall into one of two broad categories. Contemporary worship (CW) advocates often make rather sweeping statements, such as “Pipe organs and choirs will never reach people today.” Historic worship (HW) advocates often speak similarly about how incorrigibly corrupt popular music and culture are and how they make contemporary worship completely unacceptable.

Bible, Tradition, and Culture

At this point, the reader will anticipate that I am about to unveil some grand “Third Way” between two extremes. Indeed, many posit a third approach called blended worship. But it is not so simple as that. My major concern is that both sides are equally simplistic in the process by which they shape their worship. CW advocates consult the Bible and contemporary culture, while HW advocates consult the Bible and historic tradition. But we forge worship best when we consult the Bible, the cultural context of our community, and the historic tradition of our church. The result of this more complex process will not be simply a single, third middle way.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“The only way to have non-Christians in attendance is through personal invitation by Christians.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Bible simply does not give us enough details to shape an entire worship service. When the Bible calls us to sing God’s praises, we are not given the tunes or the rhythm. We are not told how repetitive the lyrics are to be or how emotionally intense the singing should be. When we are commanded to do corporate prayer, we are not told whether those prayers should be written, spoken in unison, or extemporaneous. So to give any concrete form to our worship, we must fill in the blanks that the Bible leaves open. When we do so, we will have to draw on tradition, the needs, capacities, and cultural sensibilities of our people, and our own personal preferences. Though we cannot avoid drawing on our own preferences, they should never be the driving force (cf. Rom. 15:1–3). But if we fail to do the hard work of consulting both tradition and culture, we will—wittingly or unwittingly—choose music just to please ourselves.

3 Practical Tasks

---

2. GETTING UNBELIEVERS INTO WORSHIP

The numbering is not a mistake. This task actually comes second, but nearly everyone thinks it comes first! It is natural to believe that non-Christians must get into worship before “doxological evangelism” can begin. But the reverse is the case. Non-Christians do not get invited into worship unless the worship is already evangelistic. The only way to have non-Christians in attendance is through personal invitation by Christians.

1. MAKING WORSHIP COMPREHENSIBLE TO UNBELIEVERS

Our purpose is not to make unbelievers comfortable. (In 1 Corinthians 14:24–25 or Acts 2:12, 37, they are cut to the heart!) We aim to be intelligible to them. We must address their heart secrets (1 Cor. 14:25). That means we must remember what it is like to not believe; we must remember what an unbelieving heart is like.

3. LEADING TO COMMITMENT

Our experience at Redeemer has shown that unbelievers in worship actually “close with Christ” in two basic ways. Some may come to Christ during the service itself (1 Cor. 14:24-25); others must be followed up very specifically.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL ARTICLE

Copyright © 2001 by Timothy Keller, © 2009 by Redeemer City to City.

The Medium Matters: Is the music as important as the message?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the importance of music and how we approach the typical praise/worship aspect of our services. Here’s an excellent article from Joel Brown that explains just that.

Don’t Waste Your Music

Some Christians might argue (especially in Reformed circles) that as long as gospel truths are present in the songs we sing together, our gathering has been a success. Helping our people see and respond to Jesus with biblically orthodox words is the most important factor in worship services, but don’t waste your music. God has made music a powerful tool. As a body of believers we can communicate, memorize, express, and emotionally connect with truth through music in ways that no other medium allows. When we see music in its proper place, our job as worship leaders and pastors becomes less about truth and good music being at odds with one another, and more about utilizing great music to highlight truth. Let me unpack this.

Style Polarizes a Crowd

If someone walks into your church service and hears your new pop-country band for the first time, I guarantee you they aren’t paying attention to the words. They are either thinking about how much they hate the music or how much they love it. Music is not a neutral tool. It polarizes a crowd. People draw much of their cultural identity from the style of music they listen to.

Can Musicians Be Too Good?

Nothing is more distracting than the guy who wants all eyes on him, and not on Christ. The front man isn’t the only worship leader on stage; the players are too. Our gatherings can’t be a musician’s competition between his glory and God’s. We have one target in mind, and all band members should be shepherded to aim there together.

Don’t Water It Down; Change It Up

Since stylistic choices and musicianship can be a distraction, the tendency in churches is to make worship music “broadly palatable.” Watering the music down may remove a stumbling block to some, but it can also dilute the power of the medium. If we have to work in the confines of music and all the cultural baggage it brings, we must also take advantage of the cultural benefits. Keep in mind that there is diversity in the body of Christ (Rom. 12:4-5). Change it up from week to week. A good sign that you have the right balance of styles is if every congregant has one band they love and one band they hate. Seeking to find balance is our lot as worship leaders and pastors. One day we won’t be distracted by musical style or sin, and every tribe, people, and language will come together (Rev. 7:9-10) singing praises to our Savior! This is a hope we look forward to. Until that day, we will make the most of this gift that God has given, using it as a tool to point to his unparalleled worth and glory.

Change My Heart God…

Thank you Joel Virgo for this wake up call!

David cannot imagine lasting a day without God’s clear help. There is a danger, when we repent, of imagining that things start and end with God’s forgiveness; then we are on our own to try again. But why should we imagine, if that were so, we would do any better next time? We are certain not to do any better—not without God. David has gone down low enough in his own heart to see that for himself. Psalm 51:10-12 shows his dependency on God for grace to change and once again desire obedience and righteousness as he pleads, “uphold me with a willing spirit.”

Change is God’s work

This is not unique to Psalm 51. The Bible exhorts us to radical steps of holiness—but it is not our heroism which will see us through. God is at work.

Philippians 2:12… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

It’s especially worth noting that David prays for JOY. He sees recovery of holiness not as an end to pleasure or happiness—rather the opposite.

Psalm 51:8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

v. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

David has been missing God—he’s been unhappy. This is both a result of his sin and a reason for it.

Sin stems from lack of joy

There were various stages in David’s sin. The first is often viewed as his lazy decision to stay in Jerusalem when his army was at war. But the real first phase is his lack of joy in God.

“A man who is rejoicing in God, indulging himself in the beauty of God, is far less inclined to indulge in immorality. ”

The cravings of the flesh are barely felt by a heart set on fire by holy delight. So many of us are busy trying not to sin, but God is not especially pleased with our avoidance of rule-breaking. What he looks for is those trembling with joy (Psalm 2:11) at their salvation.

Time and again in our fight with temptation we will find the battle not won by our sheer resolve or fear of breaking the rules, but by a true view of God’s beauty, which leaves us hungry for more.

David’s focus, even in his repentance, is not on the rules he has broken—but the God whose heart he has broken. Here is a greater weapon against sin.

Repentance is contagious

David does not stop with his personal restoration. Being forgiven and renewed is the beginning to further renewal. This grace can be contagious.

Psalm 51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

To judge from Psalm 51:13-17, the danger of cold, formalized, and false worship was not unique to David’s heart. The heart of the King reflected the nation, and the worship of the temple, had become dry and graceless. Unrepentant hearts can still “worship” after a fashion, but it is not true worship. It is going through the motions as an entirely outward affair. Already, in this phase of his own renewal, David is thinking of God’s desire for true worship: his people in the city, offering their hearts in purity and contrition.

The surest way for us to win worshipers in our city, and to build a godly city within the city, is to live true lives of Jesus-loving repentance. Such lives will help us appeal to a lost city of sinners.

Why We Do What We Do

I try to constantly remind everyone that I work with in worship ministry that we have a huge responsibility. It’s more than just walking out on stage and sounding great. I read an article from Church on the moves Andy Crisman this morning that reiterated my thoughts on the subject. Great article! Check it out!

“The people living in darkness have seen a great Light; On those living in the land of the shadow of death a Light has dawned!” – Matthew 4:16

We have a motto here in our creative department: “It’s not about getting it done, it’s about getting it right.” We repeat this to ourselves and to our teams before every rehearsal and before every worship set. But why is it important to be done at all? Silly question, I know. From time to time even the most skilled and well-prepared teams fail to see beyond the X’s and O’s. We must remember why we do what we do. Every time we open the doors of our church the seats are filled with hurting, stressed, and rejected people, men and women who desperately need to experience something real and positive.

I know I covered this briefly in my post “Sing, Play, Love” but I feel it’s worth expounding upon. Consider adding these elements to your pre-worship set routine:

Create some space.
If you hit the stage at 9:00am, start eliminating the distractions around 8:30. Avoid heavy or trivial conversations that will most likely invade your head space at the most critical times of worship. Ask God to calm your thoughts as you begin to focus on the task at hand. Encourage your band and singers to do the same.

Humble yourself.
Remember: “God is opposed to the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” We do not worship so that we can be glorified. If you want to be applauded, go be an artist. If you want to see lives changed and hearts turned to the Father, go out in humility. Prepare yourself to be a servant to the preacher of the Word and to the hearers of that Word.

We are all in this together.
I encourage all members of my team to lead out in prayer before we go on stage, letting them know that they have something to say. I also encourage them to share their needs so that we can pray for them. This is a powerful reminder of the wounded humanity that is in the auditorium. Whatever they are going through is a microcosm of what is happening in lives beyond the stage.

Shine the Light!
You’ve taken the time to get focused, humbled, and plugged in to the needs of your crowd, now remind your team why you are here: A great light has dawned! Sin and death have been defeated by the Hope of the world. Jesus! Go and proclaim it!

Salvation and Worship…

Can you have one without the other? I have always assumed that people who didn’t respond during worship just needed to be taught what worship is and how to properly respond to God in worship. But, I’m realizing more and more that if we are saved our natural response to God should be worship. So if you find it hard to to connect with God through worship whether public or private begin to ask God in your prayer time to give you a deeper passion for worship. God will then begin to reveal to you his heart and will give you your own response to Him that may look completely different than anything you’ve seen someone else do.

The article below by Stephen M. Newman explains well the worshipers heart.

Why do many “Christians” in our churches today fail to outwardly worship God? Why is it that many appear to care nothing about worshiping God? They seem to have other things on their minds during the worship service. They give the impression they would rather be somewhere else but feel the obligation to stay. This is not a statement of judging those who fail to sing. It is not from years of observation of “yawn-ers” in church. It comes from a genuine desire to help people become worshipers. It stems from years of service where people never seem to catch on to the purpose of worship.

My thoughts prior to this article gave the excuse that people just didn’t understand worship. They didn’t know what it was and thus didn’t know how to do it. This argument carries some weight, but cannot stand alone any longer. People fail to worship God because they do not truly know and love Him. This may come as an odd statement and does not mean to say those who do not worship do not know God. What is does say is, those who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, will become worshipers with little need to be taught.

Worship is the natural outflow of love and honor given to the one who is being loved. We express it all the time to our children, friends, and spouse. We worship those whom we truly love. Little teaching is needed when love is evident. Like any other area of life, some people need more instruction and teaching than others when it comes to understanding the full concept of worship. However, for the most part a mother falls in love with her child even before they meet face to face. Nine months of carrying a child results in a love relationship. The moment the mother and father see the child, the worship begins.

You see, if we are truly in love with the Lord, we will worship Him. Those who come to church each week and sit like emotionless logs have failed to develop a love relationship with the Lord. It’s not because they don’t understand worship. The desire to worship is born in each of us. It’s only through finding what we believe to be of great value that we see worship in practice. Every tribe in the world worships one thing or another. It’s not about how or if we will worship, but whom and what we will worship. As worship leaders, you need to help people come to know the Lord in a genuine relationship and the worship will come. They may need a little help in their understanding of what’s acceptable and how to worship. What they won’t need is the desire to do it. When they embrace the Lord of the universe in a love relationship, when they come to a realization of what He has done for them, when they see who He really is in their lives, they will become true worshipers who desire to praise Him with their lives.

Become a soul winner so that you may help others to become true worshipers. We help others come to know the Lord to develop worshipers who honor God with their entire beings through lives of worship.
Show me a person who loves the Lord and I will show you a true worshiper.

Measuring up?

 

Another great article from Brannon Dempsey. this would make a great short devotional for your next worship or creative team meeting!

“In some churches the quest for “excellence” is an idol…needs to be replaced with the quest to pursue the likeness of Christ crucified and him alone.” – Reggie Kidd

It’s a common struggle we all face at one point. Do I measure up? We live in a competitive world of work, school and even in our churches. In some way, we set a value on what others think. Based on this, we make decisions on how we proceed with our plans and choices.

Consequently, when our search becomes our entire focus for approval, we subject ourselves to live by a measuring stick. When we fail, our self-worth is determined to be of little value. When we win, we take pride in what others think and we feel better about ourselves. Sad but true, we do live in a world that operates by the phrase: perception is reality. But is what we perceive really Biblical? What does God say in His word that determines our worth and His glory?

Psalm 40.4 has refreshed my perspective. David recites a psalm of praise to God in saying:
Blessed is the one
who trusts in the LORD,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.

We have no need to look to the proud, which are those we seek for approval – even from ourselves. This too becomes an idol. So we ask the question, what is an idol? My little red Webster’s Dictionary says this: an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship. A person or thing that is greatly admired, loved, or revered. We look to God for approval. Unto Christ we are blessed, not by man. Almighty God is to be the object of our worship.

When we turn aside from our idols, even the work we do in the church, we are able to take the emphasis off ourselves and place it on Christ. Here, we find our significance in Him, who loved us first and chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world (Eph.1). This true acceptance of grace, mercy and unconditional forgiveness is found in no other person or thing. This is what David meant when he said blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord and does not look to the proud. We have no need to measure up to anyone. We only need to be measured in Christ.

Reflection:
What difference would it make in your life to stop looking for approval? How can you ask God to help you look to Him in discovering your worth in Christ? Let our measure be of Christ that is limitless and boundless in whom we give the glory and in whom we have life.

Confessions of a Worship Leader…

I came across this article by Eric Walker that would be great to use with your team as a discussion. There are even discussion questions at the end! Enjoy!

 

You must worship no other gods, but only the Lord, for He is a God who is passionate about His relationship with you. Exodus 34:14 (NLV)

As I have sought to walk in obedience to God’s call on my life, I am often reminded that the role of a worship pastor is “to pastor a congregation in the area of worship.” God’s will extends beyond that of growing a worship ministry. He desires rather that a worship pastor build a ministry of worshipers.

A few years ago it occurred to me how easy it is to lose sight of all we are called to be and to do as worshipers of Christ and as worship leaders. I realized that it might be helpful to create a creed of sorts; a confession for worship leaders; something that would help us not to lose sight of who we are in Christ and all that God has called us to.

The following is an attempt to remind us all (myself included) of God’s will for worshipers and worship leaders. Following the reading are group discussion questions.

I am a Worshiper
…I deeply desire to grow and mature as a passionate worshiper and as a worship leader. I know that, like all of God’s children, I was created to worship and adore the living God.

My daily worship of God is a time of precious communion; priceless moments of adoration of my Lord Jesus Christ. As I pour out my heart before Him, like David of old, I long to speak the intimate language of worship and praise. In these moments I choose to rehearse God’s goodness and His matchless character; I thank Him for His mighty deeds and His loving-kindnesses toward me.

This is the foundation not only of my day, but also of my role as a worship leader. I know that the task of leading God’s people in worship a high and holy calling. Worshiping God in the secret place builds within my own heart authenticity and consistency; which in turn adds vitality and integrity to my efforts to lead God’s people publicly. I look forward each week to doing my part to usher God’s people before His Throne. It is an honor and a joy for me to be able to serve God in this way.

It is my passionate conviction that God receives, as far as it depends on me, all the praise and glory that He deserves. I realize that, in the heart of a worshiper, there is no room for ego or personal jealousy. I have learned that only in humility and servanthood can the calling of a worship leader truly be fulfilled. Even so, I must confess that at times I struggle. For in my weakness, I too can desire glory. Still, I know that God will not share His glory with another… and any talents I may have are only gifts borrowed from God.

I am also careful to walk in love toward my brothers and sisters in the Lord, for this too impacts my ability to worship. I admit that this is a challenge at times. But I have learned that bitterness and unforgiveness are the mortal enemies of true worship. Therefore I must avail myself to the cleansing blood of Christ. For as I daily confess my sins, His righteousness covers me. Only in this way may I truly walk as a vessel, purified and useful to my Master.

I hunger that other believers in Christ might fully realize that they, too, are called to be passionate worshipers. In light of all that God has done for us through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, how can we be passive? We must respond with joyful abandon to the goodness and love which God has for us. I know that the Father deeply desires (and Satan fears) that believers would learn to fully walk in their calling as worshipers.

This is my calling. This is my passion. I am a worshiper . . .
and I am a worship leader.

I Am a Worshipper – Discussion Questions
In your opinion, what ways does this reading challenge the experience of the average Christian?

What ideas or thoughts in these paragraphs are new or uncommon to many believers?

What barriers do you think stand between most Christians and a deeper worship life?

What do you see as two or three primary life motivations of this worship leader?

How does a passion for worship impact this person’s character? Their relationships? Their world view?

What role does humility/servanthood play in the life of a worshipper? Why is this true?

In what practical ways do you see a worshipping lifestyle drawing someone toward greater maturity in Christ?

How does a heart for worship contrast with the role “self” typically plays in our lives?

How is Satan impacted by our worship of God? Why might it matter to him whether we live a lifestyle of worship or not?

Is living a lifestyle of passionate worship really an option for New Testament believers? Why or why not?

Vocal Training #5 – Part II

In this session I explain what prophetic worship is and when it is or is not appropriate.  Also, I’ll discuss the differences between songs, hymns and spiritual songs and the key to unlocking the prophetic anointing in your life as a vocal team member.

Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, Romans 12:6

Vocal Training #5 (part II)

Beware of the Stage

A great article from Paul Baloche on Making sure the spotlight stays on God!!

Within our American Idol/Rock Star culture, often the goal is all about having–and keeping–the spotlight. As Christians, we belong to a least-is-the-greatest kingdom that pronounces the exact opposite, and yet worship leaders must regularly wrestle with the dynamics of being onstage in front of crowds.

Even the typical “worship service” setup (platform, microphones, spotlights, etc.), for example, forces its leaders to walk dangerously close to those “rock star” elements while making sure the attention stays solely on God. There are many things that we can do to help us from being infected by our performance culture and as always we find timeless wisdom in the ancient text of scripture.

There is a Priestly model described in 1 Chronicles as “ministry to the Lord”. The Levites didn’t “lead people” in worship but instead were charged with the task of ‘singing praise to God both day and night, in the temple. They sang to the Invisible God – an audience of One. How often do we minister to God in private? Ideally, worship leading is publicly modeling what we have been doing privately. A healthy habit is to “practice” worship throughout the week by creating some alone time with God and by singing songs and prayers to Him. Often I will go into my church sanctuary by myself or with a few core members of my team and we’ll read scripture out loud, especially psalms, which is the vocabulary of worship. We’ll begin to play guitar or keyboard very simply to create a worshipful atmosphere while speaking and singing out psalms and heart-felt prayers. It may feel slightly forced at first, perhaps mechanical, but if you persist in “showing up” to bless the Lord in private, you will begin to sense more of His presence and authority in your outward, public ministry.

The other aspect of our ministry is Pastoral. Guitar players and singers are “a dime a dozen’ as the saying goes. But those who will give their time and talents in service to God and His people are rare. Jesus asked Peter, “do you love me?” Peter replied, “Yes Lord”. “feed my sheep.” Ask The Lord to give you HIS heart for the community that you serve. Before you dismiss your team from rehearsal, have them come to the front of the stage and look over the empty seats. Ask them to imagine the people who will be sitting there this coming week and encourage your team to pray for the individuals and families who will be showing up in those seats. This is a powerful exercise to help you and your team cultivate God’s heart and love for the people you serve.

I would encourage you to lean toward more of a conversational tone in your leading style as you begin your service. People don’t like being yelled at, manipulated, or artificially hyped up. Whether you lead fifty people, three hundred, or more than a thousand, aim for being as authentic and sincere as you can. We don’t have to be overly sanguine. People respond best when they sense someone being themselves. In fact I used to always pray something like this under my breathe before I walked on the platform. “Lord, at the risk of being boring, please give me the courage to be ‘who I am in You’– nothing more, nothing less.” We all battle our insecurities in different ways but practicing our ministry to The Lord and praying for the people we serve will take us a long way in distinguishing between performance and effective ministry.

Let’s determine to finish well by helping facilitate a lifelong conversation and sense of community between God and the people He has called us to serve.

Authentic Worship

Look back over the past two days. I want you to think about everything you did. Shopping, eating, hanging with family or friends, etc. Now let’s say for instance someone were to step into your life and relive your 2 days. Would they want what you have? Would they want  your life? We MUST be positioning ourselves and taking the posture of worshiping God authentically EVERYDAY. If we as individuals base our spirituality or relationship with God on what we receive on a Sunday then we have ourselves fooled. We are not living an authentic life of worship.

Our worship team is extremely passionate! From jumping, shouting, hands raised, fist pumping, exuberant praise to crying, knelt in humility worship to our awesome God, a Sunday morning at invigorate is a river flowing with the presence and power of God. As it should be! But, I remind our team constantly that if we are not lifting praise and offering worship to God throughout the week like we are on a Sunday, then we’ve lost what worship is really about. Our weekend services should be the culmination, the finale, if you will, of what we’ve been experiencing in the presence of God on a personal basis all week-long. When we position ourselves before God authentically on a daily basis, then what’s coming out of us on Sunday has room to be so much more “real”. When you constantly lift Christ to His rightful place there is no room for self.

So I would encourage you this week to evaluate where you are as an individual. Let your worship soar to a new level of authenticity and see God REALLY take over your life, your talents and our services!