I don’t know about you, but I am a conference junkie. I love worship conferences. They are inspiring, motivating, and can really help us grow in our worship leadership. Have you ever been to a conference; found this great piece of information, a ministry idea, or a song; taken it back to your church, and watched it flop?
Rehearsal – of anything – makes us more confident, comfortable, skilled. So when we gather in often to worship, we are in essence rehearsing our faith, becoming more confident of it, more defined by it, and better able to stand on it and articulate it.
While tragedies and sorrows aren’t always on the national or international levels, there are always people in our congregations who come to worship carrying heavy personal burdens. Here are some ways God can use you as you lead your congregations in difficult seasons.
I was a musician who should be following Jesus. I wasn’t a Jesus-follower who made music. And until I learned to see myself differently, I could play music in any church situation and ultimately never have to deal with the obvious contradiction between my task and my heart.
Are our worship songs like our Instagram filters, helping us express ourselves in a manner that is, well, better than we truly are? Are these songs that may be true of Charles Wesley or the Torwalts but are way beyond our level of spiritual maturity or commitment? Maybe. Probably.
Sunday mornings aren’t easy. In fact, they are often so hectic and eventful that in the mix of all the activity we forget why we have come to church in the first place – to encounter and delight in God.
I challenge you today to find hope in the common language of the liturgy, and in the common calling to creativity. Sometimes we are called to go. Sometimes we are called to stay. But I believe we are all called to speak with creative language. After all, in the beginning was the Word.
We who lead in worship are not above, separate, or apart from the congregation in any way – we are within and an essential part of it. The more we engage with the service we are a part of, the more attuned we are to lead at our best.
In my experience I have found a different approach to worship renewal to be more substantial, though it takes more time. Simply put, I believe that worship education leads to worship renewal.
Our experiences in corporate worship sculpt not only our understanding of the Triune God, but also our capacity as image bearers of the Creator. Our prayer is that the Triune God would use this community to bring renewal in your congregation’s worship. We hope you’ll join the fellowship as we pray and share together resources for worship design.
In this video interview, international song-writer and worship leader Andy Piercy shares two pieces of advice, both spiritual and practical, for worship leaders. He also reminds leaders the 4 things that matter most for congregations wanting to sing along.
In a world that is increasingly loud and hard, ministers can lead worship experiences of quiet where we find a soft place to land in the love of God through Christ Jesus. Read more today from Laura Beach on the importance of guided times of lament and grief in worship.
