Go ......THERE!
Been discussing, praying about and just studying Worship. As a worship leader, I can't help but have this on my mind a lot. So this is just thoughts/revelation from my heart about Worship.
One huge key to being a worship leader is choosing songs that can be sung as a team. It's not your time to showcase your vocal abilities, riffs and runs. It's choosing songs that- no matter if there are 15 or 1500 people in the sanctuary- can be sung in unity- on one accord. It's all about God- and He wants us to bring the congregation into the place of worship where HE is (not where WE are) So you have to first Know His voice.. know where He is, and be humble and sensitive enough to the Holy Spirit to be able to go there.
There- where is there? The place of nakedness, brokenness and humility before a Holy and Righteous God.
The place where your ideas, knowledge, abilities, degrees, talent, skills, and accolades seize to be of importance and you surrender to the leading of the Spirit. THERE- is where Jesus is! Where we, as worship leaders are being summons to come FIRST... (you can't lead someone to a place you've never been) that would be like the blind leading the blind. God requires you to go there first. Be broken, be naked (SELAH) Most people can't get there because being naked means no agendas, no personal motives. All you are ---is exposed before God.
I'm reminded of a word the Lord spoke to me using the context of Hosea 2:14- It's speaking of Isreal and how they worshipped false God's. Isreal was likened to a harlot- in the prior passages where she chased after all other lovers, but in chapter- 2 verse 14- God spoke this:
Therefore I am now going to lure her into the desert and speak words of comfort to her.
And I was reminded that when God allures us into the desert, when we stand there naked before Him, He's not there to hurt us or to condemn us, but He brings us there (away from the noise, the clutter, our man made thoughts, ideas and agendas so He can comfort us. He build us up and forms us into the worshipper He desires us to be. He exposes our love for other gods.. Our pride in our abilities, our ideas on 'how things should be' our thoughts and feelings about others. and He cleans us up and takes us higher!
So then, to take others there means you have to be exposed to them! Your team, the people you lead. It means dying to flesh and being loving, an example, and extension of Christ (even to the one's you don't get along the most with)
Nakedness means I'm not threatened when there's a singer who hits higher notes than me, or a person has more "experience" than me. Nakedness means, I draw on the strengths of everyone I lead. (We are all wells of water) each one of us can drink and draw substance from each other.
Nakedness means.. acknowledging the fact that: "I'm exposed, I'm imperfect," but join with me in unity as we worship a Perfect God.
You see, there is a heavy responsibility when you accept the role as Worship Leader. It's not just about picking songs that will get the congregation on their feet. It's not about a "program" you know (Praise uptempo song, Praise uptempo song, Medium tempo, into.... WORSHIP) Worship is not a genre of music, or a slow tempo song.
Worship is first and foremost a heart condition- and if this is true, the biggest deterrent to worship is personal kingdoms we refuse to give over to Christ.
Worship is a lifestyle encompassed by everything you do, think and say. It's a way of life.
When the music fades and ALL is stripped away....... and I simply come. (Matt Redman)
Go...... There
Alisa
