Worship Gems

One of the passions of my life and ministry has been to gain a deeper understanding of the subject of worship and what it means to lead God's people in worship. The following are some simple but foundational concepts I've been meditating on in recent years...

Worship in its essence is not music or programming, but is characterized by an encounter and response of the human heart to the person and presence of the Living God.

Worship by definition is participatory, expressive and passionate. (Mt. 22:37, Ps. 42:1-2) Jesus challenged us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mt. 22:37). Paul challenged us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord, which is our spiritual service of worship. (Rom. 12:1)

Biblical worship centers around our response to two fundamental questions: “Who is like unto our God?” (Ps. 113:5) This question focuses on who God is regarding His attributes and character. And “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” (Ps. 8:4) This question focuses on what God has done in terms of His mighty works and redemptive acts. The "language of worship," as reflected largely in the Psalms, is a response to these two questions.

I believe a Biblical view of congregational worship recognizes God as the audience, the musicians and singers as prompters and the congregation as the actors, if you will. The goal for each worship service is to facilitate for our people a throne-room encounter with the Living God, utilizing music and the arts to encourage times of corporate and individual communion with Him. I believe the role of a worship pastor is to encourage and facilitate in a congregation the passionate pursuit of authentic Biblical worship.

I deeply desire to personally do all I can to insure that, this side of heaven, God receives the maximum amount of praise possible. I also want to do my part to encourage and challenge believers toward becoming the mature worshipers God has created and called them to be. I continually remind my fellow musicians that our goal is not to create a "worship ministry" so much as it is to build a "ministry of worshipers."

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about cleaning the inside of the cup. It’s not enough to have excellent music and presentation. Whenever we lead in worship we are asking the Lord (and the people) to drink from our cup. If we are not seeking to walk in holiness and purity, then at some level, the taste of our ministry is affected. Therefore the discipline of regularly "cleaning the inside of the cup" is vital for worship leading musicians.

The Unaffordable Luxury

It was the summer of ’93. For the previous hour I had been standing before a group of 40 high school and college age young people, reading from God’s Word…weeping and reading some more. This was my fifth summer as a director with the Continental Singers and Orchestra. I often joke that, no matter how well a pastor knows his congregation, he doesn’t have to live with them on a bus for three months at a time. Each summer I would travel with a new group around the country and the world singing about God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ. But this summer something had gone very wrong.

It started with small things; an unkind word, a thoughtless action. But over time it had grown. Cliques, camps, the in-crowd, those on the outside, until our reason for being had somehow been lost and forgotten. And yet each night we would present a two hour program about how knowing Jesus had changed our lives.

As I and my leadership team attempted to deal with each issue…each heart, we were met with surprising resistance. Rationalizing, justification, blaming others and finger pointing. My heart began to sink. Maybe it was time to cancel the tour and send everyone home. As I prayed for guidance, I asked God for special wisdom. We were meeting the next morning. After that I would know what to do. I couldn’t sleep the night before, I was so grieved. I spent the whole night pouring over God’s Word which spoke so clearly and directly to these issues.

When the group met the next morning I said, “You know, according to Matthew 5:23-24 if we are presenting our gift at the altar and remember that our brother has something against us, the Bible says we should leave our gift at the altar and not even attempt to worship until we have reconciled with them. The fact is, unless we are right with one another, our worship is worthless and even offensive to God. And if we can’t even love our brothers, how are we ever going to love our enemies?”

“But I’m sorry to say it’s even worse than that,” I went on. “According to 1 John 4:20 the one who doesn’t love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he hasn’t seen. That means that if we refuse to love each other, then we’d better shut up about our Christianity, because according to this passage, it doesn’t exist. The bottom line is, we can’t afford the luxury of unresolved relationships.”

There is something about the Word of God that tends to cut through all the smokescreens and clutter, and gets right to the heart of the matter. I cried a lot that day. We all did. But slowly hearts began to break…and open. For another two hours one by one group members cried and shared and prayed. No blaming or finger pointing. Some confessed their faults. Others asked forgiveness.

Things weren’t healed overnight. But slowly, and sometimes painfully, we began to learn how to die to ourselves; how to seek the last place and to serve; how to yield our rights and any personal advantage; how to wash one another’s feet; how to become less and less, that He might become greater and greater; how to let God break us, so that He might better use us. We saw 400 people make decisions for Christ that summer.

Obedience Feeds Me

Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me." John 4:34

Some years ago God began to teach me about the power of obedience to His will. He showed me, for example, that Jesus' power over His temptation in the wilderness was not just in the words He spoke to Satan. (I've often spoken similar words with less effective results.) No, the power was in the fact that Jesus authentically lived the words He spoke. Jesus’ life and practice were integrated with the equally powerful words He quoted from God's Word.

James encourages us to be "...doers of the word and not hearers only, who deceive themselves." James 1:22 Many believers never truly grow in their walk with Christ because they believe that knowledge of God's Word is all they need. In his book Seven Laws of the Learner author and speaker Bruce Wilkenson shares that in the Hebrew Bible the root word for teach is the same as the root word for learn. And both of these are active verbs. The bottom line he shares is this; by Biblical definition, no matter how much we've been taught, until we're "doing the stuff," we haven't truly learned it.

When I was in junior high I discovered a library book on scuba diving. For some reason the subject peaked my interest and I took the book home and read it cover to cover. When I was through I had learned a great deal about scuba diving. I could discuss the subject intelligently and "amaze friends and family" as they say. I could also cover up one very important fact: to this day, I have never been scuba diving. Until we act on what we know, our true understanding will always be severely limited.

Many believers wonder, "What is the secret of maintaining a vital walk with Christ." Obedience. Obedience to God's Word is much like an iceberg. We only see the small section of the iceberg that appears above the surface of the water. The much larger part is below the surface. When people look at our lives, they see only the part that appears above the surface. They may look and wonder at our powerful walk with Christ (or at the lack of power). What they don't see is the quality of our inner life, below the surface. Have we laid a foundation of acting on God's Word? Bottom line; a life of obedience to the Word of God is the unseen foundation of a vital walk with Christ.

When I first began seminary I was required to read a small book by Helmut Thielicke called "A Little Exercise for Young Theologians." The premise of the book was that learning theology was heady stuff. It can puff you up and make you prideful. This is why Paul warns that "knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know." 1 Corinthians 8:1b-2

The thing is, no matter how much we learn, about Martin Luther for instance, we still don't share his experience. We're sitting in an armchair reading the things he wrote and yet, not only don't we share the suffering that accompanied his revelations, but without meaning to, we add our personal experience of comfort and ease to his words. This greatly enhances the possibility of misunderstanding what he is saying.

That's the way many believers are. We can talk at length "about" the Word. We may have even deceived ourselves into thinking that we truly know what we're talking about. After all we've heard many sermons, attended many Bible studies. But until we are committed to living a life of obedience to the Word and actively "doing the stuff," we haven't really understood what God is trying to teach us.

As a young believer I was never discipled by a more mature believer. In fact I was a Christian for several years before I even knew what discipleship was. For that reason I’ve prayed for years that, at every point in my life, God will give me someone to disciple. I want others to have an advantage I didn't have. As I disciple young believers the question inevitably comes up, "How do I grow in my faith?" They are often surprised by my answer. "Find one thing in God's Word and do it." For many believers it’s far less intimidating (and more inviting) to look at Christianity as a body of knowledge to be mastered, than as a life to be lived. Knowledge is important, even vital, but the experience of obeying the Word is the indispensable next step, if we are to grow.

The fact is, the person who finds something to do in God's Word, then does it, will be granted more light and greater understanding. This then becomes the foundation for searching God's Word for the next thing to do, which again will grant even more light and understanding. This person will always be miles ahead of the scholar, for instance, who knows all about the Word, but may not have applied it in their personal life.

If, on the other hand, a person reads or hears a command or exhortation from God's Word and doesn't do it, according to James, they are on the road to self-deception. He exhorts us to “…be doers of the Word and not hearers only, who deceive themselves.” (Jas. 1:22) That's why to regularly hear and read the word, without the intention of doing it, can be a dangerous practice. And if we make a lifestyle out of this approach, we can become as blind as the Pharisees of Jesus' day.

Jesus said to them, "You diligently study the scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the scriptures that testify of Me." Jn. 5:39 Though the Pharisees had spent their whole lives studying the scriptures, they had become so blind that they couldn't see what was right in front of their faces!

As a youth pastor some years ago, I once showed my teens a picture of a knife. I asked, "What is this?" "A knife," they replied. I then showed them a real knife and asked, "Then what is this?" "A knife," they said again. "But you just said this was a knife," I said, showing them the picture. "No" they said, "That's a picture of a knife." I then held up my Bible. "This is a picture of the Word of God." You see, Jesus did not come just to speak the Word. He came as "...the Word made flesh." John 1:14 God doesn't want us just to read the words, only to leave them on the page. The Word was given to us to be taken off the page and to become flesh in our lives.

Just the other day I was sitting in church and the Holy Spirit prompted me on this subject of obedience. He reminded me of John 4:34. Jesus said, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me." As I began to roll this thought over in my mind, another thought occurred to me...according this passage, "Obedience feeds me." Most of us accept the fact that to grow spiritually we must spend time in God's Word. We may even embrace the idea that, in the same way we need food for our physical bodies, we need time in the Word so as not to become spiritually emaciated.

But what if time in the Word is not enough? (Yes, I affirm that time and even memorization of God's Word is indispensable to our growth as believers.) Consider this. Is it possible to spend time in the Word and still be starving to death? Jesus said, His food is to do God's will. That would mean that for Jesus not do God's will would be equal to starving. And if that's true for Jesus, how much more would this be true for us? What if time in the Word must be combined with doing the Word in order for real growth and nourishment to occur?

Though hearing and reading the Word is vital, in order to grow, it must be accompanied by doing the Word. And conversely, to hear or read the word and "not do it" will ultimately lead us to blindness and deception. Picture the individual who has read and heard God's word for years, but rarely applied it. Think how very blind they would become...and never know it. Chances are we know people like that. Chances are we may be people like that.

God knows me and my deceitful heart very well. I can pat myself on the back with the best of them and tell myself that I'm doing a pretty good job. I can convince myself that I apply the Word to a greater degree than other believers. For that reason, as I was writing this He prompted me to take a closer look at the context of Jesus' comments in John 4:34 about doing God's will.

Taking this passage in it’s context we see that John chapter 4 is a classic passage on personal evangelism. It turns out that Jesus spoke these words just after He had witnessed to the woman at the well. The Holy Spirit was reminding me that witnessing to this woman who had five husbands, was like food to Jesus. I don't know how often you share the Gospel with others, or how many others you may have led to Christ. I just know that this was a course correction for me. Witnessing to others about Jesus Christ is just one way that doing God's will can become food for us, but its a great place to start.

Prayers That Avail Much

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. 1 John 5:14-15

Sometimes I wonder if we don't make an unnecessary mystery out of prayer. John offers a fairly simple principle for answered prayer. Pray according to God's will. This is where the mystery comes in. So often we act as if we're not sure of what God's will is...as if its some big secret. Yet if we stop and think about it we'll realize that God's Word is full of examples of prayers that we know that we know are God's will. Then follows the far bigger question...why aren't we praying these kinds of prayers?

Some years back I did a personal Bible study and came up with the following list. These are 14 prayers that I could pray regularly with certainty that they were according to God's will. Enjoy these Prayers That Avail Much. And pray!

1. That we would be a people “after God’s own heart.” That our hearts would be touched by the things that touch the heart of God.
2. That God would place an increasingly deep burden for souls on our hearts and the hearts of the people of our church. That sharing Christ would be an increasingly common and natural occurrence.
3. That God would place a greater burden for the need of intercession and prevailing prayer on our hearts and the hearts of the members of our church.
4. That God would destroy any and all strongholds, spiritual blindness, complacency, and apathy in our hearts as well as among the people of our church, including any hindrance that would keep the unsaved from coming to faith in Jesus Christ.
5. That God would grant a spirit of cleansing, confession, and repentance in our hearts and the hearts of the people of our church of any and all sins, known and unknown.
6. That a spirit of love and unity with no division would prevail and increase among the ministries and the people of our church.
7. That God would send laborers into the ministries of our church in the form of members and volunteers new and old, for the laborers are few and the fields are white unto harvest.
8. That God would grant among our membership “a mind to work” and that everyone would feel that our task in building God’s Kingdom is a joy and not a burden. That a positive, sacrificial attitude of servanthood would prevail.
9. That God would grant us a spirit of personal revival, renewal, and vibrancy in our Christian walk including a deep and abiding hunger for God’s Word and daily time in His presence.
10. That we as individuals and as a ministry would hunger to spend increasing time as passionate worshipers. That we would learn the language of praise; praising God as David did, for who He is and for all that He has done.
11. That God’s character, deeds, name and glory will be increasingly magnified and exalted in our lives and among the people of our church.
12. That God would continue to bless and guide the spiritual leadership of our church. That they would increasingly hear His voice and obey Him with passion.
13. That a spirit of genuine excitement, enthusiasm, and passion for ministry and building God’s Kingdom would be generated and spread throughout the Body at our church.
14. That God would place a hedge of protection around us and keep us and those we love. That He might deliver us from evil as we endeavor to obey and serve Him.

The Danger of Safety

“…Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Mt. 16:25)

Among the many activities I enjoyed in my childhood (among them cub scouts, swimming lessons, children's concerts and vacation Bible school) there was one activity I endured with fear and trembling: Little League. Despite my awkward left-handedness and a lack of athletic talent or motivation, my parents felt it necessary to enroll me for three failed seasons; one year in pee wee and two in "the majors." From my perspective, Little League’s one saving grace was that at each game, for the bargain price of a nickel, I could purchase a pack of 5 Batman bubblegum cards from the candy lady.

I call these seasons failed because my tenure in right field consisted of one primary motivation; not to get hit by the ball. I remember vividly my brother, who was two years my senior, getting hit in the face by a baseball, at which point his entire nose disappeared for two solid weeks. I had no intention of becoming a similar facial casualty.

A moment ago I noted, a lack of athletic ability. The fact is, not to get hit by a ball which is coming straight for you, while simultaneously appearing to care about fielding the ball, actually did require a fair amount of athletic finesse. The key was waiting until the ball was just about on me, then leaping out of the way at the very last moment, reaching toward the ball with my glove hand, while at the same time protecting my face with the other.

Having inevitably missed the ball (and with the ball missing me), I would quickly turn around and chase it to the back fence. Then I’d throw it as far as I could in some direction. Typically this was straight up, with the ball ultimately landing about 10 feet in front of me.

All in all, my strategy of safety, combined with all the yelling from my team and the crowd (and the coaches), made for a rather stressful, albeit impressive maneuver. Though my coaches were less than impressed, my face remained safely in tact. I comforted myself with the fact that, though my baseball career was wanting, I did excel in team candy sales and was the proud owner of a complete set of Batman cards.

As with most life lessons, this one is simple enough for a child to understand, (though often difficult to recognize in ourselves, and even more difficult to apply). The fact is, my fear of getting hit by the ball, and my subsequent efforts to avoid this at all costs, meant I wouldn't really learn what it meant to play the game. Not surprisingly, the effort I expended in my strategy could just as easily been channeled to overcome my challenges.

The same is true in life. So often in our desire to avoid being hurt, we develop a sophisticated series of responses designed to ensure our safety. The goal is to minimize and even eliminate any and all risk to our heart. Sadly, while successfully protecting us, the cumulative effect of these reflexes may also ensure that we never truly learn to live. All the while we are expending tremendous energy. Energy that could better be applied to courageous action.

In his book Turn My Mourning Into Dancing, author Herni Nouwen writes, “The great paradox is that it is in letting go, we receive. We find safety in unexpected places of risk. And those who try to avoid all risk, those who would try to guarantee that their hearts will not be broken, end up in a self-created hell.”

In The Four Loves C. S. Lewis observes:

“To love is to be vulnerable…If you want to make sure of keeping your heart in tact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket of your selfishness. But in that casket-safe, dark, motionless, airless-it will change. It will not be broken-it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable…The only place outside of Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from the danger of love is Hell.”

Jesus put it this way, “…whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” (Mt. 16:25)

Confessions of a Worship Leader (feautred article on www.ministryLIVE.org)

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 growing a worship ministry. He desires a worship pastor to 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 what 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 discussion questions for small groups.


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 to 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, I long to speak the intimate language of worship and praise. In these moments I 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.

I am jealous 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 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 Worshiper - Discussion Questions

Discuss the following questions:

• In your opinion, in 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 worshiper? Why is this true?

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

• How does a heart for worship contrast with the role of “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?

Abundant Jesus

What is the abundant life?

As a young believer I was taught to define “abundant life” as abundance of material possessions. I have to admit that it was comforting to be told that God wanted me to bless me and prosper me. In contrast, much of what I had heard preached from mainline pulpits in this regard didn’t sound like good news to me. So when I heard some Bible teachers talk of a God who wanted to bless and prosper me, supply all my needs and add abundance to my life, it was a welcome message.

Unfortunately in today’s world it is common practice to handle truth, especially in the area of religious faith, as if we were going through a buffet line. I’ll decide what I like, what I hope is true, or what I can wrap my brain around. Then I’ll proceed happily on my way believing that what I hope is true, is true for me.

If we handled physical truth in this way the folly would be obvious. The one who jumped off a cliff for example would not be borne aloft simply because he didn’t believe in gravity. But when dealing with truth that is unseen it's easy to deceive ourselves.

So often when we read the Bible we are unaware of our personal frame of reference. My reading of John 10:10 focused on the word "abundant" but Jesus as it turns out focused on the word "life."

I enjoy the fact that Jesus is always careful to define, and at times redefine the words He uses. As I was meditating on John 10:10 the other day the Spirit began to walk me through some other “life” verses.

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." John 6:63

“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Col. 3:4

“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6

As we consider the question of defining abundant life we must remember that the one who spoke of abundant life Himself had nowhere to lay his head. He’d left His throne in glory and then called us to come and follow Him.

It also stands to reason that if anyone lived the abundant life, it was the apostle Paul. Yet he was beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, stoned and left for dead. Yet Paul laid claim to a vital kingdom building principle: learning contentment whether experiencing material abundance or material lack.

Jesus himself challenged the idea that abundant life was synonymous with material wealth. “Then he (Jesus) said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’” Luke 12:15

So what is the abundant life? You’ve probably figured it out by now. Let’s look at an equation of two profound spiritual truths.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

When you add "I come that they might have abundant life" + "Jesus said He is the life" you discover that Abundant Life = Abundant Jesus.

In my personal experience I’ve found that abundant life is abundant Jesus. Abundant Life is a person, not a material lifestyle. When I apply this truth to my material possessions I find that…

God will bless me with…
…the things that will enable my growth and maturity in Christ (both good and bad).
…the things that will help advance His larger Kingdom agenda.

The Worship Leading Choir

A few years back I embarked on a journey that would distinctly change my life and challenge the direction of my ministry. Everywhere I turned (and I turned a lot of places) growing churches were opting to cancel their choir (and instrumental) programs. Newly planted churches were choosing to go with a praise band only. Many traditional churches with long histories of choral music were shrinking and even closing their doors.

Ironically, although growing churches spoke a great deal about discovering your gifts, then using them to glorify God, without a choir (or larger instrumental groups), in many settings only a small percentage of select musicians had this opportunity. I had to believe God had a better plan.

Surprisingly, on every hand I also saw God moving mightily in the area of Biblical worship, birthing an intense desire for passionate worship among His people. As I continued to pray and seek God it became clear to me that the problem wasn't choir as a concept. It was more how it functioned that was at issue.

Most churches (and colleges) are familiar with choirs as performing organizations. Yet as I searched God's Word, try as I might, nowhere could I find a performance model of a choir. What I did find in God's Word were choirs and instrumental groups whose sole responsibility was 1) to worship God and 2) to lead others in worship. God was the audience, the choir and musicians were the prompters, and the congregation were the actors, as it were, responding in worship.

When this realization began to sink in, it changed my perspective significantly. I decided to embark on a six month research sabbatical. As I traveled the country I was looking for churches that were growing, contemporary, evangelistic, yet still had choir as a centerpiece. And every time I found one, I found a new (or rather very old) paradigm; a worship leading choir!

My friend Dave Williamson of Worship Leading Choirs International contrasts this very Biblical concept of the choir with more traditional models...

The worship leading choir...
...is not primarily about performance; it is primarily about worship.
...is not about being slick, it is about passion.
...is not about acquaintanceship; it is about family.
...is not about momentary emotion; it is about eternal significance.
...is not about competition; it is about servanthood.
...doesn't view talent as primary; it does view character and faithfulness as primary.

As I continued to explore the whole idea of a worship leading choir, the Lord has allowed me some wonderful experiences. During my sabbatical I "happened" upon one of the most dynamic worship leading choirs, right in my own back yard. It was at Riverside Baptist in Denver, Colorado. Their amazing director, Joel Allen, invited me to join their choir (when I was not traveling) and observe it from the inside out.

At my first rehearsal the choir president welcomed me. As we sat down he proceeded to tell me that the main point of their choir wasn't the music, it was brokenness. He proceeded to share how, through a series of trials within their ministry god had knit them into a family of worshippers. A refreshing perspective, to say the least. That Christmas I was blessed to participate in a nationally televised concert with the Riverside Choir and a CD project entitled Hope Has Come, featuring artists Geron Davis and Kindred Souls.

A few summers back I had the opportunity to be part of a live recording project at Saddleback Church. Worship Leader/Song Writer Tommy Walker recruited 125 worship pastors to fly in early to Saddleback's annual worship conference, to form a mass choir for his CD project, Breakthrough. It was an amazing experience with 125 worship pastors in the choir and 4,000 worship pastors in the audience!

But I must say my most formative and transforming experience was as director of the choir at First Free Church in Rockford, Illinois. Over the last five years we have come miles in our understanding and experience of what it means to lead others in worship and adoration of the Living God. In that context we have not only been able to record two CD projects, but have had the honor of leading worship alongside artists such as Geron Davis, Dave Williamson, Charles Billingsley, Steve Green and Sandi Patty, among others.

The following Thoughts for Worship Leading Musicians were pounded out in the crucible of experience (though a few are borrowed from my friend Joel Allen!).

Thoughts for Worship Leading Musicians

1. Don't just rehearse the music, rehearse the worship!

2. A song will never mean more to the people than it means to you.

3. God transforms us as we are committed to spending time in daily worship.

4. As you sing and play, don't forget to engage your heart!

5. Don't let people just sit there! Draw them in!

6. Your depth of expression is a reflection of your testimony and witness.

7. A life of obedience is the foundation of passionate worship.

8. God expects us to be committed to "cleaning the inside of the cup."

9. Worship without passion is a contradiction in terms.

10. Take the message of each song we sing and make it personal.

11. God expects us to fulfill His command to forgive as we have been forgiven.

12. What will it cost you to convey this song with total authenticity?

13. There is nothing worse than a boring choir!

14. God's worth remain constant, regardless of how we are feeling on a particular day.

15. God challenges us to walk in humility, seeking the last place.

16. Our goal is to turn passive observers into active participants.

17. God is the audience, we are the prompters, the congregation, the actors.

18. Our calling is to help facilitate a Throne Room Encounter.

19. Not just a worship ministry, but a ministry of worshipers.

20 God blesses us as we are committed to lives of servanthood.

Today many contemporary churches are beginning to rediscover the concept of the choir, including some of the fastest growing and largest in the country. In many settings, having a choir is an entirely new concept. However, this time the emphasis is not performance, but worship.

How to Deal with Spiritual Crisis

featured article on www.ministryLIVE.org

“Which is the best response in the midst of a crisis; to begin to worship or to stand on the word?” To be honest, this question from my brother confused me a bit, partly because I had never considered there to be a dichotomy between holding fast to God’s word and praising him in the midst of trial. But beyond this was a more subtle question. Does the proper response in the midst of a crisis ensure our deliverance?

Those who emphasize standing on the word point to passages such as Joshua 1:8

This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you might be careful to do according to all that is written in it.…for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8.

In a similar fashion many turn to 2 Chronicles 20 when teaching on praising God in the midst of trials. Three armies were coming against God's people. As King Jehoshaphat and the people sought the Lord they said, "We don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You." God assured them that "The battle is not yours, but the Lords. Stand and see the salvation of God." The next day, as they went to the battle field, they placed the singers in front of the army, where they began singing praises to God, "For His mercies endure forever." As they sang, God began to route their enemies and they began destroying one another.

A similar example is found in Acts 16. Paul and Silas had walked in radical obedience to God, yet in spite of this they found themselves beaten, imprisoned and apparently forsaken. How did they respond? They began to lift up hymns of praise. At midnight, in the midst of their praise, God sent an earthquake and delivered them.

Based on these and other examples, many believe that by definition praise is an opportunity to express their faith in God's power, when facing life's challenges. Just as Job prayed, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him (Job 13:15).

We note in each of these examples that both praise and worship and standing on God’s word are central. In fact there is a strong Biblical precedence for proclaiming God's mighty deeds in the midst of trial, as a means of bolstering faith and giving Him glory. David practiced this throughout the Psalms (set to music), as did Stephen when he was on trial in Acts 7.

Many who teach on speaking or singing the word also see these responses as a means of spiritual warfare. In these discussions they point to Paul's statement…

"We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of this present world, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12)

From this perspective praise and prayer are seen as closely related. One example is Daniel who prayed for 21 days before an angel arrived in response to his cry (Dan. 10). The angel declared that, though he was sent the moment Daniel began to pray, he was delayed in battle with heavenly forces. The implication being that Daniel's faithful intercessory prayers were instrumental in his victory.

It is important to balance this discussion and understand that nowhere in the Bible does it state that our praise controls, releases or forces God's hand. I guarantee to you that Paul and Silas’ motivation for praising the Lord from prison was not that by praising God they would ensure their deliverance. Rather it was a passionate love for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Yes, God responded by delivering them, but what about Steven and James?

The reality is that God delights in the praises of His children. As a result it’s true that, in His sovereignty God often chooses to affirm and move in the context of His praising people. It’s also true, as in Stephen's case, that at times deliverance and victory may not be fully achieved until we have passed this life. Just as with Stephen and the saints in Hebrews 11, at times the fullness of God's promises may not be fully realized until after death.

However this is no way reduces our reason to praise His name! One would have to have a very limited, temporal perspective to call this bad news. Sacrificial worship indeed is laying up treasures for the life to come.

“For eye has not seen no ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him!” (1 Cor. 2:9)

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (Jas. 1:12)

Consider Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. When faced with a firey furnace, note their response.

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Dan. 3:17-18

I submit that worshiping God and standing on His word is always the right choice; a way of expressing our unwavering faith in Him. I also submit that God will respond by implementing His unique and sovereign will in each circumstance. Praise puts me in my proper place and God in His. And that’s a good place to be.

In closing, I come back the original question. I am reminded of the verse in Revelation 12:11 that states that "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death."

My Soul Thirsts for Thee

“My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Ps. 63:1)

For years I have read this verse and marveled at David’s passion for God. How he draws such a beautiful analogy, comparing God with water and the condition of his soul with a parched and arid desert. What a spiritual giant David was! O, to have that depth of spiritual desire!

However, not long ago I woke up on morning around 3:30 a.m. with a completely new thought concerning this passage. My soul thirsts for Thee. What if, instead of simply proclaiming his passion for God, David had received a greater understanding concerning the true nature of the appetites in his heart and life?

We know that ultimately the deep longings of our soul has only one true source of satisfaction. My soul thirsts for Thee. After testing many avenues, had David come to a greater realization of what his heart had truly been yearning for all along?

Think about it. Often, when our hearts are denied love, fulfillment, significance; we experience an emptiness; a hollowness in our souls. The thing we really yearn for is not all the failed substitutes our flesh may turn to. What we truly hunger and yearn for is God, Himself. Jesus is the Living Water we thirst for in a dry and weary land.

“Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" (Jn. 7:37-38)

So, if God Himself is the One we truly hunger for, why would not we, as David, live in constant awareness of this intense hunger? My guess is that, much like Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, our flesh teaches us early in life to experiment with a variety of substitutes. As children our natural desire for God is often pure and unfettered. Yet over the years the temptation of worldly substitutes can serve to deaden and muffle the natural cry of our heart for the Living God.

Jeremiah notes the natural inclination of the human heart. In Jeremiah 2:13 we read,

“My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

It is this fleshly process that can effectively harden our heart and deafen our ears. Sadly, over time, the passionate love God originally planted in our heart may recede to a faint echo. That is why a sudden crisis or tragedy can often serve to awaken this inner need. It is when we are starved of counterfeits that our true hunger can once again emerge.

What if we called an all-out fast on anything that might dull our hunger for God? What if we starved ourselves of any influence or distraction or substitute that might dull our natural thirst for Him? Isn’t it time we rejected our self-made cisterns; broken cisterns that can hold no water, and exchange our counterfeits for the Living Water. My soul thirsts for Thee.

Triple-Bypass: The Parable of the Soils

Good seed on good ground - Satan can’t steal it - Trials can’t wither it - Cares can’t choke it.

Our Heart

We’re going to take a few minutes today and talk about the Parable of the Soils. But before we do let’s look at some Biblical teaching about the human heart.

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.
Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Matthew 15:19

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6:45

Now let's look at...

The Parable of the Soils: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then He told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As He was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear."

"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Here's the Problem: We see three examples of bad soil and one example of good soil. Jesus says we should be like the last guy, but He doesn’t tell us how…or does He? I want to be good ground and I think you do too. The good news is, it’s all right here in black and white. But before we can see it we may need Triple-Bypass Heart Surgery.

Here’s the bottom line. We can’t become good soil without learning the lessons of the first three soils. As we look at these lessons we will begin to see a kind of table of contents for many of Jesus’ other teachings.

First of all, it’s important to establish that there is nothing wrong with the seed. The seed is the Word of God. The soil is us, or more specifically our heart. The beautiful thing here is that as we look at the soils we are given a high-definition picture of the kind of experiences we can expect as Christ-followers.

Good seed on good ground.

Stage One-Hard Ground (vs. 19): What is the lesson Jesus wants us to learn from this soil? We need to hunger for understanding. There are 34 references to understanding in Proverbs. We must make understanding, and challenging anything that hinders our understanding, a top priority. We also must not be ignorant of Satan’s devices;his attempts to steal the word. (Col. 1:9, Jn. 10:10, 2 Cor. 2:10-11) So, here’s our first bypass operation…

Goal #1: Good Seed on Good Ground – Satan can’t steal it.

Stage Two-Rocky Ground (vs. 20-21): What is the lesson Jesus wants us to learn from this soil? God is not looking for shallow followers. Spiritual infatuation won’t take us very far. Our roots must go deep. (Ps. 1) We must accept and prepare for the inevitability of affliction and persecution. The question is not "will we experience persecution and trials?" The question is how will we respond to them? (Heb. 10:32-36, Heb. 12:1-4) So, here’s our second bypass operation…

Goal #2: Good seed on good ground-Trials can’t wither it.

Stage Three-Thorny Ground (vs. 22): What is the lesson Jesus wants us to learn from this soil? Here Jesus reveals the very things that, if we give ourselves over to them, will choke the life out of our spiritual walk. We must face the inevitable challenges of worries, riches and selfish desires. We must choose what attitude we intend to have toward these things? (Matt. 6:24, Matt. 6:27-29, 1 Jn. 2:15-17) So, here’s our third bypass operation…

Goal #3: Good seed on good ground- Cares can’t choke it.

Detour: The Battle for Our Heart

What happens when the Word enters our heart? We talked above about the condition of man’s heart. So when the seed of the Word enters our sinful heart, what kinds of things begin to happen?

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Heb. 4:12)

When the Word enters our heart it divides, discerns, it judges the thoughts and intents. Question: Is it possible that the entrance of the Word into the ground of our heart creates the very conflicts that must be then be overcome? (Jn. 6:63, Gal. 5:16-17) Yes!

When the Word enters the human heart, sinful as it is, not only does the Word divide, discern and judge thoughts and motives…but because the Word is Spirit, and because the flesh and the Spirit oppose one another, war breaks out!. This is no mild-mannered seed we're talking about(or Sower for that matter.) This seed is dynamite and this Sower is a “trouble-maker.”

Conclusion

Stage Four-Good seed on good ground (vs. 23): What is the lesson Jesus wants us to learn from this soil? This final person hears the word, understands it, resists the devil's attempts to steal it, perseveres through trials and cares, resists selfish desires, bears and brings forth fruit. Yet once we reach the fruit-bearing stage, it's then we discover the most amazing truth of all. It's then that, like Jesus, we become seed-bearers ourselves.

"Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves with him." (Ps. 126:5-6)

Here’s the Bottom Line: I believe the effort to apply the lessons learned from the first three soils, by the power of the Spirit, this Triple Bypass Heart Surgery, is what turns bad soil into good soil.

It could be that your heart is clogged by the very things that tripped these first three soils up. And we need a triple bypass. Here’s God’s will for the Believer.

Good seed on good ground - Satan can’t steal it - Trials can’t wither it - Cares can’t choke it.

Bearing the Cost

In Hannah Hurnard’s wonderful allegory, Hinds Feet on High Places, at one point as the main character Much Afraid travels through the desert, she comes upon a flower growing and blooming in the crack of a rock. Through no fault of it’s own, the seed was abandoned to that dry, lonely place to bloom alone. When she asks the flower’s name, it replies, “My name is Bearing the Cost, but some call me Forgiveness.”

Hannah Hurnard offers some real wisdom here. To forgive means we intentionally choose to bear within our lives the consequences of the actions of those who have harmed us. We often resist this inevitable result because, like much of life in a fallen world, it seems so unfair. What we often don't realize is that, because we cannot change the past, we inevitably bear these consequences whether we choose to forgive or not.

The problem is, when unforgiveness is given residence in the human heart, it does not remain static. It functions much like a computer virus operating behind the scenes. We may be unaware of its destructive forces, but it is far from harmless. It has gone underground where it evolves, infects and hardens our heart. Occasionally we become aware of its presence as when, in unsuspecting moments, we find ourselves thinking, dwelling on and rehearsing the wrongs we have experienced.

To forgive or not decides the question of whether bearing these consequences will poison our personalities, or build our character. Unforgiveness confers upon these experiences the power to destroy. Forgiveness on the other hand opens the way for these very circumstances to become for us a source of strength and healing.

When we walk in unforgiveness, we nurture the desire that the offender be punished. Walking in unforgiveness ultimately transforms us into one who, on some level, has made the punishment of another human being a priority. Our added powerlessness to achieve our own personal version of justice only intensifies this burden. The human personality was not created to bear this weight without experiencing serious internal damage.

As Jesus has reminded us, unforgiveness and hypocrisy are inseparably connected. The unjust steward of the Gospel of Matthew chapter 18 demonstrates the irony of our being forgiven a huge debt, only to demand justice over what is ultimately a small matter. It is impossible to condemn another without also condemning ourselves. We can’t demand “justice” for our “enemy,” while at the same time personally asking for mercy.

On the positive side, by choosing to forgive we release a series of blessings...

Forgiveness says…I choose to bear the injustice of another, walking in the path of Jesus who took upon Himself injustice, bearing the effects of the sins of the whole world.

Forgiveness says… I choose to humble myself. I choose to give up my “rights.” I choose to walk in sacrificial obedience to God’s Word.

Forgiveness says…I am placing myself squarely in God’s hands knowing that forgiveness is an act of faith in the God who works all things together for good.

Forgiveness says…“I identify with sinful humanity. I know that as surely as I have to bear the effects of the sins of others, others also have also had to bear the effects of my sins.

Forgiveness says…As I myself have been offered mercy, I too choose to offer mercy instead of wrath, knowing that God Himself is the only righteous judge.

In the book of Genesis Joseph was able to declare to his brothers, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.” In this statement Joseph revealed his conviction that God could be trusted to accomplish His purpose through the good and through the bad. If Joseph had held on to unforgiveness, he likely would have become so bitter and vengeful he would have been unfit to rule in Egypt.

Coaching for Character

When I was 11 years old our family moved from San Diego to Sacramento. Ronald Reagan had just been elected Governor of California and my dad, who was his campaign manager, had accepted a position in the Reagan administration. Of course, for me moving meant adjusting to a new school, making new friends etc. It was at this time in my life that God did an amazing thing. He dropped me in the middle of the run-of-the-mill, 800 student, John Barrett Junior High School. What I didn’t know was that at this average public school was a Christian music teacher named Alfred Kenney.

Mr. Kenney was a graduate of the Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. However, he had been in a car accident in his twenties and, because his left hand had been badly crushed, he retained only three fingers. Yet somehow, this amazing man was able, with only his right hand, and without a rehearsal accompanist, to conduct, rehearse and otherwise enable junior highers to sing 4 to 8 part music in German, French, Latin, Italian and English. We also recorded an album every year and went on tour.

But beyond these experiences, Mr. Kenney took a personal interest in his students. Like most junior highers, I was a lump of impressionable clay ready for molding. He had us memorize important historical quotes on character, awarding plaques for various levels of achievement; major, colonel etc. I also took voice lessons from him not only in junior high, but through my high school years as well. Under his mentoring I went on to win superior ratings, competing in festivals on the State College level. The fact is, the reason I ultimately pursued music ministry is due in large part to the musical and spiritual influence of Mr. Kenney.

After I graduated from high school, some years passed and Mr. Kenney and I lost track of each other. Then, just after I received my Bachelor of Music Education degree, I decided to return to Sacramento to visit friends. While there I looked up Mr. Kenney and called to see if we might spend some time together. About three hours later I arrived at his house. Mr. Kenney was a tall man, but when he answered the door, I was surprised at how thin he was. We talked for an hour or so and caught up on what had been going on in my life. I sang a song for him that we had worked on many years before, and then left.

Another five years passed before I was in Sacramento again. I was ashamed I had not kept in touch, but my Continental Singers tour was passing through, and I knew it was important that I call. I had a strange feeling of anticipation as the phone rang. His wife Frieda answered, so I simply said, “Tell me about Mr. Kenney.” As it turned out, Mr. Kenney had had cancer when we had visited five years earlier. The day I called he had been in bed for the previous three weeks. She shared with me that it had taken him three hours just to get up and get ready for my visit. But he had insisted on seeing me. After I left he went back to bed and passed away two weeks later.

God has a way of orchestrating divine appointments. It was an honor to know I was the last of his students to see him before he passed away. What he couldn’t possibly know is the extent to which he influenced me and changed the course of my life. We often never know the full impact we have on others. I know God's special plan is for older generations to reach out to mentor and nurture younger ones. I’m eternally grateful that God’s plan for me included bringing Mr. Kenney into my life.

The Real Enemy

I have discovered that, when it comes right down to it, there are really only two kinds of people in the world; those who love Star Trek and those who despise it. (If you’re in the latter group you can stop reading now.)

When I was in Junior High Star Trek re-runs were on every day at 4:00. Five days a week I would get home just in time for my mega-dose of sci-fi adventure. I remember an episode where the Klingons and the crew of the Enterprise couldn’t stop fighting. No matter what they tried, they would just get more irrational and more angry. And if someone would die or get hurt, they would be miraculously restored to health, only to start fighting again. Come to find out, there was this alien creature (no surprise there) who had come aboard the ship and was living off their negative emotions, manipulating all of this from behind the scenes.

Ah, the morality of Star Trek…Isn’t that the way we often are as Believers? The last thing Satan wants is for God’s people to walk together in love and unity. So here Satan is pulling strings behind the scenes, hitting our hot buttons. And the sad part is we fall for it. We walk in ignorance of his schemes and think and act as if the enemy is one another! Paul says, “For our struggle is NOT against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 10:12)

Then again, some of us are surprised that we are in a battle at all. Most Christians can get totally energized about building God’s Kingdom; about doing mighty things for God. But then when things start to go wrong; when the criticism comes and the trials increase and the battle gets heated and the going gets tough, they say, “Hey, wait a minute! It’s not supposed to be like this!”

Oh REALLY…read your New Testament! Read your Old Testament, for that matter. We are in a battle. This is war! Think about it. That’s why we’re given ARMOUR and WEAPONS. That’s why Jesus said, “Blessed are you when me revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely, on account of Me.” That why Paul had his hands full with beatings and stonings, not to mention all the struggles and troubles of the churches. The important question is "who is the enemy?"

Real New Testament Christianity (if it’s done right) is messy stuff. But if we get one thing right, it has to be this; we must know who the real enemy is. I wonder if that’s not why Jesus tells us to love our enemies. Because if we love our enemies, we may just discover that they’re not the real enemy after all. And they may discover the same about us. Satan is the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy.

By the way, now that I’ve officially inducted myself into the nerd hall of fame, I will throw caution to the wind and tell you. Captain Kirk eventually figured out what was really going on. (I kept trying to tell him during most of the program) And once they made peace with the Klingons, the alien creature had nothing left to feed on, and had to go. James put it a slightly different way. He said, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Jas. 4:7)

The Dangerous Prayer (featured article on ministryLive.org)

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.” Hebrews 13:15

“I haven’t been able to worship for a year and a half.” A gentleman at my church had pulled me aside to express his displeasure at the music style in our services. My astonishment at his confession was hard to conceal. Without meaning to, my brother had revealed more about himself and his understanding of worship than he had intended.

This gentleman shared a perspective held by many in the church today. “If the song is right, and the key is right, and the volume is right, and the instrumentation is right, and the right person is leading… Then I’ll worship.” For those with an “I’ll worship if…” or “I’ll worship then…” attitude, the decision to worship is based on specific criteria. This worship is conditional.

Contrast this with the Psalmist. “I will bless the Lord at ALL times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Ps. 34:1) No ideal circumstances or preconditions here. Instead it appears that the psalmist’s worship is less about his own comfort and more about God’s greatness. It extends far beyond an event on Sunday morning. For the Psalmist, worship is a lifestyle. It’s volitional, sacrificial, costly…and precious in the Lord’s sight.

I learned years ago that praying some prayers is a dangerous undertaking. For instance, “Not my will but Thine be done.”(Lk. 22:42) A dangerous prayer? You bet. And “That I might know You in the power of Your resurrection and in the fellowship of Your suffering.” (Ph. 3:10) Another dangerous prayer. But in my experience one of the most dangerous prayers to pray is, “Lord, make me the worshiper you created me to be.”

Make me a worshiper? What’s so dangerous about that? Let me ask you a question. If you were to search God’s Word to locate the greatest, most passionate worshipers, where would you find them? That’s right. In the dungeon…in the wilderness…in prison…in the desert. And their circumstances aren’t much better; forsaken…destitute…bound… persecuted…sick. You even know their names; Joseph, Paul, Job, David, Jeremiah, Elijah, Jesus…

So why do we so often find God’s great heroes of worship in such dire circumstances? Because, like most aspects of spiritual growth, worship muscle is not developed on the mountain top, when things are comfortable and life is easy. Rather, mature Biblical worship has definite “in spite of” and “even though” elements to it.

So if we pray, “Lord make me the worshiper You’ve created me to be,” chances are we’ve got quite an adventure ahead. Attending God’s School of Biblical Worship is not for the faint of heart. More often true worship is refined in the fiery furnace, tested in the lion’s den, and birthed in the belly of the whale.

In his book The Screwtape Letters, author C.S. Lewis weaves a tale of two demons. Screwtape, the senior demon is counseling Wormwood, his apprentice in training, as he attempts to cause a Christian to stumble.

“Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending to do our Enemy’s will, looks around upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he’s been forsaken, and still obeys.”

When it comes to praying this dangerous prayer, I have learned that…

When I’m alone in my prayer closet, and life has beaten me down, and there’s no music, and friends have abandoned me, and cares and trials are pressing in, and I’m fighting discouragement, and it feels like even God has forsaken me, but I choose in that moment to worship anyway, that’s when I grow as a worshiper.

Habakkuk put it this way…

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakkuk 3:17-18

In closing, I’m reminded of my brother’s comment, and I have to say this (and I’m speaking to myself here as well). If we as Christians are so spiritually flabby or self-indulgent that we can’t worship, or worse refuse to worship unless the song is right, and the key is right, and the volume is right, and the instrumentation is right, and the right person is singing it….Well, is that even true worship?

“Lord, make me the worshiper You’ve created me to be.” It’s a dangerous prayer. But it’s one we should pray. And it’s a prayer He will answer.

Worship Gems

One of the passions of my life and ministry has been to gain a deeper understanding of the subject of worship and what it means to lead God's people in worship. The following are some simple but foundational concepts I've been meditating on in recent years..

Worship in its essence is not music or programming, but is characterized by an encounter and response of the human heart to the person and presence of the Living God.

Worship by definition is participatory, expressive and passionate. (Mt. 22:37, Ps. 42:1-2) Jesus challenged us to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mt. 22:37). Paul challenged us to present our bodies as living sacrifices to the Lord, which is our spiritual service of worship. (Rom. 12:1)

Biblical worship centers around our response to two fundamental questions: “Who is like unto our God?” (Ps. 113:5) This question focuses on who God is regarding His attributes and character. And “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” (Ps. 8:4) This question focuses on what God has done in terms of His mighty works and redemptive acts. The "language of worship," as reflected largely in the Psalms, is a response to these two questions.

I believe a Biblical view of congregational worship recognizes God as the audience, the musicians and singers as prompters and the congregation as the actors, if you will. The goal for each worship service is to facilitate for our people a throne-room encounter with the Living God, utilizing music and the arts to encourage times of corporate and individual communion with Him. I believe the role of a worship pastor is to encourage and facilitate in a congregation the passionate pursuit of authentic Biblical worship.

I deeply desire to personally do all I can to insure that, this side of heaven, God receives the maximum amount of praise possible. I also want to do my part to encourage and challenge believers toward becoming the mature worshipers God has created and called them to be. I continually remind my fellow musicians that our goal is not to create a "worship ministry" so much as it is to build a "ministry of worshipers."

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about cleaning the inside of the cup. It’s not enough to have excellent music and presentation. Whenever we lead in worship we are asking the Lord (and the people) to drink from our cup. If we are not seeking to walk in holiness and purity, then at some level, the taste of our ministry is affected. Therefore the discipline of regularly "cleaning the inside of the cup" is vital for worship leading musicians.