Tag Archive - Worship Leading

Why I Do What I Do

June 22, 2011 in Worship Leading with 5 Comments

There’s an amazing quote that has been floating around the Internet over the past few days. In case you haven’t seen it, here it is:

Why I Do What I Do: A Quote From John Wimber

“The difficulty will not be so much in the writing of new and great music; the test will be the godliness of those that perform and deliver it. In that sense some of our worship community is not well prepared. Many have been allowed into worship leading because there is a need for their worship and musical skills.

But little has been said to them about the need for godliness, spirituality and depth of maturity in their individual and family lives. Quite frankly, many of our musicians are just not steeped in a daily spirituality.”

- John Wimber

Whether you agree or disagree with the theology and philosophy of John Wimber and the Vineyard Movement, the significance of these words cannot be denied. Continue Reading…

Worth Reading II

June 2, 2011 in Random with 0 Comments

Some more stuff that’s resonating with me and is worth reading…

What have you been reading that’s worth sharing?

Intentional Devotion, Intentional Ministry

May 24, 2011 in Ponderings, Worship Leading with 1 Comment

Take a look at this short story about two brothers who make chocolate in small batches. Not something that is done very much.

[youtube width="560" height="349"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DspDrgLcwds[/youtube]

I was struck by their devotion to and love for what they do. It was obvious they are passionate and committed to their work. I was impressed by their acknowledgement that it wasn’t always easy and that they didn’t always get along, but they worked it through each time.

I was also challenged. If they are wiling to put that much effort into making chocolate that will be consumed and then gone, why do we often give our “left overs” or average effort to the amazing spiritual things God allows us to be a part of? Think about the ministry you may are involved with, whether it’s preaching, teaching, worship leading, planning, serving, mentoring, discipling, praying, whatever. Do you give a strong level of devotion and commitment to it every time? Do you give your best in time, effort, and energy? Not because you have to, but because you want to? Or are we okay with “good enough” because it’s good enough?

I know there’s been times when I’ve given what could be called “routine” effort to worship planning and leading. Not because I don’t care, but because I’ve done it so much and, when life gets busy and stressful, it’s easy to go with what we know instead of engaging and creating fresh expressions of worship. Yet, each morning God grants new compassions and mercy to us. It’s never routine.

Seeing these guys’ commitment to their chocolate making reminds me of how every time I have the opportunity to lead people in worship, I have a great opportunity to engage, lead, and reflect the truth of God. It should never be routine or good enough. My commitment should be even greater since God is worth it.

What about you?

What Makes Worship Successful?

June 15, 2009 in Ponderings, Worship Leading with 0 Comments

The folks over at The Work of the People, a website that makes visual media for mission and worship, have a blog. Recently they posted a few thoughts on what makes worship successful.

When we talk about whether or not a worship service is “successful,” are we talking about the time we spent with God our Father, or are we talking about indicators and measurements?

Check it out and leave a comment about what you think.

What are you doing this summer?

June 9, 2009 in Personal with 0 Comments

National Worship Leader ConferenceIt’s the time of year when we ask one another, “What are you doing this summer? Any exciting plans?” Obviously, the core of that question is where and when we’re going on vacation.

We did our family vacation a few weeks ago, so nothing like that planned. But I am excited because I do have an exciting plan. I’ll be attending the National Worship Leader Conference in Kansas July 20-23.

This is a yearly conference put on by the folks that do Worship Leader Magazine. It’s 3 1/2 days of learning, connecting, worshipping, and refreshing. They have a ton of great speakers and great musicians, and it’s a thrill to be able to go and be a part of something like this without being the responsible one.

Last year was my first time going, and it was a great experience. I was able to take three members of my team with me, which I think helped make the experience that much more valuable. We heard some great lessons and experienced some great training. It was also awesome to be a part of corporate worship with so many other worship leaders and to be lead by a bunch of different people.

They also had a really cool walk-through experience of the Old Testament tabernacle that really helped connect Old Testament worship practices and how Jesus both fulfilled them and transformed them into things we do today.

So, I’ll be heading there this summer. The opportunity to attend a conference like this is of huge value both personally and professionally. Doing this allows for refreshing and traning that might not otherwise happen, and for me, allows me to better lead the people I serve.

If you don’t have something on the agenda for this year, I encourage you to check it out. For resources and podcast training and encouragement in the area of worship, you can also check out All About Worship. In fact, they are offering a chance to win a free registration. Pretty cool…

So, what are you doing this summer?

Words We Use When Leading Worship

March 11, 2009 in Worship Leading with 0 Comments

Mike Cosper, who is worship pastor at Sojourn Church in Kentucky, has a great article about the significance (and theological accuracy) of some of the phrases we use when leading people in worship.

I admit I’ve used some of these phrases, and this article was very eye opening. Check it out.