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
another great article from Branon Dempsey
It never ceases to amaze me of how simple really is simple. Countless times i am asked “how do I encourage my congregation to sing?” Often I wonder the same myself. Then i have to default back to the Less is More Concept. Lemme tell you, it saves us every time. ‘
Just when we think leading is easy, we often complicate it. Most people think if you have a 20+ team on stage, the congregation will sing more. If that’s true, why is it that U2 can pack a 60,000 stadium in Japan and all the concert goers sing in English??
We must never mistake what we do either musically or lyrically – keep it simple! This concept not only frees up the congregation to join in, but it also inspires and lifts the worship team above the pressure. So what is an ideal sized-team for your church? Only you can answer that question. However, it’s not about what or who you have, but how you use it. You will be amazed; you can put together the same group of 20 people, yet arrange them in such a way that you can simplify all the musical lines like an orchestra. But I still go for a smaller team, at least that’s what works for our local church.
Try re-arranging what you do by creating teams, turning the music around on it’s head and changing up the instrumentation. Not everyone has to play all the time, every time. When they do, people stop singing because they are enjoying the concert.
Who’s our focus? God. How do we engage others through the music to worship God? Keep it simple.
What are some experiences/stories that have worked for you in encouraging your congregation to sing and direct their worship vertically?
Whatever Happened To Worship is a short booklet based on a number of sermons given by A. W. Tozer in 1962, shortly before his death.
The preface explains
Prior to his death in 1963, he expressed the opinion that “worship acceptable to God is the missing crown jewel in evangelical Christianity”. He desired to write one more book – a book concerning attitudes in Christian worship.
A compelling read indeed. From the first chapter ‘Worship in the Christian Church’:
I wish that we might get back to worship again. Then when people come into the church they will instantly sense that they come among holy people, God’s people. They can testify, ‘Of a truth God is in this place’.
From the chapter ‘Awed by the Presence of God’:
When Isaiah cried out, ‘I am undone!’, it was a cry of pain.
It was the revealing cry of conscious uncleanness. He was experiencing the undoneness of the creature set against the holiness of the Creator.
What should happen in genuine conversion? What should a man or woman feel in the transaction of a new birth?
There ought to be that real and genuine cry of pain. That is why I do not like the kind of evangelism that tries to invite people into the fellowship of God by signing a card.
There should be a birth from above and within. There should be the terror of seeing ourselves in violent contrast to the holy, holy, holy God. Unless we come into this place of conviction and pain, I’m not sure how deep and real our repentance will be.
From the chapter ‘Genuine Worship involves Feeling’:
The proud and lofty man or woman cannot worship God any more acceptably than the proud devil himself. There must be humility in the heart of the person who would worship God in spirit and in truth.
From the chapter ‘The Normal Christian Worships God’:
If you do not know Him and worship Him, if you do not long to reside where He is, if you have never known wonder and ecstasy in your soul because of His crucifixion and resurrection, your claim of Christianity is unfounded. It cannot be related to the true Christian life and experience at all.
And from the last chapter, ‘If you worship on Sunday…’
If you cannot worship the Lord in the midst of your responsibilities on Monday, it is not very likely that you were worshiping on Sunday!
Part 1 of this session will cover basic warm up techniques. These are essential before stepping into a rehearsal or on stage. Click the link below to listen or download the session.
Another Christmas song to enjoy!! Feel free to download and share with others! (to download just click the arrow on the right side of the player)
Filed under Music
I was really feeling in the Christmas spirit today so here’s a track I recorded last year! Download or listen and Enjoy!
Filed under Music
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.
