I wonder if there was someone who was raised in the church, came every time the doors were opened, who just seriously threw a fit over that modern piece of machinery being installed in her church. “Only pagans use that! It’s a distraction, I just can’t worship.” she would argue.

There once was a time when the hymnal was introduced to the church pew.

I wonder if there was someone who was raised in the church, came every time the doors were opened, who just seriously threw a fit over the fact that, “It shows a lack of discipline if people can’t memorize songs. Plus, we have enough songs already why do people need to keep writing new ones? It’s a distraction, I just can’t worship with people reading books the whole time.”

Once upon a time praise choruses moved from fireside youth retreats to Sunday mornings and were first projected using overhead projectors and then video projectors.

I wonder if there was someone who was raised in the church, who came every time the doors were opened, who just seriously threw a fit over the fact that, “You mean the screen is going to cover up the stained glass window! My grandfather paid for that stained glass window! It’s a distraction, I just can’t worship knowing how much sacrifice went into that window and you’re going to cover it up with a screen.”

So, I walk into a local place of business of people who attend church, who confess to be in one every time the doors are opened, who asked what I thought of the band last weekend. I said, “I thought they were great. ” She said, “Why did that guy in the back have a hat on? It wasn’t respectful. It was a distraction.”

Whenever tradition or cultural norms dictate our ability to focus on what Jesus did for us and does to us we’ll never be able to profess that our church is full of people like this…

While the Harpist was Playing

“While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha.”

Have you ever noticed this prophetic idiosyncrasy? The Message version of II Kings 3:15 says: “When a minstrel played, the power of God came on Elisha.” Is that a random connection? I think not. There are other instances in the Old Testament where music dramatically changes the emotional and spiritual climate. For that matter, it was the worship leaders who led Israel into war on occasion. Check out II Chronicles 20:21.

What am I getting at? As leaders we need to be intentional about creating atmospheres where people can hear God’s voice. And musical worship is one of them. I had this revelation during worship a few weeks ago. Some things cannot be learned from a sermon. They can only be experienced in worship.

I’m not suggesting that you rent a harpist. But you better figure out how to hear His voice more clearly. Just as athletes have pre-game rituals that help them get in the right frame of mind for a game. I think we need spiritual rituals that help us get in the right frame of spirit. That is what musical worship does. It tunes us to God.

Whenever I open a service I try to put a frame around the experience. Here’s how I did it this week. I simply reminded our congregation that we often feel unworthy to worship God but God is always worthy to be worshiped. We worship in that tension. And we have a saying around NCC: don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God. Why? Because He’s worthy!

http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/something_more/

Carlos Whitaker posted this question and media on his blog today.  I think it is worth discussing. What can we learn about how to spread the Imperishable Seed that has been given to us in a viral way? What can we do to help everyone participate in the worship of God during our times of gathering?

The video is super cool.

Later,

Robert

I left that Saturday evening unispired. The music and transitions were tight, but people just watched…and there was little awe expressed at the mystery of why God would love us so much.

Ever since that time I have struggled with the question of who should be on stage. Who should we allow permission to be perceived as a leader of worship? It is boiled down in this question, “If Johnny, the drummer, doesn’t know Christ, but he’s the only drummer available do you let him help lead worship?”

Now before we go much further let me say that we will always have posers, and depending upon where people are in their personal walk with Christ there will always be the possibility of “phoning it in,” or losing perspective on why they are actually up there. And I don’t mean to pick on drummers. It’s just a hypothetical and drummer is always where I land with this hypothetical. I don’t think that they are any less important. However, they are most likely not a Phil Collins either.

So, why is all of this coming up on this Friday. Today, I land at Ezekiel 44. Ezekiel has been given details of the Temple and the Altar and now it turns to the instructions for the Levites and Priests. Through Ezekiel God slams them for allowing “foreigners” to take charge of the sanctuary.  It is clear from the context that there was something sacred about the things the Priests and Levites did. There was something that only people who’s hearts were prepared for the work, and who had disciplined their bodies for the work (cricumcision) should be doing.

Now, times have changed. We no longer live under the law. We, now, are Temples and do not worship in the Temple. Non-Jews, regardless of our circumcision, have been grafted into the Vine. When I order Pad Woon Sin at the local Thai restaurant I can order pork as the meat of choice. Jesus has made a way for those who were unclean before to become clean for all times.

However, there is still something sacred about what we do with worship within the context of “the gathering.” I will Ignore, for a moment, that we now lead a life of worship and that everything we do is an act of worship. For people outside of the Body of Christ there is no such thing. They really have no ability to truly worship, because we now worship in Spirit and in Truth, and those outside of Christ have neither accepted the Truth or the Spirit and so how, therefore, can they worship?

Tight transitions, and awesome performances will bring people in for a little while, but when they perceive that there really is nothing more to what they are experiencing than the typical show it will wear thin. Bands will “Go Big” and people will eventually stay home.

Ezekiel 44 somehow reinforces for me that it is important that the people who may be perceived as worship leaders, like Johnny the drummer, should have experienced the life altering transformation that comes from a life sacrificed to Jesus. Because when the Spirit speaks, and plans need to be changed Johnny needs to hear and be able to obey. Only God knows who walks in our doors on the weekends, and there may be one song, one word that needs to be said, that will present an opportunity for that person to be changed.

When we started a contemporary service in that UM church, so long ago, we brought in a band who played at the Campus Crusade events on UK’s campus. Everyone was nervous about the perception of the people who attended. Lots of silver haired folks with lots of money and influence were in that church. In order to expose everyone to what we were going to do both worship services were contemporary. The only thing that we could ultimately control was whether our hearts were ready to worship. That was my charge to them. “Don’t worry about the crowd. If we worship, then God will take care of the rest.”

I wonder what I would have said if Johnny didn’t know what in the heck I was talking about? I wonder if it would have mattered?

I think even today, Ezekiel would say that it matters. What say you?

Getting Out Of The Box, On the Edge, and Going Big

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I am spending the latter half of this week with the team from LifeChurch.tv.
Conversating, leading worship, and wide assortment of other flavorful things.
2 things I did tonight were stare in awe as megastorm came rolling in and discuss worship with my wonderful hosts Chris and Cindy Beall.
We got deep.
It was good.
Now Im sitting bed chewing on our conversation of worship leading while hiding under my covers every time another round of lightening hits.
Seriously. This whole freaking house is shaking.
Our conversation consisted of lots of talk about worship leaders vs. cover band singers.
They are different you know.
One is not better than the other.
But they serve different purposes.
So I think I have come up with a list of questions that can help you figure out what you have at your church or what your church culture is raising up.

Have you ever heard them talk about Jesus offstage? Like ever?
Do they smile bigger during the opening cover song than they do during the worship set?
Have you ever seen them live like Jesus offstage? Like ever?
Does anybody willingly follow them during the week?
Who would be more impressed at the end of a worship service? Simon Cowell or Jesus Christ?

Just a few questions to get you headed in the right direction or turn around a ship that is headed in the wrong one.
Now go be Jesus and show how He has changed your life offstage.
Then maybe they’ll believe you when you sing about Him on stage.
Los