Authentic Worship Leaders

Notice it is plural.  There are several worship leaders in any given worship experience.  There is the Pastor/Minister, the Music Worship Leader, sometimes an Associate Worship Leader, Band, Orchestra, Worship leading Choir, Worship Team, etc., etc.  But for whoever is in a leading position in corporate worship, authenticity is of the utmost importance.  Authentic worship leaders do not lead worship for the praise of men; they lead because they seek the favor and presence of God Almighty.  

We live in a world where, unfortunately, worship leaders are judged by their looks, style of leading, use guitar or keyboard, cool hair, or skinny jeans.  Worship leaders should embrace who they are in Christ and seek to lead people to His throne to experience Him in all His fullness.  Are you interested in a certain kind of worship leader or group of leaders as opposed to those who can lead people into the very presence of God?  Unfortunately we are in a day where we want to follow a certain kind of leader - admiring the way they dress, sound, or look rather than focusing on Jesus.

Leaders of worship, whether we are individual leaders, band, orchestra or worship leading choir,  need to be servants both behind the scenes and out front.  Leaders need to be humble about their own struggles and yet confident in their abilities, trusting God for the outcome, and being comfortable with the chinks in their armor.  In order to lead we must remember:  we follow a humble King!  mjm

Wonders Resulting in Worship

A trip to the zoo with my wife's 90 year-old father and four of our grandchildren reminded me of Psalms 8 and 9.  Psalm 9 is a triumphal victory march by David where, rather than boasting, he breaks forth into praise celebrating both the actions of the Lord and His Person.  I was reminded of this first verse, "I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.  I will be glad and rejoice in you.  I will sing praise to your name. . . "  As we walked thru the zoo yesterday looking at all the wildlife, I was reminded through the awe of grandchildren and the knowledge of my father-in-law who has a master's degree in animal husbandry, just how intricate, amazing, creative (with an incredible imagination) our God is.  His creation of all of these wonderful birds, animals, sea life, etc., just shows the awe and wonder of the Father.

Then in Psalm 8 we are reminded that man is even more special in God's creative plan.  He has revealed beauty and awe in the creatures of the earth, but has chosen to reveal and reflect God's glory through His crowning creation:  man.  Even though we can feel dwarfed by the vastness of His creation, He chose us to be made in His image.  We are a reflection of His image and His glory.  We have meaning, purpose, and significance in Him.  My 90 year-old father-in-law's testimony over and over to us is how he can look back over his long life and see how God's hand directed him time after time.  And then I look at my four grandchildren and know that God has the same kind of plan and direction for their lives - as they are significant in His kingdom.  God's Word assures us of this.  

When we step back and see these things, awe and wonder should result in continual worship of our Father in heaven who is worthy of our worship.  mjm

Jesus on How Humans Worship

Jesus gave insight into the full human experience in worship of God when He was asked about the greatest commandment.  In showing us how man is to worship with the whole person He gives us the following parts of the human make-up:

He uses the Biblical term "heart" to describe the human trait of volition, with our response being - "what we choose"; our will, if you please.

Then He uses the word "soul" to describe the human trait of emotion, with our human response being - "what we feel".

The word "mind" is next in His discussion, having to do with the intellect, with our response being - "what we think".

Lastly, the term "strength" is used, having to do with the physical; therefore, what we actually do.

Jesus uses these terms to assist us in embracing the full range of human experience in worship.  His invitation is for us to worship God encompassing all that it means to be a human being.  Nothing is left out.  It is "all that we are" to His glory in worship.  mjm

Passionate Worship and Living

The Jewish culture had their own idea of the Messiah to come, and it turned out they thought Jesus was a radical. Jesus spoke of the kingdom in much different terms than they expected.  

Jesus spoke of a kingdom where God ruled as king.  Jesus broke into history at a real point in time, died on a real cross and left behind a real, empty tomb.  This was God's plan for bringing His kingdom to earth.  The cross and resurrection changed history; now we are pointed toward heaven, our home.

But then the radical idea that we can live in this kingdom right now was Jesus' teaching.  Not some far-off, distant, future realm.  Not a state of mind or a dream.  We are in it!  God's kingdom is a real place where we walk, work, worship and have relationships.  Another amazing thing is the King wants to live with us and in us.  Living in the kingdom with the King is discipleship and worship.  We have no higher calling.

The very essence of being a worshipper and disciple is spending time with the Master Himself.  It is not about rules and regulations but an intimate, passionate relationship with Him.  He wants our whole heart.  It is not a part-time occupation. It requires full, radical commitment.  It requires fighting against what may be popular.  Jesus will not be short changed - He wants all that we have to offer.  

That means both commitment and passion.  Are you that kind of worshipper and disciple? mjm

Hymns and Worship

I approach this subject subjectively for sure.  I grew up with hymns and the hymnal meaning much to my own growth in the Lord.  I love hymns.  I love playing hymns and singing hymns.  

A few weeks ago during our worship I repeated a statement I had heard . . . "We don't sing hymns because they are old; we sing hymns because they are great."  There are many reasons for that statement.  Hymns have great theological teaching and instruction for the body.  Hymns reflect centuries of the church responding to God in worship, which again is inspirational and instructional.  For the church there have always been hymns that create a congregational unity in purpose and worship.  

As a former music missionary, I know the importance of studying and knowing the people and culture among which you are ministering.  That is no different here in the states.  Every church is somewhat of a subculture.  We worked very hard on the mission field to encourage our brothers and sisters to create hymns and songs in their indigenous language and musical language.  And, they did.  However, they still would use, along with "their" music, great hymns of the faith that had been translated into their language.  

I think the importance of hymns has even shown up in the "contemporary" worship scene, in that many hymns are being re-set or "con-temporized musically" for use in stylistically more modern church settings.  Many still recognize the importance of the hymns.  

We are currently in a church that is very multi-generational.  There are some families with as many as four or five generations represented.  We work to stay on the cutting edge of good and worthy modern music, but have always kept the hymns in our worship along with other new resources available.  It takes careful attention both musically and in the worship flow to create an environment where all can worship.  We are living in a time where The Hymnal goes from Gutenberg to Google.  

There are sometimes gaps in what is offered in modern songs compared to the classic hymns.  We need to "mind the gaps" as one modern worship leader has suggested.  We need to acknowledge that a huge investment of time and talent and resources has been left to us by Godly predecessors.  We should profit from and embrace what they learned in their journey of faith as they walked this troubled world.  Again, "We don't sing hymns because they are old; we sing hymns because they are great" . . . and have much to offer our pilgrimage in the Lord.  mjm

Set free for Worship

It is kind of interesting to hear people talk about how we need to be set free in our worship.  Now, usually they are talking about being set free in our expressions of worship.  However, to be truly set free in worship, Jesus has to be central to our worship because He is the truth, . . . and the truth will set you free.

Inadequate and inaccurate information about God will hinder authentic worship.  God not only calls us to love Him, but to "love the truth about Him" (2 Thessalonians 2:10).  It is the desire of our Lord that all "come to the knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:4).  He also reveals His anger against those who "suppress the truth" (Romans 1:18).  In John 16:13 and 17:17 Jesus says He would send "the Spirit of Truth" for the sole purpose of God sanctifying His disciples "in truth" which He declares is God's Word.  

The more on target our knowledge of God through His Word, the more genuine our worship.  The truth is, the moment we veer from what is true about God we begin engaging in idolatry.  No matter what we think or feel, there can be no true worship of God without a correct understanding of God.

Worship leaders, worship choirs, worship and praise teams who don't "dwell in the Word" cannot be effective in leading worship.  

Not only do we need to study the Word but we also need to study Theology and Doctrine.  Unfortunately we have allowed those words to become unpopular among believers.  Very simply, Theology is the "study of God" and Doctrine means "what is taught". Being a good theologian is making sure all we say and think about God is true to Scripture.  Doctrine is everything that Scripture teaches on a particular subject.  Paul instructed Titus that a church leader "must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and be able to rebuke those who contradict it" (Titus1:9).  

There are no shortcuts.  We as worship leaders must read and study faithfully as long as we live.  Mind and heart in worship go together.  Passionate desire for God flows from and brings on the faithful, thoughtful study of God - His nature, His character, and His works.  And that will always lead to worship.  mjm

Worship and the Word??

There are churches who advertise, "Come join us for worship and the Word", or people who invite others  to worship saying the same thing.  It is a misunderstanding of worship to state it as separate things.  

Some think that worship is when we sing and experience God's nearness or presence, express our adoration and love, and allow His Spirit to move in our midst.  (right-brain)  On the other hand, hearing God's Word is food for the mind. (left brain)  Its purpose is to stimulate our intellect - designed to make us think rather than feel.

There are some believers who have separated worship and the Word so much that they will attend only the part of the service that is important to them.  Or some have gone so far as to attend one church for the "worship" portion of the service and another church for the teaching. This is not a Biblical understanding of worship.  Singing and preaching are not in opposition one to the other.  Both are intended to exalt the glory of the Lord in our hearts, our minds, and our wills.  The whole gathering is worship; all of it.  

Our church can not be Spirit-led apart from being Word-fed.  The moving of the Spirit of the Lord and the Word of God go together.  God's Spirit inspired the Word and illuminates the Word (2 Tim. 3:16).   Worship should be Word-centered.  All through Scripture the people of God gather to worship, with God's Word and Will seeking the obedience of His people.  True worship is always our response to God's revelation of Himself through His Word.  He has to speak to us before we have the liberty to speak to Him.   He must reveal Himself to us before we can offer Him who and what we are in worship.  

In our worship we need to treasure God's Word, preach and teach God's Word, sing God's Word, pray God's Word, and obey God's Word.  All of it integrated together is our act of worship.  mjm

Putting Him First . . . Worship

In Joel 2:12 the Lord says, "Turn to Me with all your heart." Other translations say return to me while there is time.  Later in this passage comes the gathering of the congregation assembling for worship.  Putting God in His rightful place has everything to do with worship.  We know that we are "prone to wander from the God we love" and on a regular basis need to return to Him if we are to put Him in His rightful place both as individuals, as the church, and yes, even as a nation.  Our forefathers knew this and expressed it on a regular basis. 

Early in Chapter 3 of Lamentations we are reminded of the faithfulness of our God.  Our response to that revealing of Himself is seen in verses 40, 41, and 42 where we are challenged again to examine our ways and return to the Lord!  Again, then comes the worship - " . . . lifting our hearts and hands in confession" and seeing what happens when we don't put Him first.  Worship is putting Him in His rightful place.  It is so in our own hearts and lives.  It is so in the life of His church.  And, it is so in the life of a nation. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."

As we have celebrated our Declaration of Independence this week, let us make a declaration of our dependence upon the One who is to be honored with first place - because of His work in our lives and in our land.  Our supreme trust is not in man, not in government, but rather in our God.  In God and God only do we trust!  May our prayer for America be that we return as a people to putting Him first!  mjm

Musical Instruments in God's Plan

I was reading yesterday in 2 Kings 3 and took notice that Elisha said, " . . . bring me a musician.  And, when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him."  Throughout scripture we see God using instruments in different circumstances to accomplish His purposes.  

In 1 Samuel 10 we see the Prophets coming down with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them prophesying.  Then it talks about how the Spirit of the Lord would come mightily. 

I Samuel 16 speaks of finding a good musician to play the harp whenever a tormenting spirit troubles  one, making one well again.

In I Chronicles 13 folks are found celebrating before God, singing and playing all kinds of instruments.  In I Chronicles 25 we find men making music in the house of the Lord responsible for serving, including the playing of instruments.  

The Lord instructs the using of instruments in dedication of the new wall in Jerusalem with thanksgiving.  Of course throughout the Psalms we see instruments being used in praise and thanksgiving.  We also can see in Daniel 3 and Amos 3 how instruments can be miss-used.  

It is also with interest that we note the use of instruments at the throne in heaven, shown to us in the Revelation.  

Reading in 2 Kings 3 made me start thinking about how many times I have sat at the piano from childhood through adulthood, playing.  And in the midst of the playing I sometimes worshipped, praised, celebrated and even had my troubled spirit made better in the power of  the Lord.  God obviously has always had a plan to use instruments to bring the power of the Lord into our lives.  mjm