Over 25 years ago, I became convicted that my church choir should be committed to praying specifically for worship as we led worship weekly in our church. I had read a book by Jim Cymbala and the Lord used it to make me realize that we were being faithful to pray for one another as far as the trials of life, but that we were not praying in a very focused way about the worship that we would lead weekly.
I had long said to worship choirs that our personal and private prayer life, our daily quiet time as believers, would affect our worship when we gathered each week. I still believe that is very true, according to God's Word. Enhanced personal worship time of all believers will always enhance the worship of the gatherings of corporate worship.
The need for daily personal worship of worship leaders, and the specific praying for the actual gatherings for worship, led me to begin a group in our church starting with the worship leading choir. I called this group "worshipping prayer warriors". It began with about 70 choir members, growing to over 100 as our membership grew. Then we invited anyone in the congregation to join us in praying in a focused way for our actual gatherings of worship. By the time I retired from full-time worship-leading ministry, we had more than 400 who had signed a commitment to pray weekly in a very specific way for the worship in our church. I actually had visiting worship artists who said to me, "There is something going on in this church that I can't really explain." I would tell them it is because some 400 people have been praying for this time of worship.
Out of this commitment of some 400 people, I began to send out a weekly worship blog as an encouragement in worship, and a reminder to pray for that week's worship.
Three years ago my wife, Fran, and I felt led to join the worship choir ministry of First Baptist Dallas. I had said to choirs for years that they were just as much worship leaders as myself, a minister of music and worship. So, I went from the platform to the choir loft and continued leading worship. God has blessed us amazingly as we participate with over 300 members of this wonderful choir in leading worship every week. That worship not only impacts our congregation, but millions of people that follow our worship on iCampus and Pathway to Victory, featuring the radio/television ministry of our pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress.
So I have sensed the Lord nudging me to again share a weekly personal/worship blog. mjm
