Thoughts on Leading Worship

I wrote up a very quick and very rough draft of a document on leading worship to share with a worship leader who will be leading in my absence in a few weeks. What do you think of the following excerpt?

The role of worship leader at Redeemer is extremely important. His task can be summarized as aiding the Holy Spirit in putting Jesus on display in the thoughts and affections of His people. The fact that God would even allow men to be used in this way should deeply humble and amaze his soul. This is done by example (both in how worship leadership is executed and in his life outside of worship), and by spoken word through exhortations and prayers. He should strive to maintain an atmosphere of comfort and security during the worship service and should strive to avoid at all costs the awkward feeling of not knowing what is coming next or being unsure of what to do or say next. This awkwardness tends to pull our attention away from the Savior and onto people.


How the worship leader aids the Spirit
  First, the worship leader aids the Spirit by example

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Christian Radio Jewel

I heard a quote from a Christian radio announcer this morning (one of those positive, uplifting music stations…) that I just had to share. After a song came on about God being there for us during the storms of our lives, she said something like (I'm horrible at remembering conversations, but hopefully this is close) "isn't it great that we can listen to songs like this that really lift us up when we are in the midst of life's storms. It's not about us, it's about these songwriters. They have truly been anointed by God…"

As a songwriter, I was horrified by this remark. Being comforted by God's faithfulness and loving care for us is not about anyone, especially the songwriters (who are particularly prone to taking pride in their craft, I know from experience!). It's not about us, it's about God.

Re: Grace Gathering, 5/21/06 (David)

Kevin,

Thanks for posting your service orders. I hope that it will help readers think critically about how they plan their own services. One way in which we differ in our planning is how you structure your service into groups or functions. For example, you give each song or group of songs a section heading like "Songs of Meditation." While I might have the function of songs in mind when I plan, I like to leave this out b/c service items can fulfill multiple functions, which can change based on how the Spirit is moving on our hearts and minds as the service goes along. Another reason I don't add functions to items is that my people don't have a service order. We use the overhead projector and most people seem to feel comfortable just following along. We do make a music/lyric booklet available for those that want it, so those that need that sense of security that comes from knowing what's next can satisfy their desire.

The opening song is a great choice. It presents God's character and asks for help worshipping Him. I often use a great hymn that describes God...

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Teaching Doctrine Through Song: David

Thanks for reminding us of the importance of what our songs are teaching. It's often said that songs can be more effective vehicles for truth-delivery than sermons! (We must not despise the fact that God has ordained preaching, not singing, as the means by which people are saved - see Romans 10) Your post reminded me of a chapter in a John Witvliet book called Worship Seeking Understanding titled "Soul Food for the People of God." In it, Witvliet compares the choice of songs for a congregation to our diets. Like the maxim "we are what we eat" he says "we are what we sing." Going even further, he says "What more soul-shaping force can we imagine than the songs we sing?"

He gives us seven dimensions of this metaphor:

Congregational song is a means of spiritual nourishment.

A great couple of quotes from this heading are "Consider the prominent spiritual disease of sentimentality: religious experience as candy-coated happiness and bliss. If we feed our souls a steady diet of musical candy, we will have little spiritual protein to sustain us." and "[Music] is more than a shell for the text. The music we sing...

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Re: Key Worship Convictions of Grace Church (David)

Kevin,

Thanks for thinking so deeply about your church's approach to worship and identifying key goals. For many of these I can simply say "amen," and for the others I'll try to add something meaningful below.

Theological Richness: Songs should not only be doctrinally true, but theologically rich. Preference will be shown to modern hymns, and shallow, repetitive songs will be avoided.

I wouldn't write off shallow, repetitive songs completely. I occasionally use very simple songs (but don't repeat them too many times) particularly for those who can't fully grasp the complex theological ideas in the larger songs, like children or mentally slow adults.

Historical Connection: The great hymns of the faith should be sung, either with their original tunes or with modern revisions of them, allowing today’s worshippers to be connected to their brothers and sisters of the past and their depth of expression.

I completely agree that we need to connect our people to the past and give them a sense of the history of worship songs, particularly for congregations that haven't grown up with a hymn background. And I think it's important that they learn the original tunes to some of the best hymns.

Indigenous Style: The “feel” of worship...

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Merciful to Me

Luke 18 records the Lord Jesus teaching on the nature of justification by telling the story of the Pharisee and Tax Collector. Pharisees were the respected religious leaders of Jesus' time. They lived outwardly moral and pious lives that many of us wouldn't come close to matching. In fact, Jesus never condemned the righteousness of the Pharisees, he even told his disciples that "unless [their] righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, [they] would not enter heaven." (Matt 5:20) The problem with the Pharisees was their motive for obedience. In Luke 18 Jesus explained how the Pharisee exalted himself by focusing on his moral life. In start contrast, however, Jesus praises the tax collector (a social outcast because of moral failures, perhaps think of a prostitute today) because instead of focusing on his works, he focuses on God's mercy as he begs "God, be merciful to me." This is the biblical "sinner's prayer" and it expresses the terms that God requires people to come to him on in order to be saved. We must acknowledge that nothing we have or do can ever allow us to stand before a holy God. Only God's mercy can save us from God's justice, and these two intersect only at the cross.

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Call Me Away

All believers should be able to identify with the heart cry of this song. Have you ever felt like your mind was spinning amidst a thousand thoughts? When you retire to your prayer closet do you find it hard to suppress the onslaught of worries that constantly barrage your mind? The long list of to dos and responsibilities you have each day? Take heart believer, that the Lord is able to conquer even your craziness and replace it with a peace that surpasses comprehension (Philippians 4:7) . God has the power to draw us away from ourselves to Himself with one sovereign word. That is the essence of true worship - turning away from our preoccupation with self.

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Fill My Heart

This great Trinitarian hymn comes from Gadsby's hymnal and does not have an author listed. It could be from the compiler of the second supplement, J C Philpot. As we sing this song we address each member of the Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, addressing each one with praises and petitions appropriate to His function and role within the trinity. We declare that the Father reigns over all things in majesty from His heavenly throne room, ask the Son to shed His Word in our hearts and in the world, and show us His loving, sympathetic heart. We ask the spirit to work out our faith and fill us with peace - not just any peace, gospel peace.

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The Lord Will Appear

There is a great need for modern worship songs about Jesus' second coming. Most older hymnals have a section about the second coming but hymns there usually focus on the judgment Jesus will render there. But for those who belong to Christ, this coming will be a truly joyful time. Believer, Jesus is certainly coming back for you. Let that truth settle deep in your soul and move you to worship Him with your voice and your life. When you are tempted to despair, remember 1 Peter 4:12-13: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation."

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To Him Belong

This powerful hymn from Isaac Watts ascribes wisdom, power, and majesty through song to the Lord our God. It looks ahead to the eternity in heaven that we will spend extolling and enjoying God in worship. In verse one we are exhorted to bring our humble praise before our King. Verse two declares that because of His love, God is preserving and will preserve us safely until we reach our final home. Then in verses three and four we look forward to the time when we will meet saints and angels around Jesus' throne and praise Him with everlasting songs. Perhaps Watts was thinking of Revelation 5:11-13: "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.' And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.'"

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