Pastor’s Plea to Worship Leaders
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Thu, June 15, 2006
- Viewed 86
- (18) comments so far
“Praise venting” has always bothered me. When I hear it, I find myself thinking, I’m glad he’s enraptured. What’s my problem? Would I ever have the guts to do that publicly? Why does that always sound fake? What am I supposed to do while he’s doing that? While pondering praise venting, I have been reading several books on worship that have stirred my heart on the issue of congregational worship. Thus, I’d like to scratch out my musings (or ventings) in this plea to worship leaders.
While I am a pastor, I would like to speak as just an average church member to worship leaders. I have been in church for 33 years, and I have sat under the leadership of more than 10 worship leaders in my home church. Besides that, I have visited more than 100 different churches of all denominations and worship styles. If I calculated the total number of songs I have sung under the leadership of different men (and women) in evangelicalism, the total would be more than 20,000. Suffice it to say, I have experience. Not in leading worship, but in being led.
My presupposition is that I believe it is your job to lead the congregation in worship of Almighty God. (This responsibility does not diminish the role of the senior pastor. He is a worship leader as well.) Colossians 3:16 tells the congregation to sing “with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” In Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas, bound in chains, were God-directed in their worship as they “sang praises unto God.” You are facilitator for that noble time when the people of God gather corporately to bear witness to their love for God.
Let me also admit my weakness. I am a weak worshiper. I am easily distracted. To stay focused on God during the musical part of the worship service is mental sweat for me. I want to share with you some things that would help me as you attempt to fulfill your responsibility. You can greatly help me and many who sit in churches each Sunday."
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His advice (you can read in more detail here):
1. Prepare the service
2. Avoid hard songs
3. Bring us to the text
4. Make us think on the lyrics
5. Avoid cheap tricks
6. Don't draw attention unto yourself
7. Minimize distractions
8. Recognize the body
9. Walk with God
There's a lot of good stuff in there to soak up... again, you can read it here; and then feel free to come back here and leave a comment...
Jason Janz is a pastor who has put a lot of thought into his postion on worship… “I was listening to some music from a popular ministry the other day, and the idea for this article came to me. After the completion of one of the songs, the worship leader began what I affectionately term “praise venting.” “Thank you Jesus! Praise you Jesus! Lord, you are wonderful! Majestic!” Forgive me if I don’t have the quotes down correctly, but you get the idea.
Comments
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Juan Montoya on Thu, June 15, 2006
It sounds like he has a very definite idea of how he wants things in his church. And he should have them. But he should not present them as the way things SHOULD be.
I agree with his main points, but disagree almost completely with his examples.
Our church does worship in a VERY different way than he prescribes, but it is a natural outflow of what makes our people unique.
BeHim on Thu, June 15, 2006
Sounds like a mantra when people are “praise venting”. Reminds me of the monks chanting “om” and seems to me a “learned” behaviour rather than one being unique.
I’ve heard it said a worship leader is like the person who starts everyone with “Happy Birthday to you…. “
If the person breaks into a “new” version of Happy Birthday, inevitably, he/she is the only one singing.
Be the rock star at home in front of the mirror; lead us IN worshiping the True and Living God.
Rich on Thu, June 15, 2006
Different strokes for different folks.
Ed Mooneyhan on Thu, June 15, 2006
Let me begin by saying that I don’t believe the poster here is trying to be a critic. I believe he is trying to help.
Definitely a lot to chew on, but it seems to me that there is no suggested alternative.
The article gives food for thought, but again, no details of what a worship leader should do. Maybe the intent is simply to make worship leaders think.
On a more emotional “note,”(pun intended), I think most worship leaders are trying to express worship while leading others. Leading people into the presence of God can be very difficult especially when those whom we lead are like the author of this article.
I’m sorry that there are those who find it difficult to stay focused. Maybe the congregation should share part of the responsibility. The leader leads and the worshiper worships, together if possible.
Just my thoughts.
Ed.
Chris on Thu, June 15, 2006
While I agree with several of his main points, once I read the entire article, I felt like he doesn’t get modern worship. I will resign the day we get a music minister with “musical training coupled with a degree in theology”! I agree with another post that it’s great for his church, but don’t suppose that it’s the way it should be for others.
Mark Triplett on Thu, June 15, 2006
I agree with #1 completely!!
I think it is very selfish to believe that God will not honor and bless our advance preparations. When we have the occasional guest worship leader, I’m always distressed when some of them say, “I‘ll give you the song list just before I start, I want to be open to the Lord’s leading.� A statement like that limits our thinking about what God can do.
I’m on staff as the Director of Video Production at my church. We generally plan our services about 3 weeks in advance; we create a script and usually follow that script very closely.
As a person in production, pre-planning is a way of life. Why should our most important hour in Sunday be just thrown to the wind and hope and pray that God will give us that special insight as we walk to the microphone to lead in worship. What does that say about us? Do we ask that the Lord ignore the 40+ hours spent in the church office talking on the phone, answering e-mail and surfing the Internet instead of planning for Sunday?
The Lord is very capable of giving us the same insight and blessing we need to lead 3 weeks in advance as well as 11:00 a.m. on Sunday.
Now I’m not putting God in a box and saying that once the script is printed, there will be no changes, of course not! We change, add and subtract from our planned service all the time. He is not a last minute God; we shouldn’t be last minute procrastinators.
Remember, God had Noah prepare in advance of the flood and Jesus told us that he was going to prepare a place for us. If the Lord needs advance preparations for eternity, shouldn’t we do the same for our hour on Sunday?
Mark
jhpw on Thu, June 15, 2006
While I don’t agree with all of the points in the article, I did like some of him comments regarding focusing on lyrics. There are old hymns and modern choruses alike that have lyrics that don’t focus your thoughts on God. I was thinking about this last week when our congregation was singing a song with the line ‘Continue to love me, with that same love’. This doesn’t strike me as worship. It seems like about 20 years or so ago, much of contemporary worship was scripture put to music. I wish more of that were done today. You can continue to change musical styles with current culture, but the unchanging truth of God’s Word would always be present. It’s also a great way to memorize scripture.
Todd Rhoades on Thu, June 15, 2006
Good points, everyone… remember you don’t have to agree!
I like pieces like this that give me a different perspective and make me think.
That’s the value I recieve out of reading.
http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/images/smileys/smile.gif
For what it’s worth…
Todd
eric on Thu, June 15, 2006
I find I agree with some things said, but disagree with others.
I have found that many people like the music to be louder so as NOT to hear themselves. This makes it more likely that they will sing. Besides, what is he doing “talking” to someone beside him during the service anyway!
I do, however, feel that the worship leader is leading people corporately, that they should not be the center attraction or distraction, and that we need theologically trained modern worship leaders. Just because we lead with a rock-style band does not mean we can’t have good theology. Preparation is also very important.
Everything that goes on during the Sunday service (music, message, offering, etc) is and should be considered worship.
This has elements of Brian McLaren’s open letter to worship leaders: http://www.emergentvillage.com/downloads/resources/mclaren/postscript.pdf
eric on Thu, June 15, 2006
Sorry wrote url in the previous post: http://www.emergentvillage.com/downloads/resources/mclaren/openlettertosongwriters.pdf
Anthony D. Coppedge on Thu, June 15, 2006
The author wrote:
We should never try to minimize distractions to a fault, however. In order to minimize distractions, our churches have made some terrible compromises. D.A. Carson says,
‘We have become so performance-oriented that it is hard to see how compromised we are. Consider one small example. In many of our churches, prayers in morning services now function, in large measure, as the time to change the set in the sanctuary. The people of the congregation bow their heads and close their eyes, and when they look up a minute later, why, the singers are in place, or the drama group is ready to perform. It is all so smooth. It is also profane…Has the smoothness of the performance become more important than the fear of the Lord?…Have professional competence and smooth showmanship become more valuable than sober reckoning over what it means to focus on Christ crucified?’”
This either/or format that he’s espousing to me is just as limiting as saying that vocalists should always stand to the side. I think, like others have posted, that the author is giving us ideas to ponder, but, in the end, is simply promoting what he prefers.
I have zero problem with a smooth, seamless service where set changes happen during a prayer. Yes, that’s a transition point. How does making it happen when people are praying somehow negate the value of what it does? Would prayer and then a 30 second set change be more distracting? Yes, it would!
The purpose of pre-planning is to go in with a way to seamlessly present the message without distractions. Yes, punting is always an option when God makes a strong move to do something different, but going in on first down with a punt play doesn’t make sense.
My 3 cents (inflated for gas prices!),
- Anthony D. Coppedge
Randy Ehle on Thu, June 15, 2006
Wow! I am surprised at the number of detractors commenting here! (Yet grateful for the grace exhibited in all of those comments.) Maybe it’s because I find myself experiencing some of the same things as Pastor Janz, and therefore having some of the same pleas.
I didn’t find him prescribing a certain worship method; I thought his comments could be applied to any “style” of service…except perhaps the admonition to tone down the instrumentation. I agree with that; it’s hard to worship when I can’t hear myself sing - and I’m singing at the top of my lungs; it’s hard to worship when my ears hurt from the decible level, too. As in all things, balance is needed.
I particularly agree with Ed’s comment: “The leader leads and the worshiper worships, together if possible.” Maybe a follow-up article should be, “A Pastor’s Plea to Worshippers.” Here are some adaptations from Jason’s comments:
1. Prepare your hearts to worship (something my dad drilled into me that I never learned until 10 years after leaving home).
4. Think on the lyrics - even if they’re so familiar you could sing them with your eyes closed. (Huh?!?)
6. Don’t draw attention to yourself.
7. Minimize distractions. (Corollary to #6.) For God’s sake (literally, not profanely), don’t carry on a conversation with your neighbor while everyone else is trying to worship!
8. Recognize that you are part of a body - worship together. (This is hard for me.)
9. Walk with God. (Corollary to #1.)
Pastor Bill on Sat, June 17, 2006
My Dear Brothrs and Sisters in Christ
When I was in the military (22) I had many opportunities to see the great transition of praise and worship and the different styles of the music ministry. Today, I pastor a pioneer work and am an iterant pastor to another local church. What is noted the the nine steps listed above, I have also read on the “Angelfire ree Christian Music Web Site” worship instructions regarding the same type of information listed above. I have personally found that the flock is more ‘into’ ((if you will excuse the expression - - or as we Charismatics say - “in the Spirit”)) and makes the delivery and reception of the Word of God easier and most importantly understandable for all. I personally believe that God never intended for His Worship and His Word (interesting how similiar sounding these two are???) to be complex to His Children (or DULL!!!). After re-reading the books of the LAW and Chronicles and Samuel/Kings, the Lord’s instructions have always been simple. The secular ‘KISS’ expression should be given thought Keeping it (the music or chorus) short and simple will also allow the hidding of the Word in their hearts. For all of you old enought to remember the Jesus movement of the late 60’s and 70’s, a lot of the music was scriptural. This was great for learning and remembering the WORD. Just a thought…...the worship leader or a member of the team could take a few verses of scripture and put them to a tune God has given them…. If you are walking in His presence, I am sure God would be happy to hear His word put to music!!!!
Your Brother in Christ
Pastor Bill
Paul on Mon, June 19, 2006
My personal feeling is that the lyrics of the song flow out of the worship time of the author . It is a great start to worship. For myself, I believe that real worship begins when the song ends. That’s not to say that some leaders may be ‘faking’ but I would hope and pray that’s not the norm.
I may get God’s attention with a prayer that someone else wrote, but I believe He wants to hear from me personally. In the same way, I may glorify God in my worhsip of Him using someone else’s words, I believe He wants to know that I worship Him myself.
Brenda Maxwell on Mon, June 19, 2006
I have read this submission with an open heart, but I as some of the others who have chosen to answer this article feel the same way. We must not just seek the Lord concerning how he wants the praise and worship to be ministered, but concerning the needs of those who are in the congregation. We cannot justly attempt to spread our idea of what “worship” is to the entire body of believers. The needs are different in every house. I was also suprised at the statement about “praise venting”. The word tells us that we must worship the lord in the beauty of holiness, let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, Praise is comely to the upright. We are not to dictate how someone expresses their heart to the Lord. Our responsibility in worship is not to judge the worshipper, but get in his presence ourselves.
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