What Would Rick Warren Do Differently?

Orginally published on Tuesday, May 02, 2006 at 1:00 PM
by Todd Rhoades

[The Christian Post]  Rick Warren writes...

I'm often asked what I’d do differently if I could start Saddleback over. My answer is this: From the first day of the new church I’d put more energy and money into ensuring a first-class music ministry that matched our target. Music is an integral part of our lives. We eat with it, drive with it, shop with it, relax with it, and some even dance to it! The great American past time is not baseball – it is music and sharing our opinions about it!

In the first years of Saddleback, I made two mistakes in this area. One, I tried too hard to appeal to everyone’s taste (We’d cover Bach to Rock in a single service!) and two, I underestimated the power of music. Because we didn’t have many talented musicians, we minimized the use of music in our services.

A song can often touch people in ways a sermon can’t. Music can bypass intellectual barriers and take the message straight to the heart. It’s a potent tool for evangelism. In Psalm 40:3 (NCV) David says, “He put a NEW song in my mouth ... Many people will see this and worship him. Then they will trust the Lord.� Notice the clear connection between music and evangelism: “Then they will trust the Lord.�

Even Aristotle had some thoughts on this subject. He said, "Music has the power to shape character." Satan is clearly using music to do that today. The rock lyrics of the 1960s and 1970s shaped the values of most Americans who are now in the 40 to 60 age bracket. Today, MTV shapes the values of most people in their 20s. Music is the primary communicator of values to the younger generation. If we don't use contemporary music to spread godly values, Satan will have an unchallenged access to an entire generation. Music is a force that cannot be ignored.

Despite realizing I may be walking into an area full of land mines, I want to offer a few suggestions regarding music. Regardless of the style your church chooses, I believe there are a few rules you need to follow.

• Preview all the music you use. Don't have surprises in your service. I learned this the hard way. Once a guest singer decided to sing a 20-minute song on nuclear disarmament!

If you don’t manage your music, your music will manage your service. Preview with an ear for both the lyrics and the tune. Ask, Is this song doctrinally sound? Is it understandable to the unchurched? Does it use terms or metaphors that unbelievers wouldn’t understand? How does the tune make me feel? Identify the purpose. Is this a song of edification, worship, fellowship, or evangelism?

Even when we invite popular Christian artists to sing at Saddleback we insist on previewing every song they intend to sing. The atmosphere we’re trying to maintain in our seeker service is far more important than any singer’s ego.

• Speed up the tempo. Many worship services sound more like a funeral than a festival. The Bible says, “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.� (Psalm 100:2) John Bisango, pastor emeritus of the 22,000-member First Baptist Church of Houston, Texas, says, “Funeral dirge anthems and stiff-collared song leaders will kill a church faster than anything else in the world!�

FOR DISCUSSION:  If you were starting all over in ministry, what would you do differently?

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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.

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