"For God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. (1 Corin 1:27, Ampl)
When I tell people that I train people in praise and worship, the most common admonition I get is "Remember, tell them it's more about the heart than about technicalities."
Now I used to believe that too, because that was what I was taught from the very beginning of my worship ministry life. Then I started actively serving and leading worship, as well as studying people who were effective in leading worship and those who were not. I also developed what people still find an irritating habit, that of checking out clichés and conventional 'wisdom' in the light of Scripture to see if they were biblical or not.
And the more I tested that teaching against the reality of life experience and the truth of God's word, the more I found that to be an erroneous idea, one that hinders rather than helps God's people in encountering God. I found that effective worship leaders all had a few things in common, regardless of denomination, music background, singing skill, personal devotional life and even ministry experience. They would observe certain technicalities, either by accident or on purpose. Through my personal experiences and observing these people, I have come to the conviction that successfully leading God's people in worship is far more about getting the technicalities right rather than the heart.
Now before people start stoning me for going against what they've taken as holy writ, let me specify what I mean by technicalities for leading worship. I'm talking about pitching songs in a key comfortable for the congregation to sing in, how congregations differ in singing range and how to provide musical support that unifies the worship and points the people to God rather than the musician. And of course other ideas and issues as well, all based on supporting the worship leader and serving the congregation.
Some of you have been my students from the very start of your musical journey. You wanted to learn praise and worship music, and from the very beginning I have taught you with all these factors in mind. So all these ideas aren't new to you. But those who have previous music training, or have me come in to work with you halfway in your ministry journey, are almost always surprised to find that it is so much easier to play what works for worship than to play what doesn't work. It's so much easier, such that beginner worship musicians usually stumble across a few powerful core principles by accident, use them and see God's people being blessed in worship.
In fact, this is usually what happens at the very beginning. We have a small church or fellowship group with only one person willing to step forth and serve in worship. He/she usually plays a beat-up guitar, knows only a few songs (even fewer chords) but offers it onto God in worship. Because he/she only knows a few songs, they keep doing the same song over and over again, and as the people sing louder he/she plays louder, bringing the congregation to a powerful encounter with God. (Core techniques, very naturally used by people with little exposure to performance music)
But once the church grows and the worship ministry expands, this same worship leader is pressurized into doing what other more established worship ministries do, which is to play performance music. The pressure is subtle, the big churches, the overseas churches, the "worship" CDs are doing it. You head over to the praise and worship section of a Christian book shop and that is what you'll find too. Let me restate my position. I classify something as either worship music or performance music not based on the hearts of the people producing it (I'm not God, who am I to judge the heart?) but on the effect on the congregation, whether it draws the people into singing God's praises.
Of course, performance music is attractive both to the musicians and the congregation. It sounds better, fuller and far more interesting. But it encourages people to sit back and listen rather than stand up and worship. It does not invite participation And when the congregation doesn't participate in worship because the music hinders rather than helps, people usually blame the heart, either that of the congregation, the worship leader or the musicians. (for more on this, re-read my post "Get Outta Their Way!")
Because what works for worship is actually very natural for people to do, I find that worship training is very often stating and explaining the obvious, what is natural for people to do. And I also teach the reasons behind the techniques, so that in future you can test all ideas against the criteria of whether any idea or technique you are taught will serve the people or distract them.
I am teaching you, in terms of praise and worship, how to "…test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thess 5:21-22, NIV) And you test by the criteria of serving the congregation.
What never ceases to sadden me is how hard some people resist this. They want to see worship and worship leading as the same thing. And they want to use their sincerity and heart as the justification for doing things their way at the expense of the congregation. Are they justified in holding that attitude?
"I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed." (Romans 15:30-32, NIV)
The Apostle Paul, whom we most associate with going fearlessly into dangerous situations to preach difficult messages, wrote the above passage. He would teach, admonish and rebuke with all authority. He was certainly not a man-pleaser. And yet in the midst of his boldness and confidence he urged the believers in Rome to pray, not that God will be pleased with what he did, but that his service would be acceptable to the saints. He saw himself as a servant of God's people. He valued serving God's people effectively. Shouldn't we?
At the core of it all, the people who teach that worship leading is more about the heart than about technicalities have confused worshiping God with leading worship for his people. They teach what applies to worshiping God and apply it to leading worship at congregational level. That's a massive mistake. Worshipping God is about giving attention to God, leading worship requires you to also give attention to God's people, to serve them. Scripture teaches that they both come under different rules. (Will teach on that soon).
May I just share my heart openly? The reason why I am so serious about technique over heart being more important is this: I am an effective worship leader. I unify the praises of God's people easily and effectively. And I do it better than many other worship leaders I know.
If effectiveness in leading worship is more about heart than technique, then we have to conclude that my heart is better, purer and holier than those other worship leaders. And some of these are people who have shown their hearts by faithfully serving for years. People who have held on to God in the midst of trials that I would probably have collapsed under. People who have so edified me by how humble and teachable they are, willing to give me a hearing even if they've been serving God even longer than I've been a believer.
If you believe and teach that the heart is more important a factor than technique in leading worship, you will be insulting the sincerity of such people and causing them to doubt their own hearts. Speaking plainly, is that the right thing to do?
Now, the Sacrifice Merchants of Praise and Worship Inc. have perpetuated the belief that worship leaders should depend on the heart rather than the correct technicalities. That idea has caused more trouble for sincere and well-meaning worship leaders than any other erroneous belief popular in the praise and worship circles. Pray for me that I will be able to explain from the Scriptures clearly why this belief is building a house on sand rather than rock. In the meantime, be blessed, everyone!
When I tell people that I train people in praise and worship, the most common admonition I get is "Remember, tell them it's more about the heart than about technicalities."
Now I used to believe that too, because that was what I was taught from the very beginning of my worship ministry life. Then I started actively serving and leading worship, as well as studying people who were effective in leading worship and those who were not. I also developed what people still find an irritating habit, that of checking out clichés and conventional 'wisdom' in the light of Scripture to see if they were biblical or not.
And the more I tested that teaching against the reality of life experience and the truth of God's word, the more I found that to be an erroneous idea, one that hinders rather than helps God's people in encountering God. I found that effective worship leaders all had a few things in common, regardless of denomination, music background, singing skill, personal devotional life and even ministry experience. They would observe certain technicalities, either by accident or on purpose. Through my personal experiences and observing these people, I have come to the conviction that successfully leading God's people in worship is far more about getting the technicalities right rather than the heart.
Now before people start stoning me for going against what they've taken as holy writ, let me specify what I mean by technicalities for leading worship. I'm talking about pitching songs in a key comfortable for the congregation to sing in, how congregations differ in singing range and how to provide musical support that unifies the worship and points the people to God rather than the musician. And of course other ideas and issues as well, all based on supporting the worship leader and serving the congregation.
Some of you have been my students from the very start of your musical journey. You wanted to learn praise and worship music, and from the very beginning I have taught you with all these factors in mind. So all these ideas aren't new to you. But those who have previous music training, or have me come in to work with you halfway in your ministry journey, are almost always surprised to find that it is so much easier to play what works for worship than to play what doesn't work. It's so much easier, such that beginner worship musicians usually stumble across a few powerful core principles by accident, use them and see God's people being blessed in worship.
In fact, this is usually what happens at the very beginning. We have a small church or fellowship group with only one person willing to step forth and serve in worship. He/she usually plays a beat-up guitar, knows only a few songs (even fewer chords) but offers it onto God in worship. Because he/she only knows a few songs, they keep doing the same song over and over again, and as the people sing louder he/she plays louder, bringing the congregation to a powerful encounter with God. (Core techniques, very naturally used by people with little exposure to performance music)
But once the church grows and the worship ministry expands, this same worship leader is pressurized into doing what other more established worship ministries do, which is to play performance music. The pressure is subtle, the big churches, the overseas churches, the "worship" CDs are doing it. You head over to the praise and worship section of a Christian book shop and that is what you'll find too. Let me restate my position. I classify something as either worship music or performance music not based on the hearts of the people producing it (I'm not God, who am I to judge the heart?) but on the effect on the congregation, whether it draws the people into singing God's praises.
Of course, performance music is attractive both to the musicians and the congregation. It sounds better, fuller and far more interesting. But it encourages people to sit back and listen rather than stand up and worship. It does not invite participation And when the congregation doesn't participate in worship because the music hinders rather than helps, people usually blame the heart, either that of the congregation, the worship leader or the musicians. (for more on this, re-read my post "Get Outta Their Way!")
Because what works for worship is actually very natural for people to do, I find that worship training is very often stating and explaining the obvious, what is natural for people to do. And I also teach the reasons behind the techniques, so that in future you can test all ideas against the criteria of whether any idea or technique you are taught will serve the people or distract them.
I am teaching you, in terms of praise and worship, how to "…test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1 Thess 5:21-22, NIV) And you test by the criteria of serving the congregation.
What never ceases to sadden me is how hard some people resist this. They want to see worship and worship leading as the same thing. And they want to use their sincerity and heart as the justification for doing things their way at the expense of the congregation. Are they justified in holding that attitude?
"I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed." (Romans 15:30-32, NIV)
The Apostle Paul, whom we most associate with going fearlessly into dangerous situations to preach difficult messages, wrote the above passage. He would teach, admonish and rebuke with all authority. He was certainly not a man-pleaser. And yet in the midst of his boldness and confidence he urged the believers in Rome to pray, not that God will be pleased with what he did, but that his service would be acceptable to the saints. He saw himself as a servant of God's people. He valued serving God's people effectively. Shouldn't we?
At the core of it all, the people who teach that worship leading is more about the heart than about technicalities have confused worshiping God with leading worship for his people. They teach what applies to worshiping God and apply it to leading worship at congregational level. That's a massive mistake. Worshipping God is about giving attention to God, leading worship requires you to also give attention to God's people, to serve them. Scripture teaches that they both come under different rules. (Will teach on that soon).
May I just share my heart openly? The reason why I am so serious about technique over heart being more important is this: I am an effective worship leader. I unify the praises of God's people easily and effectively. And I do it better than many other worship leaders I know.
If effectiveness in leading worship is more about heart than technique, then we have to conclude that my heart is better, purer and holier than those other worship leaders. And some of these are people who have shown their hearts by faithfully serving for years. People who have held on to God in the midst of trials that I would probably have collapsed under. People who have so edified me by how humble and teachable they are, willing to give me a hearing even if they've been serving God even longer than I've been a believer.
If you believe and teach that the heart is more important a factor than technique in leading worship, you will be insulting the sincerity of such people and causing them to doubt their own hearts. Speaking plainly, is that the right thing to do?
Now, the Sacrifice Merchants of Praise and Worship Inc. have perpetuated the belief that worship leaders should depend on the heart rather than the correct technicalities. That idea has caused more trouble for sincere and well-meaning worship leaders than any other erroneous belief popular in the praise and worship circles. Pray for me that I will be able to explain from the Scriptures clearly why this belief is building a house on sand rather than rock. In the meantime, be blessed, everyone!
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