Worship is about the heart, but that includes the head, too. Christians worship in Spirit and truth - both - not one or the other. But, generally speaking, some of us lean more toward the Spirit - more feeling oriented, more intuitive and more artistic while others of us lean more toward the truth - Word oriented, results-oriented, bottom line and concrete. I believe that good worship planning takes both sides into account. For example, as we worshiped earlier today at the EPC General Assembly, during one of the instrumental interludes, the video guy put up a Scripture, allowing us to meditate on that while the instruments played. But this evening, there were several interludes during which they did not use Scripture on the screen, but rather focused the cameras on the soloist.
I suggest that the afternoon session engaged more of the congregation in worship during the interludes than the evening session. The combination of interlude and Scripture text appealed more to both groups. Those who are more intuitive and artistic would have joined in the "Spiritual moment" watching the soloist play to the glory of God, while those who are more Word-oriented would have found watching the soloist distracting from worship, but because they had a Scripture passage on which to meditate they could enter in to God's presence at the same time but with a different focus! This is a priniciple we can utilize in our own worship at MG - making worship engaging for both groups at the same time.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
The Worship Leading Choir
The worship leading choir is a bit of a new concept and is articulated by Dave Williamson at http://www.brentwoodbenson.com/wlc/ Dave is a long-time choral director and arranger for Word Music. Dave outlines what he considers the difference between a "performance or traditional choir" and a "worship leading choir." See below.
Dave writes:
We all know what a choir is. And most of us know what worship leading is when we see it. But what do we mean by the term, “Worship Leading Choir?” Don’t all church choirs lead worship? The answer is, yes and no! Yes, in the sense that every “living sacrifice” offered by the believer is an act of worship, and every time any choir of believers sings about God in spirit and in truth it is an act of worship. But, No, in the sense that, until our hearts, minds and spirits are fully engaged in passionately glorifying Jesus in the congregation so that its members are drawn with us into an encounter with the living God, worship leading has not fully happened.
The worldwide form today’s choir is beginning to take on is a departure from much of the “traditional” aspects we have come to recognize.
• The emerging choir is not primarily about performance; it is primarily about worship.
• It’s not about being slick; it is about passion.
• It’s not about acquaintanceship; it is about family.
• It’s not about momentary emotion; it is about eternal significance.
• It’s not about competition; it is about servanthood.
• It doesn’t view talent as primary; it does view character and faithfulness as primary.
The Worship Leading Choir stands before a congregation as a well-schooled, unified battalion, locking arms to come both humbly and boldly into God’s presence, realizing that every word that enthrones Jesus dethrones the enemy. When it sings, it is not to impress, but to inspire. Its audience is not the congregation, but together with the congregation, their joint audience is God Himself. Its members may sing music that is traditional or contemporary, black or white (or somewhere in between). They may be young, old, or both. They may wear robes, suits, or jeans. They may offer musicals, cantatas, oratorios, or worship concerts. They understand their calling, and they are passionate about fulfilling it. They may be described as “ushers,” for their task is to usher people into an encounter with God.
More on the Worship Leading Choir another time....
Dave writes:
We all know what a choir is. And most of us know what worship leading is when we see it. But what do we mean by the term, “Worship Leading Choir?” Don’t all church choirs lead worship? The answer is, yes and no! Yes, in the sense that every “living sacrifice” offered by the believer is an act of worship, and every time any choir of believers sings about God in spirit and in truth it is an act of worship. But, No, in the sense that, until our hearts, minds and spirits are fully engaged in passionately glorifying Jesus in the congregation so that its members are drawn with us into an encounter with the living God, worship leading has not fully happened.
The worldwide form today’s choir is beginning to take on is a departure from much of the “traditional” aspects we have come to recognize.
• The emerging choir is not primarily about performance; it is primarily about worship.
• It’s not about being slick; it is about passion.
• It’s not about acquaintanceship; it is about family.
• It’s not about momentary emotion; it is about eternal significance.
• It’s not about competition; it is about servanthood.
• It doesn’t view talent as primary; it does view character and faithfulness as primary.
The Worship Leading Choir stands before a congregation as a well-schooled, unified battalion, locking arms to come both humbly and boldly into God’s presence, realizing that every word that enthrones Jesus dethrones the enemy. When it sings, it is not to impress, but to inspire. Its audience is not the congregation, but together with the congregation, their joint audience is God Himself. Its members may sing music that is traditional or contemporary, black or white (or somewhere in between). They may be young, old, or both. They may wear robes, suits, or jeans. They may offer musicals, cantatas, oratorios, or worship concerts. They understand their calling, and they are passionate about fulfilling it. They may be described as “ushers,” for their task is to usher people into an encounter with God.
More on the Worship Leading Choir another time....
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