I have served as a worship leader for a number of years and much of that time at a fairly progressive church. In my time serving as a worship leader I saw an evolution of musical style and approach to worship ministry. Ironically, I still serve on the pastoral staff of the above mentioned church that I was formerly Music Director/Worship Leader at for nearly five years. Despite the sometimes awkward attempts at forming a relationship with the folks that now do what I used to do, I find them to be sincere lovers of God. Their love for God is somehow unaffected by their musical preference. Some of these folks are even fierce intercessors that walk in the presence of God and rend the heavens with their prayers.
Perhaps to start, an analogy would be fitting on this topic. Most people (with a shred of dignity) try to wear clothes that are acceptable within the boundaries of their particular social culture. I am a child of the 80’s but I would not dare to wear the particular styles of that era today. Well, unless I was going to a costume party. If I did not progress with the clothing trends of the two decades since then I fear some would recommend me for the straight jacket or else I would be reduced to making frequent appearances on one of those cable TV shows celebrating decades gone by. We all make efforts to engage social trends whether with clothing, home décor, automobiles, hairstyles or…music. Could you imagine using the fabricated keyboard string or horn sounds that were available 15 or 20 years ago to produce your record today…? Perhaps the most definite changes in culture occur with language. The great preachers of old such as Whitfield, Edwards, and the like would almost certainly think our current vernacular to be simple-minded, contemptible and irreverent, unfit to duly present the most glorious news given to men on earth. Yet, can you imagine your pastor coming before your congregation today with an Edwardsean type sermon…? Before we snip and poke at a particular style of music I think we should perhaps take an unbiased look at why this style of church music is emerging. However interesting that might be that would make this a dissertation length piece. (Which this is seemingly already approaching.) Not to mention there are much more astute people than I who have written volumes on the topic already. Let us just suffice to say that serving the Church in the position of Musical Director or Worship Leader goes way beyond being a “fan” of a particular type of music. If that is the basis of your church music ministry you have failed before you have even begun.
The most important facet in leading a church music/worship ministry is that the music you do engages the congregation and moves them to worship. Whether that means distortion guitar, folksy and acoustic “just me and my guitar” kind of music, a gospel choir that is clappin’ and swayin’, or the melodic and majestic sounds of piano and pipe organ do not matter. If the congregation is moved to worship you are doing your job. In church music you set your particular tastes and favorites aside for the sake of the Body.
So as for our rockin’ brothers and sisters, though their music may be loud and their under developed melodies might be swallowed up by the ferocious rate of speed an electric guitar player is producing notes, their lyrics are raw and heartfelt, like a page ripped right out of the journal entry they wrote last night. There is an authenticism in their music that far exceeds the impotent lyrics and cliché phrases that I have heard for too long in the church. (Some of which I have written unfortunately…) This emerging worship music bears the marks of relationship not just a religious rhetoric spewed out by “Joe Christian.” Though some of its themes may seem spiritually or doctrinally immature I think the “old-school” folks should take note of this new paradigm in church music.
Although, to you, young zealous worship leader, as you take your guitar in hand to lead and write songs for your congregation, please, keep them in mind. Write for them…Write to them…Write about them…Just don’t forget they are there! If you neglect them they will neglect your leadership. I have seen the effects of the type of worship that is so intensely personal that it certainly penetrates the heavens but fails to communicate corporately. I have watched a congregation that I (and others) formerly lead in lively, heart-felt, participatory corporate worship shrink in number and worshipful expression as this raw, personal worship music is presented as the primary diet for the hungry hearts of worshipers. You neo-worship leader trend setters tread the same dangerous ground that your narrow-minded predecessors have. This isn’t Burger King…! You can’t always have things “your way.” Praise God for the times your musical taste buds are satisfied but praise him more when the people worship in unity. That is your role and service to your congregation. Be ever aware that of two people sitting next to one another in a meeting, one may be inwardly singing “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so…” while the other sings, “Prone to wander Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love…” You cannot become content with just singing your personal love song to the Lord or as I’ve heard Mike Pilavachi of Soul Survivor Watford, UK put it, “Jesus is my girlfriend” songs in the gathering of saints. There is a time for that in the context of corporate worship but for the most part save those songs for your personal time with the Lord. When you are put in front of a congregation sing songs that convey, “How good and pleasant it is when the people of God dwell together in unity…” (Ps. 133) and you will take the Church by storm.
In conclusion, no one can provide a method or style that is 100% proven in any corporate worship setting. The greatest challenge of the church musical director is the span of musical styles he/she must master. You may have a preference but that really has very little bearing on the task at hand. Get to know your congregation and speak their musical language… However many dialects you have to learn do it. You may even have to bring in interpreters if you just can’t learn to speak “Emo” but it is all for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the community of Believers so by any and all means, just do it!
Author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Written: 04/01/2007
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Category: Aaron Unthank
Comments: 22
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This is an excellent message we all need to hear. What we also need to be pointed to is that what is needed in a worship service is different than what is needed for a commercial recording.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
- Galatians 5:25.
Well said. If only we could grasp and understand the job description of a worship leader, we would be in a much better place. We must lead others to Christ, into His presence so that in everything the Lord is glorified. Bringing others to Christ is our ultimate goal. This is not about our preference...the end result has to be salvation and discipleship.
I agree w/ your statement, Keith, regarding the difference between what is needed in a worship service and what is appropriate for a recording. The differences are many. Primarily, a project is for listening and worship is for participation. Those are two distinctly different experiences. A recording project is to geared to take full advantage of a single sense...Hearing. Worship (when it's done well) engages multiple senses. Please realize that when I say "worship" I am not just speaking of music. If you are interested, there is a great book on that topic titled Experiential Worship. The author's name has escaped me but it is really a good read.
Aaron, that was so well written. I sent a link to several pastor friends of mine to allow them to see it too.
Sorry that I didn't check my spelling and punctuation before.......
Thank you for your comments and affirmation of this article. Also, thank you for sending the article to some pastor friends. Pastors need to hear this message and sometimes the only way they will give any attention is if it comes from a third party or a credible resource. God bless you and your ministry...!
Aaron
fantastic article. as a music director and worship leader, i completely agree with your sentiments. you've got to sing/lead songs that minister to your congregation. otherwise, what's the point? well written. if more people thought this way, there wouldn't be as many wars about worship styles i today's church.
I am looking forward to reading and hearing information.
This subject brings many verses to my rememberance about the purpose of assembly. One is about edifieing one another and ministering grace to the hearers. One is about entering His gates with thanksgiving and praise. One is worship in Spirit and Truth. I think if worship leaders are in tune with the one due all praise and glory, if they have a truely personal relationship with Him, the Holy Spirit annoints them to minister in this facet of church assembly. We need to let the Holy Spirit have the greater say in what is and is not done. It's His house, right?
Dr. Smith,
What information are you speaking of...?
Cyndi,
I'm not exactly sure what you are getting at? Could you perhaps expound a bit? In what way(s) do we need the Holy Spirit to have greater say in what is and is not done...?
Aaron, what I am trieing to get across is that without the leading of the Holy Spirit no one can access the hearts of a congregation. Those secret things belong to God. We can experience a visit from the Altogether Lovely One and worship the way worship is intended or we can do showcase-type of entertaining that does little more than entertain. If Worship Leaders have an intimate relationship with God, His spirit bears witness with them and this definitely shows up in the ministry. I'm talking about traditions of man versus true worship. If you've ever been in a worship service where the Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way, there would be no questions of what I mean. There is a big difference. The Holy Spirit leads and guides, thereby having a say in what we do or sing. (if we are fine-tuned to hear Him) And we should take the calling of this area of ministry as serious as who we allow to preach from our pulpits. To whom much is given, much is required.
Cyndi,
I agree that worship leaders must have intimacy w/ God. No question! I am just trying to get you to explain what you mean when you say the "Holy Spirit leads and guides" and the "Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way". I have heard many folks use the above phrases in a negative light as a cliche because the worship time did not please them...Saying that the Spirit did not "move" or the Spirit was "hindered" b/c of a particular instrument or song selection. (Which goes back to the original point of the article re: preferences.) I am not by any means saying that you are doing that. I just want to be sure that I know what you mean when you speak of the Holy Spirit that way. And the teacher in me wants to be sure that you can articulate it as well.
I have been in and led worship services where it seemed that breathing was almost out of order because it was so still with the presence of God and others where the clamour of dance and song was almost enough to burst an ear drum. It is the job of the worship leader to respond to how the Holy Spirit is leading him/her but it is also equally important that the worship leader be aware of how the Spirit is moving the congregation and be sensative to respond and, well...lead. Being a worship leader is a bit like ballroom dancing. You must be a good dancer yourself but you must also respond to and move with your partner as well.
Aaron, my Brother, I think we are saying the same thing but in different ways. I've heard some feel as though the Spirit is "hindered" while at the same time and in the same service, some others will say they felt Him "move". It is funny how the views of two, in one service, can differ. The principle is if we are prepared to receive, we do. If we are not, by reason of various means, we do not. But the topic being the Worship Leader, in this article, I was only trieing to make the point of being under the annointing vs doing a "job". The differences are vast. Only what's done for Christ will last.
Cyndi,
EXACTLY!!!!
Blessing right back at ya!
I want to add to this. The annointing of the Holy Spirit isn't just about the nice feelings you feel at the Worship Service. The annointing of the Holy Spirit will also help the Worship Leader present the worship songs in a way that will not hinder worship. For instant, in our Easter service a couple of weeks ago, the Pastor commented during the worship service that we should be more excited than we appeared to be. But one of the reasons the congregation was having such a hard time was because the worship group sang the chorus of "Celebrate Jesus, Celebrate" several times before singing it from the beginning. I don't know if any of you know that song. but the chorus doesn't touch the tonic chord until the very end. That's important because I, and most of the rest of the congregration, couldn't get our minds around the song well enough to celebrate with it. So, it is important to be spiritually prepared, but it is also important to be musically prepared. Not getting the music right, no matter what style it is, can really pour ice on a worship service.
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
- Galatians 5:25.
When I say annointing, I mean like Aarons annointing. He had to walk the walk and meet the spilled-out-for-service type of things. When Moses annointed him, the oil ran down his beard, remember? His head was covered. In that way, all our thoughts and attentions need to be on magnifieing the Magnificient. Aarons sons learned what it means to do things our way, in the strange fire they offered up to God, AFTER He'd provided what they needed to worship Him in the acceptable way. They lost their lives for it.
Any time talk of the Spirit and worship arises both sides of the coin inevitably come up. Thanks for presenting the flip-side Keith. I agree that physical musical preparation is important and necessary. I rehearse(d) my choir and band diligently. In fact, my nickname w/ the choir became the “Vocal Nazi†(akin to Seinfeld’s “Soup Naziâ€) Yet, I would say that not only is the anointing of the Holy Spirit in this context not JUST about things you feel at a worship service, I would say that it has very little at all to do with the "nice feelings" one may experience in a worship service. The presence of God that is experienced in a worship service is a different thing than the anointing that may be upon a worship leader to lead a congregation into that presence. What we "feel" in a given worship experience is more dependent upon our inward response to God and our outward display of the worship that is happening (by the Spirit) on the inside than it is dependent upon the musical environment created by the band and singers. It could be that what disengages you musically (Celebrate Jesus example) could perhaps have been a catalyst for another person by creating some sense of expectancy or urgency with the avoidance of the tonic. (Of course I wasn’t there so you can take that comment w/ a grain of salt.) It may be hard to engage in singing a song at some points but not in worship. Singing does not define worship, yet worship can include singing. Music does not engage everyone and move them to worship…that’s okay. Some people may be more moved by the Scriptures. Again, I cannot presume that my preference in a form of worship is equally preferred by someone else. Worship happens in the Spirit and by the Spirit. Singing happens physically. When the two meet (physical and spiritual) it is a beautiful thing. We then worship God in spirit AND truth. Even when we perform outwardly and physically in honor, reverence and fear of God with an act of service, singing a song or giving a financial gift there is a translation in the Spirit that makes it worship. Such things are too high for me to understand…
Wow! Is this a hot button issue!
Mr. Enloe,
Tim,
You have interpreted my sentiments as I intended for them to be recieved. There are varied styles and preferences in worship and music. Neil's are relevant and precious to his life in Christ and I would say, even necessary to his relationship w/ God. The cross and the blood of Christ are precious to all who are his. Yet so is the ressurection, ascension, coming of the Holy Spirit, etc... To proclaim the works and accomplishment of Christ the cross (forgivness, salvation, justification, etc...) is to testify to the shedding of his blood. To sing of the grace and mercy and beauty and majesty and sovereignty of God is to bear witness to the saving work of God through the blood that Jesus Christ shed on the cross. No doubt Christ is central. Always and forever... In fact, I would say the WHATEVER we sing or say or do ceases to be worship if Christ is not central. But, just b/c we do not say "cross" or "blood" in a song lyric does not mean that our worship isn't true. Remember, the topic of the article was that if your worship music doesn't speak the musical (and pershaps in some ways spiritual) language of your congregation you fail at leading them to worship. So, if Neil Enloe is sitting in my congregation I know that if I sing a song about the cross his heart will open up to worship the Lord and more likely than not he will then be receptive to another song with a different lyrical and musical direction yet still be engaged in worship.
On another note, I am pleasantly overwhelmed at the participation and contribution that everyone has made to this, my first article on the sogospelnews site. Thank you so much and I will look forward to more interaction in the coming months.
Grace and Peace,
Aaron
Even as I wrote the comment I knew I risked being misunderstood or misinterpreted. The truth is that I agree with there being many messages having great value to the Christian worshipper. And I do not disagree with Aaron, the author of the good article.
Neil,
Hopefully you didn't think I interpreted your comments as controversial. Not at all! I welcome your perspective. It only further drives home the point of the article. You are absolutely correct re: the psalmists. If you ever become curious about current worship songwirters who value blatant mention of the blood and the cross, check out Matt Redman. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Aaron
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