Below are teachings that I send on a semi-regular  basis to my worship team.

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Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs


“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:18, 19).

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).

In these two scriptures, we see the phrase "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs." I have often seen people use this scripture to justify their views on what we should use as songs of praise on Sunday mornings. I once had a person quote the Ephesians scripture, saying that if we sing our "hymns" in church we don't need to read our Bibles! Scary statement. Before we jump to conclusions, it is important to understand what the apostle actually means by the three different words.

Psalms –
There is probably little contention over the word “psalm” (Greek “psalmos”), because in today’s English the word generally signifies the book of psalms, just as it did when used in the New Testament.

Hymns –
The second word in question is “hymn” (Greek “humnos”), which simply means “praise”. This word is more controversial than “psalms” because of the modern tendency to use it exclusively to describe man-made songs of praise, as we find in hymnbooks produced in the last 150 years. There no evidence that the Greek New Testament word “humnos” ever applies to fallible or uninspired songs. In short, a hymn and psalm in scripture are the same thing. We even see psalms referred to as hymns both in the titles (see Psalm 64) and in the body of the psalms (including Psalm 22:22). It is also interesting to note that "modern" hymns, written primarily since 1850, have NO musical similarity to what would have been sung in biblical times. Unfortunately, no written musical examples of old or new testament hymns survive, but we do know that music then used different instruments, rules of theory, and scales than anything we would recognize as a hymn.

Songs –
The third expression, “song” (Greek “ode”), which on its own has a rather broad meaning, is also used frequently in Greek to refer to the Psalms, as in the translation of such titles as that of Psalm 65: “To the chief Musician, A Psalm and Song [Greek, “ode”] of David”.

Spiritual Songs-
The original order of words in the Greek is "psalms, hymns, and songs spiritual." Since all three terms are basically the same, the word spiritual applies to all three. It's interesting to note that similar threefold expressions are found elsewhere in Scripture – for example the “statutes and judgments and laws” of Leviticus 26:46 – and it is most probable that in the passages in question the apostle is using Greek equivalents of Hebrew words to describe the contents of the one infallible collection of hymns, which would be the Old Testament Psalms.

Application-
Although we often focus on what psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs actually mean, the point of both of these scriptures is that we are to sing spiritual songs to each other, and to the Lord. In doing this we glorify the Lord, and edify each other.

Keep Me as the Apple of Your Eye

As we seek to embrace Biblical worship, there is no better place to begin than the Psalms. Through the worship songs of David, Asaph and others, we are told to worship the Lord with singing (149:3), dancing (150:4), clapping (47:1), lifting our hands (28:2), shouting (32:11), kneeling (95:6), and many other ways that we may or may not feel comfortable with. But more important than how we worship is the closeness and intimacy that we feel with the Father (and He feels with us) as we seek His face.

In Psalm 17:8, David writes, “Keep me as the apple of your eye; Hide me in the shadow of your wings.” (NIV) This scripture has had a profound effect on me. In the original Hebrew, the word used here for “apple” literally means, “little man”. So David is really saying, “Keep me as the little man of your eye.” As I apply this verse to myself, I find that I need to be so close to the Lord, that I can actually see my reflection, or the “little man”, in the center of His eyes. But more importantly, if I am living and worshiping close to the Father, then He sees Himself when he looks into my eyes! As I draw closer to the Lord, I become a reflection of Him! This is a wonderful picture of intimacy with our Heavenly Father, which can only take place when we seek to be close to Him.

Does the Lord see himself in your eyes when you worship Him? Or do you come to worship with your “shades” on? God desires our intimacy and worship. He has called us to be His bride. He has called us to be His children and to crawl up into his lap and call Him “Abba”, which means “papa”. Next time you come before the Lord to worship Him, try not to imagine Him “high in the sky” and unreachable, but picture Him right in front of you, face to face. Serenade Him as you sing. Imagine yourself safe “in the shadow of His wings.” He wants you to be the Apple of His Eye, and as you draw closer to Him, you will begin to reflect the image of His glory!

Choirs then and now

Did you know that there are five references to choirs in the Bible? Not exactly an earth-shaking number, but enough for us to know that choirs were important in the worship that took place in the temple. There are 32 references to "singers." Here is one of my favorites...

"The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud..." 2 Chronicles 5:13 (NIV)

Some of us may remember choirs as the group who sang at the front of the church in front of the baptistery wearing robes. My first experience in music ministry was singing alto in the choir at age 11. Choirs in the Old Testament wore white linen, which represented holiness. In the 15th century, choirs usually stood around a single song book and worshiped on behalf of the congregation. Music books were rare then and copied by hand. Johann Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440, and soon the congregation had "hymn books" so they could sing along with the choir.

Choirs can be an important part of our modern worship experience. They can model corporate worship to the congregation. The choir also provides more opportunities for people to participate on the worship team, which usually has a very limited number of spaces for musicians and singers. The worship choir carries on a tradition started in the ancient temple which glorifies our Lord! I'm excited about having our own choir with us this week, and then once a month, to join us in leading New Life Chapel into the presence of the Lord!

Unconditional Intimate Worship

Although most of us read English translations of the Bible, the original Old Testament was written in Hebrew, and the New Testament in Greek. Although translators have tried to be as accurate as possible, some words loose their deeper meanings in translation. One of those words is the most prevalent Greek word for worship, proskuneo. Proskuneo has two primary meanings. First, to turn towards and kiss. Second, to lick, as a dog licks his master.

There are two actions in "To turn towards and kiss" : First, we must actively approach worship as we willfully turn towards the Lord. Second, worship involves intimacy and our show of love and affection to the Father. This is a problem for a lot of people, as we allow our bad experiences of love and rejection here on earth to hamper the perfect love the Father has for us.

As I think of "to lick, as a dog licks his master," I am reminded of a Golden Retriever I once had. His name was Barney, and he wasn't very smart. I was always scolding that dog for destroying things again, and again, and again. Even as he received my wrath, if I suddenly turned and said "come here, boy," he would ravish me with affection, and lick me as long as I would let him. This is a picture of unconditional love. No matter what we've done or what we've been going through, the Father wants our unconditional worship.

Think about these two definitions and see what they mean to you. Pray that God would help you understand how to proskuneo Him!

Worship: Who is it for? (Part I)

Last week we studied the Greek work "Proskuneo", which is the most prevalent New Testament word for Worship. The question "Who is worship for?" is simple enough. But to many Christians who were raised in conservative churches, worship can be just a prelude to the sermon, its purpose to stall the service so that late comers wont miss the teaching. Or maybe to some, worship is a selection of songs designed to make us feel good.

To answer the question in it's simplest terms: worship IS for God. There are 49 verses (NIV) that say specifically to "Worship God." Out of the 200 verses that talk about singing, 88 tell us to "sing to God." The English word comes from combining WORTH and SHIP, literally to show God His worth.

Over the next few weeks, we will look at different answers to the question "Who is it for?" and touch more on how we can express our worship.


Worship: Who is it for? (Part 2)

Last week we touched on the fact that worship is first and foremost for God, not us. Often when we do something for another, we have to sacrifice what we want. Scripture tells us that worship is a sacrifice. Hebrews 13:15 says "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise --the fruit of lips that confess his name." (NIV) I doubt we can really comprehend the full meaning of the word "sacrifice" in our culture. But when Jesus walked the earth, sacrifice - even blood sacrifice, was and everyday fact of life. Daily people gave up living things of value on the alter. In the same way, God calls us to lay what we want, or the way we want things to be in worship, on His alter as a sacrifice of praise. Jesus is our blood sacrifice, and it is through His death on the cross that we now have full access to God through worship!

Worship: Who is it for? (Part 3)

We have looked these past few weeks at worship being foremost for God, and that we often have to lay down what we want in order to give Him what He asks of us. This week, I want to touch on some of the things the Lord releases to His children as a result of our obedience in worship. There is so much, I will mostly just give you scripture references to study at your own pace...


A. The Presence of God

II Chron. 5:13,14. "The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God." (NIV)

B. Salvation

Acts 16:29 (Salvation comes to the jailer due to worship and prayer.)

C. Deliverance and Healing
.
Ps 32:7 "You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance." (NIV)

I Samuel 16:13-23 - A Lesson from David and Saul

D. Prophecy as an example of Spiritual gifts.

II Kings 3:14-19. - Elisha calls for a harpist to play, then prophesies.

I Chron. 25:1. - David assigns worshipers/musicians to accompany prophecy.

E. The Power of God

Acts 16:25-32: Paul and Silas in prison. As they worship and pray, a violent earthquake hits and all the prisoners are set free (v. 25-26). The jailer and his family are saved by the witness of this event (v. 30-32).

II Chron. 20:18-25: After Jehoshaphat receives a prophecy, the people worshiped (v.18-19). He sent singers in front of his army (v. 21). They didn’t even have to fight: the Lord did the work (v. 22-25).

F. Sensitivity to God’s direction and voice

Acts 13:1-3. - Barnabas and Saul sent out during worship.

G. Evangelism

Isaiah 6:1-9. - Isaiah commissioned after worship

Matt. 28:16-20. - The great Commission given after worship -

"Let me hear your voice..."

The first verse of the song "In the Silence" goes like this:

In the silence of Your majesty
In the splendor of Your holiness
In the stillness of Your glory
Let me hear Your voice
The gentle whisper of Your voice

Although worship is an act of obedience towards the Living God, it is also a filled with two-way communication. To communicate effectively in the natural, one person needs to be quiet while the other is talking. This is often true in worship. Psalms 37:7 tells us to wait on the Lord. Psalms 46:10 says "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; " (NIV) It's awkward sometimes to be quiet in the midst of our worship. We are a culture that has to always be "doing" and not "waiting." But God wants to speak to us, and what better time than we were are purposely drawing closer to Him in worship. I challenge you as you worship, both privately and corporately, to take the time to listen for our Father's voice. You may be surprised at what He will say!


Jesus at the Well, part 1

In August, we had an informal meeting of the worship team at Pastor Cyndi's house. At that time, I gave a teaching on the direction of the team, and some of my philosophy of worship. Over the next few weeks, I want us to look at a passage of scripture that I touched on that evening, John 4. This is one of my favorite passages of scripture. It tells us a lot about worship, directly from the Saviour's lips. We will look primarily at verses 20 - 24. I have included the entire verses 4 - 26 here for context...

John 4:4 - Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." 11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" 13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." 16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back." 17"I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true." 19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." 21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."


This week, I want to look at verses 20 and 21. Here, Jesus declares that worship is not limited to a specific place. This was a very big deal back in those days, and remains so today. I don't know how many times people have told me that the only time or place they worship is Sunday morning in church! The truth is, we can worship anywhere, even if the place is not specifically set aside for worship. A good example of this can be found in Acts 16:25-32. Paul and Silas are worshiping in prison, a place that we do not necessarily look at as "Holy ground." Still, as they worshiped the Lord, he shook the place and the prison doors flew open! If you study this further, you can see that the jailer and his entire family came to the Lord as a result of their obedience in worship.

There are two simple lessons that we can learn from this. First, we should not limit our worship to a specific time and place. We need to daily be worshiping our Lord, wherever we are. Second, our obedience in worship can have effects beyond what we are expecting, like the jailer and his family coming to the Lord, or prison doors being shaken open (deliverance!)

Strive to find your place of worship on a daily basis.

Jesus at the Well, part 2

This week we will look at verse 22 of John 4. If you haven't already, you may want to read verses 4 - 26. Here are verses 20 - 26...

John 4:20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

What a waste to worship what you DON'T know! Jesus says that the Jews know who they worship: the one and only true God. The Samaritans worshipped false Gods who's attributes were a mystery to them. I wonder sometimes as we go through the motions of worship if we really know who we are singing and playing for? It's important to ALWAYS keep the Lord in our thoughts as we worship Him and lead others into His presence. It's also vital that we know as much about the Lord as possible, always studying and growing in our knowledge of Him. If anyone ever asks us if we really know who God is, we can answer with confidence and assurance.

Know who you worship.

Jesus at the Well, part 3

This week we will look at verse 23 of John 4. If you haven't already, you may want to read verses 4 - 26. Here are verses 20 - 26...

John 4:20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem." 21 Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."


I love verse 23. There are two parts to this verse. First, Jesus says that true worshipers will worship the Father in "Spirit and truth." We worship in truth, because we know the truth of Jesus and the salvation He has brought us. John 8:32 tells us the the truth sets us free! We worship in Spirit because God IS Spirit (see verse 24) and He wants us to meet Him on His level. Second, God "seeks" worshipers. Did you know that God is looking for your worship? Your TRUE worship? The same God that created you and knows your name wants you to draw close to Him and exalt His name.

Worship in Spirit and Truth.

Is Pride a bad thing? - Introduction

One of my first ministrys (when I was 17) was to direct our youth "choir" at a little church in Chino, California. We worked hard to get good for our first public presentation, which was a 15 minute selection of songs for a Sunday night service. I had the group of 12 singers stand around microphones, and we did contemporary songs which included solos and singing "parts." I was very pleased with the way the group did their first night.

The following Thursday evening, we were to have our next rehearsal. I waited for a while, but no one showed up. Finally, a lone member walked in and told me he was sent to talk to me by the others. He explained that the "choir" would not be returning because they had become "too good" and were in fear that the quality of the group would lead to pride, which he explained to me was a "sin." So this group of talented singers, which had worked so hard to become good, became a victim of fear.

Having grown up in the church, I've often heard that pride can be a problem. Scripture warns us about pride in over 60 places. Proverbs 11:2 says: "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.(NIV)" However, when we look at the worship leaders in the Old Testament, the Levites, we see that they were skilled musicians: "....all of them trained and skilled in music for the LORD.(I Chronicles 25:7. NIV)" So, how do we balance being the best we possibly can in our gifts with the danger of becoming prideful? It there ever a time when pride is a good thing?

We'll be looking at these questions over the next few weeks. Let me know if you have any thoughts or comments :-)

Is Pride a bad thing? - Developing our Talents

Thank you to those who responded to the questions I posed last week: How do we balance being the best we possibly can in our gifts with the danger of becoming prideful? It there ever a time when pride is a good thing? This week, we'll look at developing our talents.

On several occasions I've heard Christians reject the option of being "good" for fear of developing pride. However, we have a responsibility to develop the gifts and talents that the Lord gives us. Jesus told a parable in Matthew 25 about a man who hid what the master gave him and didn't invest it.

The word talent in this passage is referring to a monetary amount. However, it is so true of our talents. When God invests in us, we have a holy responsibility to give Him a return in His investment! In verse 28, the servant is relieved of the talents God gave him and they are given to a faithful servant.

I want to address a sticky subject at this point. I've had MANY people tell me over the years that God taught them how to play an instrument or sing, so it wouldn't be right for them to practice, take lessons, or otherwise improve their abilities as they might "mess up" what God gave them. Please, don't blame God for your lack of knowledge or improvement in your gifting. God is not a piano teacher or a voice couch, but He is the giver of EVERY good and perfect gift. Like the levites, we must develop our gifts. We are like a Mine where God has planted precious gold and silver. We need to work to bring it to the surface!

Being good at what we do in worship is not a sin. In fact, if we do not develop our gifts, we run the risk of God taking away our gifts or not releasing us into the fullness of His will. It is not, however, a competition to see who is best. That is the world's view. For us, we need to remember Romans 12:4 - that we are an important and unique part of the whole body of Christ. We support each other by being the best we can be.

Here are some practical tips...

1. If you need to, take lessons.
2. Practice regularly the things that you struggle with.
3. Find an honest person to evaluate you. Someone who loves you that you can trust.
4. Look for your part in the body of Christ. Don't try to be someone else.

Next week, we'll talk about avoiding pride while still being the best we can.

Is Pride a bad thing? - Avoiding ungodly pride

Jesus is an amazing example of how to control pride, yet still function in gifting. He was completely God, capable of anything, yet he stayed so humble that many didn't realize who He was. He still operated as "God" here on Earth as he raised the dead and healed many. He didn't deny who He was, but did not flaunt it either.

In avoiding ungodly pride, it is important to remember who the source of our talent and creativity is.... God! Job tells us that the Lord gives and takes away. It's ok to be proud of what God does through us as long as we give the glory to Him. We can learn from the example of Jesus, who was truly humble and sinless, yet declared his Godhood when needed. Bragging is not Godly. Keep a humble heart and view your talents and giftings as tools to serve others.

I have often heard the phrase "perception is reality." It is possible that some may view an innocent action or word as a prideful boast. Sometimes, there is nothing we can do about that. The truth is: reality is reality, and it is the truth that sets us free, not other's opinions! As a musician, it is nearly impossible to be the "best" at anything. There is always someone who can do something you can't. Our mandate, as modelled by the Old Testament Levites, is to strive to be the best in the specific place God has placed us. We can then take pride that God's will is being done.

Next week we will talk about avoiding jealousy on the worship team.

Is Pride a bad thing? - Avoiding jealousy on the worship team

In the last few weeks, we have seen that pride can be good or bad. There is an ungodly pride, rooted in our own selfishness, and Godly pride, which is being proud of what the Lord is doing in His church through His people. There is no gray area here. We have also looked at the importance of developing our gifts and talents. Failure to feed and water our talents may result in the Lord taking them away, or not releasing them in us. In all we do, a humble heart like we see in Jesus should always be our goal.

In my years of experience in music and worship ministry, the ugliest thing I have seen is jealousy on the team. It divides friends and opens up doors for the enemy to come in and destroy lives and ministries. Probably the worst is when a leader is jealous of those ministering under him/her. This usually comes from the leader having self worth issues. Those who are victims under this kind of leader usually are forced to go elsewhere for release in God's calling for them. The role can also be reversed: ministry participants often fail to submit to leadership they are jealous of. They look for ways to bring the leader down in hopes of elevating themselves.

More than anything, the enemy uses jealousy of other's gifts and level of release on the worship team to attempt to destroy unity. Even though the Lord calls us to different levels of ministry, we often look at another's position and ask "why not me?" We feel entitled to things that the Lord has not gifted us for, not released in us yet, or are otherwise out of His perfect will for us.

Let's look at Romans12...

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

As we have seen before, staying humble is very important in our Christian walk. It's important to honor and bless the giftings in others above what the Lord has given us. If we insist on cursing others, it WILL come back to us! The Lord will not bless those who curse. (Look at Matthew 7:1-5)

4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

These few verses sum it all up. We are NOT all created for the same purpose. If the foot tries to be the hand, then how can the body walk? I've seen so many people abandone their true calling to try and be someone they are not! Do what you are called to do. Let leadership help you prayerfully find that place.

If you are dealing with jealousy or envy issues, you may want to take these simple steps.

1. Change your curses to praise. Instead of asking "why me," ask the Lord to release the person you are jealous of even deeper!
2. Take active steps to develop your talents. God may have further release for you, but may be waiting for you to be ready.
3. Trust leadership. This is hard sometimes, I know. But ultimately leaders are the ones who will have to answer to God for who they did or didn't release.

Jealousy can eat us alive and keep us from finding God's true calling in our lives! Personally, I take jealousy issues very seriously. I have allowed it to take root in my teams before and have seen the damage. I am totally committed to not allowing it to have ANY place on our worship teams and choir. But even more so, I am commited to helping people find their unique place in the body of Christ.


Going Deeper


I received this question recently from a worship team member....

If there is a gnawing hunger to go deeper and “further” into worship, constantly looking to go to the next “level,” (personally and as a team), how do you do that? I think the personal part is easier, i.e.: take lessons, go to worship conferences, fellowship with mentors, etc. But, does the team need to go deeper? How do you accomplish that?

Moving together into whatever God has next for a team needs to start with each individual member. There must first be a personal desire from everyone before the corporate can happen. If there are team members who are not wanting that deeper place, or are on the team to "gig" it, they will hold back the group. That's not to say that there is not room on a worship team for people who are at different levels in their worship understanding and journey. We support and help each other in the journey. However, there needs to be 100% "desire" from everyone to move forward.

Here are some practical steps in moving a team on to the "next" level...

1. Get to the point where worship practices are not just rehearsing for Sunday, but a time for the team to enter into deep places together.
2. More mature worshipers can mentor those who are further back in their journey. (This is spiritual, not musical.)
3. As mentioned in weeks before, work on developing your musical gifts. The team's journey is also affected by musicianship!

We will be looking at the Fruit of the Spirit in the next few weeks, which is vital for team unity and progress.

The Fruit of the Spirit on the Worship team - Introduction


"The Fruit of the Spirit" is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a true Christian life. Galatians 5:22 lists these attributes as: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose, but a set of attributes that are ALL needed in the Christian life. Sometimes, I take a "fruit" inventory. It's embarrassing! Some seem near impossible to attain, or keep in my life. This week, we will start discussing how important the Fruit of the Spirit is in the lives of worship team members.

An apple tree doesn't produce oranges. Likewise, for us to produce the fruit of the Spirit, we must be grafted into the Spirit of God. His nourishment must make it to our branches. Just as disease can sour the fruit of a natural tree, sin and self-righteousness and make it hard for God's fruit to manifest in us. As the worship team and choir stand before God's people to lead them into His presence, we become role models whether we like it or not. We must try at all times to be spiritually healthy and in unity with each other and our Lord. It may sound like an impossible task, but as we look at each fruit one at a time, we'll see how following God's plan for our attitude can be reality in all our lives. Next week, we will look at love


The Fruit of the Spirit on the Worship team - Love

A lot is said about love. The world uses the phrase "Love makes the world go 'round." Jesus said the greatest two commandments were to love the Lord your God, AND Love your neighbor as yourself. As we look at how to apply love on the worship team, let's look at the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7...:

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Patient: Are you patient when others on the team are learning something you already know, or struggling with a part?

Kind: Do you show kindness to all members of the worship team, even those who are different than you? How do you show kindness?

Does not envy: Do you support the unique giftings that others on the team have that you don't without being jealous?

Does not boast, is not proud: Can you be humble about your talents, especially in areas where the Lord has gifted you greatly?

Is not rude: Do you treat others on the team as you would like to be treated... with respect?

Is not self-seeking: Do you seek to release others on the team above your own ministry?

Is not easily angered: We all have "buttons" that others can push without knowing. Can you ignore these incidents?

Keeps no records of wrongs: Do you forgive and forget, like Jesus does with our sins?

Does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth: If something bad happens to a brother or sister on the team, do you grieve or secretly rejoice?
Always protects, trusts, hopes, perseveres: In the midst of everything, do you keep a positive attitude?

I don't see these issues on our worship team, but it's always good to guard our hearts and remember what love is. The enemy will go to great lengths to divide us. But I believe our greatest weapon against him is our love and support for each other! Next week, we'll look at joy and peace.

*This week we continue our look at the Fruit of the Spirit in the worship team with Joy and Peace. Have you ever heard someone say "It's all good!" in the midst of bad circumstances? Sometimes, I want to respond by saying "No it's not! It stinks!!" However, this phrase encapsulates the spirit of both joy and peace.

I've heard joy described before as an inner peace in all circumstances. As a child, I thought joy was happiness. However, you can have joy and not necessarily be happy. I believe that joy and peace need each other. To have joy, we need to be at peace with our circumstances, and with each other, even when it's difficult to be happy.

On the worship team, the enemy will stop at nothing to rob our joy and peace! It may be by interfering with relationships, or by throwing unexpected problems our way. The other night at worship practice, two of our monitor amps went out. It was hard to hear each other and blend, even though the team was small that night. Here is an example when as a team we had to decide to be at peace with the situation and not let it rob us of our joy. It may seem like a minor incident, but it can affect team dynamics more than we realize.

As a member of the worship team or choir, strive to keep things in perspective. Let the little issues remain small, and deal with the larger issues in a Godly manner. I pray that the congregation will see our joy and peace as we lead together!

The Fruit of the Spirit on the Worship team - Patience

I have often heard that a person should never pray for patience, because it is the one prayer the Lord will always answer now... and later! In the times we live in, patience has become a difficult virtue to walk in. We are use to fast food, video on demand, vehicles to take us where we want to go right now, and many other things that provide instant gratification. I know for me, patience is a constant struggle. My lack of patience often leads me to react or try to make things happen before God's timing. More often than not, my impatience leads me to fail and actually makes whatever I was waiting for become further off!

On the worship team, there are many things that can test our patience. Waiting to move up or on to a team. Waiting for our talents to develop. Waiting for situations to change. Waiting for the team to learn a particular song. Waiting for each other. The list goes on. Although it is totally against our nature, waiting is not a bad thing. The Lord works when we wait. Impatience can cause us to miss the Lord's perfect will in our lives, and on our worship team.

Here are a few scriptures to look up regarding patience: Proverbs 14:29, 15:18, 16:32, Ephesians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:4. There are so many more! Most of them are saying the same thing... DON'T REACT to your situations or your desires! When a baby bird is hatching from it's egg, often the temptation may be to help it get out.. However, the bird needs to break through and struggle to gain strength. In the same way, we gain strength in our struggles as we wait on the Lord. Look at Isaiah 40:

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

I went through a very dry and painful time in my life that lasted eight years. In the midst of it, the Lord removed me from ministry. Many times I thought I was ready to get back "in the saddle," but the Lord would not let me. In June of 2007, I joined the staff at New Life Chapel as Worship Leader. I know now that the Lord took all those years to prepare me for what I am doing now, even though my lack of patience made me think otherwise. I encourage you, as difficult as it is, to take the opportunity to mature all you can in those times when the Lord gives you "patience lessons." I know that there is renewal and restoration at the other end :-)

The Fruit of the Spirit on the Worship team -
Kindness and gentleness

This week, I'm skipping around a bit and grouping to similar fruits together: Kindness and gentleness. They are both relational in nature and deal with our attitude towards each other. Kindness shows our compassion, our consideration toward people. It shows our harmless nature and it can prove our sincerity is real. People tend to trust those who first are kind in their dealings. It is the stamp of Christ in our character. If it is lacking in us as a worship team, it can hinder our growth and the progress of others on the team. Kindness is evident all of scriptures as an attribute of God. Psalms 18:50 says " He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed..."

One definition of gentleness is "Considerate or kindly in disposition; amiable and tender." It could be said that gentleness is the manner in which we show our kindness! The opposite of being gentle is harshness, cruelty, and violence. I think it's obvious what that can do to a worship team. I have experienced outbursts of anger on teams before and know that the damage is not quickly healed.

I think the application here is simple: as we deal with other team members in all situations with gentle kindness, we create a Godly atmosphere in which we can pursue God's calling for the team. It's also makes it easier to walk in the other gifts too.


The Fruit of the Spirit on the Worship team - Faithfulness

Faithfulness is defined as being loyal, worthy of trust, and consistent with truth. In scripture, followers are often rewarded for their faithfulness, while those who are unfaithful face calamity. Being faithful is a very practical gift for worship team members. It can be recognized by being present and on time at rehearsals, Wednesdays and Sundays. It is also evident in our preparation as we learn songs and strive to improve our musicianship on our own. More than anything, however, faithfulness can be shown in our personal commitment to worshiping the Lord as part of our daily devotional times. I've often thought of devotions as being like a three-legged stool, the legs being prayer, study of the Word, and worship. Without any one of these, the stool will be unbalanced and fall over. Unfortunately, worship is usually the first thing that is left out.

I challenge you as a worship team member to be faithful in your daily worship to our Lord. This can take many forms and should be personalized to your needs and lifestyle. For some, it may be singing and/or playing an instrument. Worshiping with CDs is also good. Worship may even take none-musical forms as you declare the "worth-ship" of the living God! Regardless, get into the habit of making worship a "loyal and consistent" part of each day.

The Fruit of the Spirit on the Worship team - Self Control

As I thought about how to approach this subject, there were several options that entered my mind. Most of the time, self-control is discussed as controlling our emotions, feelings, or desires. However, self-control for a musician and worship team member can take on a whole new meaning. In many churches throughout the world, the worship team is "out of control."

I have participated on many different teams, and have been lead by even more. Here are some traps that teams can fall into due to lack of self-control:

1. All songs are the same volume level. There are no contrasts in volume; no sensitivity to the topic or style of the song.
2. All musicians play all the time. Not all songs effectively lead the congregation with a full team.
3. Excessive lead solos. This includes solos during every break where there are no vocals, and during pastoral speaking and prayers.
4. Vocal "songs of the Lord" at inappropriate times. The anxiousness to move out in the gift stifles the current move of the Spirit.
5. Vocalists or instrumentalists needing to be the "loudest." There should never be a time when a person can't hear himself/herself because someone else is too loud!
6. Lack of preparation. (It takes a LOT of self-control to set aside time to practice and prepare!)

Did I step on any toes?? We all have times when our self-control isn't what it should be. It is always important to remember Romans 12:4-6 "Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." We are all VERY important to the team. However, to function as a team, it means that each member must exhibit self-control as to not shut down or cover up the other gifts operating on the team.

I pray that we will continue to grow in our sensitivity to the needs of the team, and learn how to be self-controlled in order to let the Spirit take control of our gifts!

The Fruit of the Spirit on the Worship team - Goodness

This week we will finish up our series on the Fruit of the Spirit with Goodness. The definition of Goodness is "that which is pleasing, or valuable, or useful." We know from scripture that God sees us in these ways. Our worship to Him is pleasing. We have value in His eyes as His children. We are useful to His work when we are operating in our gifts. But how does Goodness directly apply to our worship team?

I believe the application of this goes along with a study we did several months ago about developing our talents. I told the story of a youth choir that I directed quiting as a group after accusing me of making them good! However, as we look at the Fruit of the Spirit, we see that being good is not just an option, it is a requirement! As Worship Team Members and leaders, we have an obligation to....

1. Practice and improve our skills, especially those we are weak in. We need to be good musically.
2. We need to treat each other with kindness and care for each other. We need to be good friends.
3. We need to make worship a priority in our daily lives. We need to be good worshipers.

I've enjoyed sharing the fruit of the spirit with you these past few months. If you have any personal insights or something to add, please email me so I can include it in next week's bulletin.

More of ME in the Monitor! - Part 1

Last week we looked at monitor mixes as it pertains to the worship team. This week, we’ll look at it from the Sound Engineer’s point of view. Running sound is not an easy task. It takes training, patience, a good ear, and a humble heart. During most services, a good sound person must juggle house sound and multiple monitor mixes without the congregation even recognizing that anything is going on. As with musicians, the sound person must always keep an open mind and never stop learning. The audio engineer can be the worship team’s best friend, or a source of frustration. If you are worship team member and reading this, don't "tune out" thinking that this doesn't have anything to do with you. You never know when YOU may end up running sound too! (Musicians tend to make very good sound people!)

At professional shows, the monitors are usually mixed on stage by a dedicated sound person, while the FOH (front of house) mix is done from the audience. Unfortunately, church sound people must run the monitor mixes without the benefit of knowing what it sounds like from the worship team’s perspective. Headphones can NEVER truly tell what is coming out of a speaker. Here are some tips for sound engineers regarding monitor mixes:

(1) Always remember that if the monitors are bad, then the musicianship and Worship will suffer. There have been times in my career when I have stopped singing/playing because I couldn't hear myself. There are also times when I have been forced to cut worship short because the stage sound was SO horrendous it became impossible to continue! Creating a polished and worthy sound to the congregation and the Lord is a must!

(2) If someone truly can not hear themselves and it is impractical to turn them up, then bring everything else down in the monitor.

(3) It is VERY important that you watch the stage constantly during worship! The Worship team, especially the leader, needs to be able to get the sound person's attention AT ALL TIMES. Passive mixing seldom works.... each song may require subtle adjustments, even in the monitors.

(4) Finally, a few freebies..... a team member is helpless if you forget to unmute. And... don't be afraid of the gain control, especially when it concerns acoustic guitars.

Achieving the right monitor mix is a group effort, involving compromise and attention to detail. The goal of all of this is creating an atmosphere that is conducive to the congregation encountering the presence of God in our services. It's about Him, not us. He deserves our best :-)

Stay Sharp!

I received several responses to my teaching the past two weeks on "monitor ministry." I want to stress that it was not my intention to single out any one group. Both the worship team and the sound team can grow in this area and both carry equal responsibilities. Personally, I am learning to compromise on what I "need" to hear so that the rest of the team is more comfortable and the stage volume is managed. I am also working on some ways that we can better meet our monitor needs.

In everything we do on a regular basis there is a risk of going on "auto pilot." On the Worship Team, we can run the risk of doing our songs without regard to their message. The sound person can set and leave the board without regard to the different needs of each song. Likewise, team members can get use to having monitors a certain way, and the sound person can be hesitant to move out of doing things the way they've always been done. I could go on, but you get the picture. The main point is to stay sharp in all we do: lead worship and run sound ACTIVELY. Each note we sing, chord we play, or knob we turn is important and has an effect on many other people and their worship experience.

Staying sharp as a Worship Team member goes much further than team dynamics. When we lose our edge in one thing, it can spill over into other areas of our lives. Look at 1 Peter 5:8 - "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (NIV) So when we stay sharp, we can avoid at least some of the attack on us. We also give the Lord what he deserves: our best.

Next lesson, we will take a practical look at vocals on the worship team.

Of all the unique ministries on the worship team, vocalist is probably the most sought after. It is common on worship teams to have too many vocalists, or singers who are not called to the ministry. Although all Christians are called to "make a joyful noise, " this does not apply to those in leadership! Like the Levites, singers on the worship team are to be called and gifted for their specific ministry as singers and leaders.

The spiritual requirements for the worship team are universal for all members, regardless of instrument or voice part. However, there are several practical musical qualifications for singers on the team. Here are a few....

1. Ability to sing on pitch. Someone who can not sing in tune is probably not called to sing on a worship team.

2. Ability to blend with other singers. This includes matching the style, vibrato, volume changes, and diction of the other singers as needed. A "soloist" can be a distraction on a team if he/she can't blend.

3. For some, the ability to hear and sing harmony. A team should have two singers who can harmonize by ear. After that, there can be several melody singers. Harmony singers can be male or female, but a mix is best. It is difficult to have more than one male voice singing the melody, so if there is more than one guy singing, one needs to be harmony. Beyond being able to sing harmony, it's important not to "part-hop." That is, change from alto to second soprano, or vice versa, in the midst of a song, forcing the other harmony singer to switch voice parts. For those who can not sing harmony, all hope is not lost! However, the more flexible a singer is, the more opportunity there will be for service.

These few guidelines are for those who sing on "the mics," but can also apply choir members at times. For all of us on the team, vocalists included, it's important to develop our gifts. It's not good enough to "just sing." Lessons, practice, learning to read music.... all of these things can help bring honor to our Lord by sharpening the gifts He's given to us. A diamond starts as a piece of cool, but it takes pressure, heat, and the jewelers steady hand to get it out!

God gave me that song!

I don't know how many times someone has come up to me and said "God gave me a song." While it is true that God speaks to us and through us, I have a different philosophy when it comes to God "giving" us songs, or giving us supernatural musical abilities without any effort on our part. I want to be clear: this is MY philosophy. Others will disagree with me. However, scripture says truth will set us free.(John 8:32) So for me, this is my truth. (I welcome alternate opinions!)

I believe that God gives us talents and abilities, and that it is our responsibility to develop and cultivate them. Jesus tells us the parable of the talents, which supports this. (Matt. 25:14-30) Our God is a creative God, and we are made in His image. (Gen. 1) Therefore, we too are creative. However, God's creation is perfect. Our creation in our fallen state, is not. That is why I believe that the worship songs, hymns, etc. that we create here on Earth will NOT be sung in heaven, because they are not perfect. (We'll study this next week.)

I do believe that God speaks through us in song, but that the songs are "filtered" through our talents and abilities as we have developed them. God puts a message on our hearts, and we put that message into words, chords, and melodies. IF God did "give us songs," they would by definition NEED to be perfect. There would be no question of it! However, most of the songs I've heard from people who claim that they are written by God, are far from being perfect. The person's inexperience and fallen nature are always prevalent.

Does this mean that we should not sing songs that we feel are inspired by our Lord? Absolutely not! We have an obligation to the body to deliver prophetic and edifying messages through music to the body! We should not, however, think that we are infailable or that any message coming through us is perfect in it's translation. We have an obligation to:

1. Train ourselves musically, including developing song writing skills that are worthy of God's inspiration.
2. Get closer to the Lord through worship, study, and prayer so that we can more accurately hear His voice.
3. Learn how to discern when a song is for a specific person, the body at large, or just for ourselves.

Next time, we will discuss the songs sung in heaven.

Before I get into this week's lesson, I want to share with you a response that Alice James sent to me regarding last week's lesson on songs from God. It also relates to what we will look at this week:

"I have had several times when I felt God inspired a song, or "gave" me a song, and you are very right when you say that it is then filtered through my own abilities and therefore imperfect. That's ok, because He is bringing people into my life who can help me improve. Other songs I have written have been as an outpouring of my spiritual life, an overflowing of my love and praise to God, or a response to events in my own personal life. Where I think we make a mistake is when we think the music we make in our personal time needs to be shared with the church body. Maybe some will have wider application, but I don't think our church needs to hear every song I write. Most of them just aren't appropriate to what's going on in the church right now, or the direction God wants to lead the church. What I write has application to me, and if it has application to others, God will direct that."

Thank you Alice!

This week instead of giving a lesson, I want to present some food for thought: things to think about so you can come up with your own conclusions.

Through the ages, there have been some incredible "songs/hymns of the faith" that believers have written. From the simple Gregorian chant of the middle ages, through current contemporary worship songs, each generation has composed it's own unique expression of praise to our Lord. Historically, music is a reflection of society and culture of the time. For example, the hymn "Bringing in the Shieves", composed in 1874, was written during the agricultural revolution here in the United States. Although it is still sung in many churches, for modern Americans who work in the cities and suburbs, it has little relevance other than nostalgia. In the same way, I doubt that Christians a hundred years from now (if Jesus doesn't come back sooner!) will be able to relate to some of the styles/lyrics of our contemporary worship.

A local pastor once told me that we should be singing more of the "great hymns of the faith" because that's what we will be singing for eternity in heaven. Interesting thought. Imagine, if you will, all the Christians who have ever died woshipping together before the throne of God. That's what Revelations says will take place in Heaven. Generations spanning thousands of years, including thousands of different earthly languages. Is it really possible that we will be singing "Bringing in the Shieves" together? Or even "Amazing Grace?" Will we all be singing in English? I think it's very doubtful.

I mentioned last week that I believe that what we create while we are here on Earth is imperfect, because it is done so in our "fallen state." I don't think the imperfect will be allowed in the presence of God. In fact, we are only allowed in His presence because we are covered by the blood of Jesus, the only perfect person to ever live! In Heaven, the imperfect has either passed away or been made perfect through the blood of Jesus.

Again, I want to stress that this is MY opinion, not necessarily Gospel truth.

So, what will we sing in Heaven? There are songs in Revelation 5 that Paul heard on his visit. Are these the only ones? Will there be others? Will we sing in our own language, or a heavenly language? Will we worship for eternity, or take breaks? We can ask these questions until Jesus comes again and still not know the answers. I guess we'll have to wait and see :-)

I had another lesson completed and ready to go, but in light of Pastor Bill's sermon this week, I felt to touch on the topic of avoiding a critical attitude on the worship team. I must admit: this is something that I often struggle with. Going to college for music, I was trained to be analytical to the point of not being able to enjoy any music for many years. I found that I criticized everything I heard and the musicians that created it. There is a fine line between being a "critical thinker" and having a "critical attitude." As a team, we need to learn how to move forward musically and spiritually TOGETHER without crushing each other's spirits.

Whenever two or more are gathered together.... there will be differences of opinion! Often it's not who's right or who's wrong, but what is best for the team at this time. I challenge us to get to know each other better and deeper: to minister out of our relationships and not as strangers. As we do this, many of our criticisms will turn into "now I understand." It's also helps to remember that being critical of another is a sin. We can work at avoiding it, just as we do other sins. We can ask for forgiveness from our gracious God when we fail.

The scripture in Galations 1:10 made an impression on me last Sunday. "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." Wow! I can think of at least two ways we can apply this to the worship team. First, if being critical doesn't please God, we need to work even harder to have a positive and loving attitude. Second, as a team we should strive to please God in being the most unified group we can be, always remembering the goal of creating an atmosphere conducive to bringing the congregation into the presence of God.

If you missed the sermon for this week (June 29,) get a copy of the CD. In fact, if you've missed ANY of this series, get the CDs! Each week there are Biblical truths that we can put to work on our team and in our daily lives.

Taking a Sabbath

"Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy." This commandment was given alongside "Do not kill" and "have no other Gods before you." Yet, we often forget to honor it. As leaders, it's critical that we take a day off each week from our normal routine. As a staff, we recently went through a study by Rick Warren. In it, he says to divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually in order to renew ourselves.

I want to challenge you to take time off. Maybe I don't need to say this, since this past Sunday nearly everyone was gone on vacation! It's not the regular vacations that we have trouble with, its the weekly Sabbath that is always hard to keep. I have noticed on worship teams that we members are often afraid to take a Sunday or two off for fear that someone else will take their place. (Actually... this happened to me!) God has His place for all of us, and no one fill your shoes! Take a day a week to break your normal routine. It's ok to say "no" to things in order to rest.

To Play or Not to Play

One of the greatest musical works ever written is Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Finished in 1824, the complete work takes close to two hours to perform when all the repeats are taken. A unique feature of this masterpiece is the inclusion of a chorus of singers. However, instead of having the choir sing throughout the entire piece, Beethoven choose to have them come in during the last section of the fourth/last movement. The choir, therefore, stands on stage for over an hour and a half before singing a single note! When they do sing, it is a magnificent sound, creating what some have called one of man's greatest accomplishments.

I often tell my students that the rests in music are just as important as the notes. In the worship team, it is often what we don't play or sing that creates an atmosphere conducive to the congregation entering into worship. Many times I have sat in worship services and listened to teams go through their sets with everyone playing all the time at full volume. As we discussed in our study of the Fruit of the Spirit, self-control is vital if we are to lead God's people into His presence. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for everything. Therefore, everything must be done, but only when the time is right.

How do we determine when and if we should be singing/playing? Two questions should always be asked: What is best for the team as we try to set an atmosphere of worship for the congregation and/or will I be a distraction to what God is trying to do by drawing attention to myself? A lot of this gets worked out in practice, which is why musicians, singers, and sound people should always be in attendance if possible. However, the Spirit can change all of our plans at a moments notice. As we practice together, we learn how to be sensitive together in real-time situations. We do not function as individual musicians, but as a team.

Remember: In any group, secular or Christian, there are times when everyone does not need to play. Not every song needs an instrumental solo, drums, harmony, or multiple guitars. More often than not, solo instruments, such as strings, horns, and lead guitars, may sit out a majority of the worship set. Before and after worship, sensitivity is also very important. When the pastor or someone else is talking or praying, it's crucial that our music doesn't overpower or become the focus instead of what is being said.

Although worship is performance, it is for an audience of one. A performance ministry which communicates the truth of Jesus functions differently than a worship team who's purpose is to guide the congregation into the presence of God. We need to always do a self check and make sure that our music does not get in the way of our ministry, or the ministry of others.

Worship Teaching: Secular Band vs Sacred Team

Churches refer to their "Sunday musicians" by many different names: worship team, praise team, praise band, worship band... I'm sure there are more. The word "band" has a variety of meanings, from marching to rock or country. "Team" implies a group of people working together for a common goal. Because of that, I like the word team better than band. I also prefer the term worship instead of praise, as it is more encompassing. However, what we call ourselves is not all that important. What we do is.

Over the next few weeks, I want to look at the various members of the worship team and compare them to their counterparts in secular bands. We'll look at similarities and differences. We'll see some things that the world has stolen from us, and what we need to do to get them back.

As we begin, it's important to see the primary differences between secular and sacred bands. In the world, it is about the music and the musician: creating a good sound and making one's self look good. In God's scheme of things, it is about the music, but also about The Master. We too need to make the most glorious sound possible, but not to exalt us. The music must always be for Him.

The "Lead" Vocalist

The lead vocalist is generally thought of as the front person in a secular band. The rest of the group can often seem like only a backing band to the singer! Some bands break this mold with multiple leads, such as The Beatles. But most often, one person drives the way a band is perceived.

The Worship Team needs a solid leader, but this person should not always lead, but at times release others into the role. As we look at Jesus and his disciples, he first modeled what was to be done, and later told his
followers to do as He did. In that way, the leader should strive to be an example to the team, and to those other leaders that he/she is mentoring. If the focus stays on the leader only, as in most secular bands, he/she is not sharing the responsibility or releasing others like he/she should.

The question is sometimes asked: should the worship leader play an instrument or just sing. Proponents of the "singing only" leader will say that this kind of leader can model worship better since his/her hands are free. Historically, this is a hold over from "song leader" days, when the song service team included an organ, piano, choir, and leader who would "direct" with his/her hands.

The musical demands of the leader have changed a lot since the days of song leaders. My opinion, is that the worship leader can never truly lead the team unless he/she is strong on an instrument. In my experience of watching the vocal-only worship leader, there is always an instrumentalist on the team that is truly leading them. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I have personally not seen any of them.

The Supporting Vocalist

As I mentioned in the last lesson, the team's goal is to lead the worshiping people into the presence of God in order to present to Him the praise and honor he deserves and requires. The lead singer in a band is saying "look at me." The worship leader says "look at God." Part 3: The "Backing" Vocalist

When we think of secular backing vocalists, we sometimes think of the old groups like Diana Ross and the Supremes or Tony Orlando and Dawn. The basic purpose of the worship team vocalist is not much different than his/her secular counterpart: add supportive and harmony vocals to the worship leader's lead vocals. Often, however, little consideration is given to the function and purpose of vocalists on worship teams.

I've seen and heard teams before where there were five or six singers, all singing melody. This would be similar to having multiple bass players, or a half-dozen guitar players, all doing the same thing. Musically, it doesn't work for several reasons, but primarily because it is near impossible to blend similar vocals on individual microphones. This type of sound is best reserved for a choir.

As with secular bands, certain guidelines determine the function of team vocalists. Some of them are:

1. Have a voice that BLENDS with the worship leader. Often times, a great singer with a solo voice does not fit well on a worship team.
2. Have control over pitch, vibrato, and volume. These are vital in blending.
3. Possess the ability to find and sing harmonies. This can be difficult to learn, but not impossible. I consider this VERY important.
4. Being able to read music is a big plus!

Everything is not exactly the same as with a secular band, however. The worship team vocalist is NOT a performer, but must model worship for the congregation. Stage presence is still important though, since a distracting singer can prevent people from entering into worship. My suggestion to those who want to sing on a worship team is to take lessons, and then get an honest appraisal of their abilities. Also, video tape yourself singing and look for distracting behaviors. Remember: dress modestly.

The Drummer

As a band teacher, I have found that more than any other instrument, people want to play drums. For some, they like the volume. Others may feel it is an easier instrument to learn. However, a good drummer, Christian or secular, is as skilled and trained as the other musicians he/she plays with.

In most secular bands, the drummer sets the tempo and is responsible for keeping the rhythm. On the worship team, this usually isn't the case. The tempo is set most of the time by the worship leader, so it is the drummer's job to HOLD the tempo. This isn't always easy.

Drum volume can also become an issue on the worship team. As with all instruments, if the drums are covering up anyone on the team, or forcing the others to compensate by playing louder, they are too loud. In general, churches are not designed for loud music (or any music, for that matter!) The variety of people that exists in the congregation makes it even more necessary to watch our volume. Loud music is offensive to some, while others aren't happy unless it's loud!

The Guitarist

This week we end our series on the Secular Band vs the Sacred Team by looking at guitarists. A lot of times, the role of guitarists are determined by whether they are the primary lead instrument or not. Guitars have different functions if the lead instrument is a keyboard. Regardless, let's compare guitarists in both secular and sacred settings.

Acoustic Guitar: Usually, the acoustic player is doing a rhythm or picking part. In both groups, a knowledge of chords is essential, including all major, minor, sevenths, ninths, augmented, diminished.... you get the idea. Just knowing basic major and minor chords is no longer good enough. As worship has matured, so has the use of more complex chords! What differs from secular to sacred is the styles you are expected to play in. While many bands stick to one or two styles, the worship team demands a variety of playing techniques.

Electric Guitar: Traditionally, secular bands have two electric guitarists. One plays rhythm, one plays lead. The rhythm player holds down the chords, while the lead player adds "bling", for lack of a better term. Most worship teams use only one electric. The role of this player is determined by his/her skill level. It is very easy for the electric player to overplay and draw undue attention to himself/herself. While this may work for Eddie Van Halen, on the worship team if anything draws attention away from the Lord, or distracts from the overall sense of "team," it is too much. In comparing our two groups, the secular electric can be the focus much of the time, but on the sacred team, it is always better to underplay than over play.

Job Requirements

I’ve just been through the process of hiring two staff members for my department at the school. It’s a complicated process, affected by both the needs of each position and State laws governing procedure. Job descriptions were posted for each position, which led candidates to apply. Although the postings were clear, many that applied were not at all qualified. There were also those who were qualified, but unwilling to work under our confines and needs.

I am often asked what the requirements are to be on our worship team. Of course, the application gives an overview, but depending on the positions being filled, there are specific "job descriptions." This week, I am going to give five basic guidelines that I feel are important for most of the positions on our worship team. (I’m sure you might be able to come up with more!)

Although I hope it brings clarity to those who are on the team or seeking to become a part, I felt the need to finally be able to put in words what is often a difficult question to answer. I pray it will help us all be more accountable. Although I’m not giving specific scriptures to back each of these points up, I believe they are in the spirit of the requirements of the Old Testament Levites.

Another year is rolling around. It seems they come quicker as I get older! New Year’s is a time when a lot of us make resolutions, which are usually promises to ourselves that we can’t keep. I think the New Year is always a good time to re-evaluate our places in ministry; to refocus and reestablish what we are doing. As I go through this process myself, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what makes a good worship team member. I’ve come up with four “C’s” that I want to share with you:


Calling

Since God created all of us for a purpose, if we are functioning in the WRONG ministry, then there is someplace, somewhere, that is suffering without us. All of us should regularly ask the question “Am I doing what you want me to do, God?” I believe most of the time we will hear “Yes!” However, if there is doubt in our hearts, each of us should prayerfully consider what we should be doing in any particular season. Only those who God has currently called to the worship ministry will find success and fulfillment in it. Make it your goal this year to confirm your calling with the Lord.

Consistency

Worship ministry requires a LOT of consistency! We need to play songs in practice the way we are going to do them during service. We need to maintain our spiritual walk AND our skill. We need to be on time and dependable to meet our commitments. Make it your goal this year to be consistent in all areas of your ministry through worship.

Commitment

We need to be committed to the Lord, to our church, to our team, and to ourselves. This means honoring scheduled rehearsals and services, as well as coming prepared musically and spiritually. There is little place on the team for someone who only wants to participate when it is convenient. Likewise, it takes a LOT of commitment to stand aside at times so others can participate. Commitment may be one of the hardest things to nail down in ministry. Make it your goal this year to truly be a team player.

Character

This is a big one these days. It is so easy to fall into a trap that the enemy has prepared especially for us! It can take a long time to restore the perception of good character, if ever. It’s important to have someone who will ask the tough questions on a regular basis in order to keep each of us accountable. We all sin, and we are all forgiven. However, some sins have a lasting effect that can take us out. Make it your goal this year to be careful and keep your eyes on Jesus.

In the midst of the chaos which IS the NAMM show, there was a guitar seminar led by Tommy Walker. It turned out to be an incredible time of worship, teaching, and encouragement for all who attended. The short
lesson that Tommy gave at the end inspired me and really got me thinking about some things. This short lesson series is based on that teaching and what the Lord spoke to me regarding it's application to our worship team at New Life. PLEASE take the time to read it each week. I don't want anyone to be left behind as we move forward as a team.

I love fresh bread! It's hard to resist grabbing a loaf or two when I pass by the warm French or Sour Dough at the supermarket. When I was a kid, we lived about a mile from the Wonder Bread factory in Pomona. On
the shelves were three qualities of product. First, there was the really fresh bread, baked that day and often still warm. Then there was bread that was not quite as fresh, but still good. Finally, there was what
they called "day old" bread. It didn't sell the day before, so it was discounted.

I have been thinking about how our gifts in worship are like bread. We have been created as creative beings by our creative God, yet we use yesterday's creations as our offerings to Him! He deserves our warm, fresh bread, but we give Him yesterday's loaves.

How does this apply to our worship, or you in particular? Are there areas of your worship offering that are the same today as they were ten years ago, or even last month? Next week, we will begin to look at scripture and clarify what this means to our team, and I'll share a few things that Tommy Walker taught on at the NAMM show. In the meantime, look over these two questions and be prepared to discuss them at our
upcoming rehearsals.

1. What does it say to someone when we give them "day old" instead of "fresh?"

2. What elements of your worship ministry would you consider "day old?"

Fresh Bread: Avoiding Day Old Offerings

The phrase "New Song" appears nine times in scripture. Here are four
examples (NIV):

Psalm 33:3
Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.

Psalm 144:9
I will sing a new song to you, O God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you...

Psalm 149:1
Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.

Revelation 14:3
And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

As I study these four scriptures, I see the following:

1. Our song should be new
2. Our musical offering should be skillful
3. Our worship should be joyful.
4. Our worship can be instrumental.
5. Our worship can be corporate.
6. Some new songs are reserved for the heavenly elite.

I think we can all agree that our God is creative: Just look at the world around us! He creates a new day for us every 24 hours. He constantly replenishes the earth in new ways. Since the beginning of time, He has been both "new every morning" and "never changing." We are created in the image of this Creative God. Creativity is arguably our biggest God-like attribute. Scripture tells us to be creative in our worship by singing a new song.

What does singing a "new song" mean to the members of our worship team? I think there are obvious and implied applications.

1. Sing New Songs:

As I look at the "top 100" worship songs as compiled by CCLI, I notice that most of them are ten to twenty years old! I also notice that over the last few years, the list has changed very little. As Christians, we tend to canonize our songs. That is, we make them sacred, like our scriptures. If this was how the Lord wanted it, we would still be singing Hebrew songs from Biblical times! On the contrary, each generation brings unique worship to the Lord that reflects its current musical language and culture. Fresh expressions of worship are what they Lord wants from us. He asks us for new songs. (This also include prophetic and spontaneous songs, but that is another lesson!)

2. Sing old songs in new ways:

Should we only sing new songs? I think the request from the Lord can also include singing old songs in new ways. Jesus' ministry on earth both embraced the ancient, while infusing it with new. Our creative God makes each new day, but no two days are ever alike. However, if we only accept the old, there is no room for the new.

3. Improve our talents, making our worship new:

Notice above that Psalms 33:3 tells us to play skillfully. As we have studied before, the Levitical Priests were highly trained musicians and given a great deal of spiritual responsibility as they maintained the temple and worship. We seem to forget, however, that learning an instrument is never ending and needs constant maintenance and work. I once asked my junior high band director "when did you learn to play the saxophone." He replied "I haven't learned yet." Unfortunately, most church musicians have a "good enough" mentality. They play at a level that they consider "good enough for church" instead of becoming skillful as scripture demands. >>>I put forth to you that this kind of mentality can be a SIN for those involved on the worship team AND in worship support ministries. Scripture is clear that we are to be skillful and maintain/improve our gifts.

So, since we now know what scripture says about the stewardship of our gifts, we now need to be accountable for them! What does this mean? It may be different for each of us. But for all of us, it means that we must be willing not to be satisfied with the same old way of managing our talents. For a seed to grow, it needs water and nourishment.

Here are four simple "yes/no" questions. How many can you answer yes to?

1. Do I practice at home on a regular basis?

2. Am I working to improve on my areas of musical weakness?

3. Do have have musical goals that I am actively trying to achieve?

4. Am I willing to offer my musical offering to the Lord in fresh ways?

Of course, I know that worship is first and foremost an expression of our hearts towards our Lord. But as worship team members and leaders, we have further responsibilities not only in the spiritual, but in the musical. The congregation can make a joyful noise. Team members must be trained and skilled! We are entering a time of more accountability in this.

Fresh Bread: A word from Tommy Walker

Tommy Walker is a well-known worship leader in the Foursquare denomination. He has written such worship songs as "Do It Lord," “No Greater Love,” “Mourning Into Dancing,” “He Knows My Name,” and “That’s Why We Praise Him.” He has been the worship leader at Christian Assembly for twenty years, which is an achievement in itself! During his session at the 2010 NAMM show, Tommy encouraged worship leaders with a testimony of what God is doing in his life at the current time.

Tommy told us how the Lord is leading him to become a better musician and how he is experiencing new areas of worship as a result. Although no one could accuse Tommy Walker of being anything less than a world-class guitarist, the Lord is wanting him to be better. It would be easy and acceptable for his church if Tommy just continued playing the way he always has for the next twenty years. However, God has a higher calling for his worship leaders. Tommy encouraged the leaders at the session to strive for more, and reminded us that we can never become too good for the Lord.

Tommy's teaching led me to evaluate my worship and how I present my gifts to the Lord as a worship leader. God has convicted me in the following areas: (1) I need to introduce more new songs, including fresh compositions of my own and from the team. (2) I need to practice more on my own in order to break through a musical wall that I've been pushed up against for awhile. (3) Our congregation deserves a skillful and unified worship team. Although New Life has an awesome team, we need make some fresh bread. (4) Our congregation deserves more teaching and modeling to release worship in their lives, especially those that are new believers.

Last teaching, I presented four yes/no questions for each team member to answer. Beyond these, every person owes it to the Lord to pray and seek out what his/her next step should be in their worship growth. Staying in the same place is NOT an option! Let's throw out the day old, week old, decades old bread and bake fresh offerings for our Lord!




Thought of the day (Archive)....
(This is the archive of some random posts I made prior to the worship teachings above.)

I found this article in the February 2006 edition of Electronic Musician. Although it's written for the secular world, the concepts here have major implications and applications in worship. Check it out at this link.


I have seen a lot of churches lately that are struggling in their worship. I have wondered at times if some Pastors and church boards want someone who isn't qualified in the position of "Worship Leader," especially in certain denominations. What should be the minimum qualifications for this extreemly important job? Beyond having a deep personal relationship with Jesus, here are my top five: (1) A heart and passion for worship. This is a no-brainer. Worship should be an obsession in the heart of the leader. In that way, they can be infectious to the congregation. (2) The ability to lead people into God's presence. There are many people who are mature worshipers, but few who can lead other's. Being passionate about worship does not mean a person can direct the congregation into a deep place with the Lord. (3) The ability to build a team. This is one of the most overlooked skills. I have personally seen leaders who can lead people into God's presence, but can not hone and mentor a team around them. A worship leader needs to have the skills to support, train, and musically lead those God has intrusted in their care. (4) The ability to release other's in their worship giftedness. See my comment below dated November 12 for why I feel this is so vital. Unfortunatly, many leaders shut down more people than they release. (5) Talent. Many people try to downplay the role of talent in worship. However, if one studies the Levites of the Old Testament, the importance to God of talent and being skilled becomes evident. I have seen churches make the choice of "anointing" over "talent" when choosing their leaders. Although this seems noble and spiritual, the leader should have both. It may be better to have no leader at all and wait for God's perfect person than settle for less. Otherwise, we can set up our churches for disappointment and our leader's for failure.

I once saw an interview with former Beatle Paul McCartney in which he discussed how difficult it was to keep musicians in his post-Beatle band "Wings." He said they had a hard time being in a band with him because he had such a big reputation and following... that they felt they could never achieve their goals under his shadow. Many worship leaders/team members suffer this same fate. It seams that those who are multi-talented often make others on the team, or their leaders, feel threatened. Many times the reaction is to control or entirely shut down talented musicians. The church seems to desire the mediocre. Those who are not very gifted musically and those who are "too" gifted, often are Spiritually abused. Those who are average are "safe" to use. I would challenge leaders who feel threatened by better musicians to study the Levites in the Old Testament. They were both called to worship and skilled musicians. It was demanded of them by God. It is the worship leaders responsibility to release those who are skilled and called into the fullness of what God has for them.

Ken Sockwell
November 12, 2006

A prophetic minister once told me "if you need to minister, your ministry isn't needed." I use to believe this whole-heartedly. Now, having been the leader deciding people's fates, and the person being left out of ministry, this statement grieves my heart. Inside every true believer is a drive to walk fully in his or her calling. It is passion for ministry that is released by the Holy Spirit. Failure of leadership to release the call of those they are responsible for can result in bitterness and a sort of spiritual death. Church leaders hold our hearts in their hands. I pray that they think twice before crushing the call and dreams of those they are given responsibility over.