Serving

Contextual Choices

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I have been a different worship leader in every environment where I have led worship.

The longer I lead worship, the more I see the value of contextualization. Of course, there are best practices, and theological truths which anchor us regardless of time, place, country, or culture. But part of serving effectively is being aware of the needs, idols, and affections of the people you serve.

I believe that effective contextualization looks less like pandering, and more like carrying an awareness of the choices that will create more blockers and distractions for our people. And therefore, effective contextualization must have clear conviction, as well as an understanding of your congregation.

There is no one-size-fits-all version of this high calling we carry as worship leaders.

Do not be fooled by YouTube videos when everything looks formulaic and uniform.

Do not be lazy in serving the unique people God drawn to your church.

Clarify your convictions. Serve and challenge effectively. Love God, love His people.

Limiting Choices

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As worship leaders, we make many decisions when it comes to choosing songs - what songs we will introduce, what songs will be a part of our set list, what songs will make it to our master song list, and what songs will roll out of rotation and frequency.

The church I serve belongs to a network of churches that has very clear convictions around the kind of songs - but more specifically, the kind of writers - whose songs many of the network churches are willing to use. As I understand it, the concern is essentially that using a song from a particular church or movement is viewed as an endorsement of its theology. Don’t get me wrong, songs matter, and so does theology. Songs often function as portable theology for our congregations. And so therefore we should be discerning about what we put in the minds, mouths, and hearts of our people. But our primary responsibility is not to be gatekeepers of songs, but disciple-makers. We need to teach, lead, and serve in such a way that our people become increasingly discerning of the diet of songs they listen to and love.

As I have developed my own philosophy of worship, and frankly, as worship songs have become an industry saturating our choices as local church worship leaders, it has become harder for me to listen to an album and want to introduce every song to my congregation. Because I am often considering the holes in my master song list, I become less convinced that just because this is an artist I love, and with whom I am theologically aligned, does not mean that every song they send into the world is one I will receive.

Let your convictions guide your choices. If you feel convinced that songs from churches you would not attend will be more harmful than helpful for your congregation, then do not use those songs. My conviction is that we need songs that are deep theologically, and emotive responsively - seldom do those two factors exist in a single song. So that shapes the songs I choose to introduce and the way I construct my set lists.

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Quotes

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H.B. CHARLES, JR

May we never forget that we gather not to please ourselves or to please others. We worship to please the Lord. 

WILLIAM TEMPLE

To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.

JOHN STARKE

The way from a performative life to a life hidden in Christ is death. And it feels like death too.

LAMAR BOSCHMAN

When I worship, I would rather my heart be without words than my words be without heart.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Recommended Reading [Part 7]

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These are the most recent books I’ve finished that speak to our shared tasks as worship leaders, but also to the aim and direction of our worship hearts as Christ followers. I hope they will serve and encourage you in your journey:

Reformed Worship - Jonty Rhodes

I come from a reformed tradition, and this book has been helpful in articulating the truths that shape the design and intention behind worship in general - and corporate worship specifically. But even if your background or current ministry experience is different - this short book is worth your time.

On Worship - H.B. Charles Jr.

I love a book with short chapters! While I was reading this book, I had it on hand all the time - because rather than scrolling my phone during spare minutes, I would read a chapter or two. I also appreciated that H.B. has broken this book into three sections: Understanding Worship, Participating in Worship, and Leading Worship.

Worship And the World To Come - Glenn Packiam

This book was fascinating - although a bit academic because of the doctoral-level research this book required. Packiam explores ‘Christian Hope in Contemporary Worship,’ looking at various traditions, song choices, language, and styles to help worship leaders and pastors better articulate a fully-formed vision of Christian hope in our lives, songs, and services.

Land of My Sojourn - Mike Cosper

The local church is beautiful and brutal. It does not take long to see and experience firsthand the ongoing sanctification when you commit yourself to the local expression of faith. This means we will be hurt, but we will also be healed. Mike uses his own story and experience to give language - to clear a path - for those who are trying to navigate their way through pain and grief as we seek to be obedient to Jesus.

Recommended Reading - Part 1 | Recommended Reading - Part 2 | Recommended Reading - Part 3

Recommended Reading - Part 4 | Recommended Reading - Part 5 | Recommended Reading - Part 6

Whose Face Are You Looking For

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For better (and sometimes worse) as worship leaders, we have the best seat in the house: looking out on our brothers and sisters in Christ as they sing to God and to one another the truths that animate our faith.

We see the faces of those we love, and those we find hard to love. We see the joys and sorrows of stories shared and burdens borne together as the people of God. These are the interactions as a worship leader that fuel our own worship and devotion, that unite our hearts to fear God’s name and unite our hearts to His people.

But from our vantage point, we can also see those who look like the live-action version of the flat-eye emoji.

Arms crossed.

Scowl.

Refuse to sing.

Staring through you.

Those are the faces that have made me want to stop mid-song and sentence and say “You know I can see you, right?”

And why do they always seem to sit in the front row? Ha!

While I am conscious of the fact that I am leading the people of God, when those faces fall into view, I have to intentionally remind myself: whose face am I looking for here?

Whose face do I desire to see?

Whose gaze is on me - not just on my external activity, but down to the ground of my being, who sees me, knows me, loves me, through and through?

In these moments I am tempted toward fixation: what do I need to do to make that person change their face or posture? I am tempted toward spiral: why do they hate me?

But rather than fixate or spiral, I am learning to pray with the Psalmist:

“You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”” Psalm 27:8

Collaborative Set List

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The thought of collaboratively building set lists gives me indigestion. But in practice, I always walk away so grateful for the opportunity to serve together. To find small ways to die to myself, and learn alongside of others who desire to serve the Lord and his people.

One of the things that has surprised me is how often I’ve met worship leaders who can lead songs but have never been taught how to build a set list. They know how to lead a song but not how to run a rehearsal. They know how to choose a key, but can’t lead the liturgy of the gathering.

At the end of the day, I believe that part of a leader’s main responsibility is to grow other leaders - I hope that regardless of your context or experience you are intentionally pursuing opportunities to develop other leaders. And I think that find a few people who can work together to collaboratively build a set list is a great place to start.

A few things that I have learned along the way:

  • People are more eager to serve, and take responsibility than you might expect - just ask.

  • You need to have clarity on your philosophy of worship.

  • It is easy to become frustrated and pull in different directions when you are not working from a shared understanding of the purpose of the corporate gathering - have you articulated this generally at your church, as well as specifically for this day?

  • You need to articulate the rhythms of how to build a set list - particularly for those who have never had the opportunity to do this before, help them understand the why, not just the what.

  • There are benefits to co-leading, but the more ownership you can give your fellow leaders, the more we all will grow.

  • Recognize that we all have preferences, don’t throw your weight around to get your way. Allow space for others to learn, and allow their own personality, skills, and gifts to shine through.

What would you add?

Familiarity Leads to Presence

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The first time I led worship in an Anglican service, I was glued to the printed liturgy - I didn’t know the order and did not understand the rhythms and movement of the gathering. Anytime I have been asked to play or sing at a wedding, I stare at the program as if I am looking at a flight tracker in the airport - as though each element will be changed and updated in real time.

When I am unfamiliar or uncertain, I find it very difficult to be present to the Lord, present to His people, and present to what He might be doing in this moment.

I wonder if you might feel the same. When the order of our service and liturgy change weekly, when we add in something outside of the normal rhythms of our gathering, and when we are unfamiliar with the music, it becomes increasingly difficult to be present to anything other than simply executing whatever right before you.

But when we are familiar, we are freed to be present. When our minds know a melody, when our fingers find the chords without looking, our eyes can be lifted to the people, rather than the paper. Our hearts can be attentive because they are still rather than churning.

So why not find more regular rhythms in your gathering if it means you can listen and speak from a greater degree of presence to the Lord and His people? Why not spend a little bit more time learning and internalizing that song before introducing it to the congregation? Why not spend a little longer lingering - a little longer rehearsing, a little longer being present?

Awe

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Awe [noun]

1: an emotion variously combining dread, veneration, and wonder that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime

2: archaic

a: DREAD, TERROR

b: the power to inspire dread

Would awe describe sung worship within our churches? Not about the music, the execution, the band, or creativity, but in the way that the people of God see and respond to God as we gather?

In Jesus, we are invited to ‘…with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’ Hebrews 4:16, but sometimes I wonder if this confidence can quickly shift to being casual, flippant, and irreverent.

Many low-church traditions do an excellent job of articulating and celebrating the immanence of God - the reality that God is knowable and near. Many high-church traditions do an excellent job of articulating and celebrating the transcendence of God - the reality that God is above and completely other than His creation. Either of these realities can - and should - inspire our worship and devotion, but so few traditions (much less Christians) equally grasp these truths.

One of the themes that has emerged from my recent reading has been how living post-Enlightenment means that our world - and therefore our minds and daily lives - are emptied of wonder. What use is wonder when we have knowledge, understanding, and explanation for so many things? Agreeing to the spiritual - and therefore mysterious - reality of our world can often be seen as an intellectual cop-out. A failure to work toward a knowable resolution. But perhaps wonder and knowledge do not need to be on opposing sides, but can in fact hold hands in the way we approach God as the people of God.

Our people inhabit a wonder-less world, are we leading them toward the transcendent reality of God as we gather?

"I Can't Worship"

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“I wasn’t able to worship because…” I have been on the receiving end of more than one post-service statement, or email beginning with this sentence in my life. I know that I have to settle some things about what I believe and how I will respond ahead of time, because in the moment - depending on the state of my own heart - these statements can make me angry, sad, self-pitying, dismissive, belittling, and unkind, or they can be an opportunity to further and clearly shepherd those I’ve been called to serve - including myself!

First I need to settle that this statement from a theological perspective is untrue. No one is ever not worshiping. Worship does not turn on and off like a light switch, worship is either rightly aimed at God, or it is bent in on self. And unless God reveals himself, we are all incapable of right worship. But as worship leaders, we know that people can easily shorthand ‘worship,’ for the sung worship portion of a Sunday gathering. And so often what people mean when they say they ‘can’t worship,’ is that something in the gathering was not to their preference.

Preference plays a role for everyone in our congregation - even for those of us who are leading worship, building the liturgy, and executing the service. Sung worship is participatory in a way that other aspects of our gathering are not. And I have noticed throughout the years, this seems to give people the freedom to speak to what they like and do not like more than other elements of a church or service. Music engages our minds, our hearts, our emotions, and our experiences - so we can quickly make preference a gospel issue when certain songs, styles, and aesthetic choices have been so deeply a part of our faith journey.

I consider the source. I have said regularly when it comes to feedback of any variety, the seriousness of which I receive, weigh, and implement feedback is: first, the staff and elders, second, anyone who serves on the worship team, third, the congregation. This is not to say that anyone is more valuable or important than any other - but staff, elders, and people who serve on the team are often more aware of what we are trying to accomplish. We are all on the same team and pulling in the same direction. Their feedback is most helpful if/when they sense we are drifting from the stated direction.

Do not take it personally. This is incredibly difficult for me. I deeply care about the work that I do, and it is hard to untangle my identity, my calling, and my vocation with enough distance to not feel like these kinds of statements are not a value judgment of me as a person. Everyone has an opinion, some people feel compelled to share theirs…

Because there is only one mediator between God and men - the man Christ Jesus - there is no song, style, or preference that can thwart true worship. True and right worship is only accomplished as God reveals himself and we respond - yes, in song - but also in all of life.

Guest Worship Leaders

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Whether leading worship for a specific event, filling in at the last minute because of an illness or joining the rotating of worship leaders for a church I did not attend, I have had the opportunity to lead worship as a guest many times over the years. It is a gift to be reminded that the Church is larger than my church. That the body of Christ is diverse, global, and growing down the street, across the country, and around the world. Here are a few things I have learned that I hope will help worship leaders who are leading as a guest, but also those churches who are hosting guest worship leaders:

A word to the worship leader.

  • You are there to serve. I know this might seem obvious, but in serving we must consider others more highly than we consider ourselves. Be willing to be inconvenienced, or to go with the flow of another style, setup, structure, or rhythm to a rehearsal and gathering. Practically, this might mean choosing songs that this body will know that are less familiar to you. Asking good questions about the team, the congregation, and the sermon. Offering yourself whatever is required and expected of others who serve weekly. Engaging relationally with the team - taking time to learn their names, and thank them for serving.

  • Be gracious. It can be disorienting and uncomfortable to play music for the first time with someone you have just met. Be as gracious to the team as you hope they will be with you.

  • Be a blessing. How can you encourage and speak life to the team, the leaders, and the congregation? How might you leave a blessing behind (Joel 2:14)?

  • Communicate ahead of time. What is the gear you need? What is the expectation as far as speaking, leading, prayer, transitions, etc? How can you be prepared walking into rehearsal as well as the service?

A word to the host.

  • Set Lists. If you are giving the guest worship leader the freedom to build the set list, provide them a master song list, as well as the last three to five weeks of songs. I once led worship for a church whose worship leader accepted a position and moved between Sundays. This church had no one to lead worship for the foreseeable future and was filling every week during their search for a new worship leader with guest worship leaders. In a situation like that, pair down a master song list to 12 songs or so - the band and the people will have enough change as you fill spots, do not also make them bear the weight of new songs every week in the in-between.

  • Over-communicate. What do you want? What do you need? What is the expectation of the worship leader? Will you be giving them access to Planning Center, and communication to the team? Will you distribute songs, keys, communication and all you need to do is have the worship leader plug and play? Are paying the worship leader for their time, or the travel?

  • Be generous. This does not necessarily mean financially - but how might you be generous in your encouragement and appreciation? Whether down the road or across the globe, taking time outside of your normal responsibilities, time away from your own community, and family is costly - can you celebrate and honor the people who are serving your community? Several times I have had people thank my wife and children or send me back with gifts for them because of their willingness to allow me to serve.

What would you add?

18 February: Liturgy & Set List

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  • REJOICE

    Call to Worship: Psalm 24

    Welcome to this Lord’s Day and this first Sunday in the season of Lent. Lent is the forty days leading up to Resurrection Sunday - a time of reflection, repentance, and renewal where we consider our sins and the cross. So every week in the Lenten season we will confess our sins to God and one another in prayer and in song. Let’s sing these truths together:

  • TRISAGION

  • THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

    When we glimpse the glory, holiness, and otherness of God, we become all the more aware of our own sin, brokenness, and unholiness. So let’s take a few moments now to confess our sins to God and one another:

    Book of Common Prayer Corporate Confession

    Would you take a few moments in the quiet of your own heart to confess your sin to God…

    Brothers and sisters, hear the good news: God does not treat us as our sins deserve.

    Sermon: Nehemiah 8

    Baptism

    We have seen our sister confess and profess her faith through Baptism, and now together we will confess and profess our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed:

    The Apostles’ Creed

  • I SHALL NOT WANT

  • BE THOU MY VISION

    Benediction

21 January: Liturgy + Set List

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  • PSALM 134 (BLESS THE LORD)

    Call to Worship: Psalm 139:1-6, 15-18

    God who created everything takes thought for you. And part of the reason we gather is to turn our thoughts, our attention, and our affection upon the Creator of all things.

  • HOW GREAT THOU ART

  • WHAT YOU SAID

    All sin is rooted in unbelief - that God is not who he says he is, that he is holding out on you. We need to sing words like: ‘You are good, and everything you do is good, you are kind and everything you do is kind, you don’t fail, you haven’t and you never will,’ first, because it’s true - it is who God has revealed himself to be in his word and in his son. But even on my best day, and in my own strength I don’t believe these things - I need the Holy Spirit to remind me of these truths, I need my brothers and sisters to remind me of these truths when I don’t believe. We’re going to take a few moments now to confess our sin to God and to one another:

Merciful God,
We confess that we have sinned against You
in thought, word, and deed,
By what we have done,
and by what we have left undone.
We have not loved You with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

In Your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us amend what we are,
And direct what we shall be,
So that we may delight in your will and walk in Your ways, To the glory of Your holy name.

Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Brothers and sisters hear the good news: The Lord who loves you says in his word that his anger is for a moment, but his favor is for a lifetime. Amen.

Sermon: Mark 14:10-25

The Lord’s Supper

The Apostles’ Creed

  • A THOUSAND HALLELUJAHS

Benediction