Growing Theologically

The primary work of leading worship is not musical, it is pastoral. Even the regular rhythms of our week, choosing songs, building set lists, leading rehearsals, communicating with team members, working with a pastor, and leading during services, are primarily about shepherding people. If the primary work of leading worship is pastoral more than musical, our preparation and development should represent a desire to be shaped theologically and pastorally. It is easy to be tempted toward musical ability at the expense of theological depth. I do not believe these realities need to be mutually exclusive. But it will require an investment of time and intentionality. If you would like to grow theologically but are unsure where to begin, here are a few things to consider:

Relationships. Who are the people within your community, church, and relational sphere who are deep, wise, Godly people? Pursuing those people with intentional questions about their knowledge and understanding of who God is and what He has done, as well as resources they would recommend is a great place to start.

Free Resources. Many of my favorite writers, publishing companies, seminaries, and parachurch organizations offer material for free online. Reformed Theological Seminary posts all of its courses for free here. Sovereign Grace Music also offers a Worship Matters Video Intensive for free here. Glean from the edges and margin of your life with a few of these free resources.

Give regular time. Ultimately we give time to the things we value. Even 20 minutes of reading, one online class, or a single coffee meeting can help stretch, grow and develop our theological muscles.

Let the secret place be wider and deeper than the public platform. Jesus was often going away to a quiet, desolate place to pray and be with His Father. With such visible and public roles, we need to make sure that we are spending time cultivating our own relationship with God outside of what we do for God.

Hymns

I am not a cook, but I do love cooking shows. One of the most interesting things to me is the part that time plays in creating a dish. Time strengthens a dish by melding individual ingredients into something cohesive. There is a depth of flavor that is created by time, that no other process can create. I think songs are the same. As a worship leader, I am often surprised how few hymns are included in the regular rotation of the life of a church. Or how familiar worship leaders are with the newest songs of particular writers, worship leaders, churches, or movements, but how little time they spend seeking to understand the songs that have laid a foundation for our faith through the generations.

Maybe you are thinking, but the Bible tells us to sing a new song, why bother with old songs? Here are some reasons to consider hymns:

Depth.

Just like time on my cooking shows, there is a depth to hymns that have been passed down through the generations. Chances are, if hymns have made it through different centuries, various languages, assorted denominations and are still standing, there is probably a reason we still know them and should sing them today. The depth of flavor that hymns offer brings balance to your master song list, and weekly setlists.

Topics and content.

In the wake of September 11th, Matt Redman talked about how many churches were at a loss as to what to sing to give people the space to know how to grieve, lament, and worship. It was in that space that many churches turned to hymns… and where Matt and his wife, Beth, wrote the song ‘Blessed Be Your Name.’ Perhaps less so now than in 2001, but many of our modern songs simply do not have the variety and breadth of subject matter that we can tap into from hymns. If being a disciple of Jesus is about ultimately preparing for our death, what are the kinds of songs that represent the full spectrum of life in a fallen world that we can give our people to both comfort and convict, instruct and equip them for this journey?

Thinking and feeling.

A fellow worship leader once told me that we need thinking songs and feeling songs. We need songs that help form our theology, and songs that allow us to respond to that beautiful truths. One of the things that I appreciate about hymns is the poetic, sometimes archaic language. When we sing words that we do not use in our everyday vocabulary, words that require us to slow down, think, and engage our minds (not just our emotions), hymns begin to slowly reveal more meaning over time.

Connection to the Church.

In the West, we are a people who value individualism like almost nothing else. But when we sing hymns, we are reminded that we are a part of God’s global church that exists throughout time, history, and place. The Church was here long before us, it will be here long after we are gone, and will continue on into eternity. When we sing these songs, we join in their song.

Our culture is obsessed with instant gratification, the latest and the greatest. And praise the Lord for the new songs that are being written for the Church to sing in response to the beauty of our Savior. But often I wonder when someone says, ‘Wow, have you heard the latest <fill in the blank> song?’ if the Church will still be singing that song 100 years from now… or even three years from now. Perhaps there are better markers by which we evaluate what songs we put into our people’s mouths each weekend.

June 22: Tuesday Refocus

“O Lord and Master of my life, keep me from the spirit of indifference and discouragement, lust of power and idle chatter.  Instead, grant to me, Your servant, the spirit of wholeness of being, humble-mindedness, patience, and love.  O Lord and King, Grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not to judge my brother and sister, for you are blessed, now and ever and forever.  Amen.”  - Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian

Isn’t it tempting to fill our prayers with the things we hope God will do?  Rather than to seek God’s face, and in silence, entrust ourselves to who He is having us become?  If prayerlessness reveals pride, filling all our prayers with many words reveals how far our hearts are from real relationship with God (Matt 6:7).

‘I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word, I hope; my soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.’ Ps 130:5-6

Amen,

AB