Creating A Song Inventory

In 2020, we have access to songs of a higher caliber than ever before. It can be easy to feel like you are behind if you are not introducing the latest and greatest song choice at the same rate as other churches and worship leaders. But in a world where we have almost instantaneous access to new music, we have a responsibility to be wise and discerning in the songs we choose for our congregations.

One of the most helpful ways to consider choosing songs - whether to introduce to the congregation or in creating setlists is to think about serving a meal. You are looking for both balance and variety, things that sustain us, and things to savor. Our songs contribute to the spiritual diet of the people we lead and serve.

Finding balance in your songs begins with having an understanding of the entire ‘menu.’ To begin the process of taking a song inventory, you need a Master Song List - all of the songs that are in regular rotation within your congregation. Not only song titles but the lyrics as well.

Second, you need to read through the lyrics of your songs making notes about the themes. I have found using a larger framework - like the Gospel Song Liturgy - to be a helpful tool in navigating, naming, and categorizing those themes, rather than just listing all of the potential themes - this keeps it to a few small, clearly defined categories. For the Gospel Song Liturgy, those themes are Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration, Glorification. If you don’t use the Gospel Song Liturgy, you could use categories like God, Man, Response, or Sin, Love, Faithfulness, Surrender, Brokenness, Glory.

Third, organize songs by category and observe. I like to include these categories on my chord charts, or in the Planning Center descriptions, to be searchable and easily accessible as I am planning my setlists. Some questions to ask as you have created categories: Where are the holes? Where are the diet imbalances? What categories resonate with you personally? What categories resonate consistently with your congregation? What do we need to sing about more?

Finally, use your song inventory to help you weigh new song introductions, and creating setlists. Song choice is an important part of leading worship, and leading worship is about discipleship, so we do not want to create lopsided disciples in the way we choose songs to introduce or to lead. Keeping a song inventory helps our choices not to be dictated by the whims of the latest and greatest songs, and helps us to keep a larger perspective on the work of song choice in our leadership.

Gospel Song Liturgy

Song choice is important. Individual songs tell a story, and we contribute to a larger story in how we arrange those songs in creating setlists. While key, tempo, and your preference are worth considering, they are certainly not the most intentional way to create setlists.

Over the years I have tried many ways to create setlists that tell a cohesive story. But the most helpful way I have found is through what I call the ‘Gospel Song Liturgy.’ I was first exposed to this concept through these two episodes of the Doxology and Theology Podcast: The Worship Leader and Missions and Creating A Liturgy. This podcast in general, and these episodes, in particular, are well worth your time. The idea of the Gospel Song Liturgy is to tell the story of the Gospel throughout your setlist: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration, and Glorification.

You may be tempted to believe this is too restrictive or too complicated - I thought the same until I began using this framework. One of the unexpected benefits of this framework for me has been the way it has exposed the gaps or holes in the master song list I use to assemble my setlists. I may have plenty of songs that speak to the sacrifice of Christ (Redemption), but not enough songs that speak to the sovereign rule and reign of God (Creation), or the reality that Christ has reconciled us to God and our fellow man (Restoration).

So where do we begin? With understanding the basic movements of the Gospel Song Liturgy:

CREATION

Where does creation begin? With God. ‘In the beginning God…’ (Gen 1:1).

The sovereignty, rule, and reign of God extends from eternity past even before He created time, space, and formed the world. He is the ‘…only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see (1 Tim 6:15-16),’ and He alone is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise. As we gather to worship, there will be those who are following Christ, and those who do not. And both groups need to be reminded of the transcendent reality of our great God in a world overwhelmed by fear, and uncertainty. Our lives and circumstances may seem out of control, but nothing is ever beyond His control. “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.” Ps 115:3

FALL

Sin has distorted, warped, and broken everything and everyone. As we gather God’s people, some enter acutely aware of this reality – addiction, illness, suffering, death, fractured relationships, fears, the list is endless. Those people need to be reminded that they are not alone in their sin – here we are as a family of the wounded walking looking to our Suffering Servant King (Isaiah 53). As we gather, some enter believing like the Pharisee’s that outward law-keeping, rule-following, a polished perfect life shakes free the stain of sin and makes us right with God. As we gather, some enter with an awareness of sin lying dormant, waiting to be awoken by the Holy Spirit.

It is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance, and repentance only comes with the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit (Rom 2:4). So we do not run from the reality of sin and brokenness in our world and in our lives as we gather. In fact, as we trust the kindness of God to reveal the beauty and perfection of Christ, we will come face-to-face with the depth of depravity that is the human heart… thankfully this is not where the story ends.

REDEMPTION

If our Sunday services only acknowledged the reality of our broken Genesis 3 lives (The Fall), and did not continue to tell the whole story, we would be without hope. But it is exactly here – in Genesis 3 – where God promises Redemption. Redemption has been accomplished by the perfect life and perfect sacrifice of God’s perfect Son, Jesus Christ. ‘It is finished (Jn 19:30),’ is the victory cry of our redemption. ‘It is finished,’ is the deathblow to the consequences of our sin, which is death (Rom 6:23). So we want our songs, order, and services to allow people to look at their own sin – which is their death – and look at the death of Christ – which is their life. ‘And He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces. And the reproach of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.’ Isaiah 25:8

RESTORATION

The redemptive work of Christ has restored and secured right relationship between God and man. When we are united with Christ, we are clothed in His righteousness and it is His perfect sacrifice that allows us to come boldly before the throne of grace crying, ‘Abba!’ (1 Tim 2:5, Col 2:11-12, 2 Col 5:21, Heb 4:16, Rom 8:15). Christ has also restored and reconciled us one to another in the family of God. He has broken down the dividing wall of hostility and made a people – a family – from strangers, foreigners, enemies, representing languages, cultures, ages, understandings, backgrounds of men and women, boys and girls (Eph 2:14-18, 1 Pet 2:9-10). And He will one day restore all creation – which even now groans under the weight of sin, death, and decay (Rom 8:19, Rev 21). So we sing with joy knowing that we have been restored. And we sing with hope, longing, and expectation when together face-to-face with the Father, side by side with our brothers and sisters, and in the new heavens and new earth we will fully realize our restoration for all eternity.

GLORIFICATION

Glorification is the ultimate consummation of Christ and the Church being united together for all eternity (Rev 19:6-9). Glorification will be the place where we see face-to-face, that which is perfectly seen in the face of Christ. It will be the place where we see free from the veil of sin. It will be the place where we know fully those things we have only known in part. It will be the place where we perfectly reflect God’s glory back to God, to one another, and out into the world (1 Cor 13:12, 2 Cor 4:6, 2 Cor 3:18). In the glorious presence of God, in glorified bodies, before a glorified Savior, we will live fully, perfectly, completely to the glory of God alone (Ps 145:5, Phil 3:20-21, Ps 86:12). So as we lead ourselves, pray that God would open our eyes to His glory. Then we serve our people praying that the Holy Spirit would open their eyes to the glory of God. And from God’s revelation of Himself, we respond by holding up the mirrors of our lives to reflect God’s glory back to Him, and to the world. Now in part. Then in full. Always for His glory, forever.

Fighting Discouragement

Ministry is a front row seat to the best and worst moments in people’s lives. Weddings, births, baptisms, conversion, calling, mission are mixed in with death and divorce, illness and sin.

Life is hard.

Ministry is hard.

How easily we can become discouraged as we pour ourselves out in preparation, and leading only to be met with apathy or critique. How easily our hearts default to grumbling and complaint, bitterness and resentment when we feel unsupported, and under appreciated. If you have been involved in ministry vocationally or as a volunteer for longer than five minutes I’m sure you have encountered these realities in yourself as well as the people you serve. Here are a few things which have helped me fight discouragement and fight for joy in my serving:

Speak Truth. The Psalmist commands his soul: ‘Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God (Ps 42:5).’ We must fill our hearts and minds with truth - the truth of who God is and what He says, what He has done, and who we are, because there are always serpents in the garden whispering lies.

Gratitude. Over and again in Scripture we see God calling His people to remember. This is why they build Ebenezers - visible, physical reminders of God’s help, provision and faithfulness thus far (1 Sam 7:12). Look back, remember, how has He proven Himself faithful, good and kind to you? What are the Ebenezers you need to raise?

Get Outside Of Yourself. When we are discouraged, we can easily be tempted to think exclusively of self - my problems, my circumstance, etc. Fight against selfishness, pray for others, be present to the needs, desires, hopes and fears of those around you. How can you pray for your team, leaders, pastors, and yes, even your enemies right now?

Laugh. Life and ministry can be so ridiculous that sometimes you just have to laugh. Maybe not in the moment, maybe not for awhile, but finding the humor in the absurd and over the top can be such a release from taking yourself too seriously even as you take seriously your role.

How have you learned to fight discouragement in your own ministry context?

The Government and The Gathering

As you have likely seen, a well-known worship leader has been traveling the country hosting large gatherings of corporate sung worship. #letusworship has promoted and fueled this movement over social media. After varying levels and lengths of quarantine, and many churches still offering a hybrid of in-person and online gatherings, I am not surprised these events have drawn significant crowds. More than the gatherings I find two things fascinating: the reaction, and the language. The language reveals a fundamental deficiency in our understanding of worship - worship is the response of our whole lives, not just for believers but all people (I have written at length on this subject, here). Although gathering and singing are certainly significant parts of the way we express worship as the people of God, no government can keep people from worshiping - even if they desired - because worship is the default setting of every human heart. The reaction exposes a very American ideology: life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and an often repeated refrain from American Evangelicals that ‘the government is taking away my freedoms…’

My desire is neither to condemn nor condone. But I think is critically important for followers of Jesus at all times (and particularly in these polarized days), to be intentional and aware of how we are being shaped and formed, and by whom. Certainly, as leaders, we are held to a high standard in the subtle and significant ways we teach, lead, and instruct the people of God in their discipleship (James 3:1).

We are all living disconnected from many of our normal rhythms, routines, and community. As followers of Christ, we are called to be a people, and not to neglect assembling together (1 Pet 2:10, Heb 10:25). Gathering as the family of God is important. But what is the purpose of our gatherings? Teaching, fellowship, sharing, and responding to God and one another. In essence - our gatherings are for the formation of our whole lives around the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Being obedient to Christ should form us to resemble Christ more than the culture. But our resistance to government restrictions appears to be forming the faithful community into the image of America more than the image of Christ and His Kingdom. As followers of Christ, we are to be marked by love, and self-denial (Jn 13:35, Lk 9:23). What would it look like for those of us who claim the name of Christ to literally forego some of our freedoms for our weaker brothers and sisters during COVID-19 (1 Cor 8)?

Are there times or situations that require acute government resistance? Of course. We look to Daniel and Esther as examples in Scripture and Martin Luther King, Jr, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer as those who sought faithfulness to God over submission to unjust laws. But Scripture also tells us that God appoints rulers, and turns their hearts like water in His hand and that no ruler has any authority if it was not given them by God (Rom 13:1, Prv 21:1, Jn 19:11).

As we have felt the ache of our inability to gather, the confusion and pain of living in the middle of a global pandemic, and the fear of the future and the government, I have often thought of our brothers and sisters in chains (Heb 13:3) around the world. Those believers who risk their lives to whisper worship songs in the quiet of the underground Church, who are disowned by their families for embracing Christ, who are beaten, tortured, jailed, starved, burned, raped, and abducted for choosing the path of discipleship to Jesus. How would those brothers and sisters view our social media campaigns and open-air gatherings? How would they instruct us, lead us, and coach us in being faithful to Jesus in the midst of their very real persecution and our fear over freedoms?

We are people who live knowing the end of the story. Regardless of present or future circumstances: Christ is on the throne. He is ruling and reigning both now and eternally. Therefore, we have nothing to fear.

Benefits of Co-Leading

Christians are called to make disciples. I think many worship leaders understand that part of leading worship is disciple making: training the team, and the congregation to see and respond in song to who God is and what He has done. Sadly, one area of disciple-making often overlooked is identifying, training and developing more worship leaders. Of course there many factors which contribute - a seeming lack of people willing and able to serve, a current worship leader managing just enough to serve weekly (much less training others), a fear that the quality or caliber of the music/leadership will decrease as a new leaders learn and grow, and sometimes it is just selfishness on the part of a leader unwilling share ‘their’ platform. Whatever the reason, I hope to give you a vision and a desire for the benefits of co-leading in this post.

I define co-leading as collaboration in planning, and shared responsibility for leading (the rehearsal, the team, the congregation, and the liturgy) during the service.

First and foremost, co-leading is another opportunity for disciple-making. Discipling our own hearts. In co-leading we are reminded that we have no right or entitlement to position or role, and that Christ’s Church and this ministry do not hinge on our presence or service.

We make disciples of the team and congregation when we co-lead. Our teams learn that we honor and value the heart, skill and leadership of others when we make space for leaders to serve. Our congregation learns to trust new leaders, and appreciate different perspectives and styles.

And finally, we make disciples of those we lead alongside. Co-leading is a safe space to train, develop and encourage new leaders in real time. When you co-lead it can provide a sense of familiarity, and stability as new leaders learn how to lead and serve.

Of course there are practical benefits to co-leading as well: someone who can step in and serve if you are sick or traveling, providing opportunities for men and women to lead together, training and developing others for church-plants and other ministry opportunities, and cultivating and stewarding the gifts and talents God has entrusted to our local congregation.

How have you seen discipleship and development of worship leaders done well in your context?

In a future post, I will spend time on learning to identify, train and develop new worship leaders.

A Philosophy of Worship

Ready or not, Sunday is coming. Most worship leaders, teams, and churches are able to execute the rhythm of weekly gatherings. They can choose songs, schedule a team, and move through a rehearsal well enough to lead during the Sunday service. This is no small feat - especially for those serving, leading, and overseeing as volunteers. Regardless of church size, I often find something amiss - there is a lack of clarity, vision, and direction around corporate sung worship and the worship team.

I think this may be why so many worship leaders, teams, and churches are carbon copies of what we see online, and in the CCLI Top 10 songs. We sense the clarity, vision, and direction of these churches, writers, and worship leaders, and in an attempt to create that in our own unique contexts simply copy and paste. But when our corporate gathering becomes so outwardly referenced (rather than Scripturally rooted, and contextually appropriate) we lose clarity, vision, and direction.

This is why I advocate every worship leader, and church writes a philosophy of worship. A Spirit-led, prayerful, formation of guideposts and markers that will anchor the direction of the corporate gathering, and sung worship of your church.

Creating a philosophy of worship helps you weigh the songs you introduce, train worship leaders, shape the culture of the team, and the corporate gathering and keep you steady when loud voices attempt to move you in an unhelpful direction.

In creating a philosophy of worship that serves your context, here are a few questions I think are helpful as you study, think, pray, and write:

What does Scripture say about worship?

What are the mission, vision, and values of our church? How do they inform our gathering?

What are distinctive, non-negotiable for our team, our leaders, our songs, and our service?

How does what we do as a gathered church fuel, impact, and influence who we are as we are sent out on mission?

Need help fleshing out a philosophy of worship for your church? Send me an email here.

Diversity In The Corporate Worship Space

When it comes to corporate worship in the gathered Church, one of the questions I am asked most frequently is ‘How do I create more diversity?’ On the surface, I do not think it is a bad question. Because really what people are asking, seeking, and desiring is for their Churches to resemble heaven - where people from every tribe, tongue, and nation worship before the throne of God (Rev 7:9).

But I have a two-fold dilemma with this question. First, when most people speak of diversity they have failed to realize the diversity already present within their congregations. Second, when people say they want a diverse church, what many mean is they want ethnic representation in their church. Most of us are unaware, or unwilling to do the hard, continued work of diversity and instead settle for representation.

Dilemma One: Missed Diversity

Merriam-Webster’s defines Diversity as the condition of having or being composed of differing elements. That means if your church has men and women, young and old, mature in the faith, and new believers, differing socioeconomic brackets, those from different denominations, varied families of origin, the intelligent and the simple, employed and unemployed, married and unmarried, those who are well and those who are sick, and on and on, you are in fact a diverse Church. Charles Spurgeon said, ‘When we get annoyed by the church’s empty seat, we are guilty of sinning against the filled one.’ I believe this is true with diversity as well. Should we fight for diversity on all fronts, including ethnic diversity? Absolutely. But let us also be aware, and grateful for the diversity with which God has already entrusted to our communities as we lean into becoming a community that grows in its reflection the glorified Bride of Christ.

Dilemma Two: Settling for Representation

The Church in America has slowly, painfully been coming face to face with the reality of racism which is enmeshed in our country, and sadly, in our churches as well. We must continue to own, confess, and bear fruit in keeping with repentance (Matt 3:8), as individuals and collectively as the Church. There is a temptation I feel in myself, and have seen in the majority culture - to desire the appearance of ethnic representation, without having the cost which is associated with true diversity. If we are truly serious about living as a diverse community, that will require a continual process of dying to self - empowering others with influence and authority, considering others greater than ourselves, surrendering our own preferences, making space, and celebrating the image and gifts of God by those who look, think and serve in ways that may seem unfamiliar.

Diversity in Corporate Sung Worship

My experience tells me that pastors often look to corporate sung worship as a unifier in the desire for diversity. Music is often touted as a ‘universal language.’ Which may be true to an extent until you look at Church history along with its so-called ‘worship wars.’ Viewing music within the gathered Church as a silver bullet to a sustained, embodied diverse community is as arrogant as it is naive.

So what are we to do as worship leaders and liturgists - especially those of us that find ourselves in may appear a monolithic culture - to foster greater diversity within our realm of responsibility within the Church? Here are a few ideas…

Have men and women co-lead together. Trading-off leading songs, transitions, prayer, and Scripture readings.

Find outside songs. It can be easy to pick from the same pool of songs all the time: ‘oh, I like/trust this church, or these writers, I’ll use everything they put out.’ Find songs outside your tribe. Songs written by women. Songs from other countries and other centuries.

Using ‘high’ and ‘low’ language. Whether it is with hymns or prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, archaic language gives us the ability to hear, pause, and learn something outside of the normal pedestrian ‘low’ language we use in everyday conversation.

Instrumentation. Are there musicians in your church who play an instrument or in a style unfamiliar to the normal Sunday gathering? What would it look like to thoughtfully incorporate those aspects into your gathering?

Invite others in. Whether it is to help plan special services, or in the normal rhythm of weekly services, allow others to help shape, lead, and serve.

Observe context, yours, and others. When you think about your context, what a handful of things you think are unique to your team, and gathering? What about areas of growth? Who are the churches and leaders who are serving their specific context well? What could you glean from those churches and leaders that could be applied to your own?

As with all formative practices, fostering diversity within the corporate worship space is a lifetime pursuit. Lasting transformation is only possible when our hearts are first, and continually surrendered to the sanctifying work of the Spirit. So let our hearts be transformed, so that we have the stamina, intention and desire to see our churches reflect the glorified Body of Christ. For His glory, and the good of the world.

Why All Churches Should Write Original Music

Songs are gifts to the Church.

They have the ability to make theology accessible, articulating who God is, what He has done, and enable us to respond with lives of worship. Songs can become personal markers of our own journey - ebeneezers of God’s faithfulness in different seasons of life. But they are also connectors to a larger story. When we sing the songs which have been passed down through the ages, songs like the Doxology, A Mighty Fortress, and All Creatures of Our God and King, we are acknowledging that we are not the first nor will we be the last. We are a part of a Church that stretches across time, history, place, and space - and will last into eternity.

There are amazing songs accessible to the Church like never before. Gifted songwriters, worship leaders, and liturgists who have the ability to put into lyric and melody the things that the Church needs to hear and say to God. With such skill and talent available, why should the local church bother with writing songs for their particular expression of the Body?

Because those songs do not have the ability to carry the unique stories and struggles, triumphs, and joys that come with relationship, discipleship, and burden-bearing in the local community of faith. It isn’t that we want one or the other - only songs written by professional songwriters, or only songs written in and to a local expression - we need both. Our communities need songs that give us voice and connect us to the bigger picture, and they need songs that articulate our specific stories as we walk together as worshipers and lovers of God.

What do your people need to hear?

What do your people need to say to God?

Write it.

Creating Liturgical Rhythms

Last week I wrote about liturgy. All worshipers are in fact liturgists, but worship leaders carry a unique responsibility to intentionally form the liturgy of our gathered time to form worshipers holistically.

How do we begin to think and plan intentionally in regard to the liturgy of our services?

IDENTIFY YOUR CURRENT LITURGY.

Do you have a set flow of service or number of songs? Do you share communion weekly, quarterly? What is the time allotted to each portion of the gathered service? As you think about worship as formation and discipleship, what elements would like to see more/less during the service? Even if your structure changes frequently as you look back you will see specific patterns emerge in the liturgical life of your church.

SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE OF…

…The People. Spiritual formation and discipleship does not happen overnight. Part of moving people in this journey of formation is identifying where they are right now. Is your church full of new Believers? Intellectuals and academics? Young families? What is the overall spiritual maturity and understanding of those you are leading?

…The Service. To begin integrating more liturgical rhythms into a weekly service we have to think outside of the weekly service. What is the current sermon series? What has been taught over the last six months? Where are the leaders headed after this sermon series? What themes are emerging in our churches, cities, cultures, and the world which need time to be absorbed deeply into the weekly rhythms?

…The Church. The Church is a body made up of many individuals. Being actively involved in the life of your church (apart from your role on a Sunday) as well as being in relationship with others in your church will help you have a sense of the overall direction of the Church. What things are your leaders noticing and wanting to pursue for the health of the community? Are there themes or patterns occurring at the moment? Where do the leaders of the church see the church in five, ten, twenty years?

INTEGRATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

As you begin to identify your church-specific liturgical rhythms in view of the bigger picture, you can begin filling in the places of formation. Scripture and prayer are two easy entry points for those new to intentional liturgy. With limited service time, worship leaders may be tempted to view Scripture and prayer as mere transitions as you tune an instrument, change a CAPO, or move from one element of the service into another. But crafting an intentional liturgy asks you to view the use of Scripture and prayer with as much thought as song choice.

The following are a few traditional liturgical elements that can begin to give some shape for the way you structure your service:

Welcome/Call to Worship

Instead of just shouting ‘Good morning! Please stand!’ how can you use Scripture, and prayer to invite people to join their lives of worship into the worship of God that is already in progress? We join our hearts, lives, and songs with the saints and angels, the Church global, and all of creation responding to who God is and what He has done.

Confession of Sin/Assurance of Pardon

Our congregations are filled with people who are both casual and flippant toward God’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy, and those who feel their sin has pushed them past God’s ability to save and restore. What a gift to give both of those people - and everyone in between - the ability to acknowledge all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that God in Christ has forgiven us and called us to go and sin no more? This is the beauty of times of Corporate and Individual Confession, and being assured of our pardon.

Confession of Faith

Corporate confessions of faith are at once a reminder to the believer and clarity for the non-believer about who we are, what we believe about God and self, and why it matters. Whether we are using traditional confessions handed down through the centuries like the Apostle’s or Nicene Creed, or a simple call and response like ‘God is good, all the time, God is good,’ we are forgetful people who need to be reminded of who we are and who God is.

Responsive Readings

Responsive Readings can take many forms - a simple call and response, reading Scripture in unison, having a phrase repeated by the congregation, etc. This is another way to put truth in our mouths, minds, and hearts in a way that allows us to hear and be united together as the people of God.

Scripture Readings

As the Western world grows more and more Biblically-illiterate, our people will never be underserved by intentionally hearing the Old and New Testament, the Psalms, and the Gospels read over and over again in our services. Statistics indicate that for some, what the hear from God’s Word during a weekly church service may be their only interaction with Scripture in the week.

Disciple-making is the long-game. Be thoughtful and intentional, move slow, serve well.

Dive deeper into the role and world of liturgical rhythms through these resources:

The Worship Sourcebook (my go-to resource for following the church calendar, prepared readings, and prayers).

Doxology & Theology Podcast (Their series on ‘Read, Sing, Pray, See the Word’ is incredibly helpful).

Know the Creeds and Councils (A book on Church History and the formation of the Creeds which have been passed down through the centuries).

Ancient Future Worship (A book that looks specifically at the liturgical practices of the Church throughout history and up until present day. An excellent resource for anyone new to the world of liturgical rhythms).

A Handbook to Prayer (Although this is intended for personal devotions, I have found it to be helpful in using these Scripture prayers in the corporate gathering as well).

Becoming A Liturgist

Worship is formative - we become what we behold. This is a weighty responsibility for those of us choosing songs, creating setlists, and leading worship. What are we putting before the eyes, hearts, and in the mouths of the people we lead and serve?

If worship is indeed formative, we need to think long-term about how our choices are forming and discipling the people we lead. Our vision must be larger than 20 minutes once a week. Selecting a handful of songs for the weekend may get the job done in the short term, but it will create malformed disciples in the long run.

So how do we shape our perspective? How do we attempt the deep work of formation and discipleship if we are responsible for such a small sliver of people’s time? My proposal: become a liturgist.

Liturgy means work of the people.

Although we often associate liturgy with ‘high church’ services (think, incense, robes, and scripted prayers), every church has a liturgy. So even a loose structure of songs and service order for churches who have never followed the Church calendar or cracked a prayer book are still liturgical.

The first step in becoming a liturgist is realizing, you already are. If liturgy is the work of the people, we all contribute to the corporate gathering. But those of us who carry responsibility for what happens as we gather have a unique opportunity to intentionally form our liturgy to form intentional disciples.

As liturgists, we must hold a bigger picture in mind in our planning, preparation, and decisions. Liturgy is no silver bullet or secret weapon, it is a helpful framework for thinking and working toward greater formation among those we lead and serve.

Next week I’ll write about some of the ways we can begin to be more thoughtful and intentional in crafting our liturgies.

Leading Through Transition

Change is a part of life. Change can be messy, overwhelming, painful, and exciting, all at once. Whether it is leading worship in the midst of a global pandemic, adding additional services, changes in leadership and staff, reworking the format, or just the natural growing pains of sinners in relationship being conformed to the image of the Son, in significant and subtle ways our teams and churches are changing constantly.

Although change is inevitable, I do not believe that it has to send us spiraling into dread, hand-wringing, and attempts at control. Change and transition can lead us to open our hands, soften our hearts, and be reminded that we, not just leaders, but the led. We are stewards of God’s people, Church, ministry, and resources. I believe there are at least four key elements to navigating change effectively:

NAMING

“We get into trouble whenever we do not name things properly,’ says Ronald Rolheiser. Life and ministry move in seasons, leaders have a responsibility to help name and shepherd through seasons. Pete Scazzero and Emotionally Healthy Discipleship have excellent resources at learning to identify and name seasons.

PRAY

The first response of many to something new is often control, to strategize, or deny, and some become paralyzed. What if our first instinct, our first response was to pray? Pray for wisdom to the ‘…God, who gives generously to all without reproach…’ (James 1:5). Pray continually, pray with people, pray alone, pray as you move, and make decisions. Linger in prayer, don’t just fill up the silence, but create interior silence for God to speak to you as well.

BE STEADY

When the world feels unstable and unsettling, be steady. If there is an outward transition (e.g.: changes in leadership, adding services, changing locations, global pandemics, etc) this is most likely not the time to add - but a time to pair back. Keep things simple, accessible, familiar - in song choice, liturgy, format, and team members.

REST

I mean this in both the physical and spiritual sense. Physically, transitions take so much more effort mentally and emotionally, you will be tired - rest your body. God is trustworthy. Change and transitions give us the opportunity to lean on the truths we sing week-in and week-out. Do we actually believe that God is good? Kind? Faithful? Trustworthy? Loving? In control? We can rest in the reality of the character of God - even in the midst of chaos - trusting along with the Psalmist: ‘You are good and do good.’ (Psalm 119:68).

As leaders, we are not immune to the discomfort of change and transition. We have a responsibility not just to lead our people through these seasons, but ourselves as well. We too must properly name our own season, pray continually, find places of stability, and rest our bodies and spirits.

There is a continual challenge for every leader - regardless of the season - to lead truthfully, and authentically, while also not using our people as the lightning rods or receptacles of our own internal frustrations and fears. This is not a call to stoicism, but to discerning what will build trust and community among those you lead, and what will unduly burden them with additional turmoil.

We all need safe spaces and people with which to bring our full selves - fears, insecurity, and all. Cultivate the posture of heart before God which offers your full self before your world feels like it is falling apart. Find a good counselor, therapist, spiritual director, or wise friend who will listen and walk with you. Change and transition are hard, but they do not have to be terrifying.

Three Prayers of Preparation

There are many ways to approach Sunday service. Whether you are a part of a team that plans collaboratively, flying solo, following the liturgical Church calendar, or reinventing the wheel weekly. Regardless of the methodology, there are three questions - three prayers - which I have found to be helpful in the time of preparation for a service:

God, what are You saying through Your Word?

Spend time in the text. Read through the passage that will be preached - read the whole chapter, understand the context, fill up your mind and heart with the Word of God before you ever pick up an instrument, or choose songs. Ask God to illuminate His Word through His Spirit to you as you read, meditate, pray, and plan. Speak to your pastor, what are the points of the sermon? If the pastor has one thing they want the people to remember from the sermon, what would it be?

God, what do You want to say to Your people?

Scripture tells us, ‘Who can know the mind of God?’ Romans 11:34. Preparation should never lead to a rigid assumption. ‘God, I’ve got this, I read the passage, I know what You want to say here.’ No. We must continue to be led by the Spirit, listen, and respond to His voice in our preparation as well in the moments during the service. Preparation gives us the freedom to respond to the Spirit, wherever He may lead.

God, what do Your people need to say to You?
The first two prayers should guide the third. What is God saying through His Word and desiring to say to His people? Now, we prayerfully consider how He should lead us as a people to respond. What are the songs we need to sing, the Scripture which needs to be read, the liturgical elements to incorporate, or the ways we need to lead? What is happening within the life of the Body, the community, country, and world? How do we help give language to those who are hurting as well as those who are rejoicing?

Preparing to lead worship is more than choosing songs and keys. Preparation can be just as prayerful and worshipful as the actual worship gathering. If your preparation for Sunday could use some prompting, you can download my free Worship Leader Weekly Checklist here.