Once again I find myself thinking a lot about what worship IS and IS NOT.

This is not a bad idea if you’re responsible for leading worship. It’s a big responsibility,  a serious undertaking and a high calling.

Worship decisions are huge for the spiritual formation of your people. Frequently, we should look at what we’re doing, evaluate and recalibrate.

In the church world, when we hit bumps in the road, when we’re trying to resolve conundrums, or when we know something has to change – it’s time to ask again the fundamental questions with an open heart and mind. Let’s start with:

What is the purpose of corporate worship?

Google that. There are many answers, with many points of emphasis. Here’s my latest take:

The purpose of corporate worship is to provide a ways and means for the people of God to have communion with God.

I suggest that God is intensely relational. This idea of communion reflects God’s nature of love, His desire to have intimacy with His sons and daughters. Here’s why.

1. God has a vision for worship and it is to be together.

“I will be your God and you will be my people”

This sentiment is woven throughout the biblical narrative, both Old and New Testament.

I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Exodus 6:7

I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. Lev 26:12

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

2. Worship is a pattern of revelation and response.

In worship God reveals, man responds.

We can love Him because He first loved us  1 John 4:19

When we truly encounter the almighty living God in all His majesty, power, holiness and glory -  our response is reverence, humility and honor. We then give Him glory through words of praise – this is  doxology.

Only the one true God is worthy of wholehearted worship.

Which leads us then to the next question.

What is the role of music in worship?

We are not to worship “worship”. Especially worship music. That is idolatry.

Music is a tool. It is a powerful vehicle of communication and expression. But it is a created thing, the Creator does not dwell in the music. Music is  the work of men’s hands.

The primary role of music is to serve the purpose of worship, which is communion, or closeness with God.

We do that as the gathered church through singing, clapping, bowing, lifting hands, and other biblical actions,  often led by music.

Music helps us sing together, clap together, etc. Music connects with us at a deeply emotional level. Music can and does inspire, entertain, inform and motivate, but these outcomes are secondary.

“Excellence” in worship music is a wonderful servant but a terrible master. Chasing the impulse that “everything has to be amazing so we can impress as many people as possible” is a distorted motive.

The purpose of worship music is not to attract or draw a crowd. It is not to make us or our house of worship “famous”. These things may happen for the glory of God, but they are not to be our motivation.

To encourage one another, edification, is another reason we gather to worship.

Worship begins at the heart level.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord  Ephesians 5:19

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up  1 Thessalonians 5;11

Can I say this to you my friend? Sometimes “amateur” music encourages people better than “professional”. Maybe it’s because we can relate it more, I don’t know. I wish every perfectionistic critic would seriously consider that, because you know it’s true.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

The “pure in heart” may sing out of tune, play out of tune, chose cheesy songs, be over the hill, out of style and basically un-hip; but they are the ones who not only see God, they are the ones who reflect God. By the way, the “pure in heart” may also have world class talent with killer chops, good taste and be young and good looking. They reflect God too.

It is the presence of God that does the heavy lifting in worship, not our talent or high dollar production values. I respect the massive effort it takes to pull off great production, I’m just saying that is not what worship is all about.

God is in the transformation business.

When we gather for worship, we should leave changed,  with a fresh revelation of God for who He really is – holy, good, merciful and loving.  We should be transformed and then take action as  ambassadors for Christ.

Then we will know that the purpose of church worship has been fulfilled.

Over to you!

What do you think is the purpose of church worship? What would you add or change? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!

Coming oh so very soon! My new “Wholehearted Worship” e-book series.  Sign up for updates and you’ll get a free copy when it ships!

 

I’m a music guy who, over time, evolved into a worship guy.  That calling to be a worship leader led me to this passion for understanding and sharing theology of worship. 

This post follows up  “8 Compelling Reasons To Study Worship Theology.”

“Theology is taught by God, teaches of God and leads to God”  Thomas Aquinas

The practice of worship is inextricably woven together with theology in our praise, prayers, lifestyle, and yes – music.

Studying theology is both necessary and practical for anyone leading worship.

Leaders must be thinkers. The worship leader/ musician/ artist must learn and practice discernment, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Paul commended the Bereans for studying the word of God on their own initiative (Acts 17:11).

In my own experience, countless times I’ve heard the pastor say,  “don’t just take my word for it, see it yourself, with your own eyes in your own Bible.”

Regarding worship in spirit and truth then, I believe that worship leaders have an obligation to the Lord, and to the people they serve, to be God pleasers first and foremost.

The worship leaders role is to be more than a live juke box spinning the latest worship hits or crowd favorites and trying,  somehow, to please people.

What’s in it for the worshiper?

“Theology is all about knowing how to sing the song of redemption: to know when to shout, when to mourn, when to be silent and when to hope. But in order to enjoy the song and sing it well, we must learn the words and the music.”    A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology by Kelly Kapic.

Three benefits of studying theology:

1. Accurate Information.

When we study God’s word, we get accurate information about him.

“You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

I believe that informed minds lead to enlivened hearts which result in transformed lives.

The truth is a “who”, his name is Jesus. Our worship must be faithful to the truth.

2. The Perspective of Biblical Context

For “spirit and truth” to have authority in our hearts , we have to drill down and honestly resolve the complexities of our life experience and the claims of scripture.

The harsh realities of life (and ministry!) will challenge the reasoning of simplistic faith. It is understandable to be disappointed with God and get disillusioned.

Some folks object to sections of scripture that seem to be contradictory.  There is a Greek word for that  antinomy- which means the apparent incompatibility of two laws.

There’s another word of Greek origin,  paradox – which means “a seemingly self-contradictory declaration which is in fact true.”

For example, we are to both “fear the Lord” and “delight in him.”  Two seemingly opposite positions, yet both equally, transcendently true.

The values of the kingdom of God are full of paradoxes.

Such as -  the first will be last, the last will be first, the proud will be humbled, the humbled will be exalted, we gain by losing, and we live by dying.

Studying theology helps us resolve these apparent contradictions by seeing the big picture, viewing all scripture in context.

3. Fuel For the Journey

Our understanding of God and his ways will always be imperfect. Human beings are limited by our finiteness and our sin nature.

¹² We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 1 Cor 13:12 (Message)

However, our knowledge of God is dynamic and will grow as we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) with Him.

In this regard ,we are all on a journey, with the goal of relationship – intimacy with God, closeness to Him. We will never “arrive” at the this destination, but we are joyful on the journey, and celebrate the progress we make.

Our success is not measured by obtaining a type of perfection, but whether we are making progress in growing and knowing Him.

Are we more mature? Do we have more fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Are we living for His glory?

We will never fully get there on this side of eternity. But we’ll be headed in the right  direction.

Our faith, which is hope that is not seen (Hebrews 11:1), is fueled by the knowledge of God.

So “…we sing to cheer us on our journey”  – Augustine

A Book Recommendation

Finally I’d like to end with a quote from a wonderful new book recommended by Pastor Dave entitled  A Little Book for New Theologians: Why and How to Study Theology by Kelly Kapic.

This book is clear, inspirational and very relevant for worship folk. I highly recommend it.

“By coming to the living God with our life, questions, fears and hopes, we grow in our knowledge of God. This knowledge is not merely intellectual; it is also passionate, touching both our understanding and affections.”

 Over to you. What do you agree or disagree with? What would you add?

Coming oh so very soon! My new e-book “Wholehearted Worship”.  Sign up for updates and you’ll get a free copy when it ships!:

I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below.

I am passionate about wholehearted worship and  practical theology.

I think every worshiper should be. Here’s why.

1. Worship Flows From The Inside Out

“Word of God in; word of God out.” Ray Hughes

You worship from the overflow of what you put into your heart, mind and spirit.

So, are you being filled with the knowledge of God, the presence of God, the power of God?

Is the truth of God – who He is, what He has done, who you are now in Jesus Christ – springing up and overflowing  from within you like “living waters”? (John 7:38)

There is a reward for studying theology – being filled with the knowledge of God.

2.  Theology is For Living

Theology is literally, “words about God “, the study of God. It’s what we think about God.

Theology is practiced by everybody. When someone speaks about God, they are, in a sense, doing theology.

More importantly, as Miroslav Volf says, “Theology is for living” .

It is not only about “speaking” – what our lips utter; but also “doing”  – how we live our lives.  Actions speak louder than words, both privately and publicly.

What we believe about God, about life, and about ourselves overflows as our expression of worship. What you believe forms who you are. Who you are is more important than what you do.

3. We Practice Either Good Theology or Bad Theology

Worship leaders are practicing theology every time they lead worship. We are literally putting words into people’s mouths. The question is, are we practicing good theology or bad theology?

Good theology clearly tells the truth about God. It empowers the powerless and sets captives free.

Bad theology presents a murky, questionable or distorted view of God. Bad theology can really hurt people and mess them up. At it’s worse, bad theology applied can crush the human spirit and fracture the tender heart.

Good theology heals the brokenhearted, restores the soul, and rescues the perishing. We, the broken and redeemed, then respond with gratitude and adoration.

Our response is worship with hearts that have been made whole.

4. Theology Clarifies Worship Leading Values

Our worship leadership every Sunday powerfully impacts the spiritual formation of our congregations, and thus the heart condition of our people.

This is high calling and a weighty assignment, to be taken seriously.

We must do God’s work God’s way.

Therefore it is mission critical that robust theological reflection shape our worship values and practices. We’ve got to think deeply and theologically about “what’s important” when planning and leading gathered worship.

Yet, how much theological thoughtfulness is actually implemented in our worship planning and leading?
Why do we do the things we do?
And how Biblically based are the values of how we do worship ministry?

5. Theology Identifies Issues of Style vs. Substance

It has been fashionable in the modern worship era for worship to be “relevant”.  Relevant is good and necessary, and is better that being irrelevant. But relevance goes far deeper than musical or presentational style. An emphasis on style represents shallow, surface level thinking.

Relevance must be built upon the underlying biblical foundations of worship that have remained unchanged since the beginning of the Church. God really is the same yesterday, today and forever.

On the other hand, it’s not just about having the right substance either. Good theological practice is more than executing a perfect liturgy, or saying all the right things. That can become dry formalism, and it’s boring. There is no reason why worship should be rote or boring.

Jesus offers a devastating critique of disinterested, going-through-the-motions worship when he quotes the prophet Isaiah in Mark 7:6

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain… ”

6. Theology Informs

When I first started leading worship, I could play guitar, sing and learn songs. I could get people to sing along. But I didn’t know what I was doing. I was untrained and immature. There was a mixture of soulishness in my leading.

I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

With more experience, attending conferences, some mentoring and personal study, I got better. But even as a “seasoned” worship leader, I realized there were gaps in my understanding.

Then I knew that I didn’t know what I didn’t know.  Working on that problem changed the course of my life, but that’s another story (link).

I submit there is a problem for many of us in the church today. We need a revelation of what worship is really all about.

We are presumptuous. We assume “we have this down.” We don’t really know the biblical foundations of worship.  And we’re largely uniformed about the worship history of the church.

This is a recipe for disaster. Hosea calls out “ignorance” in chapter 4 verse 6: ^“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”

 ”Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” George Santayana

I submit that worship folk need to regularly review the basics. Like working on the fundamentals in football training camp, or baseball’s spring training.

Theological study more than just learning or reviewing the basics. Knowing God is relational and dynamic. Our understanding increases and our hearts grow to experience Him more as we pursue knowing Him.

What does the Bible have to say about worship? Everything.

7. Theology Calls Out The Worship Leader’s Responsibility

“With great power comes great responsibility” – Uncle Ben to Peter Parker in Spiderman.

It is the responsibility of every leader to study to show himself as one approved (2 Timothy 3:15).  Years ago, when God was radically altering my life and “promoting” me to a place of leadership in worship, this scripture was my guiding light.

8. Theology Shapes The Art of Leading Worship

Leading worship in the modern context can be a daunting technological and sociological task. For a worship gathering to truly give God the glory and honor He deserves, it must be:

• 100% “in spirit and truth” by
• 100% of the people, who are
• 100% fully engaged

Not easy to do, but that is the role of the worship leading shepherd,  It is the Holy Spirit who does the heavy lifting, but the worship leader and team have to be faithful do their part too.

Leading worship is a convergence of art forms relying upon the knowledge, skill and character of the leader(s).

This is a tall order.

Worship flows from the inside out. The place to begin is in the Word of God. That’s the purpose of this study.

Coming soon! My new e-book “Wholehearted Worship”.  Sign up for updates and you’ll get a free copy when it ships!:

I’d love to hear from you on this! What do you agree or disagree with? What would you add or change? Leave a comment below.

This post will be short and sweet. I’ve been a little slack on blog articles because I’ve been really focused on writing my book.

The working title is “Wholehearted Worship: A Practical Theology”, it’s based on the seminars I’ve been giving the last few years.

It’s a comprehensive look at the major biblical concepts regarding worship. I break it down into a simple framework based on Three Organizing Scriptures and Seven Big Ideas.

Writing this has been much harder than I thought it would be. I’m excited about the content and how it’s progressing. To be honest, I could really use some prayer to push through.

I’ve been encouraged along the way by the coaching and awesome community at Jeff Goins Tribewriter course. Earlier this year I had the privilege of recording  Jeff’s The Writer’s Sessions and his audio book “Wrecked” in my studio.

Here’s a book cover I mocked-up to stay inspired. There will be more about this to come …

What do you think?

Would love to read your comments. Thanks!

Stay in the loop! Follow my updates! Enter your e-mail here:

This is an excerpt from Part 2 of my guest post  at WorshipTeamCoach.com, Nine Truths to Empower The Worship Leaders Mindset [Part2]. The WorshipTeamCoach.com website by Jon Nicol is a great resource, I love his pithy humor.

You can read Part One here.

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5. Priorities – keep the main thing the main thing.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” Mark 12:30

This is the first and greatest commandment. It helps prioritize what is most important.

Lose sight of this and you will get lost.

If you’re disoriented and confused, come back to this scripture as a guidepost and re-think it.

Continue Reading…

This is a guest post  I contributed to WorshipTeamCoach.com, Nine Truths to Empower The Worship Leaders Mindset. The WorshipTeamCoach.com website by Jon Nicol is a great resource, I love his pithy humor.

Here’s the intro to my post, it will run as a two part series.

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Worship leaders, singers and musicians tend to be a sensitive lot.

We are “feelers”. We are sensitive to the presence of God in our worship. We sense the response – or lack thereof – of our congregations.  And we can be thin-skinned to the feedback we receive from leaders, friends and others.

Continue Reading…

Why do people do what they do?

What factors impact their response in worship?

This series on the Psychology of Worship is to equip us with insight into human behavior in order to lead more effectively.

First and foremost, worship is all about God . Jesus Christ is our worship leader. The presence of the Holy Spirit is what transforms the hearts and minds of men and women.

Worship is primarily a spiritual activity.

Yet worship is also “the work of the people” , leiturgia , done by, for and with human effort. As leaders, we must develop our skills and understanding to get better at what we do. Our goal is facilitate authentic worship in spirit and truth, to help people connect and engage with the presence of God, that they may live to the praise of His glory (Ephesians 1:14)

Worship leadership is an art form combining skill in music, theological knowledge, spiritual sensitivity, and leadership intelligence that understands human dynamics.

Continue Reading…

This begins a series of posts exploring the connection between worship and psychology.

• What insights can we gain from current thinking on psychology as well as scripture?
• What understanding can empower us to be more congruent as worshipers and leaders?
• How can we more fully develop the mind of Christ?

The more I study, teach, lead and write, the more I’ve realized how very important is the mindset of the worshiper and of those leading worship.

As I become more aware of my flaws and failures as a follower of Jesus, and even more so of my shortcomings as a leader, I realize that:

The more I discover and apply TRUTH, the more the truth sets me free.

“You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

In this series we’ll look at several perspectives and their implications. On the docket so far:

1.  “Our Basic Needs For Worship” Franklin Segler [This constitutes Part 1]
2.  ”Maslow’s Heirarchy of Needs” [Part 2]
3. “Six Human Needs”  Anthony Robbins [Part 3]
4.  ”Seven Longings of the Human Heart” Mike Bickle [Part 4]

Continue Reading…