In case you didn’t read post 1, please go there first!
http://daviderlandson.com/2014/04/03/the-journey-begins/
When I was starting in worship leading, we were pretty much coming to the end of this round of the “Worship Wars” (I say this round, because it’s bound to happen again) where people were fighting over what was the appropriate style of music for use in the church. Now, I understand people having different likes and dislikes about music, but, you know what? I’m not going down this path…
Anyway, it has to be about more than music! We keep saying that “worship is a lifestyle” and quoting Romans 12, but I have yet to find more than a handful of people even trying to discern what that means, let alone talking about it. I think there’s some sort of weird assumption that people just know what that means. In fact, people have told me that exact thing – why bother teaching on worship, most people in church already know.
Well, I’m supposed to be the “expert” on worship and I don’t even know!
So, I thought I might actually be on the right track, because I knew I couldn’t be alone. Then, it happened. Dan Wilt (worship leader and teacher) posted this on Twitter:
The future of worship leadership will look very different from our present. Formation leaders will replace Experience leaders.
Could this be what it is really about? It’s not about creating an experience or making beautiful art, but about forming something in ourselves and those around us as we sing and proclaim truth about God. While this deep-embeding of truth, this forming, is happening inside of us, God is receiving great glory and praise and worship!
So it begins.
What does it mean to be a formation leader instead of an experience leader?
What would happen if our congregations are full of passionate worshippers?
I told someone this week I believe that if a church gets worship right: singing, praying, scripture study, life of praise (and more), then that church wouldn’t need to preach on giving or serving or evangelism because that body of worshippers would be an unstoppable force because of their great love for God.
I think we can make this happen.
Photo by Marilyn Peddle Licensed under Creative Commons from Flickr
“…if a church gets worship right,…then that church wouldn’t need to preach on giving or serving or evangelism because that body of worshippers would be an unstoppable force because of their great love for God.”
Yes! You are so right! I found myself on the same journey a number of years ago – driven to discover what happened when people in the Bible worshiped and what the word teaches about God’s call to us be His worshipers. And I was blown away by what I thought I knew – but didn’t. I wasn’t a worship leader, but the wife of one and also led the vocals – so close enough. Plus I had been in full-time music (parachurch) or worship (church) ministry for over 20 years at that point – so OF COURSE I’ve got this all figured out. Riiiight.
The end result was a driving passion to share all I had learned, so in December I finally published by first book, a Bible study called “Worship and the Word.” I never wanted to be a writer at all, but I couldn’t deny the compulsion that God had given me.
So I’m glad I found you on Platform U – someone with the same driving passion. I like what you said – ” teaching about worship for everyday life, not just as a Sunday morning activity.” That is one of the primary themes of my study, because the Bible reveals far more people worshiping on their own, NOT in church. It’s life-changing!
I’d love to send you a free eBook of my study. Just let me know where to send it. (You can learn more about it on my blog site, pamelahaddix.com. There was also a book review done on it by worshipministry.com recently at http://www.worshipministry.com/book-review-worship-and-the-word-by-pamela-haddix/. I’ve also just started partnering to write for them.)
Blessings to you and your ministry! I’m anxious to read more from you.
Glad to find you as well Pam!
I would love to read your book and learn more about your journey as well. Thanks for writing me and letting me know how God’s working in your heart as well!
daviderlandson@gmail.com