Don’t we all want that? How does it happen? Recently, someone was telling me of her frustration over forgetting a doctor’s appointment. She always puts appointments on her calendar and schedules reminders, but this one slipped through the cracks. It was a good reminder that there is still this thing called human error. We are not perfect, and our worship is often far from perfect as well. But why? Good question. Finding the answer can lead to Spirit-filled, stress-free worship, but—because of human error— that doesn’t mean it will always happen.
If you are involved in the leading of worship, then you probably have a better understanding of what I’m talking about. What can we do to make things better? Here are just a few suggestions that have helped me:
- Practice. Playing through the music really helps things go better. True, there are times when our ‘fingers do the walking’ and have a mind of their own, but when we’ve practiced it gives us confidence that we’ve given God our best.
- Read or sing the words prior to the service. This is not a performance, it is worship. Reviewing the words prepares your heart for worship. As a musician, we often cannot concentrate on the words when we are playing an instrument, and rehearsing helps us to ‘hear’ them and sing them in our hearts and out our fingers. 😊
- Pray. I should have listed this one first. Preparing our hearts, getting everything as right as possible with God, and taking time for private worship is truly the best thing we can do for enjoying Spirit-filled, stress-free worship.
- Consider the congregation. We often have favorite songs that we love, but they aren’t suited for congregational worship. It’s easy to think that everyone knows the song—it’s so popular, but not everyone listens to your radio station or playlist! Sing through it with others in mind, and if it’s not suitable for the whole church, sing it as a special.
- Keep your focus. THIS IS NOT A PERFORMANCE!! It is a worship service and striking the right balance between practicing and organizing the Spirit right out of the service and being unprepared and sloppy is not easy to find. But God is able!
NON-LEADERS: You have a HUGE part in the worship service! We are all there to bring glory to God, worshiping Him corporately, which means each voice, each face, and each heart is a vital part of the spirit of the service. Come with a clean heart and leave the critical spirit at the altar.
Hopefully, we are coming to church to focus on worshiping God through every aspect of the service. It’s not all about us—it’s all about Him and His glory!
What is the conclusion then?
1 Corinthians 14:15 (NKJV)
I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with understanding.
I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Beyond Common Sense 