God

Familiarity Leads to Presence

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The first time I led worship in an Anglican service, I was glued to the printed liturgy - I didn’t know the order and did not understand the rhythms and movement of the gathering. Anytime I have been asked to play or sing at a wedding, I stare at the program as if I am looking at a flight tracker in the airport - as though each element will be changed and updated in real time.

When I am unfamiliar or uncertain, I find it very difficult to be present to the Lord, present to His people, and present to what He might be doing in this moment.

I wonder if you might feel the same. When the order of our service and liturgy change weekly, when we add in something outside of the normal rhythms of our gathering, and when we are unfamiliar with the music, it becomes increasingly difficult to be present to anything other than simply executing whatever right before you.

But when we are familiar, we are freed to be present. When our minds know a melody, when our fingers find the chords without looking, our eyes can be lifted to the people, rather than the paper. Our hearts can be attentive because they are still rather than churning.

So why not find more regular rhythms in your gathering if it means you can listen and speak from a greater degree of presence to the Lord and His people? Why not spend a little bit more time learning and internalizing that song before introducing it to the congregation? Why not spend a little longer lingering - a little longer rehearsing, a little longer being present?

16 April: Tuesday Refocus

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“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” - Romans 12:1-2

In view of everything that has come before in Romans 1-11: the saving work of Christ, the power of God, God’s righteousness, our justification through faith, the reality that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, that God has united us to Christ, that we have been adopted as sons and heirs, and that there is future glory, in view of the heart, and character of God, in view of what God has done and will do, in view of the entire counsel of Scripture and God’s revelation of Himself - offer yourself as a spiritual act of worship.

In a world that on both sides of the political spectrum chants ‘my body, my choice,’ in a world that says ‘as long as you are not hurting anyone else, you get to use your body however you’d like, Scripture says, no. You have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body (1 Corinthians 6:20). Scripture says, no, in view of God’s mercy offer yourself as a spiritual act of worship. Offer your body - all that you are - as an act of worship to God. Not just your ‘Christian activities,’ but your very life as a spiritual act of worship.

God may we offer all in response to all of You, in Christ’s name we pray, amen.

Amen,

AB

30 January: Tuesday Refocus

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‘God with us:’ this is hell’s terror, the sufferers comfort, eternity’s sonnet, heaven’s hallelujah, the shout of the glorified.’ - Spurgeon

During the Advent season, we sing of Emmanuel, God with us. God with us in the straw and swaddling clothes is the beginning of God with us in the tomb and grave clothes. Because the aim of Christmas is ultimately the cross and resurrection. In Christ, “…though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:6-8

This is the mystery into which angels long to look (1 Peter 1:12), this is the new and eternal song of heaven (Revelation 5:9-14): that God is with man so that that man might be with God again.

Jesus, you are God with us so that we might be with God - thank you, thank you, thank you. Amen.

Amen and amen,

AB

23 January: Tuesday Refocus

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“The heart which has no agenda but God’s is the heart at leisure form itself. Its emptiness is filled with the love of God. Its solitude can be turned into prayer.” - Elisabeth Elliot

We enter a new year with excitement, anticipation, anxiety, and likely a few lists and plans for what we hope to accomplish, who we desire to become. Whether conscious or not, we have an agenda. But how quickly those best laid plans, or the pace of life fill every corner our heart, mind, life, time, and attention. Don’t you desire rest?

For the follower of Jesus, rest is not the reward for a job well-done. Rest is the posture of heart and life because Christ has accomplished what we could never do: heal the divide sin has wrought between God and man (Hebrews 10, Colossians 1:20).

Cease your striving, find rest in God.

Empty your heart, be filled with God’s love.

Silence the noise, and meet God in prayer.

“Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” - Psalm 33:20-22

Waiting,

AB

14 January: Liturgy + Set List

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  • PSALM 134 (BLESS THE LORD

    We have sung the words to this Psalm, now let’s hear God call us to worship through His word in Psalm 134:

    Call to Worship: Psalm 134

    We raise our hands in worship for many reasons - hands raised are a sign of victory - not our, but the victory and triumph of Jesus over satan, sin, and death. But hands raised is also a sign of surrender, a sign of dependence, a posture of receiving. And I wanted to let you know, if you’re here this morning as a born and bred Baptist, you can still raise your hands and STILL be Baptist.

  • BEFORE THE THRONE

  • KING OF KINGS

    You cannot encounter Jesus - the King of kings and remain neutral. Encountering Christ requires a response - even in our passage today we will see three groups of people encounter Christ and respond in very different ways. Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr Day - a day our country sets aside to remember the life and work of Dr. King. Like you and me, Dr. King was an imperfect person, putting an imperfect faith into practice in an imperfect world - but I hope what we truly see in the life and work of Dr. King was someone who had encountered Christ and could not remain neutral. Dr. King encountered the God who justified sinners by the blood of Christ, the God who showed mercy to those deserving of wrath, and the God who welcomes enemies as friends. So we are going to spend a few moments praying that we too would encounter Christ, and live on mission. I will read these words and then I will invite you to pray them with me.

Almighty God, you created us in your own image: Grant us grace to contend fearlessly against evil and to make no peace with oppression; help us to use our freedom rightly in the establishment of justice in our communities and among the nations to the glory of your holy name; though Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

A Prayer For Social Justice

The Book of Common Prayer

Sermon: Mark 14:1-11

Worship does not begin and end, your affections do not turn on and off - they are aimed. And part of the reason we gather week after week is because we desperately need to aim our worship and our affection on the only one worthy of our affection and our worship. Let’s treasure Christ together, would you stand if you’re able, we’ll sing…

  • SON OF SUFFERING

  • HOLY IS OUR GOD

Benediction

9 January: Tuesday Refocus

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“Teach me to listen, Holy Spirit, for your voice; in busyness and in boredom, in certainty and doubt, in noise and in silence. Teach me, Lord, to listen. Amen.” - John Veltri, SJ

Sheep recognize the voice of the Shepherd (John 10:27). In the whispers and the wind (1 Kings 19:11-13), in the busyness and the boredom, in the certainty and doubt, in the noise and the silence - our Shepherd is speaking and speaking through His Word, speaking through His Spirit, speaking through His people, speaking through creation.

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world (Hebrews 1:1-2).”

May the voice of the Good Shepherd ring unmistakably through our souls in 2024.

Speak Lord, your servant is listening. Amen.

Listening,

AB

2023 In Review

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I love speaking with people about corporate worship. I love speaking with people working through a theology of worship, the practical realities of serving on a team, or with volunteers. I think that is why I write about worship - I love that we as followers of Jesus, and worshipers get to think through how we encourage and equip the saints to worship with beauty and truth. As 2023 draws to an end, I wanted to collect all of my Friday posts in one place. I hope these words have been helpful to you:

Tuesday Refocus: November 7

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“Glory to the Father who created us; glory to the Son who redeemed us; Glory to the Spirit who sanctifies us; glory to the most high and undivided Trinity, whose work is inseparable, whose kingdom abides, world without end. Amen.” - Augustine

We created beings have no glory of our own in which to boast. 

No saving work of our own in which to trust.

No ability of our own to grow up into godliness.

And what a comforting reality that should be!

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,

    for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!” - Psalm 115:1

Father, forgive our attempts at earning, achieving, or possessing our own glory. All glory belongs to You, and You alone. Amen.

Amen,

AB

The First Work

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Ready or not, Sunday is coming.

Whether you lead worship as a volunteer, bi-vocationally, or have been freed up to lead worship full-time, there are countless practical details that need to be handled before a Sunday service. I tend to be task-driven, so I find powering through a checklist quite satisfying. In fact, I even created a worship leader checklist you can download for free here. Yes, there are many things to do: set lists to build, teams to schedule, lyrics and sound to set up, planning meetings, follow up, and communication. But the longer I lead worship, the more I begin to be convinced that my first work in leading worship is not the tasks, but to become a person of prayer.

Be before do.

Be a worshiper before leading sung worship.

Be present with and to the Lord.

Serve in the secret place before a public space.

We serve out of who we are. We serve out of who we are becoming. In every area, our lives can be ruled by the tyranny of the urgent. How do we continue to choose the good portion even when our time is limited and our tasks are many?

My hope is that prayer increasingly feels more like an anchor instead of a detour to my week, my life, and my ministry responsibilities. I hope that for you as well.

29 October: Liturgy + Set List

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  • BEFORE THE THRONE

    Call to Worship: Psalm 27:7-13

    When we gather, we behold the goodness of God in the land of the living. We see in part now what one day we will see in full, we behold the glory of the Father in the face of the Son. We see His goodness. Let’s sing to Him:

  • THE GREATNESS OF OUR GOD

  • ABIDE

    Sermon: Mark 11:27-12:12

    If you are here as a follower of Jesus, Scripture tells us ‘Your life his hidden with Christ in God.’ And one of the things that means is that when God looks at you - he sees Christ’s perfect obedience, Christ’s perfect righteousness, the song of delight the Father sings over the Son He sings over you, the eternal inheritance which rightfully belongs to Christ, Christ shares with you and me. I hope that makes us humble, grateful, and worshipful. Would you stand if you’re able, let’s sing together:

  • THERE IS A REDEEMER

  • LAMB OF GOD

    Benediction

21 Years of Leading

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The first time I led corporate sung worship, it was a surprise.

This Fall I have been leading worship for 21 years. In 1,100 weeks of leading worship very rarely has there been a single week where I have not led sung worship at least once. It is wild to look back on that time and see how much has changed, and how much of the foundation upon which those early days were built remains unchanged.

It was Sunday night Bible study with our high school youth group. That morning I had agreed to play keys during worship that evening, but as we drove to church, I realized that the main worship leader was out of town that day. I called my youth pastor on my mom’s cell phone and asked, “Did you want me just to play tonight, or am I leading tonight?” “No, leading!” We turned the car around to get the guitar I had had for more than a year but had only seriously been playing for three months.

My mom helped me build a liturgy and set list with the handful of chords I could confidently play, and I recruited two other freshmen to play keys and sing. We practiced for an hour and led worship that evening for the first time. No microphones, no sound system, and lyrics on an overhead projector against the wall. I did not even have a strap for my guitar. I stood with one foot up on a chair - like Captain Morgan - and my guitar balanced across my leg.

There is often a humility devoid of pretense as we begin something new. There is a simplicity and innocence that mark those experiences that can be difficult to locate again as we grow and mature as people, as leaders, in our theology, and in our competence.

I heard Christy Nockels say that sometimes when she is leading worship a vision of her seven-year-old self flashes into her mind, and she sees herself as a child once again in that moment leading the crowd or congregation in worship. We should pursue excellence, we should seek to honor God and serve His people well with the gifts He has entrusted to us. But I am also learning that growth and maturity look like fighting against hardness of heart and opening ourselves to humility and vulnerability in our serving.

May the reminders of your own experience be ebeneezers of God’s kindness and faithfulness to you. Thus far the Lord has helped you.

Teaching Concepts

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So many things seem normal and common when they are familiar. If you have grown up in church, or at least been in a church long enough to sense the rhythms and liturgy, to use context clues with language and word choice, you likely know this to be true. There are so many aspects to the gathering of the local church that might seem confusing if you have no context.

Why do we sing?

Why do we lift our hands?

Who leads us into God’s presence?

Why should we gather with the people of God?

Why do we sing and celebrate so much about the cross and blood of Christ?

Worship leaders are more than musicians or vocalists, we are theologians, and teachers. Sometimes I wonder if worship leaders do not lean into the responsibility to teach our people why these things matter, because we do not understand why these things matter. But everything becomes more meaningful when you know the story, the history, the intention, and the direction behind what is happening and why.

We cannot force people to worship rightly. We cannot lead well enough, or competently enough to will someone to worship. But we can shepherd people’s attention and affection toward Christ by teaching the truth in our songs, in our transitions, in our prayers, and in our liturgical choices. We can work to provide the context to make sense of raised hands, the purpose of singing, the power of the gathered people, and the only hope that is ours through Christ.

For a worship leader, teaching does not (and perhaps, nor should it) look like spending 20-45 minutes walking through a text of Scripture. But maybe it does look like spending 20-45 seconds thoughtfully articulating the concept behind a song, the definition of words, or a deeper theological truth that through the power of the Holy Spirit could open up the hearts and minds of our people to respond in wholehearted worship, wonder and praise.