Trust In Worship

There is a tremendous amount of trust required in leading people in sung worship. Most people are only singing aloud during a commute to work or their morning shower. Apart from singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ when are the vast majority of people singing corporately?

But sung worship is not just a physical act - it is spiritual as well. We are putting words in the mouths of our people for them to know, understand, and respond to the person and work of Christ.

When God’s people are gathered in sung worship they are following our lead - are we trustworthy? Have we invested in the secret place before coming to this public platform? Have we spent time with these songs to be able to lead them with as few distractions as we can manage? Will we provide the people with enough direction that they can relax and follow, or will they feel consistently unsettled because we seem to be unaware of anyone besides ourselves?

As it does in any relationship, trust is built over time. Time and familiarity will either serve to strengthen or undermine the trust you have with the people you lead. So be consistent in your serving on and off the platform. Be gracious with and toward your people knowing that there is a significant amount of trust required in their relationship with and toward you.

Tuesday Refocus: July 11

“The grace of God means something like: ‘Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are, because the party wouldn’t have been complete without you. Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. I am with you.’” - Frederick Buechner

I heard a pastor once articulate grace as undeserved favor, in the face of deserved wrath. Every person on the planet is a recipient of God’s common grace - breath, relationships, beauty, all of these speak to God’s common grace. Those who have a relationship with God through Jesus are recipients of God’s saving grace - because grace is not just a thing, but a person. Christ embodies undeserved favor toward humanity, the face of the wrath our sins deserved (Romans 6:23). And every follower of Jesus is sustained, and perseveres not in our own effort - but through the sustaining grace of God.

In this world, beautiful and terrible things can, will, and do happen. But for followers of Jesus, we never need to be afraid because Christ became forsaken on the cross so that we might never be left or forsaken by Him (Isaiah 53, Hebrews 13:5).

Father, we thank you for the common, saving, and sustaining grace you give in the face of deserved wrath. May we be aware of this beauty in a new fresh way today, in the name of Jesus, amen.

Grace,

AB

Asking Someone To Step Off The Team

Relationships are hard work.

Relationships with volunteers you are leading can also be hard work.

There can be an unstated expectation that in the life of a church, if someone wants to serve they should be allowed, regardless of their level of skill, or their personal integrity. After all, are we not called to extend grace and forgiveness? Are we not told that every member of the Body brings something useful and beautiful to the Body?

As followers of Jesus, our first responsibility is to lead and shepherd our own hearts, and the hearts of our families. Then as people who carry a role of responsibility within the local church, we are called to shepherd and lead the team we serve, and then the wider congregation. One of the ways we shepherd our team, and the people of God is by guarding in humility who is on the platform.

What we must acknowledge is that every member of our team is a worship leader whether they ever hold a microphone or exercise any authority. There is a level of trust our pastors, elders, and congregations are placing in us to shepherd the congregation well by first shepherding who is on the platform. For me, this means several things, first, I want to have a relationship with the people who are serving on my team outside of our shared common task. I want to know them, and for them to know me. I want to be aware of the shape of their life, and how I can pray for, love, and shepherd them as we serve together. It means I never want to rush someone into a place of leadership or authority. Discipleship is the long game, and I am okay to go slow in onboarding new people to the team. This also means that I want clear communication and expectations about what it means to serve as a member of this team. Not just in the expectations on the platform, or the sound booth, but in the way we are to lead lives of worship, submit to the leadership of our local church, commit to the community of faith, faithfully give, and serve as we invest in our own personal walk with the Lord.

These boundary lines obviously do not prevent being placed in a position to ask someone to step off the team or to take a break from serving for a season, but I have found that clarity, in the beginning, relationships that extend past a shared common task, provide the loving context for these kinds of conversations to take place.

The truth is sin easily entangles. We should not be surprised by this in the lives of people with whom we serve, because we should be aware of this reality in our own lives. We must be humble and prayerful whenever we approach a brother or sister caught in sin - and keep watch over ourselves (Galatians 6:1).

As worship leaders, we are not solely responsible for the care and shepherding of those we lead, but we can often be the first line of defense. We may be more aware of the nuances of the lives of the people with whom we serve than any other leader or person within our churches.

Life moves in seasons. Perhaps you need to ask someone to step off the team not because of ongoing and unrepentant sin, but because that individual is in a season of life where they need to be encouraged to place their energy and efforts elsewhere. Maybe that is in their family, their studies, or in a different area of ministry within the church. When we help shepherd our team through seasons it confronts in us the tendency to hoard, or possess the people that God has entrusted to us, and frees those we lead to serve with joy rather than obligation or compulsion.

5 February: Liturgy + Set List

• WHAT YOU SAID

  We sang words from Psalm 119, and now we’ll hear God call us to worship from Psalm 119:

  Call to Worship: Psalm 119:89-91

• GRACE ALONE

• BUILD MY LIFE

  Psalm 119:17-20

  Prayer of Illumination

• Sermon: Mark 2:13-3:6

  The meeting place between God and man is always and only the God Man, Jesus Christ. Not in your righteousness and good works, but in Christ’s perfect righteousness, and Christ’s completed work. Let’s sing in response to the beauty and truth of the Gospel:

• O PRAISE THE NAME (ANÁSTASIS)

• LIVING HOPE

  Benediction

February 6: Liturgy and Set List

• HOW GREAT THOU ART

  Call to Worship: Psalm 70:4-5

  We gather not for a spiritual pick-me-up, but to delight our hearts in the salvation of our great God. The One who has enabled us through Jesus to be in right relationship with Him. Let’s delight in that truth together:

• WAYMAKER

• MY JESUS, I LOVE THEE

• Sermon: Joshua 5:1-9

  The people of Israel saw God do great and glorious things and still did not obey. Brothers and sisters, we sit on this side of the cross of Christ and still do not obey. Our obedience to God does not earn God’s love for us. God loves us, so we desire to obey. Let’s remind one another of that truth together - would you stand and sing:

• HOW DEEP THE FATHERS LOVE FOR US

• RAISE UP THE CROWN (ALL HAIL THE POWER)

January 11: Tuesday Refocus

‘You called, you cried, you shattered my deafness. You sparkled, you blazed, you drove away my blindness.  You shed your fragrance, and I drew in my breath, and I pant for You. I tasted and now hunger and thirst.  You touched me, and now I burn with longing for Your peace.’ - St Augustine

Have you tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8)?

Have you experienced how He satisfies the desire of every living thing (Ps 145:16)?

Out of the season of Advent, we remember that God is a God who draws near (Jn 1:14).  He is not far removed, or unknowable, but One who desires to be known, and have His people draw near.  Perhaps there is no greater aim of our lives in 2022 than to draw near to the One who has first drawn near to us (James 4:8).

God, reveal yourself to me this year.  Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, a heart to know, and a life of obedience that follows You. In the name of Christ, amen.

Asking,

AB

August 29: Set List + Liturgy

• THIS IS AMAZING GRACE

Call To Worship: Psalm 40:9-10

Part of the reason we gather is to remind one another about the saving work, the great deliverance of God, His steadfast love and faithfulness. We know these things in our minds, but often our lives do not reflect that we recognize these things are true. So when we sing, we sing to God, yes, but we also sing to one another reminding each other about the heart and character of our God. So lets sing to Him, and sing to one another.

• HIS MERCY IS MORE

• NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD

Read + Pray in Response: Psalm 106:47

SERMON: Psalm 133

Relationships are hard work. We never drift toward unity or oneness - it is always hard fought. But the unity we see displayed in this passage, unity which commands a blessing, is not anything you and I can summon in our own strength and power. This unity is a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in us, through us and among us. And I think part of walking with the Holy Spirit toward unity and oneness with one another is recognizing God has already crossed the greater divide to reconcile, to redeem, to unify sinful people to Himself - a Holy God. Maybe one of the reasons we see such division among Christ-followers is because we don’t actually believe that is true - we look at others and think ‘Yeah, God had to cross the greater divide for those sinners over there, but He didn’t really have to cross too great of a divide to reconcile this sinner right here.’ Brothers and sisters, that is a lie. We all stand in great need of the redeeming, reconciling, unifying work of God. And if God can be reconciled to sinful people, who are we to not work toward unity and oneness with our brothers and sisters. Let’s use the words of this song to recognize the redeeming, reconciling, unifying work of Christ on our behalf.

• COME BEHOLD THE WONDROUS MYSTERY

• YES AND AMEN

August 10: Tuesday Refocus

‘I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.’ - Charles Spurgeon

There is perhaps nothing that exposes our hearts to ourselves more than trial and trouble.  We discover what we truly value, and where we are rooted and grounded. 

Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches, and He invites us to abide in Him (Jn 15).  But when we respond to trial and trouble attempting to muscle through, grit our teeth and bear it, or ignore it and pretend like it’s not there - really what is being exposed at that moment is that we abide in ourselves, not in Christ.  And those are shallow roots.

We can abide in Christ now by actively looking to Him, actively resting in Him, actively trusting Him, actively treasuring Him.  Abiding in Christ will not mean we are free of any trial and trouble, in fact, Jesus says in this world we will face trial and trouble (Jn 16:33).  But when we abide in Him, we can be rooted and anchored deeply in Him even in the midst of trouble and trial.

Yes, every one of us will face trial and trouble in this life, but Christ invites us to take heart - because He has overcome the ultimate trial and trouble.

Jesus, we are grateful that you have overcome the ultimate trial and trouble, and you are with us in our own trials and trouble.  Let us abide deeply in You, as You abide in the Father, amen.

Taking heart,

AB

June 22: Tuesday Refocus

“O Lord and Master of my life, keep me from the spirit of indifference and discouragement, lust of power and idle chatter.  Instead, grant to me, Your servant, the spirit of wholeness of being, humble-mindedness, patience, and love.  O Lord and King, Grant me the grace to be aware of my sins and not to judge my brother and sister, for you are blessed, now and ever and forever.  Amen.”  - Prayer of St Ephrem the Syrian

Isn’t it tempting to fill our prayers with the things we hope God will do?  Rather than to seek God’s face, and in silence, entrust ourselves to who He is having us become?  If prayerlessness reveals pride, filling all our prayers with many words reveals how far our hearts are from real relationship with God (Matt 6:7).

‘I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word, I hope; my soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.’ Ps 130:5-6

Amen,

AB

May 25: Tuesday Refocus

‘It could have been very easy for God to have loved us and never told us. God could have been merciful toward us and never revealed it… The Eternal Son came to tell us what the silence never told us. He came to tell us that God cares and God loves and God has a plan and God’s carrying out that plan.’ - A.W. Tozer

Our God comes, He does not keep silence (Psalm 50:3).  He is the Word made flesh (John 1).  The Word reveals how we know that we are loved by God: ‘By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.’ (1 John 3:16). We are not left to wonder if we are known, and loved by God, because although we are dust, we ‘fill the mind of God’ (Tim Keller on Psalm 8:4).

Thank you, Father, that we are not left to guess if You love us and are for us.  All we must do is set our eyes to the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Your Son, our Brother, Savior, and King - Christ Jesus.  And it is in His name that we pray, amen.

Remembering,

AB

Know Your People

If you would have asked me ten years ago if relationships were important within the role of leading worship I would have said, ‘yes.’ But what I did not understand was the fundamental connection between leading worship and being in relationship with the people you serve. If we see the role of leading worship as primarily musical, relationships will be secondary. If we see the role of leading worship as primarily pastoral, shepherding the people of God, then relationships become inextricably linked to the responsibility of leading worship. If you, like me, struggle to understand the value of relationships to your role as a worship leader, here are some of the things I have learned over the years:

We need relationships to be reminded that we are sheep before shepherds. We must remember before we have a role, exercise any gifts, walk in a God-given calling, we are sheep. When we intentionally create distance by things like staying backstage, being disengaged during the sermon, or staying out of the room our presence communicates what we think is valuable in significant and subtle ways. We too are sheep needing the voice of our shepherd.

Relationship informs the way that we serve because discipleship is rooted in relationship. We are not people-directed, but Holy Spirit led, but knowing the stories, struggles, and experiences of those we lead in song should shape the way we pray, prepare and point them to Jesus. As leaders of sung corporate worship, I believe that we are making disciples through our liturgy, song choice, and leadership on a Sunday morning. But true disciple-makers are those that make disciples as they go, not just when they are wearing the vocation/volunteer hat as a worship leader.

Relationships help us see the individual, not just a crowd. Standing in front of 20 people or 2,000 there is a temptation to see a crowd rather than the individual. But as we begin to enter into personal relationships with people in our church, it adds perspective to the crowd. We can begin to see the individual - made in the image of God, completely loved, completely known, as we stand before the crowd.

What are you learning about relationships and leading worship?

Four Things Every Worship Leader Needs From Their Pastor

The relationship between pastor and worship leader can sometimes feel like a tug of war. When these roles are pit against one another, no one gives up the ground and everyone loses. As a worship leader for many years, I have had my fair share of heel-digging standoffs. But I have also experienced the disarming power of pastors and leaders who invite me to stand on the same side of the rope as we pull together.

There are four elements I have found consistently among those pastors and leaders working to stand on the same side of the rope:

Input…

Set vision for your worship leader not just for a service or sermon series, but for the next five, ten, twenty years of the church. Cultivate and value the formative power of the gathered Church singing, reading, praying, serving, and being sent. And equip and empower your worship leader to serve you, and lead God’s people in this way.

Trust…

As you shepherd your worship leader, trust them to translate your leadership and input into the corporate gathering. And trust the Spirit of God to do what only He can do – lead us into all truth.

Presence…

Both in preparation, and during the service your presence – or lack thereof – speaks. To the worship leader, your presence communicates trust, humility, and partnership. When pastors and worship leaders are only present in the service during ‘their’ portion of the morning, it subtly undermines the value and importance of all aspects of the gathering. As pastors, you set the tone and posture of every service.

Feedback…

Whether life-giving encouragement or loving rebuke you can shepherd the heart, skill, and vision of your worship leader through feedback. When you create an environment where input is welcome, trust is given, and presence is steady those are investments not only in your worship leader but the congregation as well.