Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Things I've Learned about Leading Worship by Being a Janitor .4

A lot of times I have to clean an area when something else is going on. Usually this is just taking out the trash, but it is important for me to either blend in or not be noticed. I could easily be a distraction to people who are trying to meet together.

I don't know that there is a bigger principle in worship than in not being a distraction. Having the gift of fading away during a worship service is important. Leading worship is a lot different than speaking during a weekend gathering. I do think there is a place for instrumentals, special songs, and speaking between songs, but being able to not be a distraction is so important on how easily people can enter into worship. Now and then I feel distracted by an instrumental and I wonder if others are thinking about the instrumental or about God. I can also feel distracted sometimes by someone talking between songs because it can cut the flow of the worship I had begun. It is easy to worship the music and the talent instead of God. I think it is always a battle to figure out a balance of letting the music do the work and bringing people into the presence of God. The goal is to bring glory to God.

2 comments:

Miranda said...

very good point, it can be hard to put yourself out there and be an involved worship leader without being a distraction. i've been guilty of that before, getting caught up in an instrumental or talking too much, or the love of music itself. that's why i think God calls musicians to lead worship, because we have such an ear for it that we are always battling between perfecting the music or leading Spirit filled worship sets. again, thanks for the reminder :)

Stephen Barry said...

This is a refreshingly unique perspective you're sharing. I'm enjoying it. Thanks for lending what you're learning.