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Melody Kuphal Dr. Carl Park
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rediscovering the dangerous act of worship A shift in perspective B Y
D R .
J I M
H A R T
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 2 COR. 5:17-19
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a shift
rightly ordered or integrated life, the rightly ordered family, church, city, country, culture, even the rightly ordered cosmos. If you want a primary key to reading the entire biblical narrative, this is it—God is calling his creation to right worship (over and over again). God ultimately wants His people to worship Him aright, not because He needs our praise, but because in that
ATHE FAMILY t the Institute for Worship Studies, I often
great act we become rightly aligned unto God through
begin my presidential addresses with the
Jesus Christ, the primary worshiper. When things are
statement, “Congratulations, ladies and
set right, the created order is reconciled, or brought
gentlemen, you are about to embark on the most
back to its original intent and order. Fellowship, Word,
useless study there is—the study of Christian worship.
Table, Mission, all elements of right worship serve
Aristotle claimed that the supremely important activi-
that end—the reconciliation of the created order. To
ties are the most useless, because they exist precisely
be reconciled means to be restored relationally, as
for their own sake and not for a greater external end.
closely as cilia to cilia, eyelash to eyelash, in the most
The worship of God is therefore the most…supremely
intimate friendship, first with God the Father through
important thing we can do.” Likewise, drawing from
Jesus the Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit,
the well-known book of Dr. Mark Labberton, worship is
but also with our neighbors (fellow humans) and the
also the most dangerous thing we can do. Why? Ulti-
entirety of creation.
AT WORSHIP.
mately, all of worship conduces to mission. We are not called to comfort, or accommodation, or status quo; we are called to Kingdom action. Through active and conscious participation in Christian worship, we are changed into the likeness of Christ and infused with Christ’s heart of love for God, our fellow humankind, and the entire created order.
Worship can be described as a public work or service, commonly referred to as “the work of the people.” The Greek word for this work is leitourgia, which is where we get the Anglicized word “liturgy.” In the Great Tradition, worship (specifically liturgy) is the participation of the people of God in the work of
At its essence, Christian worship is a call to right worship, or “orthodoxy.” The word “orthodoxy” means “right, or true worship.” True worship is biblically centered worship that participates in that story of God’s saving work in Jesus the Christ. It is the submission of humankind to God, to be cleansed, forgiven, and changed into His likeness revealed in Christ though His Word and table, and then sent into the world with fire in the mission to love the world towards the God
Right worship leads to the rightly ordered or integrated life, the rightly ordered family, church, city, country, culture, even the rightly ordered cosmos.
who is perfect love. The Song of Songs begins, “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!” The Great Tradition interpreted this as the song of the soul singing to God for union. Union with God through Jesus Christ is the aspiration of true worship. Celebrating the mighty works of God in Jesus Christ in the posture of adoration is the proper aim of right worship. Right worship leads to the
God. Through worship, Christ our redeemer and high priest continues the work of our redemption in, with, and through the Church. Through worship the three offices of Christ the Head are manifested in and through the Mystical Body of Christ: the priestly office, kingly office, and prophetic office. Worship is priestly in its offering of prayer and Eucharist for the life of
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the world; kingly in inspiring concrete acts of charity; and prophetic in the proclamation and embodiment of the apostolic Gospel. In worship we have the great privilege of engaging the world, telling the world its true story, and bringing it to the right worship of the only God who is ultimately true, good, and beautiful. God wants right worship so we can be rightly ordered and sent on mission. This is why the focus on right worship is at the very core of the Christian faith, and of supreme importance! The Bible is God’s story of how He chooses and shapes a people with His heart and mind to praise Him aright, to reverse the processes of dis-integration, to re-integrate, to re-order our lives around Christ, and to go out on mission to participate in the reconciliation of the entire created order.
So it is in this liturgical procession in Genesis. The celebrants, who lead the praise of the entire created order that has gone before, are at the end of the narrative procession. Those celebrants are us, humankind, uniquely created in the image of God. Rooted in Christ and His over-abundant and overflowing life, humankind has been given the great privilege of being the priests of creation. We do that through worship, famously called the source and summit of the entire Christian life. In this orderly, liturgical procession, we understand
Leading the Praise of Creation
the purposeful end of the created order—to worship
In worship we have the great privilege of leading the
who we are ultimately meant to be. Worship is the
praise of all of creation. In the very beginning, Genesis
moment when we are most ourselves, because we
1 and 2, God brings forth creation in that beautiful
have gathered in adoration, giving highest praise
poetic narrative. First, God created the heavens and
to God on behalf of all creation, for the life of the
the earth. Then we hear, “Let there be light, and there
world. This is the cosmic emphasis of worship.
was light.” Then the seas and the dry land, vegetation, plants yielding seeds, and trees are brought forth into existence, followed by the sun and the moon to rule the day and night. Then come the living creatures, fish of the sea, birds of the air, livestock and creatures that creep on the ground. This is like a stately liturgical procession of elements coming forth from God. This is like a spiritual parade. Who comes at the end of a parade? Think of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Santa Claus is at the end, the most important character in the parade! Now think of a liturgical procession, if you have ever seen one. Who is at the end? The celebrant, the person whose job it is to lead the praise of everyone gathered.
the Creator. Our whole purpose is to lead creation in the great chorus of praise to the Creator God. In that act of adoration, we realize our deepest identity,
In his great book For the Life of the World, Orthodox theologian Alexander Schmemann wrote this:
The first, the basic definition of man is that he is the priest. He stands in the center of the world and unifies it in his act of blessing God, of both receiving the world from God and offering it to God—and by filling the world with this eucharist [thanksgiving], he transforms his life, the one that he receives from the world, into life in God, into communion with Him. The world
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was created as the “matter,” the material of one all-embracing Eucharist, and man was created as the priest of this cosmic sacrament.1
the poor, instructing, advising, consoling, comforting, forgiving, bearing wrongs patiently, participating in creation care, singing to the dying, and of course, praying, praying, and praying some more. Note that all of these acts of mercy involve giving oneself away in love for the other. The love of God and the love of the other coexist. You cannot have one without the other (1 John 4:21). Loving the other concretizes our
Worship is the moment when we are most ourselves, because we have gathered in adoration, giving highest praise to God on behalf of all creation, for the life of the world.
love of God. Since humankind is made in the image of God, we alone in the created order are given the right, freedom, and dignity of saying “no” to God. My cat doesn’t have that right. The rocks and trees in my backyard don’t have that right. But I do. Worship is about turning our all-too-often “no” into a “yes” to God, letting God change us into His likeness, or divinizing us, and sending us out on the mission of reconciliation. And that is most dangerous work, turning away from the idols and temptations of this worldly life to the often uncomfortable acts of human virtue and flourishing intended for us by God, lived out through our partici-
What are some practical ways we can apply our life of
pation in the redemptive work of Jesus the Christ, and
worship formation to the work of reconciliation, being
empowered by the Holy Spirit.
“priests of this cosmic sacrament?” In the Great Tradition there are specific acts of mercy, such as feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, giving alms to
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May we fully embrace this most useless, but supremely important and most dangerous task—the sacrificial worship of God, leading the praise of a reconciled creation.
Alexander Schmemann, For the Life of the World (New York: St. V.ladimir’s Press, 1973) p. 15
BY
D R .
J I M
H A R T
Jim Hart serves as the President of the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. Dr. Hart was a member of the first IWS doctoral class, the Alpha class, and served as Dean of Students during his matriculation. He is a professional trumpeter, choral director, and a published composer/arranger, songwriter and author. He has served in church music ministry for approximately 40 years, including his current position as Choir Director at Grace Anglican Church in Fleming Island, FL.
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dangers of a shallow faith
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J E N N
J O H N S O N
M E L O DY
C A R L
K U P H A L
PA R K
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DA N G E R S O F A S H A L LOW FA I T H
WORSHIP
IS A LIFESTYLE B Y
J E N N
J O H N S O N
T
he topic of purity and holiness is so important
If I could say one thing it would be this: worship is a
to me—not just in worship but in everything
lifestyle. It’s not just a position or an opportunity—it’s
that we do as believers. So much of what we’re
the way we live our lives. It is an extreme honor to
judged, and rewarded for, by God comes down to the
lead people, but in that same breath, leading people
things we do when nobody's looking: what we watch,
comes with an extreme responsibility. How we live
what we say, the choices we make. It all matters to
our lives, seen and unseen, matters to God.
God! When it comes to worship and leading people, purity and holiness matter all the more. Why? Because, as leaders, we are called to a higher standard. Titus 1:7 says,
The overseer, since he serves God’s household, must be above reproach. Regardless of who you are—whether you’re leading with a microphone, playing an instrument, working sound, songwriting—you are called to live with higher standards.
3 Foundations of Leading the Church Into Worship 01. BE IN THE WORD The Bible is so crucial to have as our foundation. Being in the Word on a daily basis is paramount to being able to lead people into the truth of who God is. When you randomly select verses to fit what you think, things get skewed. As believers, but especially as leaders, we need to have a holistic understanding of the Word of God. We have to see the Bible from start to finish and not pick out what fits our own narrative. If we don’t understand the Word and God’s nature, then our faith is shallow.
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There's a difference between singing a good worship song and singing what you believe with every fiber of your being. 02. ACCOUNTABILITY TO LEADERSHIP Opening your life up to leadership is so important, but even more so when you’re leading people into worship. I run all my lyrics past my leaders. Have a theology pastor, or someone you know who is wellversed in the Word of God, help to ensure that you’re not leading people into deception. It’s so important that our lyrics don’t undermine God’s full nature. He is always good, always faithful, always loving, and our lyrics have to communicate that truth (Titus 1:9).
Leading Worship It’s so important to sing and lead songs where you believe every word. There’s a difference between singing a good worship song and singing what you believe with every fiber of your being. I would rather not sing than sing a song where I don’t firmly believe every single word. There is so much power in taking the faith you have and partnering it with what you’re singing. When someone sings with authority, it’s a completely different and powerful experience!
03. GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Songwriting
The Holy Spirit is the filter that we have to run the
someone leads from the nature of God rather than
Word of God through. There are so many places where
the swirl and emotion of human existence. It’s about
the Bible seems to contradict itself, which is why we
calling people higher, into who God is and who we are,
need the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us into all truth
rather than wallowing in our humanity. Write songs
(John 16:13).
about who Jesus has called the Church to be, rather
I have personally seen the profound difference when
than songs about how you feel in that moment— because how you feel is temporary.
J E N N J O H N S O N Jenn Johnson is a co-founder with her husband Brian of Bethel Music and WorshipU and together they have been integral in the production of over fifteen albums that have influenced the culture of worship across the global church. The Johnsons also head up Bethel Church Worship Ministry and are committed to cultivating community and fostering unity among worship leaders from around the world.
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DA N G E R S O F A S H A L LOW FA I T H
ACCOUNTABILITY
FOR WORSHIP LEADERS
B Y
M E L O DY
K U P H A L
L
eaders of worship, we are accountable for the
to assess the words I was putting in the mouths of
words we put in the mouths of the congregation.
the congregation.
James 3:1 states,
Not many of you should become
Songs of worship and praise are written from many different perspectives for many different purposes; not all of those purposes are appropriate
teachers, my fellow believers, because
for congregational singing. Poetry and imagery are
you know that we who teach will be
faith walk are valuable. Yet when choosing which
judged more strictly.
lovely. Songs detailing personal experiences in one’s songs (and which sections of those songs) we will put into the mouths of the congregation, we need to heavily lean on lyrics containing theological truths
Friends, all who teach in the church, including
and straight-up Scripture that is not only worthy of
those who teach worship songs, are included in this
proclamation, but bears repeating!
passage. One Sunday morning we joined our voices in singing a worship song that included large sections of The Apostle’s Creed. This song contained great lyrics and wonderful theological substance, until we sang, “When all is dark you help us see.” I was convicted. ALL is dark? As Easter people, we believe the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). If this Scripture is true, then
God stopped me in my tracks to assess the words I was putting in the mouths of the congregation.
these lyrics were false. God stopped me in my tracks
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In my church context, our time for corporate
When we choose theologically sound lyrics in
singing is limited, so I need to use that time wisely
partnership with the readings, prayers, sermon, and
for Kingdom work. Additionally, congregational
other worship elements for the morning, we channel
members often leave worship with a song in their
music’s amazing ability to put a mighty AMEN to the
heart and lyrics on their lips, and that song often turns
message for the day. We can literally help worshipers
into an ear worm throughout the rest of the week. Do
lift their voices in praise and worship, in agreement
I want worshipers repeatedly singing “Oh, oh, oh” or
of God’s mighty power. Fellow worship leaders,
“Today is the day You have made! I will rejoice and
choose your lyrics well. We are accountable for the
be glad in it!”? Of course there’s value in both lines of
words we put in the mouths of God’s people.
the song, but I would rather congregants meditate on the Word of God!
BY M E LO DY K U P H A L Melody Kuphal is the Director of Music Ministries at Hosanna! Lutheran Church in St. Charles, IL, as well as serving as an adjunct professor in the worship arts department at Judson University in Elgin, IL. In June 2017, she completed the Doctorate of Worship Studies program at the Robert E. Webber Institute of Worship Studies and is now thrilled to be a part of the IWS faculty. Melody has been teaching private music lessons and working with children’s theater directing teams for over 25 years.
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J O I N
N OW
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DA N G E R S O F A S H A L LOW FA I T H
THE DANGERS OF A S H A L LO W FA I T H I N S U N G P R AY E R
B Y
D R .
C A R L
PA R K
O
ne of the most important jobs worship
leaders today? Below are some aspects of shallow
leaders have is curating songs for their
faith that seem particularly dangerous for Christians
congregations. And this is not just so that
in the contemporary Western world, with thoughts
songs will match sermons nicely or people will find
about how worship leaders can help lead people
our music catchy. There are much bigger goals. One
away from it.
huge goal all worship leaders should keep in front of them is the formation of biblical and robustly Christian faith—a spirituality that is shaped by Christ and His story. This is what the Church does!
01. AN OVERLY INDIVIDUALISTIC FAITH IS A SHALLOW FAITH. We need to be led, again and again, toward the corpo-
The opposite is what we might call a “shallow
rate scope of Christ’s work. It is too easy for us to
faith.” At best, it’s weak and impotent; at worst, it’s
read all the plural “you” pronouns in the New Testa-
sub-Christian, non-Christian, or anti-Christian. Congregational worship songs are powerful tools to keep us out of shallow faith, because they contain theology and because they generate theology, too. Christians have realized this for a long time. The ancient Church used a Latin phrase to express this: Lex orandi lex credenda, which means, roughly, what and how you pray (and sing) is what and how you believe. What might faithful curation of worship songs, the kind that generates deeply lived-out and robustly Christian theology, look like for churches and worship
...this is not just so that songs will match sermons nicely or people will find our music catchy. There are much bigger goals. 16
ment epistles as singular. Too easy for people to think
Spirit comes upon “all flesh,” the way He re-presents
Christian spirituality means me-and-Jesus instead of
Jesus, and so much more the Bible tells about the
us-and-Jesus. Too easy for our churches to talk about
Spirit? Our churches need a bigger hymnody about
forgiveness and healing and justice only as individual
the Holy Spirit.
matters, rather than as God’s kingdom coming to communities—and the whole world, across space and time. Worship leaders can give us songs to sing about God’s healing of the whole fallen world, the Spirit’s presence within us, and the kingdom of righteousness that comes to peoples and communities, not just to individuals.
03. A FAITH THAT MAKES OUR ULTIMATE HOPE SOMETHING BESIDES JESUS’ RETURN IS A SHALLOW FAITH. Christians need to be careful that our hope in Jesus’
02. MINIMIZING THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PART OF A SHALLOW FAITH. We confess a triune God, but often it feels like our faith is unitarian or binitarian, not trinitarian. Our hymnody can exacerbate this, or it can help fight it. Have you looked for songs about the Holy Spirit and found songs that talk only about the inner comfort the Spirit gives? What about songs that sing of the Spirit’s empowerment of us for mission, the way the
return is not replaced by hope in a post-mortem afterlife or a rapture or an expectation that our city or country is itself the kingdom of God here and now. To keep us from shallow faith, worship leaders can pick songs that sing of Jesus’ return and how much we long (“Come Lord Jesus!”) for that day. At funerals, they can pick songs that joyfully declare that dead believers are in God’s presence but joyfully declare, also, that their truest hope and ours is Jesus’ return, when we all will be resurrected like Jesus and God will bring forth a new heaven and earth.
BY D R . C A R L PA R K Professor at Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies
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M U S I C
2 1
DY N A M I C S
2 3
T H A N
T E A M
LEADERSHIP.
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LEADERSHIP MORE THAN MUSIC
WORSHIP IS MORE THAN MUSIC Love Takes On. Love Takes Off. Missionary Hudson Taylor learned that the “heart language” of a people is learned up close, not from a distance. For him, that meant taking on the clothing (literally) of those he wished to reach. It’s not unlike what Derek Webb sang: “And like the Three-in-One, know you must become what you want to save.”
B Y
R E G G I E
K I D D
A while ago, I was in the part of the world Hudson Taylor had embraced. I was talking with a national—call him “Jazz.” Through an interpreter, I asked him what attracted him to Christ. He talked about an incident on a basketball court. There was this new guy—an expat from the US—who wanted to join a pick-up game. The expat—call him “Mike”— was conspicuous by virtue of, well, being an expat. He happened to be wearing the jersey of a famous NBA player. Well, just by showing up, Mike had invited a rude welcome from Jazz—a hard foul. But Mike didn’t respond as expected. He didn’t get angry, he just kept playing. After the game, he came over, took off his jersey, and offered it to Jazz. “OK, but what do you want from me?” “I just want to get to know you.” Distrustful at first, Jazz nonetheless accepted the jersey and the invitation to friendship. Eventually, he wanted to know where that kind of offer of friendship came from: “In my world, nobody wants to know you just for you. This fellow did. I found out that Jesus made him that way. I wanted Jesus to make me that way.”
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Worship Is More than the Music There’s a difference between “worship services” (shorthand for what we do on Sundays) and “services of worship” (shorthand for what we do the rest of the week). That’s why the apostle Paul calls on believers in Rome to “present your bodies as a sacrifice that is living, holy, and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1 translation mine). And that’s what Paul puts a priority on. In Mike’s case that meant taking the hard foul and then offering his jersey in friendship. In Paul’s case, that meant devoting what we call his Third Missionary Journey to creating a concrete picture of the gospel message. He has been taking up a collection from the prosperous Gentile churches in Greece and Asia Minor for their impoverished Jewish brothers and sisters in the mother church in Jerusalem. Paul writes his letter to the Romans while he is on the way to Jerusalem to deliver that collection. He understands that the work of Christ has done more than create individual worshipers in scattered congrega-
Christ's sacrifice has united heaven and earth, and has created one new humanity in Himself.
tions around the Mediterranean. Christ’s sacrifice has united heaven and earth, and has created one new humanity in himself. Paul writes, in part, to ask for prayers that these offerings will be accepted—for it’s not sure that they will be. But Paul is willing to risk everything to see it happen. True worship is this sort of self-offering: Mike for Jazz, Paul for his churches, Gentile believers for Jewish believers. In Romans 12:2, Paul further qualifies this kind of sacrifice as logikēn (from which we get “logical”). What he means, going back to the beginning of Romans 12:1, is that worship-as-the-presenting-of-our-bodies makes sense in view of the mercies God has extended to us in Christ.
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How “Worship Services” Become “Services of Worship” Twice a year I have the privilege of seeing this kind of worship on display among students at the Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies. Each session in January and June, students in the senior doctoral seminar are asked to create a “worship service” for the entire campus. To create this worship service, these students have to offer “services of worship.” That is, they sideline their own preferences and sometimes even their principles for the sake of serving the Lord and the IWS community. People who in their home church settings call all the shots learn to defer to one another. The Lutheran “high liturgist” and the Assembly of God “anti-liturgist” figure out a way to offer a common worship. The brilliant trumpet player sidelines his gift because the group needs him to run projection. The extraordinary diva soloist simply blends her voice with the ensemble, because that’s what the occasion calls for. And that’s how real worship happens, when we offer our bodies as sacrifices, living and holy and pleasing to God.
Christ became what we are that we might become what He is.
As early Christian theologians put it: “Christ became what we are that we might become what He is.” Mercy came to us, so we become mercy to others. That’s “logical” worship. That’s what Webb sings about. That’s what Mike did. That’s what the apostle Paul did—and calls on us to offer. Such “service of worship” is the measure of success for our “worship services.”
BY
D R .
R E G G I E
K I D D
Dr. Reggie Kidd joined Reformed Theological Seminary in 1990 and served as Professor of New Testament. Dr. Kidd is an ordained priest in The Episcopal Church and has served as a pastor and elder at multiple churches.
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LEADERSHI
LEADERSHIP
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
T E A M DY N A M I C S
HEBREWS 11:1 (KJV)
The beautiful and dangerous use of imagination in worship and spiritual formation B Y
R I C H
K I R K PAT R I C K
Maybe you are a creative person who, like me, was chastised for daydreaming during class. "Rich, come back to planet earth like the rest of us," the teacher would say. Of course, this would lead to chuckles from fellow students. Early on in our lives, we are taught that it is dangerous to use our imaginations. Why? Only crazy people talk to themselves. Only unproductive people ask, "What if?" We hear a common theme to not reinvent the wheel. But, what about our worship and spiritual formation? Doesn't it require a bit of imagination? To some, it may seem like imagination and worship are a dangerous combination. They are correct. In fact, without imagination, we may be losing our minds about worship. Let me explain.
Spiritual formation is not a formula. Spiritual formation is a term we use in church leadership circles to discuss how we grow our walks with God. This includes our public and private acts of worship–like prayer, church attendance, tithing,
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and Bible reading. At times there is a problem with our approach,
Formulas teach transactional faith: We do this, and God will do that.
however. Pastors talk about such activities, sometimes promising church members that singing louder at church or reading the Bible more will change them. With this idea, fasting and service should automatically deliver repentance or humility. But what if they don't? Formulas teach a transactional faith: We do this, and God will do that. This is how many of us have lost our minds about worship. We don't imagine God being with us in these acts, for one. Instead, we put faith in the activities more than the goal–forming a friendship with Jesus.
Worship is about a who more than about what we do. Maybe imagination is less dangerous than believing in rules or steps to follow. You indeed can read the Bible every day and still be spiritually stuck. You might enjoy singing those worship songs, feeling deeply in the moment, but your Monday doesn't look as spiritual as your Sunday. Instead of looking at spiritual formation as a formula, there is another option: We can imagine it as forming a friendship. We must have faith in the object of our friendship, Jesus, more than the action or process of spiritual formation. Worship is more about a who than about what we perform–including those powerful times we gather to sing. Action steps are still helpful, but the goal of these falls flat if unpaired with imagination. We want to know God more and more. But, activities on their own mean little. This is why imagination is important.
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Exercise on a parable: The Loving Father Luke 15:11–32 How does imagination help us grow? Imagination allows us to experience a bit of how God really sees us. Along with our acts of spiritual discipline, we add our imaginations–faith in the friendship we are forming with Christ. Here is a proposed exercise to demonstrate. Take time for some quietness and give it a try.
01.
READ THE PARABLE of the Loving Father at least two times and imagine that you are the lost son or daughter. We know that in the parable, the father never stopped loving his child. What did it take to turn back to the father? All it took for that child was to point in the direction of the father. Before fully arriving, the father ran to his child to welcome and embrace his child, fully restoring everything. No transaction made the father love. He simply did! Can you see yourself in this story? Why are why not?
02.
REFLECT ON THE PARABLE during your next time at church. What if that same loving father is the God who loves you? You know you are not perfect. Coming to church is not a transaction. It is an encounter. But, it is not void of all the facts of the story. We simply come to God, and He runs to us. Maybe you can't feel this kind of love when at church or sitting at home watching an online service. But, can you imagine it? What if it is true that God is running to you? All you or I are doing is coming back to Him. Yes, we can come back to Him.
03.
RECORD YOUR RESPONSE to what you saw and felt in your imagination exercise. A journal might be one way to do this. Or, how about putting "Loving Father" on a note stuck to your vanity mirror? As you may discover, imagination is intentional thought. Just like my younger self in grade school dreamed of building spaceships during grammar lessons, you dream of a better life with Christ in it by your side. Faith is simply using our imaginations to dream about who God is and what He has in store for us.
BY R I C H K I R K PAT R I C K Rich is the author of The Six Hats of the Worship Leader, writer for several ministry publications, and leads worship with A Beautiful Liturgy.
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MUSIC. S O N G W R I T I N G Q +A
2 9
R A DA R
3 1
S O N G W R I T I N G WO R S H I P
2 7
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MUSIC
D EF IN ING
holiness SONGWRITING
I N O UR S ON G S
B Y
T Y L E R
R O B E R T S
W
hat do we mean by holiness? I think we often cheapen the meaning of the word. We sing of holiness at such a high rate that it tends to blend in with all the other well-worn
church phrases. Yet if we are going to call the Church to holiness, we must understand what we are inviting people into. Holiness simply means to be set apart; to embody a distinction that compels the world to wonder, awe, and ultimately to worship the True King. As disciples of Jesus, we are commissioned to holiness because that is how He lived. In other words, to be holy is to be like Jesus! If we are going to call the Church to holiness through our songwriting, then we must hone in on exactly who Jesus is, how He acts, and how we are to respond. Songs that will inspire the church to holy living will be Christ-
Instead of focusing on our problems and what God can do for us, let us sing about His character, goodness, and authority.
centered, not me-centered. We are not unique from the world if we only sing about us. The world already knows what narcissism looks like. Humanity needs a clear picture of true humility. They need to see a Church collectively humbled under our kingdom assignment: to live as if Jesus is King. Instead of focusing on our problems and what God can do for us, let us sing about His character, goodness, and authority. I know my God will never leave nor forsake me. It’s certainly not because of me or what I have achieved, but simply because of who He is. He is faithful. His love reaches to the heavens. He is steady. He is a worthy King. He is Emmanuel—God with us. Songwriters will have endless material if they simply focus on Jesus.
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MUSIC
Transforming Lives Through Worship Our lyrics are the perfect vehicle to share our testimonies, and we have so many stories to tell! Not just the renowned narratives of Scripture, but also the continued examples in our daily living of how our Savior has worked amongst us. How He showed up at just the right moment, how He rescued us, set us free, healed us, or answered our prayers. As we communally testify to the activity of Jesus in our churches, we remind ourselves of the abiding power and presence of our God.
SONGWRITING
Our songs help us recognize God’s infinite holiness, and we are reminded to likewise season the world with the distinction of Christ. Rather than using lyrics that are redundant or inaccessible, let us use the language of our lives. Let’s sing about Jesus in a way that anyone could understand. It has been my experience that people will leave singing our songs more often than they will remember what the preacher talked about on Sunday. Since this is our cultural moment, we as songwriters have an incredible responsibility to pastor and shape the body of Christ through the lyrics that we pen. If our churches are inspired to holiness through the Christ-centered songs we write, emphasizing the everyday presence and work of Jesus, then the world will take notice of our distinction. If people are drawn to Jesus, then they will be transformed. If we are transformed by Christ, then we will be gloriously set apart. We will stand out in a world that desperately needs to see the gospel embodied. We will be more like Jesus!
BY
T Y L E R
R O B E R T S
Tyler is a husband, father, songwriter and worship leader at Red Rocks Church.
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MUSIC
SO N GWR ITI N G
SONGWRITING Q&A
Q & A //
Q U E S T I O N
W IT H
K R I S S Y
N O R D H O F F
How do we best address divisions in the community of worship and prayer in the things we write?
It’s amazing and mysterious how certain songs can tear down walls and bring such unity in times when we need it most. But how does that happen? How can we write songs like that for our time? Using the Word of God to guide us as songwriters is key, and so is listening in the moment to the Holy Spirit as we write. But the way we deliver what we feel God is saying also has a major impact on how it’s received. Know your words. Yes, the Word. But also, know the definitions, the nuances, the connotations. Because as words string together into lyric, these things matter. They create the language of the song, but beyond that, they set a tone. Two songs may have the exact same message yet have entirely different tones. For instance, let’s say song 1 has a message of unity that has a slightly corrective undertone. There are small inferences of judgement, blame and accusation. Song 2 also has a message of unity, but it has a hint of loving undertone. It has flavors of grace and openness, and it almost feels like an invitation. Which do you think would move you? I’ve seen time and time again how songs with a tone of love ready hearts for unity and response. May that be true of the songs you write, and may they have a great impact on your church!
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Q U E S T I O N
MUSIC SONGWRITING Q&A
Are there ways of writing songs that can bring peace to a congregation in the middle of conflict?
I believe the best songwriting examples of finding peace during conflict can be found in Psalms. David faced conflict time and time again, yet he somehow always circled around to finding peace in trusting in God.
HE SHOWS US THIS PATTERN DAVID SHARES HONESTLY ABOUT WHERE HE IS. HE CRIES OUT TO GOD. HE WAITS. GOD RESPONDS.
...to find the balance between these three distinct ways of speaking will be part of the What an amazing pattern to follow for songwriters. “wrestle” in the worship songwriting process. HE WORSHIPS.
There is something beautiful about being honest (in a real yet tactful way) about where we are. We can express a common cry to God, especially in the unknown. Looking to Him and hearing His response will ALWAYS bring peace, even when there is no resolution. His presence heals. His presence redeems. His presence unifies. And suddenly we remember that worship is something we agree on. But what I really love about this pattern is hearing the story behind the worship. Every church has a unique story and can relate to different things. If fear is part of your story, don’t avoid it. If depression is part of your story, don’t avoid it. If conflict is part of your story, don’t avoid it. Lean into it. Sing about it (again, tactfully). Teach people to cry out to God for help, to wait, and to respond through song. Teach people to worship through the unknowns. Through the questions. Through the conflict. Teach people that our hope is greater than our current situation. Our peace, and for that sake our faith, does not depend on the circumstances. We know how the story ends. Make sure they remember.
BY
K R I S S Y
N O R D H O F F
Krissy Nordhoff is a Grammy® nominated (famous for "I Believe") and Dove Award® winning ("Your Great Name") professional songwriter and author. She attended Anderson University, studying songwriting with the legendary Gloria Gaither and later as Krissy taught piano and performed as an indie artist.
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MUSIC WORSHIP RADAR
Anna
Worship leader and solo artist Anna Golden joins us to talk about the challenges of doing ministry at a young age, her debut album Peace, the importance of having a mentor in ministry and the stylistic choices that shape her artistry.
GOLDEN
GOLDEN WATC H
V I D E O
W I T H
W I T H
C A I T L I N
C A I T L I N
L A S S I T E R
L A S S I T E R
Caitlin Lassiter is a worship leader, writer and college student with a passion for worship ministry in the church. She is currently studying worship and journalism at Trevecca Nazarene University and lives in Nashville, TN.
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S O N G
D I S COV E RY
E XI STS
S O N G S
T H AT
N E E DS
TO
&
PR OV I D E
R E S O U R C E S
A D D R E SS
O F
S U B M I T
T H E
T H E
C H U R C H .
YO U R
S O N G
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T E C H N I C A L LY
S P E A K I N G
3 4
TECH + GEAR.
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TECH + GEAR T E C H N I C A L LY S P E A K I N G
Technically Speaking. A
C R I T I C A L
L O O K
N E E D -T O - K N OW
AT
T H E
T O O L S
O F
L AT E S T T H E
T R A D E
Kent Morris lends his insight to uncover and evaluate the latest technological products and developments you need to know.
COLOSSIANS 3:17 encourages us with these words:
And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
Turning Mundane Tech into Dangerous Worship
thanks to God the Father through Him. This verse is logically implemented from the platform during a worship service, but more difficult to achieve from the tech booth since exercising the former is tied to worshipful expression while performing the latter can be routine work. Creative and tech, though are intertwined and codependent, for without tech creative never materializes and without creative, tech has no point. As a result, the naturally worshipful aspect of engaging in word and song must be derived through the more mundane function of processing
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TECH + GEAR T E C H N I C A L LY S P E A K I N G
technology. In fact, the mundane, derived
Martha’s negative attitude and complaining eroded
from the Latin for “earthly” is necessary for
the value of the service she was providing to Jesus
the heavenly character of worship to be real-
and her sister. In the same vein, tech enables our
ized in a service of worship.
congregation to engage in worship without regard
Luke 10 relays the story of Martha and Mary and contrasts Mary’s worship with Martha’s efforts. The takeaway isn’t necessarily about the superiority of worship to work, but the impact of attitude as applied to each endeavor. Martha’s work enabled Mary’s worship, but
For tech to function correctly, it must remain discrete, demure and never the focus of attention. To deliver on this premise, tech should be executed with a combination of professionalism and precision.
to the process behind the scene. Tech’s value is how it opens the door to worship; as if a butler in a grand hall. For tech to function correctly, it must remain discrete, demure and never the focus of attention. To deliver on this premise, tech should be executed with a combination of professionalism and precision. The first way to open the door for wanton worship is to earn the trust of leadership through consistently high levels of competence. To put it succinctly, we need to know our business. When the worship pastor asks to add a blue light in the choir center section to contrast against the speaking pastor’s bright illumination, there should be no guesswork involved on how to provide the light as requested. While instant knowledge of every option is unrealistic, knowing how to perform basic functions is vital if trust is to be earned. Like-
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TECH + GEAR
is little time to look at the console and zero time to look around the room or glance at a phone. Next, consider the value of notes written during rehearsal on the order of service sheet. When does
T E C H N I C A L LY S P E A K I N G
the guitar solo take place? When does the choir join the chorus? How much boost does the B3 need on the last chorus coming out of the bridge? These questions need definitive answers before the service begins. Tech cannot be performed on the fly with excellence; it requires forethought. Finally, give attention to the next phase of the service in the space leading up to each transition. How will the speaking pastor be muted; via the recall safe channel? Once muted, and the soloist vocal is on, along with the mute groups for the band and orchestra then turned off, what is the plan if the pastor spins on their heels wise, reacting with anger over the late addition of a guest vocalist does nothing to solve the problem or engender a sense of confidence from leadership. If the request cannot be met as described, find a less obtuse route to solve the problem, such as using a wired mic with a wedge instead of the requested wireless mic with an ear pack.
and decides to introduce the song themselves? When the worship pastor finishes a song, is there sufficient muscle memory stored to automatically pull down the effects return in case they decide to quote a verse? If acoustic feedback occurs, has practice been exercised to quickly, but gently reduce the floor wedge levels? Knowing what’s next and what to expect is the key to success.
Another path to take toward freeing the church to worship is to focus on eliminating the errors most likely to disrupt the service. Cues should be engaged smartly, with “on” performed one second before needed and “off” accomplished one second after completion. This precision requires constant attention to what is happening on the deck, meaning there
BY
Tech done well creates freedom to worship with abandon in the most dangerous way imaginable without fear the moment will be lost to a glitch or error. While perfection is impossible, continuous improvement is not and we must strive to deliver a trusted, consistent service to those we serve.
K E N T
M O R R I S
40-year veteran of the AVL arena driven by passion for excellence tempered by the knowledge digital is a temporary state.
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ENCOURAGEMENT. INTRO TO ENCOURAGEMENT
L E T T E R S
W I T H
LOV E
3 8
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ENCOURAGEMENT
T H O U G H T S
F R O M
LETTERS WITH LOVE
JOHN 4 Living with an eternal perspective
W
e all know the story of “The Woman at the Well”—the woman Jesus spoke to as they had a conversation about truthful worship. The story where He found her as a society outcast,
and where through His heart of love for her, He broke down the chains around her heart which had held her captive for so long.
B Y
DA R L E N E
Z S C H E C H
But interestingly, in verse 2 we find the story beginning in a city of Samaria called Sychar, near where Jacob (father of the famous multicolored-coat wearing Joseph) had built this well. It was here, all these years later, that Jesus, weary from His journey, sat by the well. He sat to rest and then prepared to refresh Himself with water from the well. And He started His conversation with the nameless woman... Think about this: long before this miracle-filled scenario came to be, around the 12th century B.C. Jacob and his men did the hard work of digging, preparing, and finding the water source to establish a deep well that would bring literal refreshment to those coming long after their days were over—even to Jesus Himself. I am sure at the time, Jacob would never have realized that the good work he was doing for his family and the communities around would become the backdrop for one of the most important conversations in the Bible. I find it amazing…that this is where the worship discussions start to flow. ANY decision you make today has some sort of effect on your future. Most of the time, it feels like the small decisions we make every day will have little-to-no effect on our lives, but all those small moments put together make up something far greater that will always have its expression in our future.
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ENCOURAGEMENT
Here is the beautiful ending to this story. This woman had made SO many poor decisions in her life and yet here came Jesus, always the same, always forgiving and restoring, the same yesterday, today, and forever. This woman’s life ended up impacting a whole city, and it all started at a well, dug SO long before this moment by someone living a life that was about much more than himself and impacting so many people for eternity. We’ve all made poor decisions in our lives—I certainly have made my fair share. So what do we do? Remember an eternal perspective.
LETTERS WITH LOVE
Understand that the love of God is not fickle or unsure, and His grace is robust and deep. The Father is always ready to welcome us home and set us straight...because our lives matter, our decisions matter. He desires us to walk this Kingdom life out with Him, as His love impacts us at the core of our being—in turn impacting those around us. And one last thought: living with an eternal perspective will also change the way you view suffering. These days have been very tough for so many. I for one have found it a profound honor to lead worship in this season, as in God’s presence I see the thirsty come to the well of life and take a deep drink of Living Water, the only thing that will truly satisfy. David wrote,
Because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. PSALM 16:10–11
The Father is always ready to welcome us home and set us straight...because our lives matter, our decisions matter.
This is our future hope. I often find myself saying, “Thank God this life is not all there is.”
Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. ROMANS 8:18
Jesus will return to establish “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21:1). There will be no more crying, and there will be no more pain and suffering. An eternal perspective.
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ENCOURAGEMENT
When I was sick, one of the great prayer warriors of our church came and spoke to me about eternity, about heaven, and prayed with me that the fear of death would no longer cause my heart to break, but would cause my faith to rise. I pray that in this next season, rather than being caught in the temporal, we will allow our eyes to be fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Lead worship where people get a taste of heaven, as eternity in our hearts is fuel for a purpose-filled life here and now.
LETTERS WITH LOVE
With so much love,
Darlene If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. C.S. LEWIS
BY
DA R L E N E
Z S C H E C H
Australian Darlene Zschech is acclaimed all over the world as a composer, worship leader, pastor, author and speaker, and became most well known for her involvement in the worship team at Hillsong Church, Sydney, Australia over many years. Alongside her husband Mark, they are the Senior Pastors of Hope Unlimited Church (HopeUC) on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, which has now grown into India and the USA.
darlenezschech.com | yourministrymentor.com | Instagram.com/darlenezschech | Facebook.com/darlenezschech
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K E E P
R E A D I N G
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