This English guy has some incredible tips. I’m posting all five parts of his little workshop here. Here you can download the pdf of images that he is referring to in these videos.
This English guy has some incredible tips. I’m posting all five parts of his little workshop here. Here you can download the pdf of images that he is referring to in these videos.
To understand Christian worship rightly, we need to understand the model laid out for us in the book of Psalms. I like to call it the “Why-How Model.”
Check out Psalm 100 (NIV):
A psalm. For giving grateful praise.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
In this passage, verse 5 answers the question, “Why?” It’s because the Lord is good and his love endures forever! Verses 1-4 explain how we should worship. Shouting, singing joyfully, being led by Him (v. 3), and being thankful are all ways we can worship God.
Check out another example, from the first part of Psalm 103 (NIV)
1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
In this example, verses 3-6 explain WHY we worship: he forgives, heals, and saves us. Verses 1 and 2 give us specific ways that we can worship: with my whole heart, and by remembering.
What examples can you find in the Psalms?
This post is the conclusion of a series of posts summarizing five priceless principles from Joe Pace’s book “From Performance to Praise.” These concepts apply to every member of the worship team. For more information – read the book!
Priceless Principle #5
Those involved in Music Ministry strive for unity.
Our area of ministry is the most subjective area in the church and because its art – can be the most personally invested area. I have heard some horror stories of disunited worship teams. One story indicated that when the worship leader picked up the microphone (on Sunday morning . . . on stage . . . in front of a congregation), the guitar player unstrapped his instrument and announced to everyone, “I’m not playing if he’s gonna lead!” and then walked off the stage, through the sanctuary, and out the front doors. Geesh!
Let’s take a look at what happened in the Bible when the worship team was completely united:
2 Chronicles 5:12-14; “12and all the Levites who were musicians were there–Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their families, dressed in their worship robes; the choir and orchestra assembled on the east side of the Altar and were joined by 120 priests blowing trumpets. 13The choir and trumpets made one voice of praise and thanks to GOD-orchestra and choir in perfect harmony singing and playing praise to GOD: Yes! God is good! His loyal love goes on forever! Then a billowing cloud filled The Temple of GOD. 14The priests couldn’t even carry out their duties because of the cloud–the glory of GOD!-that filled The Temple of God.
Imagine what it would be like if we were this united in our weekend worship services! Just imagine! When we begin to have thoughts that bring dis-unity, we need to remind ourselves of our worship’s focus: “Its not about me, it’s never been about me, and it’s never gonna be about me.”