a thought on worship…

i was doing some reading this morning and came across this quote.  it’s by a guy named don chapman…a pretty well known composer and worship guy out of nashville.  i’m wondering what you think…

Some worship leaders get into the rut of constantly throwing new songs at the congregation and then wonder why nobody’s worshipping.  Remember, we musical worship leaders are way ahead of the average person in the congregation.  We’re tired of the latest worship songs before 99% of the congregation even knows the songs exist (most Christians never step foot in a Christian bookstore or listen to Christian radio, let alone care about the latest hot worship leader).  “Open the Eyes of My Heart” is STILL in CCLI top ten, and “Lord I Lift Your Name On High” is still in the top 20!

A few years ago I was out in Dallas visiting worship media guru Greg Atkinson. He took me on a tour of all the big churches in the area. Great productions, great music, but little worship going on and lots of performances. However, at one megachurch in particular I remember very distinctly being drawn in and touched by the worship. Suddenly it hit me: I happened to know all the songs in the set and I realized something important: people worship best with songs they know. It’s simply harder to worship when the mind is intent on learning a new tune, but the mind is freed up when the song is familiar and the heart can worship more easily.

i love the fact that we learn new songs on a pretty regular basis at north point.  it inspires me…challenges me…opens my eyes…and gives me a greater vocabulary to praise god with.   but this quote caused an interesting list of questions.

• is sunday morning the only time you sing?
• how important is singing in your worship experience?
• how do you define worship outside of singing?

i’m really interested in what you think…

Made to worship – two

i look back on my twenties as being the real formative era of my spiritual development.  it was in that time that i learned about discipleship and lifestyle evangelism and church growth and worship as a whole life expression, rather than just singing songs at church.  

it was during those years, though, that i first encountered people who challenged the notion of church attendance and corporate worship, in favor of a more personal, individualistic, private expression of faith.  really, that’s just a fancy way of saying they didn’t want to get their butts out of bed on sunday mornings and join the rest of us for worship!

now, there are times i’m as lazy as the next guy.  i’ve also spent many hours out in the wilderness communing with god in nature…by myself.  i’ve even sang and preached out loud…in the wilderness…to nobody but an audience of squirrels and a bunch of native insects.  god is just as real, just as powerful, just as almighty, just as personal…when i am by myself, as when i am with others.

in spite of that, i am convinced that worship is not meant to be done alone.  even though you can, doesn’t mean you should.  sometimes, joining together with others for worship just can’t be done.  but make no mistake.  we need each other for worship.

here’s a question:  what role or purpose do others play (or should others play) in your worship?  what is it that others bring to your expression of worship?  if you can’t think of anything, what are you missing?

Made to worship

i read a short, but really good, article today on whether or not secular music could (or even should) be used in a worship setting.  it was a concise, logical, compassionate and wise insight.  i would love for you to read it and give your opinion.

you can check it out here.

i’d like to open up a little discussion about music and worship for the next week or so.  to start off the give and take, i have a question:

what are two or three of your most favorite songs to sing when the church body gathers to worship?  could be current ones we do at north point or songs that you you have sung somewhere in your past.  you might even say why they are favorites…

Let’s sing…

i’m just sitting here in my office listening to the band prepare for worship this morning and i’m feeling really grateful for the awesome job that our band does leading our church family to sing and worship passionately from the heart.  we don’t tell them of our appreciation nearly enough.  i think i will today.

i’m deeply thankful for the path that my parents led me on when i was young…for the church family that taught me about jesus and provided a context for me to learn spiritual truths and gave me a taste of the rich tradition that is the church, the body of christ.  some of my greatest memories are the times of singing the grand hymns of the faith while sitting in the pews of my home church, looking up at the cross that hung at the apex of the front of our old sanctuary…permanently etched on my mind and soul.

i’m glad it’s a memory.  i’m overwhelmed that i have now.  can’t wait to go sing this morning..