Worship Week Inspires!

During the week of July 12-18, there was inspiration to go around, with plenty left over! It was LifeWay's Worship Week conference.  While getting there wasn't without its challenges--not the least of which was a 3-inch nail picked up in one of my brand new tires, which created a slow leak we had to deal with until we got to the venue (when the issue was resolved and fixed at no charge by the good people of Black Mountain Tire Connection in Black Mountain, NC), the trip was worth it all, as we thumbed our noses at Satan's attempts to quench the fire of our excitement.  

There were the daily worship services led by conference worship leader, Jeremy Busler, and conference pastor Jay Strother, both from the Church at Station Hill in Thompson Station, TN, which offered both inspiration and challenges.

Praise Team member Adam Sprouse attended with me, and we each chose from a variety of breakout session offerings throughout the week. We experienced a week full of motivational sessions covering topics from "How to Communicate with Guitar Players" (can you, really?) to "Leading with Humility," "Taking Your Praise Team to the Next Level," and "Pastor, We've Got Your Back!" 

Both Adam and I participated in the Worship Choir, which was an amazing experience in itself, helping to lead worship with the conference orchestra and the other 100 voices of the choir. That element of our week culminated Thursday evening with a joint choir of children and high school students joining us on the platform to sing with renowned songwriter and worship leader, Tommy Walker. What an amazing evening! 

The setting of Ridgecrest Conference Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina provided a beautiful backdrop for the week of being fed on God's word, refreshing the soul, recharging the batteries, and being inspired. Adam's testimony to the church on July 19, captured here in this video, really says it best.

Youth Praise with Cherry Hills Baptist Church

On April 26 we had the honor of leading youth worship at Cherry Hills Baptist Church.  We took eight of our team over to their youth building, "The Rock", and led worship for an hour.  It was an amazing experience for all of us.

The presence of the Spirit was palpable as the young people immersed themselves in worship and joined in singing every song.

One of the things I love about young people worshiping is that they just don't care if it may appear awkward to some if they raise their hands and faces to God.  They have the ability to strip away pretense and just let the Holy Spirit move.

Some of us spoke throughout the song set, with personal testimonies and scripture references.  And some 70-80 young people listened, opened their hearts, and joined in the praise!

Here are some of the songs we all participated in that night.  

Small Choir--BIG SOUND!

If a choir director is really blessed---I'm talking about a bucket of blessings dumped on him---everything comes together in just the right way.  Everything seems to slide into proper alignment and the music seems to flow from the choir like he has always dreamed it would.

Of course, it helps if the choir has worked their tails off for eight weeks on the music!

Such was the case with the SSBC Worship Choir this past Sunday morning.  Palm Sunday.  We presented the Easter musical "Jesus Saves!"  The spirit of God was palpable as the choir related the story of Easter in song and spoken word.

Our choir is small.  Sixteen members strong.  But they sounded twice as big Sunday!  What a blessing to stand in front of them, wave my arms around, and pretend I had anything to do with that musical moment that was a true "God Thing".

I can tell you that our choir's Mission Statement was in full evidence Sunday:  "To lead the congregation of Springfield Southern Baptist Church into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by drawing them into an authentic worship experience, igniting passion for His purpose through musical excellence and lives that reflect the character of Christ."

I hope you enjoy this excerpt from the musical.

You know, I really am blessed.

Children's Choir Rocks!

One of the great joys in working in music ministry is seeing young people get involved with music. The children's choir at Springfield Southern Baptist Church is a good example of that joy!

On Palm Sunday, they presented two numbers, complete with choreography and all the awesome facial expressions and improvising you'd expect from a group of kids.  In other words, IT WAS FANTASTIC!  There were fifteen distinct personalities belting out those songs Sunday, for a large supportive, and enthusiastic crowd!

A huge thanks to all the adult workers involved in Children's Church and the choir.  Theirs is a huge responsibility, and no small amount of work!  And they are really good at it!

Enjoy the video below of these folks in action!

Youth Matters: Acting Locally and Globablly

Recently, the Youth Department at Springfield Southern Baptist Church did studies on the homeless, the poor and the needy of Springfield, and on the persecution of Christians around the world, specifically the persecution of Christians in Iraq by the Islamic terrorist group ISIS.

In addition to what I had prepared for class, the students did their own research, coming up with statistics and scripture verses to use in a presentation for the church.

The theme centered around Acts 1:8, in which Jesus told the apostles, "...But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Inasmuch as we are, indeed witnesses for Jesus--often being the only representation of the gospel some will ever see--we need to act on that calling: to be that witness; to care for the poor and needy; to support those Christians being persecuted daily in Iraq for the cause of Christ.

The result was a two-pronged approach to being a witness: Acting Locally and Acting Globally.

On Sunday, February 22, the students presented their video and their case for the cause of Christ to the church.  This video contains both the video we prepared and the video of their presentation that Sunday.  I am so proud of the stand they are taking, and being willing to speak out and act on the courage of their convictions.

Why We Sing What We Sing...When We Sing

The question is sometimes asked, “Why do we have to sing all these new songs?  Why can’t we sing hymns?”  

It’s a good question, and the short answer is, “Because scripture compels us to sing a new song, younger generations relate better to them, and the fact is, we do sing hymns.  And I will always sing hymns.”  

There is no reason not to sing new songs, and there is no reason not to sing the old hymns.  

Younger generations, like the so-called “Millennials” and even some of us “Baby-Boomers” want to be able to express praise and worship in a way they are more accustomed to.  This is particularly true with those who aren’t raised in church as many of us have been.  Many of these young people simply cannot relate to some of the hymns the way we do.  They need to hear the Word presented in a more modern “language,” if you will, in much the same way as we don’t force a King James Version Bible on them!  They need to feel free to express their praise through the music and lyrics that they can relate to.    

We have to meet on this issue.  We are, after all, here for the same reason, even though we are all different.  1 Corinthians 12:12-13 says, “For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body...” 

We are all created to worship.  For His pleasure.  And that is why I will always incorporate hymns. Because some of those old hymns express that praise and worship and the Good News story of salvation as well as any new song can.  Moreover, these hymns are part of our legacy, and need to be shared.

David Crowder, Christian singer/songwriter of many popular contemporary songs (“Come As You Are”, “How He Loves”, “O Praise Him”, “The Glory of It All”, “Here Is Our King”), was recently asked this question by an interviewer:  “You often sing old hymns.  What’s the appeal?” This was his answer:

“The appeal for me is that they are good songs.  They have lasted because the melodies are fantastic and they say something that resonates over the span of decades and centuries.  Add to that the value that singing them can connect us to something beyond our present tense.  They can help us acknowledge that we sit in a timeline that stretches backward and will continue into the future.  It helps us understand what has formed us and it helps us imagine how we form the future.”

Crowder says it better than I ever could.  

But let me tell you what I’ve witnessed.  I have seen a room of some 300 teenagers in a worship service, being led by one of the top contemporary Christian bands of the day, Sidewalk Prophets.  The group’s lead singer, David Frey, led the young people from one of the band’s popular songs straight into “How Great Thou Art”, and I witnessed 300 teenagers continuing their genuine, authentic worship, singing at the top of their young lungs, “…Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee…” straight from their hearts, with eyes and hands lifted up in praise.  How do you think God accepts that worship? 

On the other side of the coin, I’m afraid I’ve seen some congregation members rolling their eyes at a contemporary praise chorus, shaking their heads and whispering to a neighbor their displeasure with a song, and even counting how many times a phrase or chorus was repeated.  How do you suppose God accepts that?  

The point is, I have personally seen how young people seem to have less of an issue singing old hymns than some of us more seasoned folks do singing new songs.  Even though the young people are having to learn these old hymns because they've never been exposed to them, just as many of us are having to learn new worship songs and incorporate them into our worship.   There is no reason the new and the old cannot coexist in our worship!  

We have to stop tearing apart worship songs with attempts to spiritualize our reasons.  "I can't worship to that."  Is that the honest reason?  "It's too repetitive."  Like Psalm 136?  Or like "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder"?  We have to stop labeling hymns or modern worship songs as "good" or bad" when all we are really talking about is what musical style we prefer.

We have to get past the “style” of music we like and get to the heart of worship.  Authentic worship.  Authentic worship is not dependent on musical style.  In fact, it’s not dependent on music at all!  

Taylor Johnson, Minister of Music and Worship at Trinity Baptist Church in Madison, Alabama, writes that when he was in college, he was attending a very traditional “high church” worship service.  His friends said, “That style is not really worship.” Johnson says he learned that what they actually meant was, “I don’t like that style of worship.” It was stylistic preference, not authenticity, which served as their standard.

He goes on to say that “Authenticity is not a style. Authenticity is not our favorite kind of music. Authenticity is not shorts, t-shirts, and flip-flops. Authenticity is not robes and stoles. Authenticity is generated from the people gathered, from their talents and abilities, their theology and ethics.”

In order to move forward and grow as a church, we need to find a way to put authentic worship ahead of musical preference.  We need to think—and act—in UNITY.

Thom Rainer, President and CEO of Lifeway Christian Ministries, writes this: “I am hopeful we can worry less about our own preferences, and more about the unity of the body of Christ. Jesus Himself said in John 13:35: ‘By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.’  'Love for one another’ means we will put others before ourselves—even in music and worship preferences.”

Amen, and amen.

This is why we sing.  And why we sing what we sing.  You know…when we sing.


For another great article with insight into modern worship, check out this blog:
http://theblazingcenter.com/2015/02/stop-blaming-your-lack-of-worship-on-your-worship-leader.html

A Force for Worship

"You are about to embark on a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months..."  So began General Dwight Eisenhower's message to the Allied Expeditionary Forces, hours before the launch of the D-Day invasion of Europe in June of 1944.

To a degree, it is fitting for SSBC as well.  We indeed are about to embark on an undertaking unlike any of us have truly experienced:  "Moving" our church to a new location.  We have debated and discussed the land, the building, the purpose, and the vision for this move.  Now, we are stepping off the ramp into the battle.

As we undertake this landmark move, we continue to seek God's will and leadership.  And, we continue to more clearly define the role of worship in this process.  Undoubtedly, worship will be a vital part of who we are as a church body.  But it is essential that we understand what worship is. Worship, as author Jamie Harvill says in his blog "Church: What Are We Missing?" is "Our response to a great and glorious God."   Worship, by that definition, does not change.  It does not "move."  It is not dependent upon our location.  But, as Harvill goes on to say, it will be "the fuel that propels the church forward, even into evolving cultures, style changes, through difficulties, famines and stock market crashes."

What we must remember is that worship is our aim.  It is why we are here.  It is, in the words of Harvill, "the priority of the church."

What is most important is not how we worship, but that we do worship.  We must get to the place where worship is not a style of music;  it is not the number of verses we sing from any given hymn. It is not whether we stand or sit, raise our hands or close our eyes; it is not in the number of times a phrase or chorus is repeated.  Music is merely one of the "tools" we use to publicly and corporately express response to the greatness of God.  It is about what is on our hearts, what we understand and believe, and to Whom we sing.

Another portion of General Eisenhower's speech can also serve us.  "Your task will not be an easy one." Eisenhower warns the AEF.  "Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle hardened.  He will fight savagely."  The same can be said for our enemy.  The Enemy.  Therefore, we must be well trained, well equipped and ready for battle.  I hope and pray we are.

We must strive to avoid the argument of style over substance.  Let us focus on true worship.

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."  Psalm 99:6-7 (NIV)

I invite you to read more on worship and today's church in Jamie Harvill's blog, "Church: What Are We Missing?"