Psalms and Songs
A Theology of Worship Leading
By Holland Davis
Special to ASSIST News Service
CBN.com
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO,
CA (ANS) -- Have you ever asked the question where do
worship leaders fit in the Bible? Are they the same as Old Testament
Levites? Do we have a Biblical model for worship leading? These
are difficult questions, especially in light of the fact that
the way we do church is really a modern cultural invention. Where
do you find Sunday school in the Bible? The modern American church
owes much of it’s methodology to the revivalists of the
Great Awakenings. Charles and John Wesley modeled the pastor and
worship leader connection as they married the word and worship
through their meetings.
THE OFFICE OF WORSHIP LEADER?
One of the struggles I’ve had as a worship leader has been
over the issue of the legitimacy of worship leading as an office
or gift. I’ve been told that God had called me to be a worship
leader, but it’s not listed with pastor, teacher, apostle,
evangelist, prophet. I’ve been told that I have a gift of
worship leading, but it’s not listed with the other spiritual
gifts. So where do I fit?
I want to submit a theological paradigm that I believe provides
a Biblical context for the office and function of a worship leader.
Ephesians 4:11 tells us, “And He Himself gave some to be
apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
teachers…” I don’t think that it is an accident
that worship leader is not listed. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians
12:1, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not
want you to be ignorant.” He goes on to write “There
are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences
of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of
activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the
manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit
of all” (1 Corinthians 12:4 – 7).
There are three words mentioned as it relates to how the gifts
of the Spirit function in the church. They are diversities, differences
and activities. The original language translates these words distribution,
implementation and effect. In other words, all the gifts are from
God but they are distributed to different people and implemented
different ways through activities that produce an effect. This
is where I find the “gift” of worship leading. A worship
leader is a pastor, teacher, prophet, evangelist or apostle who
exercises their gifts through facilitating sung prayer. It’s
not a musical function, but a leadership function. In fact, you
can discover the primary leadership function of a worship leader
by the songs that they select. Pastors choose songs that emphasize
relationship and healing. Evangelists choose songs that are stylistically
relevant with simple and easy to understand language. Apostles
are concerned for the nations and mission. Teachers are concerned
with doctrinal truth and prophets are concerned about purity and
holiness.
THE FUNCTION OF WORSHIP LEADING
Your theology of worship influences your philosophy of ministry
as it relates to the function of worship leading. If you view
worship as a musical function, then you’re concerned about
song selection and musicality. If you view worship pragmatically,
then you’re concerned about setting up the message properly
or having a worship ministry that will draw the community. Every
pastor has an opinion of how worship should happen, but very few
understand the role of a worship leader.
So what is the function of worship leading? Look at the book
of Psalms. It is a collection of what I like to call - prayer
songs. The prayers of David and others were set to music and incorporated
into the worship life of the nation of Israel. They became part
of the corporate and private expression of worship to God. Using
David’s model as a worship leader, I facilitate the corporate
expression of prayer from the congregation to God. It is a relationship
based ministry where the worship leader is providing language
through prayer songs for the congregation to relate to God. Worship
songs are prayers set to music and the set list is equivalent
to a list of prayer requests.
This has huge implications as it relates to how I perform my
function as a worship leader. It means that I need to have my
own private life of prayer. It also means that I need to be in
touch with the work of the Spirit within the community of believers
I’m serving. In other words, I can’t fake it. My relationship
or lack of relationship with God will have a direct influence
on my ability to facilitate the corporate sung prayer of the congregation.
This is why you can worship with a group of well-rehearsed musicians
in a worship service and walk away feeling like you’ve never
met God. In other words, worship is not purely musical, but relational
in function.
Incidentally, this is the creative impetus behind writing new
songs of worship. All “prayer songs” are given to
a local congregation for the purpose of facilitating the corporate
prayer life of that community. Sometimes, those “prayer
songs” inspire other communities and become part of a regional
or national expression. I have never written a song with the intent
of getting it recorded or to “get the songs out there.”
My entire focus is simply to serve the people that show up every
week for worship and that includes writing songs that best express
the cry that is in their hearts. What happens after that is up
to God.
SPONTANEITY IN WORSHIP
If worship is relational, then spontaneity is a natural part
of the worship leading function. Think of a prayer group. Each
individual prayer influences the prayers of the group. When you
are in the midst of the worship event, the opening prayer of the
pastor, the scripture reading, God’s leading or the message
will all influence the prayer songs that I select. Sometimes this
change might happen during the worship service after sound checks,
set revisions and power point. Sometimes the only song that fits
is a “new” song that is birthed on the spot. That
is how “Let It Rise” was written. It was a spontaneous
prayer that captured the cry of our hearts at a coffee shop Bible
study in Pacific Beach. I always tell my worship teams, we play
from the heart not the chart. This requires greater preparation
at home on their part. I encourage them to live the songs. I prepare
my media team to be ready to go “off the page.” This
requires them to pay attention and have good tools at their disposal.
We’ve built a culture with the understanding that our worship
is responsive and not programmatic.
I started leading worship when I was thirteen. I would sit in
my room and play worship songs to the Lord for hours. I would
sing what was on my heart. I would sing songs from the Young Life
Songbook that I had. I didn’t know that God was training
me to be a worship leader. I just loved to spend time with God.
It wasn’t until I was sixteen that I led worship in front
of people. Do you get my drift? I encourage worship leaders to
sing their prayers during their private devotional time with the
Lord. Sing scripture. Develop a natural prayer language of song.
That way when you’re in a congregational setting, you’re
simply responding as you do in your private times.
MATCHING FORM TO FUNCTION
So where does style and instrumentation fit into all of this?
This is one of the areas of greatest tension with churches. Jesus
provides the best solution to this ongoing tension when he says,
“And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant
of all” (Mark 10:49). When it comes to style and instrumentation,
we need to ask, “Does it best serve the community gathered?”
When you bring a full drum kit into a room that holds 50, does
it best serve that community gathered to seek God? When you play
traditionally arranged choral songs for a young congregation,
does it best serve that community expression of prayer? Keep in
mind that these dynamics change as a church grows numerically
and culturally. What works today, may not work in six months.
You might be in a room that is best served with acoustic guitars
and djembe. In a year, you might be in a room that can handle
a full band. But, if you keep the attitude of a servant and weave
that attitude into every aspect of your ministry, then you will
go far in diminishing potential problem areas.
I like to give some basic guidelines to pastors and worship leaders
on instrumentation. Unless you have an extremely gifted drummer,
I wouldn’t introduce drums until you’re in a room
that can hold over two hundred people. Actually, the acoustic
approach is a very hip approach right now. Using acoustic guitars,
bass, piano and djembe or cajon is a culturally relevant and sonically
easy to control instrumentation for music.
Be creative in your use of technology. New products are constantly
being developed that expand your instrumentation in ways that
are appealing even if you don’t have the talent base to
produce what you hear in your head. You might want to explore
the use of loops or keyboard sequencing. What about using a vocalizer
to strengthen backing vocals? The possibilities are only limited
by your imagination.
BE WHO GOD MADE YOU TO BE
All ministry is incarnational. What do I mean? The word incarnational
comes from The Latin incarnatio and corresponds to the Greek sarkosis,
or ensarkosis, which is taken from John 1:14, "And the Word
was made flesh". It is God made flesh in Jesus. In Colossians
1:27 Paul writes, “To them God willed to make known what
are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Here he introduces
the idea that this God made flesh in Jesus now lives in and through
every believer. When we say that all ministry is incarnational,
we are saying that all ministry is the life of Jesus living through
the individual believer. It is Christ in you ministering to those
around you.
This is both freeing and terrifying. It is freeing in that so
many leaders look at the success of others and try to duplicate
them by imitation. We go to conferences trying to learn the latest
techniques and kill ourselves trying to implement them. It can
be a pressure filled prison of unrealized expectation. Or worse,
it can work and we become enamored with our own success thinking
promotion comes from my cleverness. I’ve watched leaders
trapped by their self-made success. I’ve also watched them
crumble under the pressure of it.
The truth is that God does not anoint us being someone else.
God doesn’t anoint me doing someone else’s vision.
God uniquely gifts and anoints you and I for the tasks that He
asks us to do. So, be who God made you to be. Play the music you
love to play, pray the way you love to pray, serve the way you
love to serve.
But also be prepared to discover that what you love to do may
not be rooted in His love. It might be rooted in your desire to
be something you’re not and He may take you to task in order
that His image might be reflected unhindered in your life and
ministry.
This is terrifying in that we realize that if we don’t
obey, then the expression of Christ through us is lost. He doesn’t
give it to another. It remains undone because no one else can
do what we can do as empowered vessels in the hand of God. God
may give the assignment to another, as in the case of Saul and
David, but that reflects on Saul’s disobedience to God.
That means no one can steal your ministry or influence. God gives
and takes away. That means you can hold no grudge when you feel
held back. That means you can’t be bitter because you lost
your position. You have to come face to face to God. Is He testing
your faithfulness when given a better opportunity? Is He testing
your obedience during hard times? Is He testing your sense of
calling when it’s taken away? When we say thus says the
Lord, are we making it up? Is your God schizophrenic or unchanging?
Wherever you are in your development as a follower of Jesus,
it is important to remember the central theme of worship. We love
Him because He first loved us. Our service, our creativity, our
passion is simply the response to the price that He paid when
He died on the cross for our sins. We sing because we’ve
been liberated from death and have been given a new life of hope
and joy. So let us serve with gladness and thanksgiving the One
who has redeemed us for Himself.
CREATING A FLOW IN WORSHIP
1. Think of your set in terms of a journey. A typical journey
begins with songs of celebration and ends with songs of intimate
adoration. You can also begin with songs of intimate adoration
and end with songs anthemic exaltation. It just depends on the
mood of the service.
2. Have at least two songs in a row that have the same key and
feel. This creates a sense of movement without distraction.
3. When you move into a time of intimate adoration, use simple
songs that are well known or easy to remember. You want people
to focus on their personal experience with God and focus on trying
to remember the words.
4. Create space to linger. Don’t feel the need to move
quickly through your set from song to song. This might mean repeating
a chorus or hanging on a particular chord. It might also mean
allowing for silence.
5. Use prayer as a means to transition from one segment of the
service to another. This keeps the congregation focused on the
Lord and allows you to make dramatic changes with minimal distractions.
6. Once you begin your set of worship songs, focus all your conversation
to the Lord. When you engage the congregation, you take the focus
off Jesus and you put it on yourself.
7. Think of your set in terms of a theme. Maybe you will want
to choose songs that focus on God’s holiness or salvation.
Maybe your pastor has a message that you can reinforce through
song selection.
SONG SELECTION
1. Choose songs that are not too high or low. The standard congregational
limits are the “D” one octave above middle “C”
and the “B” below middle “C”
2. Choose songs that minister to you.
3. Choose songs that fit the season your church is in. There
are songs that express the heart cry of the congregation. These
are reflections of the work that God is doing in the community.
Discover what those songs are and make them a key part of your
song selection process.
4. Choose songs that fit the worship team. Do songs that you
can do well. Your job as a leader is to make your team sound great.
If you don’t have the talent pool you wish you had, then
pray and use who you have wisely.
5. Introduce new songs in seasons. I like to introduce four or
five new songs within a short period of time. Those songs may
represent a current message or season in our church life. The
congregation accepts them because they relate to them and it gives
them opportunity to say something new to the Lord. It keeps the
worship team fresh and excited about worship. These seasons may
happen once a quarter or with each new sermon series.
Holland Davis, who is worship pastor at Ocean
Hills Church in San Juan Capistrano, California, and travels internationally
as a worship leader and conference speaker. He is the originator
of the Top 25 Praise Series and is published by Maranatha! Music,
Vineyard Music, Word Music and Rolltop Music. His most popular
song - "Let It Rise" - is featured on the platinum selling
WOW Worship Blue. Other noted songs are "I Will
Stand," "Who Is Like The Lord?," "Healing
Word," and "At the Cross."
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