On sunday…we tried something new at FBC. I have always led worship with an instrument (guitar or piano). This past sunday i led with no instrument. Here’s why:
I have always preached that we should be raising our hands and clapping and be visibly worshiping our God. The problem is that i cannot always practice what i preach when i am behind an instrument. So i decided to give it a try. It was amazing to see the response of our people. On the very first song people were honestly excited to worship. There was an energy in our worship that i have been yearning to see for a long time. It was so exciting to see God moving. I dont believe it was only because of me leading without an instrument, but it did help. It loosened everyone up giving them a green light to be free. It was such a release for me as well to raise my hands and clap and get into the worship in a way i have not been able to before.
I had numerous people comment on how much they enjoyed it. So i will be trying to do this at least once monthly from now on. Not only does it supply a different style of leadership but it also trains up our instrumentalists to get used to me not playing along with them. Our guitar players both commented on how different it was leading rather than following. I hope that this experiment continues to work the way it did this past sunday. If you have any input on how things went sunday, feel free to leave a comment. Thanks and God Bless!
Jon
Well I already made a comment…but I didn’t embellish! Jon wanted this Blog so we could all grow as worship leaders so I thought I would share with you all some things about me and my worship, So here I go…
That Sunday did give off a free feeling…that was the first thing I said to Paul when I got in the car after church on Sunday…I was truly excited with the feeling worship gave me. Being a leader does set the tone and that doesn’t only go for Jon – though I do believe Jon is the leader – We are all leading worship. I know being truly free has always been a hard thing for me. I have been criticized and have been called cold up there and with that not being where my heart is that was REALLY hard to hear because I truly love worshiping my Lord through music and not just on Sundays, praise team or not! I grew up in a church for years where that free worship wasn’t excepted and when we people visited (that did do it) you could hear the stares and disappointment…because even music with a beat wasn’t excepted! That is not to say I agree with it…because that was something my family disagreed with. I just find it hard for me – because it was always something that was looked down upon and I never felt I had the freedom to do that growing up so I never knew worship that way. As an adult I have been introduced to it more through concerts and then FBC and more so when I joined praise team and there are many times where my heart just swells that I can’t even sing anymore almost like my body is saying “do something with all this emotion”! Now Jon opened the door more with Sunday’s worship set, this post, and opening it up for discussion. Thanks, I am encouraged!
Praise team has been such a blessing to me!
Lisa
thanks lisa for your comment. that is so exciting for me to hear. i hope that God continues to build us up as leaders and in our church in our worship. God is moving!