So not everything around here is perfect, and not everything that we do on Sunday morning is fantastic.
This past Sunday was one of those days.
Now worship was great, and one of our guys really lead me personally on a day that I did NOT feel like being at church.
But we did an parody song/rap as the opener which celebrated a certain demographic of volunteers that we’re gonna remember for a long time - and not necessarily in a good way.
And there are even mixed reactions among our own department. Some folks enjoyed it, while most felt quite the opposite. I think we may all, myself included, have turned a blind eye in the wake of our collective DRIVE recovery…
And that’s all I’m gonna say about that.
WORSHIP:
Happy Day
Blessed Be Your Name
Everlasting God
Now let me preface why I was not in a worshipping mood on Sunday. With the chaos of DRIVE and our regular Sunday stuff, I had been in this building for about 2,000 hours over the last 2 weeks, including playing a funeral of a friend and staff member on Friday. My kids barely recognized me when I saw them on Friday afternoon. Add to that my horrible May allergies, and that sums up the desperate need for some down time.
So, needless to say, the earlier 6:00 AM call time (due to no Wednesday rehearsal due to DRIVE) was a shock to the system.
You know what I’m talking about. I’m sure you’re been there. Maybe you’re there right now.
But I’ve been trying to find an appropriate piece of scripture to read over the guys and girls right before they go on stage. I’m also trying to continually remind them that the reason we rehearse so much is that so that playing the actual music becomes second nature, deep in their subconscious. That way our focus during the live worship set can be just that - worship. A purposeful choice they make to enter into worship to our Saviour - and not heads down in charts.
From chart to heart. Learn the music so it’s INSIDE your heart come Sunday morning. Only then will you as a Worship Leader or band member be free to worship and focus on Christ during the service - and be an example of a worshipper to the audience, thus leading them in worship.
But it all starts with a CHOICE to worship.
Ha! Looking back, the irony of the lyric of one of our worship tunes:
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name
Anyhoo - the verse I shared probably ended up being more for me, even though I was trying to tie it in with another one of that days songs…
Isaiah 40…
25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
So there you go. I’m glad He’s strong, ’cause I am still some tired!
East Band - Danny Dukes, Brad Long, Danny Grady, Earl South, Scott Meeder, Chrystina Fincher, Jared Hamilton
West Band - Eddie Kirkland, Mike Hines, Daryl Lecroy, Ashley Appling, Brad Gage, Trammell Starks, Rachel Gillis
What lead YOU to worship this week?
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