Heart disease is one of the major causes of death in the United States, and one of the sources of this illness is the plaque that builds up in the arteries and slowly begins to block the flow of blood. Though it might take years of eating the wrong foods and poor health habits, sooner or later the blockages take their toll on the heart and the person suffers a heart attack or the symptoms of lack of energy, shortness of breath, begin to show themselves and blocked arteries are discovered through a physical exam. What was not seen was the gradual reduction of blood flood to vital organs until finally it was too late, resulting in a catastrophic event.
Our spiritual lives operate in much the same way. From the daily devotional times in God’s Word and in prayer flow the spiritual nurture to our soul and spirit. Consistent times of worship are essential for spiritual health. Yet, within our nature exists another self that resists the commands of God and seeks to undermine everything godly and holy. Most of the time we are aware of the major assaults; we may get angry, but certainly will not kill or take another’s life. But, much like a terrorist that sneaks in to infiltrate and cause mayhem, little sins that are not addressed take up lodging and bunker down into the spiritual veins slowly choking off our spiritual lifeblood, until a catastrophic event occurs.
Oddly enough, we can continue to function externally and many times go through the motions of worship, even though the warm blood the relationship with God has grow cold or has slowed to a trickle. Unconfessed sin, unresolved conflicts, and unforgiveness, all seem to have choked the life until worship loses its meaning and what might have been meant for God’s glory suddenly seems meaningless.
Solomon warns that it is the “little foxes that destroy the vines” [Song of Songs 2:15]. The same is true with our sensitivity to God’s Spirit and hearing Him: as we allow the little things to go unattended, we will wake up later only to notice that things are in disarray. What can be done?
Biblical worship is that obedient response to the God’s revealed nature and character. True worship requires focus on the nature and character of God. Such a focus will reflect how less than like God we are in our nature and character and lead us to cry out for forgiveness, to open our hearts and minds to be able to hear God’s Spirit and respond to Him in obedience. Regular worship cleans out the cobwebs of sin that gather day by day in our lives.
The Psalmist said, “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.” [Ps. 119:164] Though in the context, this was probably more an expression of completeness, than a literal numerical count, it would not be a bad practice to emulate. Daniel is another excellent example: “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” [Daniel 6:10] The point is that worship can aid in keeping our relationship with God fresh and intimate. Failure to do so could very well lead to a spiritual coronary.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Myth of Multitasking
Multitasking is simply doing a number of things at once. Our bodies could not function if the brain were not capable of controlling heart rate, breathing, etc., at the same time. However when it comes to active thought processing, the capability for our brains to handle or focus on more than one thing at a time isn’t there. We sometimes pride ourselves in our ability to “multitask,” but the reality may not be what we think.
“The Myth of Multitasking” is the title of a recent article in Forbes’ online by Carol Kinsey Goman, (http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2011/04/26/the-myth-of-multitasking/) who quotes John Medina, the author of Brain Rules: “To put it bluntly, research shows that we can’t multitask. We are biologically incapable of processing attention-rich inputs simultaneously.” ( http://brainrules.blogspot.com/2008/03/brain-cannot-multitask_16.html )
Goman states: “Technology has so many advantages, but some devices that were designed to make us more productive, are now creating a new set of productivity problems. When laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell phones are close by, attendees at workplace meetings struggle to keep their focus on the speaker. It’s just too compelling and easy to check email, text messages and surf the web instead. Of course these workers think that they are multitasking. But, when it comes to the brain ability to pay attention, the brain focuses on concepts sequentially and not on two things at once. In fact, the brain must disengage from one activity in order to engage in another.”
What does this have to do with worship and those that lead in worship? Let’s focus on two: a technical and a spiritual.
On the technical side...
At any one time in a given worship service, there are a myriad of activities for which we are ultimately, if not directly responsible: sound, lighting, playing, singing, etc. The reality is that for us to focus on worship, we have to focus on worship. That can only be done if we have properly prepared for the other responsibilities, so that we can focus on worship. Last minute, thrown together services in which those involved are handed their lead sheets right before the service may by the grace of God come off smoothly, but there will be a high toll of stress on those responsible for carrying on the details. Since we cannot truly “multitask, ” those playing and leading are forced to focus just on the basics and are robbed from having the opportunity to prepare. A steady diet of such practices only leads to a high turn over rate for those involved in the ministry.
Wise planning and preparation allow for rehearsals to work out the bugs and help everyone get on the same page. Assigning different tasks to specific individuals will allow each party to focus on a single task and giving them what they need to do their job with enough lead time to be comfortable with the process is a must. [Though it is possible for a single person to run the sound and video as long as they are not having to make simultaneous changes, training another person it is ideal.]
On the spiritual side...
True worship demands focus, single-mindedness. If the leader is still attempting the learn the music for the worship set and “lead” at the same time, it is doubtful that the leader can focus to worship. Hours of preparation and practice are required so the leader can “lead” without being tied to the lead sheets. [This is not the place to repeat a topic already discussed, so please refer to a previous post on “Worship Leader or Lead Worshiper,” http://www.edsteeleworship.com/2010/07/lead-worshiper-or-worship-leader.html ]
The point is if we are constantly concerned over lighting, mic levels, chord changes, and video issues, we will become distracted and not worship. Personally, I have found that it is very easy for me to become distracted. Each week I make deliberate, conscious decisions to help me focus on that “obedient response to God” so that I will not just be standing in front of a congregation, but worshiping as well. For those leading in worship, what we do must not just be a “face we put on” when we are leading, or an artificial “stage presence,” but an encounter with the Living God. [see these articles for related helps: http://www.edsteeleworship.com/2011/01/what-to-do-when-you-are-having-problems.html and http://www.edsteeleworship.com/2010/05/six-questions-those-that-lead-worship.html ]
One aid in focusing, is to go back over the basics. The first step is to become aware that we are distracted in the first place. It is just too easy to be carried away and lose the precious moments that were supposed to be dedicated to God to issues of lesser importance. [I’m not saying that you should ignore problems; if the sound system goes down, you have to address the issue. But, these are more the exceptions than the rule.]
Once we are aware of being distracted, we need to go back and think through what worship is, that is, our obedient response to the nature and character of God. Then, we need to focus on those attributes, and give God thanks and praise, asking Him to help us refocus. These times of refocus are generally brief moments, that may even occur during a song. There may be many of these “mid-course adjustments” during any one service, depending on how distracted we are. We must focus and continue to do so, if we are going to make worshiping a true priority in our leading. Remember worship is not an activity in which we attempt to multitask, but a focus of all that we are.
“The Myth of Multitasking” is the title of a recent article in Forbes’ online by Carol Kinsey Goman, (http://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2011/04/26/the-myth-of-multitasking/) who quotes John Medina, the author of Brain Rules: “To put it bluntly, research shows that we can’t multitask. We are biologically incapable of processing attention-rich inputs simultaneously.” ( http://brainrules.blogspot.com/2008/03/brain-cannot-multitask_16.html )
Goman states: “Technology has so many advantages, but some devices that were designed to make us more productive, are now creating a new set of productivity problems. When laptops, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell phones are close by, attendees at workplace meetings struggle to keep their focus on the speaker. It’s just too compelling and easy to check email, text messages and surf the web instead. Of course these workers think that they are multitasking. But, when it comes to the brain ability to pay attention, the brain focuses on concepts sequentially and not on two things at once. In fact, the brain must disengage from one activity in order to engage in another.”
What does this have to do with worship and those that lead in worship? Let’s focus on two: a technical and a spiritual.
On the technical side...
At any one time in a given worship service, there are a myriad of activities for which we are ultimately, if not directly responsible: sound, lighting, playing, singing, etc. The reality is that for us to focus on worship, we have to focus on worship. That can only be done if we have properly prepared for the other responsibilities, so that we can focus on worship. Last minute, thrown together services in which those involved are handed their lead sheets right before the service may by the grace of God come off smoothly, but there will be a high toll of stress on those responsible for carrying on the details. Since we cannot truly “multitask, ” those playing and leading are forced to focus just on the basics and are robbed from having the opportunity to prepare. A steady diet of such practices only leads to a high turn over rate for those involved in the ministry.
Wise planning and preparation allow for rehearsals to work out the bugs and help everyone get on the same page. Assigning different tasks to specific individuals will allow each party to focus on a single task and giving them what they need to do their job with enough lead time to be comfortable with the process is a must. [Though it is possible for a single person to run the sound and video as long as they are not having to make simultaneous changes, training another person it is ideal.]
On the spiritual side...
True worship demands focus, single-mindedness. If the leader is still attempting the learn the music for the worship set and “lead” at the same time, it is doubtful that the leader can focus to worship. Hours of preparation and practice are required so the leader can “lead” without being tied to the lead sheets. [This is not the place to repeat a topic already discussed, so please refer to a previous post on “Worship Leader or Lead Worshiper,” http://www.edsteeleworship.com/2010/07/lead-worshiper-or-worship-leader.html ]
The point is if we are constantly concerned over lighting, mic levels, chord changes, and video issues, we will become distracted and not worship. Personally, I have found that it is very easy for me to become distracted. Each week I make deliberate, conscious decisions to help me focus on that “obedient response to God” so that I will not just be standing in front of a congregation, but worshiping as well. For those leading in worship, what we do must not just be a “face we put on” when we are leading, or an artificial “stage presence,” but an encounter with the Living God. [see these articles for related helps: http://www.edsteeleworship.com/2011/01/what-to-do-when-you-are-having-problems.html and http://www.edsteeleworship.com/2010/05/six-questions-those-that-lead-worship.html ]
One aid in focusing, is to go back over the basics. The first step is to become aware that we are distracted in the first place. It is just too easy to be carried away and lose the precious moments that were supposed to be dedicated to God to issues of lesser importance. [I’m not saying that you should ignore problems; if the sound system goes down, you have to address the issue. But, these are more the exceptions than the rule.]
Once we are aware of being distracted, we need to go back and think through what worship is, that is, our obedient response to the nature and character of God. Then, we need to focus on those attributes, and give God thanks and praise, asking Him to help us refocus. These times of refocus are generally brief moments, that may even occur during a song. There may be many of these “mid-course adjustments” during any one service, depending on how distracted we are. We must focus and continue to do so, if we are going to make worshiping a true priority in our leading. Remember worship is not an activity in which we attempt to multitask, but a focus of all that we are.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Worship is not a "Program"
[Not long ago, Rev. Jerry Bass a former pastor and a local hospital chaplain, and I were sharing about worship, a subject in which we both are passionate. I am grateful to him for the genesis of these thoughts.]
One of our problems in so many of the published multi-week studies is that we want to take a process and turn it into a program. Programs are fine in their place, but sometimes great truths and principles learned through trial and difficulty are summarized or simplified into a program so that more people could participate or that what was learned could be “massed produced.” The idea has great intentions: if a dear brother or sister learned these principles that changed their lives, what might be done so that everyone might learn the same things? The problem lies in the things that are “lost in the transition” from principle to program.
How are things lost? Let me give one example. Let’s take a simple Bible study lesson. For far too long we seem to have confused “content understood” with “content applied.” Just think of the average Sunday morning Bible study class: the typical teacher fights to get through all the material, that is, “the content,” and then finally admonishes the class to do what the Scripture says. Many of our church members have logged in so many hours of “Bible study,” that if they had been given for credit they would have had multiple doctorates by now. Yet, many times, they will spend their entire lives as “students” in some class and never go on to become the teacher or mentor to another person. What is missing? There are multiple answers to the issue because it is not just a simple problem, but many times the teacher never really explains how to apply the particular truth being studied and what it really looks like when it is lived out on a day to day basis. To make things more difficult the Bible study may have been “content heavy” to begin with and weak on the application.
You might be asking yourself by now, what does this have to do with worship? If we are not careful we will take the truths about worship and attempt to force them into some kind of program. There are no “5 easy steps to perfect worship.” God refuses to be placed in a box. The truth is God initiates worship, not us. There are some biblical truths that we must obey, but these are not “steps.” Worship is our obedient response to the revealed nature and character of God. Worship requires preparation. What we seek in worship is not an “experience,” but relationship with God. When we seek an experience in worship, more than we seek the Christ of worship, we are worshiping how we feel, not the Lord who gave His life for us; it is a subtle form of idiolatry.
In that obedient response God draws us to Himself.
Biblical worship can never be reconstructed into a program. The principles in Scripture are there, but we must be careful to avoid the temptation to reduce everything to “5 Easy Steps.” Obedient responses are seldom “easy,” and it is too easy to get caught up in a checklist of “dos and don’ts,” rather than the awesomeness of holy God. As I complete my own book on worship, I am writing this to myself, lest I miss the point and try to push a program, rather than share the principles of the process.
One of our problems in so many of the published multi-week studies is that we want to take a process and turn it into a program. Programs are fine in their place, but sometimes great truths and principles learned through trial and difficulty are summarized or simplified into a program so that more people could participate or that what was learned could be “massed produced.” The idea has great intentions: if a dear brother or sister learned these principles that changed their lives, what might be done so that everyone might learn the same things? The problem lies in the things that are “lost in the transition” from principle to program.
How are things lost? Let me give one example. Let’s take a simple Bible study lesson. For far too long we seem to have confused “content understood” with “content applied.” Just think of the average Sunday morning Bible study class: the typical teacher fights to get through all the material, that is, “the content,” and then finally admonishes the class to do what the Scripture says. Many of our church members have logged in so many hours of “Bible study,” that if they had been given for credit they would have had multiple doctorates by now. Yet, many times, they will spend their entire lives as “students” in some class and never go on to become the teacher or mentor to another person. What is missing? There are multiple answers to the issue because it is not just a simple problem, but many times the teacher never really explains how to apply the particular truth being studied and what it really looks like when it is lived out on a day to day basis. To make things more difficult the Bible study may have been “content heavy” to begin with and weak on the application.
You might be asking yourself by now, what does this have to do with worship? If we are not careful we will take the truths about worship and attempt to force them into some kind of program. There are no “5 easy steps to perfect worship.” God refuses to be placed in a box. The truth is God initiates worship, not us. There are some biblical truths that we must obey, but these are not “steps.” Worship is our obedient response to the revealed nature and character of God. Worship requires preparation. What we seek in worship is not an “experience,” but relationship with God. When we seek an experience in worship, more than we seek the Christ of worship, we are worshiping how we feel, not the Lord who gave His life for us; it is a subtle form of idiolatry.
In that obedient response God draws us to Himself.
Biblical worship can never be reconstructed into a program. The principles in Scripture are there, but we must be careful to avoid the temptation to reduce everything to “5 Easy Steps.” Obedient responses are seldom “easy,” and it is too easy to get caught up in a checklist of “dos and don’ts,” rather than the awesomeness of holy God. As I complete my own book on worship, I am writing this to myself, lest I miss the point and try to push a program, rather than share the principles of the process.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Reflections on the Year
I started the semester with “Ten Things I Wanted My Students to Learn This Semester.” While I had goals for the students with whom God had entrusted to me, God had things He wanted me to learn, and in many ways it has been life changing. This year has been a difficult one, which included the passing of my father in January and other major struggles throughout the year. There have been many passages from God’s Word that have been instrumental in this year’s survival, but I would like to focus on just a few.
A song that ministered greatly to our spirits this year has been Dr. Benjie Harlan’s paraphrase of Psalm 139 entitled “Know My Heart,” which was recorded by the ministers of music of Louisiana. Out of the notes of this anthem came the assurance of God’s presence and His watchful eye. There were many times this past year when all I could do was listen and cry. Maybe the first lesson God was trying to teach me this year is God not only is aware of what I am going through, He is there, His Spirit lives in me.
Philippians has always ministered to us in so many ways. There really isn’t space to reprint everything God has taught us from Paul’s letter. Let's at least look at 4:4-9:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Just a few points:
-Rejoicing is an act of the will, not emotions.
-There is a choice to respond in gentleness.
-There must be a constant awareness of the presence of God
-We must exchange our fears for gratitude and prayer
Then God’s peace guards our hearts.
-We must learn to direct our thoughts, choose to focus on
what is the real truth of the situation,
and focus on what is good.
-We can take encouragement from godly mentors.
Then God’s peace will be with us.
Another passage that has been helpful has been Psalm 73. Again, I won’t try to go through the entire psalm, but just focus on a few points. The psalmist is questioning why it seemed that good people suffer and evil people don’t. We don’t have to read far in any newspaper or other news source to be able to identify with the psalmist. Why doesn’t God just wipe these evil people out? [This is not the place to try to deal with the problem of suffering and evil. There are some wonderful resources, such as Ravi Zacharias and his apologetics ministry that I would encourage you to follow.] The basic issue is there are times when the things that are happening around you do not seem fair or seem consistent with the character of God. In those times we need to ask to see things from God’s perspective. The psalmist, confused over such problems, finally enters the temple to mediate on the nature and character of God and realizes that [1] God is still in control and [2] He will bring things to a final justice. His final conclusion is found in Psalm 73:28: “But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as I declare all the things you have done.” [NET]
We begin and end with trust in God’s nature and character, His presence, His love, and the promise of His provision. So if I were to summarize what God has been trying to teach me this year it would be found in this statement: “Responding as He desires is more important to God than what I may be going through, for His desire is to make me holy, not happy.” Our true happiness can only be found in Him. God doesn’t leave us on our own, He is with us, He loves us. Remember the promise of Isaiah 43:2-3: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior”
When all else seems to fail, we need to go back to the truth that we know: God is love, God is in control, what may happen will be for His glory and my ultimate good.
A song that ministered greatly to our spirits this year has been Dr. Benjie Harlan’s paraphrase of Psalm 139 entitled “Know My Heart,” which was recorded by the ministers of music of Louisiana. Out of the notes of this anthem came the assurance of God’s presence and His watchful eye. There were many times this past year when all I could do was listen and cry. Maybe the first lesson God was trying to teach me this year is God not only is aware of what I am going through, He is there, His Spirit lives in me.
Philippians has always ministered to us in so many ways. There really isn’t space to reprint everything God has taught us from Paul’s letter. Let's at least look at 4:4-9:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Just a few points:
-Rejoicing is an act of the will, not emotions.
-There is a choice to respond in gentleness.
-There must be a constant awareness of the presence of God
-We must exchange our fears for gratitude and prayer
Then God’s peace guards our hearts.
-We must learn to direct our thoughts, choose to focus on
what is the real truth of the situation,
and focus on what is good.
-We can take encouragement from godly mentors.
Then God’s peace will be with us.
Another passage that has been helpful has been Psalm 73. Again, I won’t try to go through the entire psalm, but just focus on a few points. The psalmist is questioning why it seemed that good people suffer and evil people don’t. We don’t have to read far in any newspaper or other news source to be able to identify with the psalmist. Why doesn’t God just wipe these evil people out? [This is not the place to try to deal with the problem of suffering and evil. There are some wonderful resources, such as Ravi Zacharias and his apologetics ministry that I would encourage you to follow.] The basic issue is there are times when the things that are happening around you do not seem fair or seem consistent with the character of God. In those times we need to ask to see things from God’s perspective. The psalmist, confused over such problems, finally enters the temple to mediate on the nature and character of God and realizes that [1] God is still in control and [2] He will bring things to a final justice. His final conclusion is found in Psalm 73:28: “But as for me, God’s presence is all I need. I have made the sovereign Lord my shelter, as I declare all the things you have done.” [NET]
We begin and end with trust in God’s nature and character, His presence, His love, and the promise of His provision. So if I were to summarize what God has been trying to teach me this year it would be found in this statement: “Responding as He desires is more important to God than what I may be going through, for His desire is to make me holy, not happy.” Our true happiness can only be found in Him. God doesn’t leave us on our own, He is with us, He loves us. Remember the promise of Isaiah 43:2-3: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior”
When all else seems to fail, we need to go back to the truth that we know: God is love, God is in control, what may happen will be for His glory and my ultimate good.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Blinded Worship
One of the projects I assign students a project to plan worship services in both contemporary and blended formats. Not long ago a student submitted one of these projects with a typo in the title: “Blinded Worship.” Of course the student intended to say, “Blended Worship,” but the error began to stick in my mind. How many times have we participated in a “blinded” worship service, that is, one in which no one knows where it is going, not even the one leading. No planning. No preparation, –just flying blind, throwing a bunch of songs together and seeing what happens. Things might end ok, but it was certainly not a result of the methodology of the leader of worship, rather the mercy and grace of God.
Blinded worship can come from more than just a lack of proper planning, it can be a result of the leaders being blind to what is going on around them. I was talking recently to a couple who were sharing about a particular disastrous worship service they had witnessed. The saddest part of the story was that one of the leaders was oblivious to the situation. Personally, one of the most difficult things for me to do on a Sunday is worship with all the other things that have to be done and coordinated just so everyone else can worship. This is not a complaint, just a reality. I have to really focus on worshiping. At the same time, I must be aware when things are deteriorating, I must know what to do to fix the situation before it causes problems for everyone. Blinded worship leaders never see it coming, don’t forsee the dangers and don’t plan ahead.
Blinded worship can come from more than just a lack of proper planning, or being blind to what is going on around them, it can also be a result of the leader being blind to his or her weaknesses. All of us must have quality personal time with God on a daily basis, but as leaders in worship we must constantly be trying to improve our technical skills as musicians, as well as our communication skills with others and in front of the congregation. A “blinded” worship leader is one who is blind to the need to keep growing in musical skills, and blind to learning how best to communicate effectively and concisely, so that the congregation doesn’t feel like they have stood through two or three mini-sermons before the pastor stands to speak. “Setting up” or introducing a song can quickly turn into something that sounds like a frustrated preacher wanting to get his opportunity to speak, rather than a preparation for the message of the song. I share with worship leaders “to look in the program and see if your name is down to preach the sermon, if it’s not there, then don’t.” A blinded leader is also one who refuses to admit personal issues. Many times this stems from a leader who is insecure on the inside, but outwardly portrays an attitude that they know how to handle everything. Unfortunately, this attitude prevents the person from being open to getting help they so desperately need.
One of the best solutions for these kinds of “blindness” is a spirit of honesty, humility and transparency as well as a trusted friend with whom you can confide, pray, and receive the feedback that is needed. I praise God for many pastors and friends God has sent my way through the years as well as a loving wife and children who helped so me some of my “blindness.” I pray that God will provide for this need for those that might be struggling with this now.
Blinded worship can come from more than just a lack of proper planning, it can be a result of the leaders being blind to what is going on around them. I was talking recently to a couple who were sharing about a particular disastrous worship service they had witnessed. The saddest part of the story was that one of the leaders was oblivious to the situation. Personally, one of the most difficult things for me to do on a Sunday is worship with all the other things that have to be done and coordinated just so everyone else can worship. This is not a complaint, just a reality. I have to really focus on worshiping. At the same time, I must be aware when things are deteriorating, I must know what to do to fix the situation before it causes problems for everyone. Blinded worship leaders never see it coming, don’t forsee the dangers and don’t plan ahead.
Blinded worship can come from more than just a lack of proper planning, or being blind to what is going on around them, it can also be a result of the leader being blind to his or her weaknesses. All of us must have quality personal time with God on a daily basis, but as leaders in worship we must constantly be trying to improve our technical skills as musicians, as well as our communication skills with others and in front of the congregation. A “blinded” worship leader is one who is blind to the need to keep growing in musical skills, and blind to learning how best to communicate effectively and concisely, so that the congregation doesn’t feel like they have stood through two or three mini-sermons before the pastor stands to speak. “Setting up” or introducing a song can quickly turn into something that sounds like a frustrated preacher wanting to get his opportunity to speak, rather than a preparation for the message of the song. I share with worship leaders “to look in the program and see if your name is down to preach the sermon, if it’s not there, then don’t.” A blinded leader is also one who refuses to admit personal issues. Many times this stems from a leader who is insecure on the inside, but outwardly portrays an attitude that they know how to handle everything. Unfortunately, this attitude prevents the person from being open to getting help they so desperately need.
One of the best solutions for these kinds of “blindness” is a spirit of honesty, humility and transparency as well as a trusted friend with whom you can confide, pray, and receive the feedback that is needed. I praise God for many pastors and friends God has sent my way through the years as well as a loving wife and children who helped so me some of my “blindness.” I pray that God will provide for this need for those that might be struggling with this now.
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