A Few Thoughts On Worship

Here are just a few thoughts on my mind lately - things for worship ministers to meditate on:

• We must become lifelong students of God's presence. We spend more time studying church history, music, trends and technical things. Worship is primarily about the presence of God and yet we seem to give so little time to studying the presence of God. The Lord considers this the greatest thing that man can achieve:

Jer. 9:23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
 Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

24 But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
 That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
 For in these I delight,” says the Lord.

• As worshipers, it is our privilege to encounter Him – as artists, it is our privilege to describe Him. We have tended to treat the arts as a means to “decorate” our worship services. We have made our sanctuaries beautiful, and we ensure that the lighting and smoke machines are in order…but the awesome responsibility of revealing the sight, sound, smell, taste and touch of God has been neglected. Artists get to “handle” the glory of God. We are charged with a prophetic responsibility in worship…unfortunately, we have made worship about the music and the songs. So many musicians, singers, artists are only functioning at a fraction of their potential. Without the prophetic realm, we miss the primary function of our ministry. We need to learn how to break in upon Him, and allow Him to break in upon us. True worship is about this encounter with God.

• We don’t come to church to get the presence of God; we come carrying the presence of God. The congregation can tend to have a consumer mentality about church. We pick churches for their preaching, youth or children’s programs, music etc. The people come looking for the leaders and worship teams to “produce” the presence of God for them. The Lord, however, looks at His people as a holy, royal priesthood. Every Believer is a minister before the Lord and a carrier of his presence into the world. Just as the Old Testament priests carried the Ark of the Covenant on their shoulders, so too, the New testament priests must come carrying God’s presence wherever we go. This is only possible when we abide in Him and learn to refresh ourselves in God’s presence on a daily basis.

1Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

• We have to learn to linger in his presence. More on lingering: HERE

We need to find the moments in the worship and the rest of the service where there is life – the God-breathed moments where you can tell He is calling to us to listen to Him and follow Him – the places where we must linger and wait on His leading.

Ps. 37:7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him;

• You can tell if you have really worshiped – you will be changed. It is impossible to worship and stay the same. Everything that has been created will be changed in His presence. As God’s children, we are changed into the same image from glory to glory. In fact, the greatest glory in the universe is not some miracle, or manifestation of God…it is the power of God to change the human heart into the likeness of Jesus.

It is not the music that changes us – it is the presence of God in the music. It is not the preaching that changes us – it is the presence of God in the preaching. True worship will bring us to His presence…His presence will bring us to the glory…the glory will bring us to the greatest changes imaginable – we will be like Jesus!

2Cor. 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

The glory is the invasion of God into the human sphere

• Worship is about seeing. We have made worship about hearing - music and sermons etc. but really, we come to church to look at God - to behold His beauty and glory...all our senses must be involved in communing with the Lord - not just listening. Worship music should help us see the Lord. We are not an audience - we are the priests of His presence. It is incorrect to think of the Lord as "The audience of One," as so many seem to say. He wants to be just as involved in our worship conversation as we are. In worship, there is no audience - only communing hearts!

Ps. 27:4 One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
 All the days of my life,
 To behold the beauty of the Lord,
 And to inquire in His temple.

• Worship leaders and ministers (dancers, singers and musicians etc.) are doorkeepers of God's presence. We act as if the main aspect of worship is the music/songs, but again I say: The ultimate goal in worship is to connect the people with the presence of the Lord - to encounter Him and stay in His presence for however long He wants to speak with us. Worship leaders are a form of intercessor - a doorkeeper of God's presence. We are called to stand in the gates of God (Prov. 8:34) and cry out over the people: 

Ps. 24:7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
 And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
 And the King of glory shall come in.

8 Who is this King of glory? 
The Lord strong and mighty,
 The Lord mighty in battle.

9 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
 Lift up, you everlasting doors!
 And the King of glory shall come in.

10 Who is this King of glory?
 The Lord of hosts,
 He is the King of glory. Selah

Surely the King of Glory desires to meet with us day by day, Sunday after Sunday. This is the greatest privilege of the universe!!

Some further worship links: HERE HERE and HERE