Hymns Aren't Necessarily Better

My:
 friend, Tom Krauter is a wonderful teacher on the subject of worship.

I really enjoyed this short message on the subject of hymns vs contemporary songs

Tom Krauter

Feel free to leave a comment below

Richard Oddie - It Is Well With My Soul

In these troubled times of the Coronavirus, I offer this latest recording from my friend Richard Oddie - The famous hymn: "It Is Well With My Soul." You will love this arrangement of guitar and violin. Richard is a multi-instrumentalist, worship leader, artist, wonderful photographer, and graphic designer. He is a long-time friend from New Zealand who now lives in Australia. Everything he does is marked by excellence, and this recording is no different. Thank you, Richard and violinist Payam Nekouei for this fabulous music. Such comfort.

Also - Thank you Allan Mackenzie for the absolutely beautiful video - always perfect! CLICK ON THIS LINK:

Guitar and Violin: It Is Well With My Soul

More about this hymn and the composer: Horatio Spafford

Worship Wars - The Style of Music

It is hard to find the perfect balance between old and new songs without getting into "wars." That is why our focus HAS to be on the Lord and not on the STYLE of the song. If a song leads us to the King, then it doesn't matter what song it is - the destination is more important. The songs and music are the vehicles that carry our hearts into the presence of the Lord. Church culture, national culture, different generations, etc. all influence what style of vehicle we like...but if we reach the destination of God's presence then we have achieved the primary goal of worship. 

It is possible to have authentic worship with contemporary styles of music, ancient hymns...or no music at all. Whatever songs are able to take your congregation on a journey into God's presence are the "right songs" for your congregation. Worship is not about the music - it is about pouring our hearts before the Lord and communing with Him. We should "fight" to have the presence of God - not to have our particular style of music.

Our problem comes when we fall in love with the Lord as we sing various songs. Those songs become our "friends." they take us on the journey into His presence again and again. Subsequent generations come along and their "friends" are different - they discard our old songs and strike up with new songs that are foreign to our ears. That is why younger people need to have RESPECT for older saints and older folks need to be CHAMPIONS for the music and sounds of subsequent generations. Bottom line: focus on the King - the destination of worship...not on the music which is simply a tool to take us to His presence.

You Worship When...

Some people have a hard time understanding that they are worshipers. They don't express worship outwardly like many others...and they may not have intense feelings of passion like some of us. 

If this describes you - don't focus on your feelings or expressions of worship - just focus on being in His presence - through the Word and in prayer.  Practice BEING with Him in a very simple yet deliberate way.

Apart from all the obvious times when we worship - let me say this...because you have given Him your life:

You worship when you smile at Him

You worship when you smile at strangers

You worship when you serve the unlovely and unholy

You worship when you enjoy what He has made

You worship when you are thankful for all He does

You worship when you obey Him

You worship when you take time to love a child

You worship when you love the old and infirm

You worship when you give Him your time

You worship when you wash the feet of the broken

You worship when you are faithful even when it is difficult

You worship when you seek to understand others

You worship when you wait, and linger in His presence

You worship when you do as Jesus did

You worship when you whisper His name

You worship when you make those thousands of small and large decisions each day that show He is the center of your life and worldview. He is the reason you do what you do. He is the Lord and Champion of your life - this is your reasonable worship (Romans 12:1)

Two Common Misconceptions About Prophetic Worship

There are two very common misconceptions that REALLY hinder prophetic worship:

1. Prophetic worship is SPONTANEOUS

2. God is the AUDIENCE

While both of these statements are not terribly wrong, they still keep people in their seats - intimidated by the spontaneous aspect of the prophetic and daunted by the prospect that they have to “perform” for this imposing “audience.”

Prophetic utterances may very well be spontaneous…but that is not what determines the prophetic. A prophetic statement, song, dance, piece of any kind is prophetic because it has God’s voice and character inserted into it. That’s simple – He LOVES to interact with us, so we can be expectant of His voice and participation in our worship every time we minister to Him. If we think about the prophetic like this - it makes it more about Him than us.

Secondly, although we are ministering to Him, He is NOT THE AUDIENCE. In prophetic worship there is no audience – only communing hearts. We used to get frustrated by congregations coming into worship behaving like an audience and simply sitting or standing in place. I think we tried to adjust that thinking by saying that God is the audience…so everyone needs to participate. While corporate participation by every member is desirable, we cannot limit God to the position of audience – He has something to say in every service.

Followed to their logical conclusion, both of these statements shut down congregational participation in worship and limit the scope of the prophetic because people may not feel proficient at spontaneously doing anything and they may be threatened by the concept of “performing” for the Audience of ONE.

We just need to relax about these two issues and allow Him to speak…and He LOVES to speak through every willing vessel. The onus is on Him – not us. We don’t have to perform or produce anything – we simply need to abide in Him and allow Him to flow in, and through us.

Welcome

Greetings to everyone who finds their way to this blog. Thank you for taking the time to visit.

I want to make a special welcome to students for the EITI School of Worship and all those interested in classes at EITI: http://www.eaglesiti.org. For further information on the School of Worship go here: schoolofworship_adm@eagles.org.

Please feel free to poke around - there are numerous articles in the archives that will be interesting to any students of worship. You can look through the postings based on a date - found down on the right hand side of this page under the heading: "Blog Archive."

You will see that I haven't been writing a lot this year - I hope to get back to regular articles when my schedule calms down a bit. 

Another way to access helpful information is to go up to the top left and enter a topic in the search box. Type in "Praise and Worship" for example, and an interesting mix of different articles will come up.

Feel free to use any and all of the material posted in this blog. Give attribution and pass on the connection to your mates. Also...if you have questions, don't hesitate to ask me either here, or via email: vivienhibbert@gmail.com.

One final word - If you are interested in any of my written materials, CD's, DVD's, Teaching tapes etc. Please go to my website: www.vivienhibbert.com. My book "Prophetic Worship" is about to be released after a major makeover. Make sure you pick up this groundbreaking text on worship.

Prophetic Word For 2016 From Isaiah 52:7

A word for us all in 2016:

Is. 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!”

7 Observations:

1. Mountains - often refer to nations – also churches and centers of God’s presence. God is focusing on some specific nations for this year. Strategic meetings will set the stage for revival in certain nations that will touch every continent. People who have never traveled are going to be thrust out in short-term missions and see great effectiveness.

2. Feet - God is giving us increased authority - dominion in the places we tread this year.

"Feet" regel – journey, to move

These feet are beautiful on the mountains: "beautiful" (Strongs 4998) na’ah – this word is only used 3 times in the Bible to describe: holiness Ps. 93:5; cheeks Song 1:10; feet Is. 52:7

3. Good news...God is going to use us in greater measure to proclaim the power of His Gospel this year.

4. Peace - this not only means peace as we know it...but the prosperity and blessing that accompanies the Gospel. Increased blessing and prosperity for 2016.

5. Good news of good - we are the bearers of good news - happy news - positive messages proclaimed into the hearts of His people this year.

6. Publishes salvation - unusual circumstances coming this year - people you have been praying for over many years will come to salvation in 2016! Friends, relatives, neighbors and work mates. Expect significant breakthroughs!

7. You will say to Zion: "Your God reigns!" "Zion" represents the worshipers - those who love His presence. This is the mountain where David established his tabernacle of worship for all nations. The Lord wants to rule in the hearts of His worshipers in greater measure this year - some territories to conquer once and for all. He is giving you renewed authority to speak into these areas and be a champion for champions!

10 Commandments of Great Worship Team members - Mark Cole

Thank you Mark Cole for this great article:

The 10 Commandments of Great Worship Team Members

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Mark Cole

https://www.facebook.com/mmcole

Sometimes I lead the worship band and sometimes I play in the band. Both are important roles and have specific responsibilities to do them well. As both a leader and a player/singer, here are my ten most important rules as a team member:

1. I will be available at least twice per month and answer worship department emails within 24 hrs

• I find that players need to play a minimum of twice per month to stay in the flow of the worship and maintain good relationships with the leader(s) and team members.

• As someone who has scheduled worship teams for years, prompt replies by the team members is greatly appreciated. Also, it is a good habit to be prompt in all your communication. It is a form of discipline and respect.

2. I will listen to, practice and memorize the songs for Sunday

• Most musicians learn by listening. I always spend the .99 cents to $1.29 to download the songs on iTunes and make a playlist to listen in my house and car. Listening will teach you things that charts never will.

• I always take time to practice the new songs for the team and briefly review the older songs. I want to be excellent in my service to the Lord. God rewards faithfulness and excellence.

• Memorizing songs allows me to get past the music and worship God freely. Most worship songs are not hard to memorize.

3. I will show up prepared and on time for rehearsal

• Leaders and other team members really appreciate when all the team has done their homework. When the drummer knows the grooves, tempos and breaks, it makes the rehearsal go so much smoother. When the lead guitar and keyboard players have learned the introductions and lead lines, it saves so much time for the rest of the group.

• When team members all show up on time, it shows respect and value for the whole team. It promotes unity and makes the rehearsals go much smoother.

4. I will show respect and love for my fellow team members and leader

• The second greatest commandment is to ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. When team members show love and respect for each other, rehearsals, worship and life in general is much better.

• Being a leader can be tough. When you respect and are patient with your leader, God sees and rewards that attitude and heart.

5. I will not doodle on my instrument when the leader is speaking

• Having great rehearsal habits is important. The time to practise your individual part is when you are on your own.

• You show respect for the leader and the rest of the team when you learn to listen at the appropriate times.

6. I will worship as I play my instrument and endeavour to be a great worshipper on and off the stage

• The purpose of a worship band is to worship God and lead the congregation to do the same. If you are just playing or singing then you are not fulfilling your responsibilities. Get past the music and worship God and lead by example.

• A sign that you are an authentic worshipper is that you are the same on and off the stage. People see you on and off the stage. Be authentic!

7. I will attend church and give whether I am playing or not

• Great team worship team members know the importance of regular church attendance. We all need to be great congregational members before we can become great worship team members.

• Supporting your local church means more than playing your instrument. Giving of your time and finances really shows where your heart is.

8. I will practice my singing and/or instrument regularly

• Great worship team members are better this year than they were last year.

• Great team members work on growing by practicing regularly, taking lessons and watching and learning from great worship videos.

9. I will wear the appropriate clothes for the dress code

• I never want my clothes to be a distraction to our worship times.

• My general advice is to develop a dress code that is modest and culturally relevant to your congregation.

10. I will grow in my walk with the Lord and live a godly lifestyle

• This is the last commandment but it is the most important. Loving God with your whole heart and life is the core of worship.

• Living a life that is pleasing to God opens up the door for God’s blessing on your life. Don’t allow sin to ruin that. Repent and get back on track!

Question: What points have I missed? Are you a great worship team member? What areas can you improve on?