This is a series produced by a guy called Rex Miller on his blog, Rex is a church consultant in the States. Its so useful for any worship leader or aspiring worship leader or anybody who loves worship. Its not meant to be a negative thing, just a helpful nudge! Starting with number 1, they'll be posted on the blog.You can follow his blog on http://www.millenniummatrix.com/content/blog/2007/01/10-mistakes-worship-leaders-make_20.html
#1 - Assuming that everyone has tasted worship.
Imagine: you have a basket of apples and you are standing before an audience which had never seen, let alone tasted, one. How are you going to impart the essence of the apple to them?Lecture about it? PowerPoint it? Eat it in front of them? How about passing them out and letting them taste and eat for themselves?
O, taste and see that the Lord is good! – Psalms 34:8
I hate to be the one to break this to you, but . . . worship cannot be taught. You cannot stand on a platform and bring people into worship anymore than you can stand on a stage and bring people into apples. It has to be tasted. And, once that happens, people are forever changed. They never forget it! Throughout history, the nature of worship has changed. In oral culture, worship was a cosmic drama. There was no “worship leader.” It was a divine play and everyone was part of it. That drama actually changed time and space to sacred time and sacred place. The people were reenacting a cosmic event as though it were happening again right in their midst.When the Reformation came along, making print became the dominant communication, content became the essence of worship. The primary issue was the lyrics – doctrine in music.In broadcast, worship is about the person on stage. So, if that person is genuinely worshiping, those gathered in that place will catch a “taste” of real worship. If he or she is performing, that comes through. If the worship leader is living a lie, that tends to confuse or contaminate the process.So, it is essential for worship leaders to, first, know what real worship is, and then, second, to give the people a taste of it. They should never just assume that everyone “gets it.” Worship leaders must always be prepared to explain (and disciple others in) real worship.
#1 - Assuming that everyone has tasted worship.
Imagine: you have a basket of apples and you are standing before an audience which had never seen, let alone tasted, one. How are you going to impart the essence of the apple to them?Lecture about it? PowerPoint it? Eat it in front of them? How about passing them out and letting them taste and eat for themselves?
O, taste and see that the Lord is good! – Psalms 34:8
I hate to be the one to break this to you, but . . . worship cannot be taught. You cannot stand on a platform and bring people into worship anymore than you can stand on a stage and bring people into apples. It has to be tasted. And, once that happens, people are forever changed. They never forget it! Throughout history, the nature of worship has changed. In oral culture, worship was a cosmic drama. There was no “worship leader.” It was a divine play and everyone was part of it. That drama actually changed time and space to sacred time and sacred place. The people were reenacting a cosmic event as though it were happening again right in their midst.When the Reformation came along, making print became the dominant communication, content became the essence of worship. The primary issue was the lyrics – doctrine in music.In broadcast, worship is about the person on stage. So, if that person is genuinely worshiping, those gathered in that place will catch a “taste” of real worship. If he or she is performing, that comes through. If the worship leader is living a lie, that tends to confuse or contaminate the process.So, it is essential for worship leaders to, first, know what real worship is, and then, second, to give the people a taste of it. They should never just assume that everyone “gets it.” Worship leaders must always be prepared to explain (and disciple others in) real worship.
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