I have noticed a shift that has taken place musically over the past 30 years, which greatly affects us as worshippers — since it affects us as worshippers, it greatly affects us as worship leaders. I can’t speak for every church and every denomination, however I feel confident this affects most churches that have a “contemporary” style of music.
So, let me tell you my observation and then I will try to back it up with some examples. The volume music is played at can have a direct result in how engaged a congregation is in worship.
I’m cringing even as I type that. Volume shouldn’t have anything to do with how engaged we are in worshipping the One who gave His life for us. However, in my experience, for this generation it does.
That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.” “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered. “Bring them here,” he said. Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.
This is a story that most people in America, even if they are not religious, have heard about. Jesus took limited resources, blessed them, gave them out, and fed the 5000. But in between the blessing and the giving there was breaking.
Have you ever been desperate for something? Direction. An answer. Love. Peace.
When I was in high school I dated a girl for about a year and half. One day, seemingly out of the blue, she broke up with me, but didn’t give me a reason. I remember being heartbroken the way only a 17 year old boy can be, but not having a reason made the pain worse. The more time passed, and I didn’t receive an answer, the more desperate I became until I HAD to find out what had happened! To make a long story short, I did everything I knew to do. I talked with her family, I talked with our youth pastor, and finally after months I said to her (my words now), “This is ridiculous, I’ve got to know what happened.”
Have you ever been desperate for God to do something in your life or situation? Direction. An answer. Love. Peace
I recently wrote song called Let Faith Arise (lyrics below) that is the culmination of 5 years of experiences in ministry, books I’ve read, and personal growth. One would think by the title that it’s a song about faith. That is not entirely true. The song is a prayer for faith to arise in the heart of the church as they gather together (and especially in corporate worship).
