Do We Really Want It?

I heard a couple of unrelated conversations today that made me think of something unrelated to them.

Sounds like a great way to end up with a blog post, don't you think?

One was on ESPN. The commentator had attended the football practice of a perennial powerhouse program that is really struggling. He was struck by the fact that "none of the players looked like they wanted to be great." That's quite a statement. In this massively competitive (even if eternally, fairly insignificant) context, he said he could always walk onto a practice field and pick out the guys who wanted to be great. They were often the ones who would be leading their teams to great seasons as well as those who would go on to the NFL.

The other was in person, at my church. Our guest worship band was practicing. One of their members was doing something on her phone while the others were taking some time to do individual practicing and assorted tasks related to their roles. The leader of the band suggested that this was work time and that she might want to practice any number of places she needed improvement rather than playing on her phone. (Yikes!)



And then I thought about the groups I lead, the rehearsals I facilitate. Do I really want to be great? Not so I can achieve fame and fortune like the NFL promises, but so I can honor my perfect Heavenly Father. And when it is time to work--to practice--am I giving myself fully to that?

And then I was reminded of why I started Worship Coach: to help churches make worship great. Seems to me that most of us stop at right rather than moving along to good, let alone great. (I wrote a series of blog posts that start HERE called "Should Worship Be Great?")

The stakes are not just higher, they are infinitely higher.

The words we sing are not just moving, they're transformational.

And I wonder... if a guest were to observe any of our rehearsals, would they perceive that I/we want to be great? I hope so. I pray so. And I need to do better at making sure if they are paying attention to me...well, there's not doubt. I want to be great for my great King. And I want worship to be great to honor Him, to strengthen the Body of Christ, and to testify to those far from God.