The Blessing (no, not that one)

I'm a fan of the 2020 song, "The Blessing." So many things about it are powerful, even the repetition that some find objectionable. In the repeating of blessings, I find the blessings go deeper.

But I'm not writing about THAT blessing today.

I'm aware of the incredible blessing it is to be a worship leader. To stand in the Presence of God, in front of the People of God, and see those two connect is an indescribable blessing.

But I'm not writing about THAT blessing either.

I'd like to invite you into being a servant-leader that focuses more on being the conduit of blessing than the recipient of blessing.

What could be different if you thought of your role--vocalist, instrumentalist, artist, or technician--as one of actively blessing God (Psalm 103:1) and actively blessing people (Prov 11:25).

Some have suggested that leading worship is like being a mirror, that we should reflect what we see. But that seems too reactive to me. Our role should be more proactive--more of a thermostat and less of a thermometer.

Some have suggested we should be, well, the thermostat. But I find that too human-centered. I should not determine the spiritual temperature of the room; the Holy Spirit should. His power flows through you and me to those in the room.

The apostle Paul described it rather famously in 2 Corinthians 4:7: "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this GREAT TREASURE. This is makes it clear that our GREAT POWER is from God, not from ourselves." (emphasis added, of course)

When you and I stand before the people of God, we get to do God's work of blessing. We do the pouring, like a drink offering. But God is the One we pour out on the people. The Living Water -- Jesus Himself -- flows into and out of us as... well... jars of clay. 

Now go. Bless God. Bless others.

And see if the blessing you receive isn't bigger than any you could give.

Faithfulness > Personal Power

I have been told I have a powerful voice.

It's a blessing and a curse. (As Adrian would say in the early 2000s TV show, Monk.)

You see, because of the gift God gave me, I can use my voice to sing powerfully. I can, in my own strength, move an audience. I can, in my own strength, make people feel something. It's a blessing. 

But it's also a curse.

I sometimes wish I didn't have a powerful gift like this. It tends to make me:

...arrogant

...overly confident

...self-sufficient

Just keeping it real!

But I'm a worship pastor, right? I shouldn't be that way! 

I agree. Which is why it can be a curse as much as a blessing.

But sometimes, and more often the more I grow into Christ, it's better this way. 

When I get it right, it makes me:

...humbled

...dependent

...Spirit-sufficient.

Here's the thing: faithfulness to God is better than personal power in leadership. Always.

But here's the other thing: they feel really, really similar. When I'm faithful, God is powerful. Look no further than the apostle Paul. He wrote to the church in Ancient Greece: "We faithfully preach the truth. God's power is working in us." (2 Cor 6:7)

And so I'm learning that rather than focusing on my power, I focus on God's power. Instead of trying to sing with force, I work at singing with faithfulness.

There's one more thing: part of our faithfulness is using every gift God has given us. This is what stewardship of gifts looks like. Part of my faithfulness is to develop my gift, to practice, to prepare, and then to surrender all of my work to His work.

This post feels a bit like I'm rambling. Perhaps because it is so confessional. Or such a fine line to draw. Perhaps the thing that can help us all the most is to trust the Word of God to do the precise work described in Hebrews 4:12. We surrender to the Father. He empowers the surrendered.

It's no curse at all. 

It's a blessing.

Margin = Wonder+

I've been an adult now for a long, long time. I have been in the full-time workforce for 3 decades. As an enneagram three (achiever/performer), I thrive on getting things done. If I'm not being productive, I tend to think I am worthless. It's a sickness, really. 

The result? Most of my life has been lived with no margin. You know what I mean? If you've ever tried to read a book with no white space on the page, you know how quickly reading can be overwhelming.

The same is true with our schedules. I plan meetings too close together, pile work on top of work in such a way that I live--when I do it best--on the edge of too much. And when I do it poorly, genuinely overwhelmed.

Margin makes us healthy.

In recent months I've discovered something else about margin. It gives me space to wonder. Specifically, in reading my Bible in the mornings, I've set aside more time than is required. That makes it possible to chase some pretty fascinating rabbits. I have compared translations, watched videos from The Bible Project, imagined the setting, the family dynamics, the personal application for me and my family, and more. Sometimes my reading turns me to pray; other times to make notes in the margin of my journaling Bible. 

I wish I had better words to share with you what a difference this has made--not just in my understanding of the scriptures--in my attitude and actions. 

In some ways, simply the long term faithfulness of reading every day is doing this. But in many other ways, this margin for wonder has turned information into application. 

If you are living with the "pedal to the metal," let me invite you to join me in making a "to don't list" and creating a bit of margin. Or turn of the notifications on your phone. Or turn off the T.V. Or set a limit on your phone for how long you'll explore social media (YouTube, Insta, FB, Twitter, etc.) and explore the Bible for a few minutes. Honestly, just one sitcom (30 minutes) traded in for some time in God's story.

One last thought: wonder often, and quickly, turns into worship. Oh, the possibilities!

An Evocative Opportunity!

To evoke is to stir up something that’s already there. Inside every Christ-followers--inside of YOU--is the image of God, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and Christ Himself. When it comes to worship, spirit and truth are in us. Faith, hope, and love are in us. The fruit of the Spirit is in us.

This has a double implication: one for the worshiper, and one for the worship leader.

As a worshiper, your job is unleash what is in you. Let it out! Don't hold it in. Within the healthy boundaries of your God-given, God-shaped personality, demonstrate the release of what is in you.

As worship leaders, our job is to evoke those things: to draw out praise, confession, worship, obedience, and more...in our gatherings.

Please consider this is my personal invitation to be part of the 3rd annual RELAY Worship Conference. We will host it at Woodburn Baptist again this year, and it will be on Feb 20, 2021. At the end of this post is a current listing of 19 MasterClass sessions. You can find more info (including the schedule) and register at www.relayworship.com. Registration is limited to the first 100 people, so you might want to get on this right away! [If you're part of our ministry at Woodburn, we will cover your cost. Just let me know you're attending.]

Oh, this is big: also within us, as image-bearers of God, is justice. This is why we will explore at this year's conference how the worship assembly can play a part in racial reconciliation. How can what is in us be evoked to change what is around us? With our hands and our tongues… with our prayers… in our relationships, our recruiting and scheduling people to serve? And more, of course. We have assembled a panel of pastors and church leaders, people of color and others who are white as the snow falling this morning, to talk us through this dynamic.

“Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness.” — Ephesians 5:26 (The Message)

Masterclass: Leading Up — how to lead when you're not in charge

Masterclass: Time Management — making the most of every opportunity

Masterclass: Lead a Rhythm Section Rehearsal — getting the most out of your band

Masterclass: Acoustic Guitar — playing for worship

Masterclass: Electric Guitar — playing for worshipMasterclass: Keys — playing for worship

Masterclass: Piano — playing for worship

Masterclass: Voice (women) — we sing differently when leading worship

Masterclass: Voice (men) — we sing differently when leading worship

Masterclass: Bass — playing for worship

Masterclass: Drums — playing for worship

Masterclass: Audio — mixing for worship

Masterclass: Graphics/Screens (ProPresenter) — visuals for worship

Masterclass: Lighting — lighting for worship (it's not just for the big churches)

Masterclass: Camera / Video basics — capturing video, including for online worship

Masterclass: Song writing — writing songs for the community of faith

Masterclass: Story telling — using stories to tell God's story

Masterclass: Using Scripture to Evoke — Scripture reading that captures the imagination

Masterclass: More than Skits — drama that transforms

Masterclass: Social Media — connecting those in and around your church