More Spiritual Conversations?

My pastor says that God is concerned with your "life-life" as much--or more--than your "church-life."

My observation is that we have most of our spiritual conversations at church, whereas the testimony of scripture may be that we should spend more time having spiritual conversations at home than we do at church. I suppose this only makes sense... most of us are at the church building 3-10 hours a month. We are at home a whole lot more than that!

Last night some friends came over for dinner. They are moving out of the country in a couple of weeks and we wanted to squeeze every moment in we could before they left. We had a very normal dinner, followed by making s'mores around the fire when the conversation turned to the future... what they were looking forward to and what they were sad to leave behind.

After an hour or so it got cold enough that we were glad to go back inside. The conversation got a bit more serious and then one of our friends said their family wanted to pray over us before leaving. The next 45 minutes or so is, I hope, indelibly stamped on my soul.

She sat at the piano and sang a song over my sweet wife, then read scripture and prayed. The weight of God's word has seldom felt so profound or so personal. And it wasn't even being spoken about me! 

And then words of blessing were given to our younger daughter, and finally to me. The adults spoke words of blessing, and so did their children (all under 13 years of age). For me, the words of one of the kids was what I think God knew I most needed to hear. Amazing.

These are not conversations I'm accustomed to in my Baptist upbringing, so I responded the only way I knew how, with words of affirmation and encouragement. We prayed again.

It was stunning.

I've known this family for years... but we'd never done this. Why not? What would happen if you and I took Paul's common phrase, "Encourage one another with these words" as instructive for our "life-life" not just our "church-life"?

If you have examples of how this is a regular part of life for you and those you love, I'd love to read about it. Leave a long comment and share a story. Let's encourage one another to encourage one another!

What If... Praying for your Spouse

I was praying for my wife, Jackie, early this morning. While I was praying through my topic for today (overcoming fear), I got distracted in the most beautiful way. I pondered... what would happen if every Christ follower started praying for their wife... or their husband... every day?

What would happen to the fabric of society? Can you imagine it? The depth of health? The richness of trust? The dropping prison rate? The police officers lives spared because of the decline of domestic abuse?

What would happen to the culture of our churches? We could be a light on a hill in a whole new way! The divorce rate inside of churches would be dramatically lower than that of that outside. People in the marketplace might start coming to us to find out how we are so counter-cultural.

What would happen to your family life? The more I pray for Jackie, the more I find myself becoming the husband she needs. While I do see my prayers being answered, I more quickly see the pray-er being changed. When I pray for others in the morning, I often pray for couples I know who are struggling. I wonder how their marriages could be different if they prayed for one another like this.

What would happen for the next generation? It is commonly said that the best gift you can give your children is a healthy marriage. How could this be fulfilled better than by praying for your spouse?

Allow me one more minute and tell you how I came to the WAY I pray for my bride.

About 10 years ago I read the book The Power of a Praying Husband. There are 21 chapters, each of which ends with a prayer. I took that book and typed up those prayers, filled in the blanks with the names of my wife and daughters, printed it out, and it hangs on the wall where I pray. Sure I miss a few days each month, but in general I pray through the 21 prayers every month. Wives, don't fear! The first book in the series was The Power of a Praying Wife so you can do the same thing. (I notice it has 31 chapters, probably because we men need more prayer than you women do!)

If you are in ministry--volunteer, part-time, or full-time--I'd like to encourage you to consider this deeply. When I take even 5 minutes to imagine what the worship ministry I lead could look like if every married person in it were praying for their spouse in these specific ways, my heart melts with possibility.

If you have a meaningful way of praying for your husband or wife, would you leave a comment? I would love to learn from you!

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

The Ideal Worshiper

In the middle of the 20th century a psychologist names Carl Rogers coined a term you may have heard of, "The Ideal Self." This is the ideal version of yourself, the person you want to be. When you "hit it," it feels like you are finally being the you that you were meant to be. This works in your financial life, your time management, your work performance, your role in your family, etc. And when you fall short of your "ideal self," you have to choose to give yourself a break of give yourself a hard time. It's an interesting filter, I believe, to think about becoming the person God crafted you to be. (Ephesians 2:10)

As worship leaders, we probably have a vague idea of what an "ideal worshiper" is. I'll share some of what I imagine that person to be. Let's call him William the worshiper. I'd guess it could be helpful for those of you who lead worship to do this exercise too. If you tike time to do it, I would LOVE to read yours. Send it over to RodEEllis@gmail.com. 

WILLIAM THE WORSHIPER

Will is physically fit. He's not a body builder, but is able to enter into worship physically. Fully.

Will is intellectually engaged and honest. He isn't afraid to employ all of his intellect with vigor. He dials in to the sermon, of course, but also the lyrics, the scripture readings, the prayers, even the announcements!

Will is soulfully surrendered. He is humble to a fault according to those who know him best. He doesn't seek to get his way, his songs, his volume from the sound system, etc. His posture reflects that he lives his life on his knees. Open handed.

Will is emotionally tender. He has a soft heart toward the things of God, the movement of the Spirit. But he remembers well that his heart can be deceived, so he always runs his feelings through his mind. Will thinks with his heart and feels with his mind.

Will lives Jesus-centered. He loves the Trinity--even ponders that mystery often--but he really loves to walk the way of Jesus. 

Will sings. I don't mean that he should audition for "The Voice," but that regardless of how his voice sounds, he will always sing. He simply can't help it.

Will worships daily. It's not that he attends church daily, but that he finds a way to worship. He knows that Sunday is both the launch of a new week, filled with possibilities, and the end of an old week, filled with a mix of obedience and sin. So he tells Jesus that he loves Him every day. He does this with his words in prayer. He does it by singing worship songs in the shower... or on his commute.

Will prays. He prays for his family, for his pastor, for his friends, and for the world.

Will loves the Bible. He doesn't have to make himself read it, he looks forward to reading it.

Will is generous. He gives faithfully, joyfully, and often beyond the scripturally required tithe. It's in his heart and reflected in his bank account.

Will is in an accountability relationship. He knows that the Sunday gathering is precious, and priceless, but that more is needed to stay faithful.

Now... with William the worshiper in mind, I'd like to toss out 3 questions for you today:

1) If you're not like Will--or your version of an ideal worshiper--what could you do to become more like him? What is your first, next step?

2) If you're not worshiping like Will, how can you expect those you lead to do it? (I know that's blunt; I don't mean it to be "judgy." I simply believe it is an important question... as represented effectively in the old movie Facing the Giants, "attitude reflect leadership.")

3) Did you notice how none of these descriptions have anything to do with musical-worship style? They are, however, rooted in scripture. Perhaps if we focus more on helping people worship like this, in a way that resonates with their hearts, we'd have fewer skirmishes over the minor issues of worship like when a song was written, what the accompaniment sounds like, or who stands in front to lead. 

I hope this post is especially provocative. And I really would love to hear back from you! Leave a comment or shoot me a message.