As worship leaders, one of the most important things we can ever learn is, we are not alone. The miles that separate our churches are real, but not insurmountable. With Worship Central's 100 Gatherings, the call was clear: Unite, worship, pray at the start of 2015. And it made a connection…
All over the world, across ten days, people did exactly what they were asked, putting aside time to dedicate the year ahead to the pursuit of a deeper, broader encounter with God through worship.
And it got us thinking…
* Pull still beats push
Thankfully, the days of being guilted into action, shamed out of apathy or just plain terrified into a response are starting to fade. Churches, like politicians, business leaders and tech gurus know how important it is to invite our contribution rather than sell their product. The offer to gather with those around us and make space and time to prepare hit the right note, and if we carry on in the same way - treating our worship as a means to deepen people’s relationship with God, rather than escape the world around us - then 2015 might hold some seriously tasty potential.
The call to set ourselves apart did just that, uniting people around a common call, but leaving up to us and God the detail of what came out of those times of prayer and worship. We all need to be empowered, just like we all need to be led.
* We’re optimistic
Tim’s recollection of someone telling him that “we can get over fascinated by production but under fascinated by the presence of God” is timely. So is his comment that “No song, no sound is really going to change someone’s life, only the Spirit of God…” As worship leaders we’re an odd bunch, prone to getting distracted and getting over excited by the latest sounds and styles. But more than our weakness and more than our mistakes, we are right to be optimistic about the year ahead. Why? Because like prodigal sons and religious persecutors struck temporarily blind, it is when we are on our knees and realise how much we are dependent on God that the very best adventures begin.