'Get Involved!'
I have a friend called JR who is a pretty amazing guy - he’s part hard wired techno-geek and part wide-eyed space cowboy. He loves God, he loves people and he really loves his church. He serves long hours as a volunteer and he really embodies the lifestyle of a God-worshipper.
He has a phrase, like a mantra, he uses constantly:
“Get involved!”
It’s pretty infectious and provocative. I’m thinking about getting it printed on some t-shirts.
“Get involved!”
(I encourage you to use it fairly randomly in conversation and see what interesting results you get)
These are amazing days, though - Never has there been a time when more people are mobilised against the giants of child poverty, human trafficking and HIV/AIDS. The voice of the church or “gathered voice of freedom” as my friend Jock calls it, is getting louder.
We as a worship team had an opportunity to add our voice to the congregation leading worship at the NEC in Birmingham, UK in support of our friends Ben and Deb Cooley and their organisation called “Hope For Justice” – check out their site - http://www.hopeforjustice.org.uk
They are raising awareness of one of the most horrendous crimes of the 21st century – Human trafficking.
It was a powerful and uplifting event – with great music and informed and passionate communicators and over 5000 people committing themselves to worship and the explosion of social justice in their communities and the world at large. It was an honour to be there!
So after being part of such a great event, I’ve found myself with the inevitable question - What more can I do? Well, my opportunities to make Jesus famous through lifestyle, texts, hugs, food, sponsorship, uploads, YouTube, songs and MP3s are huge.
I’m driving a minibus tonight serving our ministry teams to the girls who work the streets for money – I’m on the rota, I’ve signed up & I’ve decided to take James at his word when he says “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world” James 1 v 27 (Message translation)
I encourage you - get plugged in and serve at a great church –they need you! We need you! The homeless and the loveless need you most of all!! As you work out the love of Christ in your community know that He is cheering you on supporting you and giving you grace every step of the way
As JR would say “Get involved!”
Peace,
Matt.
Worship Leading
Hey all,
During the course of the last year or so, I’ve become more and more convinced on a few core principals of leading congregational worship. Whatever our title, our responsibility is humbling and incredible – more than leaders of the parade, we are called to lead people to God himself, to help and encourage people to lift up their eyes to look to the “rock from which they were cut” (Isaiah 51v1) and to inspire and challenge people to worship Him with all their heart soul mind and strength!
Here are a few core values that I have at the forefront of my mind when I lead worship.
1. WE MUST CONNECT – As worship Leaders were are called to connect people to God and to connect people to each other – When I lead congregational worship, I’m constantly looking for ways throughout the service to establish and strengthen a connection between heaven and earth – by an encouragement, humour, exhortation, piece of media, volume or dynamic change, solo voice or by encouraging the congregation to sing out and express their heart to God on their own song. To me, this takes precedence over many other (mainly musical) elements that I used to think were important. Most people wouldn’t consider themselves musical but all of us are made to worship our God. Lets make that journey as easy as possible for our churches!
2. WE MUST LEAD IN FREEDOM - We’ve got to lead people into the freedom and liberty that Jesus paid for and we must be the most liberated people on the platform. We must be fresh and alive to what God wants to do in that service and obedient to His leading under the vision of our Senior Pastors or leaders. Its important for us to be prayed up and full of faith with a clear sense of direction and with an expectation that God wants to do something awesome in the service – He ALWAYS wants to heal, bless, convict, encourage and save people and whenever we meet together, we can be the catalysts for that.
3. KEEP IT SIMPLE – help people enter to worship in with a good prayerful plan.
With songs that people can sing and worship with
With language that people understand
With clear and appropriate leadership.
Most great congregational songs are simple in message and clear in their concept and are therefore easy for people to engage with. These are the songs that have a long shelf life and bless congregations the most – I encourage you to pick and sing songs you believe in and not to settle for “ok” and average!
Stay in touch, let us know whats going on in your world and keep building the local church, you heroes!!
Bless ya,
Matt
Hey All
Hey all,
Thanks for visting our website today – i know you’re going to find it useful, with plenty of great stuff to help you build your worship teams and ministries and encounter God. Were going to be blogging regularly and posting new songs, media clips, and all kinds of resource to help you strengthen your local church and worship ministry.
Hey, it’s a beautiful responsibility to be involved in worship and creative arts and to help people connect and engage God in a contemporary and Holy atmosphere. I love and count an honour to lead be a part of a team of people here at the Abundant lLife Church who are discovering the power of a worship lifestyle. Our aim is to help you where we can from the resource that God has given us, in this online community
Email us and stay in touch – we’d love to hear from you. Eyes peeled for exciting news, conferences, tours, albums, church events and all manner of goodies coming your way!
Your friend
Matt