Wednesday, October 08, 2008

The Alpha Worship Muzzle

We kicked off our fall Alpha class a few weeks ago and our NorthBranch band is leading the music portion. We're incredibly blessed to be in our new space which we call The Station - an older warehouse that was completely remodeled and renovated by members of our church. They even built a decent size stage complete with a new drum kit, floor monitors and enough media equipment to put together a decent size band and sound.

As we lead music for Alpha, we were instructed to keep things low-key so that we don't scare off people who are new to the church and to Christianity. I struggle a bit with this approach because I have met other Christians on fire for God...and that fire was contagious. I wanted some of that in my life. So I think we're a bit unauthentic when we just go through the motions of worship. Further, I think we're dishonoring God. Worship music helps usher in the Holy Spirit and the presence of God...the Holy Spirit and the presence of God changes hearts and lives. So why would we want to worship God with a worship muzzle?

The other night, my family was up at The Station for dinner and participating in worship (music) in the back. As we tore into our worship set, I looked down the aisle past all of the seated members of the class and spotted my 3 year-old dancing wildly with his hands raised upward to Jesus. It was one of the most beautiful things I had seen in a while and I felt a huge grin break across my face. I wish the church could have seen it as he was demonstrating what authentic worship was all about.

3 comments:

warbird2010 said...

Tailoring a worship service to seekers is always a bear. You don't want to scare them away, but you stil need to show them the joy of people in love with God.

Keep up the good work

Jim

kdmdm said...

I was pretty luke-warm about God for a long time. I believed in Him, but I really felt like he was just a cosmic entity that put the world into motion and gave it a few moments of his time when he felt like it. If I saw someone singing with raised hands, I would think to myself, "Now really, fine if you like to sing, but there's no reason to be FINATICAL about it!" I didn't get the idea of God as a person who truly loves me and wants to have a relationship with me until I went to Alpha. Honestly, if the people around me at Alpha had been luke-warm, I probably would be too. Let your light shine like it was meant to and use plenty of those wonderful jokes that make us all feel at home. You have been blessed with a keen sense of empathy and I seriously doubt you will scare anyone away. Just back away from the dimmer switch!

Thanks for loving our church family.

Kasey

April said...

Isn't the point of a worship leader to create a space where people can connect to God? It's really God's thing anyway. Are we really all that powerful to think that WE can set all the circumstances/ambiance right in a little formula so someone comes to faith? Erik, I can recall many times I felt closest to God when you are leading worship so freely as if there wasn't another person in the room besides you and God. I'm sorry for your muzzle. I thank God he blesses ministries even if they sometimes miss the point.