Worship Matters: Building Community

Communication is so important. When you really think about it, we spend huge parts of every day communicating. Social networks are based on communicating with family, friends and long lost schoolmates and it seems that every person in America over the age of 3 now has their own cell phone.

I find myself thinking about this often….other than sharing information, where does all of this get us? I literally get bogged down and stressed out at times because there are so many details I need to communicate. It’s crazy. I’m working on that.

I know. Sharing information is important. In ministry I deal with large groups of people and I have found that I have to communicate most details multiple times and in at least 4 different ways for everyone to get the message. I’m not saying information isn’t important because it is. Details and planning are the backbone of worship ministry in the local church.

But, the question I am posing is different. When is the last time you had a genuine conversation with someone? I mean a conversation where both parties participated actively?

So many times conversations are one-sided, with one of the parties laying out everything that is important to them and then walking away. When is the last time you feel like someone sat down and genuinely entered your world?

My wife will laugh when she reads this blog because I am not a person who tends to enjoy long conversations. I am more of a “just the facts ma’am” sort of guy. But, I do find myself wanting more. I find myself wanting to know and to be known. Kim is great at this. She digs in with people. She asks questions. She cares deeply about the needs of other people. I am working at that. Sometimes I just feel too overwhelmed to take the time to enter the world of another person. It takes an investment on my part. What if they don’t return the investment?

I really desire the Worship Ministry at MPCC to be a place of genuine community. I’m not saying, in any way, that it isn’t a caring place, but I think we can always go deeper. I want people to care for one another. I want us to live out Galatians 6:2 that says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (NIV)

I want to challenge you to enter someone’s world today. Try to have a conversation that is completely about another person. It’s tough to do and I know that from experience. Give it a shot. Enter their world. Engage them. Care for them and see what happens. I believe that when we experience genuine Biblical community we will get to know a side of The Father and His design for us that we desperately need in The Church.

What are your thoughts on community? Do you experience it? If so, how? When? Where? Tell me about it.

Communication

MPCC Music & Worship Ministry Value: Communication
We have been talking about values that we embrace as a team. So far we have talked about the values of Preparation, Authenticity & Character.  

This week, I want to talk with you about Communication. I want to address this value from 2 perspectives: (1) Us to the congregation; and, (2) Us to one another.

(1) As worship leaders we are in the Communication business. Everything we do – all of the rehearsals, planning, organization, preparation – it is all done with the goal of communicating the life saving message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I think we can all agree on this: that is the most important message in the whole world! We want to work hard on being appropriately expressive when we lead in worship. We want everything about us to engage people in worship because as they do their lives can be changed, challenged and encouraged.

As Kim and I have traveled from church to church, I often hear people talking about how their congregation isn’t very “alive” or responsive during worship. This happens in many churches in America. I often think of asking them, “Is our job as worship leaders dependent upon a specific response from the congregation?” Now, I don’t mean that to sound harsh, but does that really change our job in any way? Or, does that simply highlight the need for us to become even better and more engaging using our voices, our hearts, our faces and our bodies as we lead?

Let’s say that you are selling sweepers door to door. On a particular day, you knock on door after door and you are greeted by complete grouches who will barely speak to you. Would that change your job description? Would you be able to go to your supervisor and explain how you didn’t sell any sweepers because the customers just weren’t very responsive?  The obvious answer is no. As we work to communicate God’s Truth through music and worship Communication with the congregation is essential to our success. There will be times when they are not responsive. Communicate anyway. Worship God with abandonment regardless of what the congregation does.  I know it’s hard, but don’t be insulted by their lack of response. Most of the time we have no way of knowing where they have been or what they have been through in a given week. When you see them not responding, I encourage you….I challenge you, to work harder. See how God might use you to impact them and how HE will change their face through worship.

(2) Another aspect of Communication is how we interact with one another. We can probably agree that relationships have helped us to experience the highest highs and the lowest lows. How does it feel when somebody enters your world and asks about how you are and how your week has been? Isn’t that an amazing feeling? How about the opposite….you walk into a room, say hello and nobody responds. How does that feel? Pretty bad, huh?

The Bible talks about the power of our words in how we communicate with one another. We can make the choice to, “Encourage one another and build each other up….” as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:11. We can be on the lookout for team members who are struggling or who are new to the team. This is crucial to building a healthy team. Do you see someone standing alone? I believe that the very fact that you noticed them standing alone is the Holy Spirit prompting you to go and speak with them. Some might say, “Well, I’m not comfortable with that.  I’m not naturally an encourager.” I can understand that.  Encouraging one another doesn’t come naturally to most people, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have a responsibility to change and BECOME encouragers.  God has called us to do it, so therefore we do it. Let’s get out of our comfort zones and do what it takes to build a healthy team. I want to challenge you to be on the lookout for team members that you don’t know or who spend time by themselves in a crowded room.  No one likes to feel excluded. Let’s make sure that members of our team never have to experience that when we are together! Deal?

Just like we can encourage one another with our words, we can also discourage one another. I think this is pretty obvious. Just don’t do it. We should never allow our words to tear someone else down. If we do, the Bible tells us to go and make it right immediately. So, let’s make this our practice as a team.

Communication is huge for what we do. Let’s make it our goal to become the best communicators possible whether we are on the platform, in a rehearsal or just spending time together as a team.