As musicians and singers we have a unique calling on our life from God.  In a world that has perverted musical talent for the purpose of selfish gain and fame it is no wonder that we at times lose focus of what singing “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” is really about.  Corporate worship is something God created for the ultimate purpose of glorifying Himself.  As we worship God we start to realize that we were created for the sole purpose to bring glory to God.

It is the beginning of a new year a good time to reflect back on what God has done and then set some goals for the year ahead.  Lets focus on three areas that are important for a worshipers growth: spiritual growth, relational growth and musicianship growth.

1. Spiritual Growth- Why is this important for a worship leader?

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish on another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and song from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:16,17

As the famous saying goes “You cannot give, what you do not have.”  Can you lead a group on a tour of the Grand Canyon or the BWCA if you have never been there before?  The answer is obviously, “no”.  In the same way worship leaders cannot lead a congregation into worship if we have not spent time with Him throughout our week.  If you are like me you can feel the effect of not spending time with God when I lead worship on Sunday morning, it feels distant and empty.  This is because leading worship is an overflow of our personal relationship with Him.  We are nothing and we can DO nothing of value or importance without Him in it.

2. Relational Growth-What do relationships have to do with worship?

 “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal…if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1,2b

Love is the reason we worship God and why we worship with other believers.  We cannot lead a group of people effectively if we do not love them.  Jesus was the ultimate example of this.  He showed the ultimate kind of love, he loved us so much he died for us.  What is love?  Its not a feeling, its not even an attitude or a state of mind, love is an action.  Love takes work and dedication.  Worship leaders are different from celebrities because for us love is a requirement, but for them “to be loved” is the focus.  Love is the unifying force of the church and without it we can do nothing.

3. Musicianship Growth- Me? Practice?

“Sing to him a new son; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” Psalm 33:3

If you read through 1 Chronicles 25 you will find it lists a group of skilled musicians set aside specifically for “the ministry at the house of God”.   Not only does God desire pure hearts of thankful worshipers, but he desires our best!  It was so important to him that he had professional live in musicians in his temple!  In addition to us having pure hearts God desires his worshipers to be skillful.

Not the “How” but the “Who”

On Monday June 19, 2011 I went to a worship conference in Minneapolis at North Central University put on by Jeff Deyo.  Jeff’s vision is to help train and equip all worshipers to understand and embrace God’s higher purpose for them as influencers in His Kingdom.  This conference couldn’t have come at a better time for me.  It was just the day before when worship didn’t go how I thought it should and I found myself crying out to God, “God what is it that You want from me, please just tell me?!"  It was at this conference where God reminded me of what He requires.  In John 4:23-24 Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman after she brought up the issue of where people were supposed to go to worship and He told her,

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

I have to wonder if the Samaritan woman realized that she was talking to Jesus Christ Savior of the world, that maybe she wouldn’t have bothered Him with the question of where she should worship.  I would instead think she would have dropped what she was doing and fallen on her knees to worship him right there by the well!  Often times like the Samaritan woman I find myself getting so caught up with the details such as, where I should go to worship, what songs I should pick, how many times I should sing a line, and what instruments would make the best sound etc.  I get so distracted with the “how” in worship that I forget the “Who” of worship.  The fact that we can be in God’s presence and commune with Him and other believers in worship is a marvelous thing!  However admittedly at times I have missed out on this sweet communion because my mind is distracted with the “how” and have not worshipped in spirit and in truth.

One of my favorite authors Richard Foster speaks to this thought by saying,

“Worship is our response to the overtures of love from the heart of the Father.  Its central reality is found ‘in spirit and truth’.  It is kindled within us only when the Spirit of God touches our human spirit.”

Here is another beautiful thought he shares with his readers,

“Forms and rituals do not produce worship, nor does the disuse of forms and rituals.  We can use all the right techniques and methods, we can have the best possible liturgy, but we have not worshipped the Lord until Spirit touches spirit.”

May God take hold of our hearts so we may worship Him only in spirit and truth!

Grace and peace,

Esther Roby

Have you found yourself in church or worship service where you have seen some people raise their hands while singing?  Have you ever thought to yourself, “That’s weird, why are they doing that?” or “Wow, they look silly.”  Or maybe you have thought, “Do they think they are super spiritual or something?”  On the other hand maybe you are someone who does raise their hands during worship.  If someone were to ask you "why" you may say something like, “It brings me to a deeper level with God” or “I feel closer to Him when I raise my hands.”  Whichever situation you may find yourself in it is important to know the benefit or reason as to why this act is apart of worship.

The Bible talks about lifting hands both in the Old and the New Testament in several different contexts.  According to scripture there are several reasons we raise our hands.  Lifting our hands is a way to:

Bless others and bless God.

• “When he had led them our to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.” Luke 24:50
• “Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them.” Lev 9:22
• “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD.  May the LORD…bless you.” Psalm 134:2,3

Stand in agreement with the body of Christ.

• “Ezra praised the LORD, the great God!; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “‘Amen! Amen!”  Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” Nehemiah 8:6

Ask God for help.

• “Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.” Psalm 28:2

Offer your life as a living sacrifice to God.

• “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:3

Confess to God your sin.

• “Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say: We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven…” Lamentations 3:41,42

In conclusion when we lift our hands in worship we are:

1. Blessing the church, blessing God and receiving blessing
2. Standing in agreement and in unity with the church
3. Admitting we cannot do things on our own and we need Gods help.
4. Giving our hearts and lives as an offering to God
5. Confessing our sin to God so we would be made clean and righteous.

Raising your hands in worship is a combination of the Holy Spirit speaking and leading you and a self-sacrifice of feeling somewhat uncomfortable at first out of a desire to go deeper in your worship to God.  Wherever you are at in your worship to God please don’t settle to stay there!!!  God deeply desires for us to know Him more intimately and with that comes deepening our expression of love to Him! 

If you haven’t been able to connect with God in worship lately try taking a risk and reaching out to him with your hands and pray that He will meet you.  God promises when you seek you will find!  May we strive to worship Him with all our heart, mind and strength!

Reaching for Him,

Esther Roby

Director of Music and Worship

Elim Baptist Church, Isanti MN

763-444-9221

Isaiah 1:10-13
“Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom listen to the law of our God you people of Gomorah! “The multitude of your sacrifices what are they to me?” says the LORD. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this tramplings of my courts? Stop bringing me meaningless offerings!…”

Context: Isaiah was a prophet God used to speak to his people the Israelites. At this point in history Israel had been divided into the North Kingdom of Israel and the South Kingdom of Judah. Isaiah warned God’s people of Judah to give up their sinful lifestyle. They had turned away from God in so many ways, giving into the pagan culture around them. Little did they know their nation would be taken over by the Babylonians.

Isaiah was addressing the fact that they had turned so far from God that they didn’t know what pleased God anymore. They would prepare burnt offerings out of ritualistic tradition and they would offer sacrifices out of obligation. In the above passage, Isaiah was telling them God thinks that their offerings were meaningless to Him. He even asks them, “who has asked this of you…?” “What do you think you are doing, coming in here on my temple grounds with offerings I haven’t even asked you to bring, who are you trying to please, me or yourself?” [paraphrased]

Many things have changed since the time of Isaiah, however, people’s hearts haven’t changed. I think about the struggles that Gods people went through at that time and what we go through today and it sounds very much the same. There is still a battle between Gods way and the self-serving culture around us. It is so easy to get caught up in the world and what we want and what everyone else wants, that when we try and think of what God wants we draw a blank.

Application:
When it comes to worship there is no fooling God, he can see right through us. Some times we think just because we showed up to church, or just because I served in this area, God is pleased. When really God asks us specifically,

Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart O God, you will not despise.”

The word “contrite” means to show sincere remorse or to desire atonement. God wants a pure and broken heart towards him! How can we think our money or our service is enough for him, as if he is dependant on our material things. He doesn’t need that, He wants our heart!

Let us strive to offer worship full of meaning, may our hearts be pure, may our hearts break over our sin. May we worship God with nothing less than our whole heart!