i am an offering

Yet again, I’m going to postpone my post on discipline and exercise until tomorrow.  I was going to post it today and ignore what everyone else is posting about - but’s too important to not talk about.

You’ve more than likely heard, but for those who haven’t, Mike Guglielmucci, who wrote “Healer” which had quickly risen as a worship-song phenomenon throughout the worship leading world, and who had claimed that the song was born out of a battle with cancer was exposed yesterday morning. Various news sources revealed that he had been faking it all along.

What do we do with something like this?  The first thing my wife said when I mentioned the news to her is, “That is absolutely disgusting.”  And she’s right - but once we get past the insanity of what Mike chose to do and really wrestle with the consequences for the rest of the world as they watch this - how do we respond?

• How do we respond when the world says that Christians are no different than the rest of the world and are actually mere hypocrites?
• How do we respond to the fact that someone families put their trust in as a youth pastor devastated that trust?
• How do we respond to someone using one of the most serious diseases that cause so many people immense amounts of grief as a disguise?

We respond the way we would respond every day.  Realize we are all sinners and filthy in God’s sight without Jesus’ work on the cross.  Learn about, embrace and daily practice integrity in everything we do.  Surround ourselves with accountability on several levels - we can’t just trust our family to hold us accountable as we are completely capable of fooling even our own families.  And then respond this way:

• When the world says we’re no different - admit that they’re right. We are all messed-up sinners who need a Savior.  We all talk one way and act another many times.  Embrace humility and compassion above all else.
• Realize even more the importance of accountability within our personal lives, our family lives, our professional lives and our lives in ministry.  We must have people that hold us accountable.  And not just an occasional question here or there.  We need to be willing to be put to the grueling test - and often.
• We pray.  We realize that what he has done does not change who God is and what Christianity is all about.  And we realize that God is still the Ultimate Healer - for everything - physically and mentally.

My heart breaks for Mike - and even more so his family.  My heart breaks for the church.  But even more so - my heart yearns to apply integrity, accountability and raw honesty with unbridled passion to everything I do.  Will you do the same?

I also want to point you to a fantastic perspective and response to this situation at The Worship Community - written by Fred McKinnon.  Please read it and think deeply about what he says.

Fred McKinnon asks this great question and one that I think has been defined and redefined often through many, many years.  I wanted to spend some time looking in depth at this great question.  A lot of people have submitted their thoughts in the comments section of Fred’s original post, but I thought this deserved a whole blog post - so here we go.

What is a “Worship Song” Anyway?

In order to define what makes a great “worship song” we have to figure out what a “worship song” actually is.  Is it a song by a “worship artist?”  Is it a song that you sing during “worship?”  What kind of “worship?”  What is it?

The broad definition that I would give a worship song as this:  A song that, when sung, causes one to think about something to the extent of moving one’s heart to worship it.  The problem is that we, as worship leaders in Christian, evangelical churches need to narrow the definition.  After all if the broad definition applies, then “I Love Rock and Roll (or I love Rocky Road, in Weird Al’s case)” would be a worship song about rock and roll music (or ice cream, in Weird Al’s case).  You could easily turn many, many “secular” songs into worship songs.

We need to narrow the definition.  A Christian worship song could be defined as this:  A song that, when sung, causes one to think about God (The Father, Son and Holy Spirit) to the extent of moving one’s heart to worship Him.  Now, what makes one of those great?

Biblical Pictures of Worship

In looking at what makes a great worship song we need to look at the history of the “worship song.”  Worship songs (as defined above) have been happening for a long time.  Moses led the Israelites in one after escaping the grasp of the Egyptian forces.  David, Asaph and many others penned multiple worship songs in the Psalms.  What made these songs great?  Moses praised God by reminding the people that He was the one who delivered them from the Egyptians:

The Horse and its rider He has thrown into the sea…Pharoah’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea.” Exodus 15:2, 4

Moses also included in His song many things about who God is:

The Lord is my strength and my song (15:1)…a warrior (v3)…right hand is majestic in power (v6)…who is like You among the gods (v11)…in Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed (v13)…shall reign forever and ever (v18).

The psalmists do very similar things - constantly reminding through the lyrics of who God is and what He has done, but then taking it a step further and emotionally responding to those things.  If they tell of God’s mercy and love, they rejoice.  If they tell of God’s justice and wrath, they tremble.  But even after trembling at God’s wrath, they rejoice at His mercy yet again.

What Makes the Song Great?

Looking at what made the worship songs of the past great, I see two common themes:  A remembrance and reminder of what God has done and who He is, and a personal emotional response.  These songs that we see in Scripture are indeed great, as every time I read them I am moved to worship.

A great worship song communicates truth about who God is and what He is done and allows time for an emotional response to those things.  A great worship song speaks clearly about what it is that is intended to be worshiped and offers universal words used to worship.  It is narrow enough to speak of who we are worshiping, but broad enough to let every person of every walk of life worship through it.

One thing that is much harder to see in the examples of Scripture is what a great melody can do for a worship song.  I am guessing the songs that Moses and David and others wrote in Scripture had melodies that the people of the time could remember.  A well-written melody that fits the mood of the lyrics will enhance any song, but a well-written melody in a worship song helps people be able to put truth to music and remember the truth a little bit easier.

Another instance of why the Scriptural examples are so great is the fact that they were almost always born out of a personal experience that caused the writer to worship God and write about it.  Moses was led to sing out of the fact that His God had showed His power by saving him and his people.  David was often led to write out of painful experiences (hiding from his own son (Psalm 3), often fleeing from enemies, wrestling with his sin (Psalm 51).  A good worship song is born out of a personal worship experience as well as, in Moses’ case, a congregational (if you will) worship experience.

This is What Makes a Great Worship Song:

What makes a great worship song is its ability to cause one to think about God to the extent of moving one’s heart to worship Him, it’s born out of personal or congregational experience, it emotionally responds to who God is and it has an easily singable melody.

Over the last several weeks and months I’ve had the privlege of “meeting” several folks who lead worship throughout the country.  These people range from staffed positions like “director of worship” or “worship pastor” to volunteer worship leaders in local churches or church plants throughout the world.  One thing I’ve yet to see though, is what inspired all of you to begin to lead worship in the first place.  I (and probably others) would absoultely love to hear your story. Ultimately God is the one that puts the spark in us, but he uses people, places and experiences to do it.

So come out of the woodwork - don’t be shy, and share your story with us.  Was it encouragement from a family member or friend?  Were you surprised to end up leading worship somewhere but ended up loving it?  Even if you are “just a piano player” or “just the screen operator (you lead worship too!!),” please let us know!

For me it was rather interesting.  I was in my first year of Bible School at the Association Free Lutheran Bible School in Plymouth, MN. I was excited to possibly begin a career in youth ministry.  One weekend, while counseling at a camp, there was no one to “lead music.”  I had sort of done something like this before, but didn’t really know what it looked like.  I was just getting introduced to “leading worship” at the time.  Someone said, “Hey Ryan, you have your guitar here.  Maybe you could lead.”  So, I jumped in.  Let me tell you, it was amazing. To be able to be a part of helping those teenagers engage with God through music was unreal.  I never went back and have been pursuing leading worship ever since.  Granted, it’s not my job at the moment (hopefully someday it will be again) but it is my passion.

So what ignited your passion?

I have to make a confession today.  What I’d like to confess is that I want this blog only to be used for the glory of Jesus Christ and to lift Him up.  What I’d like to confess is that I don’t want to use this blog to spread my name.  But, what I’m confessing is actually the exact opposite.  My human nature is fighting, fighting with the fact that I know I need to give up my thoughts of spreading the word about what I write.  My human nature is fighting the fact that when I look at my stats and see them rising I know that it shouldn’t matter.  My human nature is fighting pride.

God’s Name or Our Name?

Especially as bloggers - we tend to do what we can to build our followers, promote our blogs, trade links, whatever - but why? Are we truly doing it so that God’s glory can be known and exalted through our blogs - or are we doing it so that our name can be known?  I don’t know about you, but I am fearful that there will be a constant struggle for me as I write and continue to make new acquaintances that I will want more and more to promote myself.

I pray that God is always rightly exalted through me and that I would continue to decrease while He continues to increase.

I guess I just wanted to confess this to the world today, ask for prayer - and encourage us all to keep things in perspective.  Is it wrong to want to promote ourselves?  If it’s under the guise of “oh - I’m doing this so that Jesus will be lifted up” but really, deep down we just want ourselves promoted - yes, I think it’s wrong.  If we truly have the desire to lift Jesus up more than anything, maybe not.

What About You?

So, those of you who are bloggers out there - what do you do to remain humble?  Are you justifying self-promotion because “it’s all about Jesus” but it’s really all about you?  For me, thankfully, God used a couple of different circumstances to say, “Hey, Ryan, slow down - this is about me, not you.”  And it was right when I needed it.  God’s Word says,

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5) as well as

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)

My prayer, for all of us, is that we would have humility and wisdom before everything else.

As I was recently re-listening to Come Weary Saints I couldn’t help but notice an interesting choice of instrumentation on the title track.  I’m not sure exactly because I purchased the mp3 set and don’t have the pdf handy to check instrumentation, but I’m pretty sure they are using a harp at the end of the song.  It very well could be a nylon stringed guitar - but I think it’s a harp.  I had never thought of using harp as a worship team instrument before, but now I think I could definitely find some ways to do it - which leads me to my question:

Apart from David Crowder’s crazy rigging of a Guitar Hero© controller, what is the most different or unusual instrument you’ve seen used by a worship team? I’d love to hear it all - even if you’re from another country and think that using a guitar is unusual!

Let’s hear it!