Worship: Doing Your Best, Practicing and Performance
I’ve heard, many times, an argument over playing or singing to the best of one’s abilities during the topic of worship vs. performance. Often times this is in direct references to orchestrated music, set song lists, guitar riffs, guitar solos, tight harmonies, bass grooves, drum patterns, or having the instruments at all.
Practice
My personal thought is that playing one’s best is not about showing off abilities as much as it is about offering what you have to God. The buffer to this statement to myself is: if what I can do gets in the way of worship, or takes away from the focus on Christ, then don’t do it. I try to keep this in consideration of the contrast that some people who are not personally prepared to worship can get distracted by anything.
Psalm 33:3 – Play skillfully and shout to the Lord
1 Coronicles 25:7 – Along with their relatives, all of the musicians were trained and skilled in music for the Lord.
An ongoing process of being trained and skilled. Practicing constantly. Being more excellent in your musicianship.
I think that it is important for all worship leaders (which includes everyone in the band or on the team) to spend plenty of time practicing songs and scripture that will be used in their worship time. And I think beyond the group practice time, each member should personally take time to learn and memorize above and beyond what is required.
I think that there should be a goal of learning the music side of the songs SO WELL that you can actually worship during the worship time. Opposed to worrying that you have forgotten what comes next in the worship set or the words to the second verse. We should know these songs by heart… and then sing them from our heart.
Performance
There is a fine line for worship leaders when it comes to worship vs. performance. But as a main rule, it come down to the posture of the heart. This is a struggle that should be battled every time you stand in front of someone. And it’s a good struggle to challenge yourself with.
BUT. I do not think that the word “performance” is being treated fairly. I do not think that performance is all bad. And it wouldn’t be accurate to say that when leading worship that there is no performance involved. As you stand there and attempt to encourage and lead others to worship, an element of performance may be necessary. But again it comes down to the condition of the heart.
Although, while practicing and becoming excellent in your instrument, there may be the temptation to show this off during worship. I personally do not think that this is what God intends or wants.
My thoughts here lean towards what Jesus says about prayer in Matthew.
Matthew 6:5 – And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Treat your guitar solos (and whatever binds you) like prayer.
Pray. Pray everywhere. But pray for the right reasons.
Remember, that as a worship leader, your audience is God. An audience of one. You are a worship leader and worship encourager.
I feel that using anything that can help encourage worship and done for this purpose and in this manner is ok. Even guitar solos.
I write this being, myself, an electric guitar player. I constantly try to keep myself in check.
I don’t think any of this means that we cannot have guitar solos and tight harmonies and nice bass grooves in the music. And I especially do not believe that our worship to the Lord is supposed to be dull and boring and without shown expression.
Worship the Lord with gladness!
Reflect this while in front of others during worship. Show how happy you are to sing praises to an Almighty God.
