Worship Song and Us

I often hear, "I've got to play this song!!"
With enthusiasm and passion, I can feel the excitement that people have.

But let's step back a moment and think "Why we need to play the song?".

A few reasons I can think of.


1."This song got really nice music and it definitely excite everyone."

I've felt this so many times in past.
I'd find a song that has good rhythm and the flow is pretty.
The song enables me to put my feeling into singing, I thought.

Well, this is not bad motive.
I think well inspired songs excite people and have something in it.

2."This song spoke to my heat."

This is actually very good reason.
We need to be ministered by the Lord so that we can minister to others.
We can only give what we receive.

I think it is necessary that worship leaders have personal worship time.
It deepens our understanding to the songs and blesses our hearts.
And we hope that we can share this exciting experience with others.

This is very honset and pure motive.

3."We need a new song that refreshes our worshiping congregation"

Again, this is very good one.
Pslam 33:3 says "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with shout of joy."

Often, when the church sings same song every week, the dynamics dies and our corporate worship experience becomes dull and monotone.

New songs energize gathered church and give fresh breath into our singing.


Again, these are not bad at all; rather good reasons.
But, I think there is an important element missing in these ideas.

That is idea of "what ministers people?".

Of course, the worship is very spiritual and we ought to be led by the Spirit.

But, we also need to think logically what ministers to people.
Accessing where church is collectively, and what they need to hear and learn helps us plan for worship a lot.

Maybe they need to hear more proclamation of the Gospel. (Which always we need.)
Maybe, the week, we are learning about filling of the Spirit and it's be really nice to play some songs that is about seeking the filling of the Spirit.
Or, they need to learn about physical expression in worship.

Assessment is not easy and requires much wisdom.

But I believe it helps church a lot when worship leader take a step back and objectively observe the state of the church.

And plan prayerfully and thoughtfully.
Sometime, we need to wait when we really want to play new song.
Maybe because we played new song last week.
Or, for like me with Japanese and English speakers mixed congregation, I need to hold and wait for translation of songs so that everyone would be ministered.

I remember one worship leader mentioned this principle.
The Principle is this;

"Worship songs should serve us."

Songs are given to us so that we might glorify God.
We cannot let song take initiative.
We carefully select songs that serves us.

So just a mere personal thought you can think through.