This past weekend was Gospelfest in Chicago. I haven't been in at least 15 years and wasn't going to go this year, but a friend asked if I was going to go and I just grabbed my sister, who is also on our praise team, and went. Here are some of my thoughts on the experience.
Worship is beautiful - Now you may think, "yes, worship is beautiful. I know this." But when you're looking at hundreds of people worshiping God through song, you get a whole new perspective. I was sitting about midpoint in the audience. Hundreds in front and hundreds in back of me. Very different than being at my church of about 30 people who tend to look at me for entertainment. At Gospelfest, we were all in a park and all you could see were hands raised in the air. Black hands, a few white hands, young people, elderly people, hip-hop looking people, and everything in between. Love, love, love it!
Tracks are better than nothing - I always complain about hot difficult it is to lead P&W w/out a live musician, however Tamela Mann sang her set to a track. If she can do it, I suppose I can too. This subject is something I'm sure I'll revisit on many forthcoming posts.
There are some songs that everybody, I mean ERYBODY knows. You can't go wrong opening up a praise set with This is the Day (the old school version - not Fred Hammond's rendition.) I try to make our first song one that everyone enjoys and that helps set the tone. With that in mind, let me ask you guys - what praise/worship songs are oldies but goodies for you? Comment back and let's start a dialogue.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
A bunch of random thoughts
Random thought #1 - Yesterday in Sunday school, we talked about worship and our Pastor stated that the reason some of us can't worship God at church is because we don't lead a life of worship outside of church. I get that. But what about the rest of the people who supposedly do? What's their excuse?
Random thought #2 - I'm starting to think that gaps in the sanctuary contribute to our sometimes lackluster P&W. Most people's churches have far more seats than people. Naturally, people spread out all over the sanctuary and sit in their favorite seat. You've got people on the front row, in the back corners, on the side, and at the back door (in case they need to make a speedy getaway, I guess). People everywhere. I think it might do us better if everyone sat a little closer together and let all of the non-worshippers hang out in the back. Just a thought. Has this crossed anyone else's mind?
Random thought #3 - One thing I try to do as the leader is get people to close their eyes during worship. P&W is not a show. There's nothing to look at except for singers singing, which technically is what everyone is doing. We don't have dance moves (except for one song), praise dancers, or fancy outfits. Might as well close your eyes and tap into your own praise. I know everyone is not a singer so some people refuse to sing aloud (and please don't - I know God loves it, but the rest of us... not so much) however, we can all lift our hands, clap our hands, focus on the words, and let praise exude out of our hearts in our own way.
Yesterday, I forgot to lead our team in prayer before church. Bad P&W leader! Lord help me. Next Sunday will be better... Hey, thought sounds like a good motto.
Random thought #2 - I'm starting to think that gaps in the sanctuary contribute to our sometimes lackluster P&W. Most people's churches have far more seats than people. Naturally, people spread out all over the sanctuary and sit in their favorite seat. You've got people on the front row, in the back corners, on the side, and at the back door (in case they need to make a speedy getaway, I guess). People everywhere. I think it might do us better if everyone sat a little closer together and let all of the non-worshippers hang out in the back. Just a thought. Has this crossed anyone else's mind?
Random thought #3 - One thing I try to do as the leader is get people to close their eyes during worship. P&W is not a show. There's nothing to look at except for singers singing, which technically is what everyone is doing. We don't have dance moves (except for one song), praise dancers, or fancy outfits. Might as well close your eyes and tap into your own praise. I know everyone is not a singer so some people refuse to sing aloud (and please don't - I know God loves it, but the rest of us... not so much) however, we can all lift our hands, clap our hands, focus on the words, and let praise exude out of our hearts in our own way.
Yesterday, I forgot to lead our team in prayer before church. Bad P&W leader! Lord help me. Next Sunday will be better... Hey, thought sounds like a good motto.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Distractions
My weakness as a P&W leader is my lack of leadership skills. I know. That's an oxymoron. I don't ad lib well and it's hard to transition from song to song when you're only singing to accompaniment tracks. So this Sunday, inspired by Tasha Cobbs, I attempted to lead a bit more. Of course when you have a goal in mind, things start to pop up.
First, my DJ was late so I had to delegate that task to someone else. Right before church started, my DJ came. I knot you think - that's great. But it's just a distraction to me.
Then, I couldn't find my offering envelope that I made out. The envelope doubles as the list of songs with the page numbers that I use during P&W. I scrambled to find it to no avail, which left me a little flustered. Distraction #2.
Then about mid-way through P&W my eyes became cloudy. I'd like to say that God was revealing something deep and powerful to me. I think He was telling me to throw out those old, dry contact lenses before they disintegrate into my eyes. Distraction #3.
Finally there was one big distraction that really takes the cake. The deadpan congregation. Was it me or did my attempt to be more leader-y go unnoticed? Did they just tune me out as I said "sing from your heart" and "sing it out now?" Great. Tahsa Cobbs I am not. Maybe it was a little dead because attendance was low. Listen, warm weather is not an excuse to stay home or hang out in the streets instead of going to church.
It seems that when you have a goal in sight, the devil will try to stomp it dead before it takes root. He's only doing his job. My job as the P&W leader is to give it another try next Sunday. Stay tuned.
First, my DJ was late so I had to delegate that task to someone else. Right before church started, my DJ came. I knot you think - that's great. But it's just a distraction to me.
Then, I couldn't find my offering envelope that I made out. The envelope doubles as the list of songs with the page numbers that I use during P&W. I scrambled to find it to no avail, which left me a little flustered. Distraction #2.
Then about mid-way through P&W my eyes became cloudy. I'd like to say that God was revealing something deep and powerful to me. I think He was telling me to throw out those old, dry contact lenses before they disintegrate into my eyes. Distraction #3.
Finally there was one big distraction that really takes the cake. The deadpan congregation. Was it me or did my attempt to be more leader-y go unnoticed? Did they just tune me out as I said "sing from your heart" and "sing it out now?" Great. Tahsa Cobbs I am not. Maybe it was a little dead because attendance was low. Listen, warm weather is not an excuse to stay home or hang out in the streets instead of going to church.
It seems that when you have a goal in sight, the devil will try to stomp it dead before it takes root. He's only doing his job. My job as the P&W leader is to give it another try next Sunday. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Worship leaders unite
As I was sitting here listening to this Tasha Cobb cd entitled Grace (def check it out), I decided to go to her website and stumbled upon something worth sharing. She has a conference call the first Monday of each month for worship leaders to "refocus, regroup, and refresh". And it's just like me to discover this the day after it happened. lol I'll be sure to blog about it after the call next month.
Click here for the info.
Click here for the info.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Praise is the phrase (like bird is the word. lol)
Praise and Worship was the topic of the weekend for me.
All of my Chicago readers might be familiar with Angela Martin from the John Hannah and Angela Martin morning show on 1390 am. She has a women's prayer the first Saturday of each month that is absolutely to die for... Ok, don't die for it, but it's really an awesome meeting. She offered a few words that I appreciated as a P&W leader. (The quotes are not verbatim.)
"I love praise and worship, but that's not my ministry!"
Girl, I feel you! Maybe I shouldn't share that sentiment since I am the leader, but I know what she means. She went on to say she feels our pain when we are trying to get people into the spirit of praise and they are texting, looking at us with straight faces, etc. Who hasn't experienced that?
"When we get to heaven, there won't be any P&W leaders, so you better practice now!"
I heard that!
"I would hate for some of y'all to get to heaven, see Jesus face to face and not know what to do."
Based on how some of us act during P&W, this would be sad, but not unfathomable. That's why we need to learn how to offer thanks and praise on our own.
Even my uncle, who thinks he should sing at all times, but sounds like the horn on an old tug boat, had something to say about P&W.
"I have a problem with people who don't like praise and worship. Don't you know that's all we're gonna be doing in heaven?!"
Preach, preacher! (insert shouting music here)
So there you have it, "praise" was the phrase this weekend. I guess one word can't be a phrase, but it's catchy so take it and run.
All of my Chicago readers might be familiar with Angela Martin from the John Hannah and Angela Martin morning show on 1390 am. She has a women's prayer the first Saturday of each month that is absolutely to die for... Ok, don't die for it, but it's really an awesome meeting. She offered a few words that I appreciated as a P&W leader. (The quotes are not verbatim.)
"I love praise and worship, but that's not my ministry!"
Girl, I feel you! Maybe I shouldn't share that sentiment since I am the leader, but I know what she means. She went on to say she feels our pain when we are trying to get people into the spirit of praise and they are texting, looking at us with straight faces, etc. Who hasn't experienced that?
"When we get to heaven, there won't be any P&W leaders, so you better practice now!"
I heard that!
"I would hate for some of y'all to get to heaven, see Jesus face to face and not know what to do."
Based on how some of us act during P&W, this would be sad, but not unfathomable. That's why we need to learn how to offer thanks and praise on our own.
Even my uncle, who thinks he should sing at all times, but sounds like the horn on an old tug boat, had something to say about P&W.
"I have a problem with people who don't like praise and worship. Don't you know that's all we're gonna be doing in heaven?!"
Preach, preacher! (insert shouting music here)
So there you have it, "praise" was the phrase this weekend. I guess one word can't be a phrase, but it's catchy so take it and run.
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