In the last
post I promised you some practical applications for the Four Step Approach to
Worship Set Planning. Here are some pointers to help you apply the Four Step
Approach:
A. Begin where the people are at by singing
songs of testimony.
·
Start
with a song or songs of personal testimony or experience. These are more subjective in content. In the
midst of the challenges of life it allows them to acknowledge God’s goodness to
them personally.
·
Encourage
them to consider what the Lord has done for them – personally and specifically. He is the God who comforts us, clothes us,
gives us the songs of the birds and the flowers of the fields, etc. Meet your people where they’re at.
·
“For He knows we are but dust” (Psalm 103:14). Although songs of testimony would be a
shallow steady diet, they still have their place. God likes us to thank Him for the way He has
personally blessed us in real and tangible ways. This may be the only place some people can start. When Jesus walked on this earth He touched
people where they lived. He humbled His
language and His perfect communication skills just because He wanted to touch
our lives where He found us. Should we
be any different than Jesus?
·
Examples – And That My Soul Knows Very Well (Russell Fragar & Darlene
Zschech), My Redeemer Lives (Reuben Morgan), Friend of God, Amazing Grace (My
Chains Are Gone), My Jesus I Love Thee, Thy Word, This Is The Day, Heaven Is In
My Heart
B.
Gently move the congregation into songs of thanksgiving
for His past favours. This is a concentration on what God has done.
·
Move
them from a consciousness of what has been done in and for them (testimony
songs) to who did it in and through
them (thanksgiving).
·
Joyful, not
mournful
·
Songs of
Testimony and Thanksgiving are often the same or very similar.
·
Examples
– How Can I Keep from Singing, Trading My Sorrows, Your Love Never Fails, My
Glorious, O Give Thanks, Give Thanks, Thank you Lord For Saving My Soul.
C. Move people from songs of thanksgiving for
past favours to songs of praise for
who He is today, His present mercy, His character, Higher and more intimate
concepts of God. (Examples – God of
Wonders, Forever, How Can I Keep from Singing, Praise Adonai, Sing Out, Good To
Me, Hosanna Hosanna, We Bring The Sacrifice Of Praise)
- The closer we move to the goal of mature worship, the more the songs will be concerned with God Himself, and less of ourselves. “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” (John 3:30)
D. If you are successful in moving people to a
mature, deep worship, then any emotional responses are not mere soulishness and
emotionalism. They’ll have depth and
devotion for grounding. (However, mere
emotions are not always necessarily
an indicator of God’s moving in lives in a deep, life changing way) Another description is to “bask in the
presence of God.” There is a deep sense
of our need for God. We’re in awe of who
He is. Often, the songs at this point
use more simple words to allow for Christian
meditation. (Examples – Filled With Your
Glory, God of Wonders, Great is Your Faithfulness (Baloche / Kerr), We Exalt
Thee, Blessed Be The Lord God Almighty, Create In Me, Lord You Are More
Precious Than Silver) Be delicate in
breaking the sensitivity of this moment.
It’s a special time of healing and restoration.
· “Singing
should not be considered an end in itself.
But people have to be led from the natural to the spiritual and from the
expressions of self-needs to an expression of spirit-worship. This is the task of the song leader. If he succeeds, he will be a leader of
worshipers more than a leader of songs.” - Judson Cornwall.
In the next post, I’ll cover the “funnel
approach” to worship set planning. Stay tuned . . .
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