It\u2019s ok, we didn\u2019t forget you. Yes, a key part of the worship is the congregation \u2013 the group of worshippers. The worship leader is there up the front taking the congregation to a place of worship, but it\u2019s not much use if the people in the congregation are unwilling participants.<\/p>\n
This is about attitude, and even if the music isn\u2019t up to much and the worship leader isn\u2019t particularly talented that\u2019s no reason to mentally absent yourself until it gets to the notices.<\/p>\n
Make sure you are not playing your part in a \u2018dead\u2019 congregation. You may well have your own views on worship and what it really constitutes but if you have taken the trouble to attend a church service week-in, week-out play your part.<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t have to make a show of yourself to enter into worship you just have to have a willing heart. Here\u2019s a couple of tips that might make your worship much more fulfilling.<\/p>\n
1 Don\u2019t\u2026 worship the worship leader<\/strong> No matter how talented or good-looking they are don\u2019t forget that these people are human. They lose their tempers, they tell lies, they make a terrible mess of things and they are prone to mood swings. They have all the frailties and lots of responsibility and although we have to treat them with love (and respect), we shouldn\u2019t put them up on a pedestal. If you do, you\u2019ll only be disappointed. The worship leader\u2019s job is to help you worship the one and only true living God. That\u2019s all.<\/p>\n 2 Don\u2019t\u2026 demand entertainment 3 Don\u2019t\u2026\u00a0 mumble<\/strong> We think you\u2019ve got the message.<\/p>\n 4 Don\u2019t\u2026 keep coming in late 5 Do\u2026 pray beforehand<\/strong> 6 Don\u2019t\u2026. moan Moaning doesn\u2019t build you up, it just makes you feel worse. Of course, you don\u2019t need to like everything the worship leader does, or the songs he or she chooses. You may not like the sound or the fact that the drums are too loud or the guitarist is a narcissist. You may be perfectly justified in your reasons for thinking things are not quite right with all this, but moaning doesn\u2019t help. If you think things need to be changed, don\u2019t behave like the Grinch. Speak to the leader about your concerns and make sure your criticisms are constructive.<\/p>\n 7 Do\u2026 have an open mind 8 Don\u2019t\u2026 just worship in church 9 Don\u2019t \u2026 boycott 10 Do\u2026 worship Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0acoustic guitarists<\/a><\/p>\n Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0lead guitarists<\/a><\/p>\n Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0keyboard players<\/a><\/p>\n Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0sound men\/women<\/a><\/p>\n Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0backing vocalists<\/a><\/p>\n Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0drummers<\/a><\/p>\n Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0worship leaders<\/a><\/p>\n Top 10 Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts \u2013\u00a0a guide for \u201cinsensitive\u201d musicians<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWe live in a celebrity culture and that mentality has bled into churches. There are now countless \u2018celebrity\u2019 worship leaders that record albums, earn tidy livings and enjoy a level of fame that not even Charles Wesley would have predicted.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Robbie Williams would have a field day if he ever became a Christian because there are plenty out there who want to be \u2018entertained\u2019 and there is no doubt that he would deliver. If you want to be entertained go to a Robbie Williams or a Take That gig but don\u2019t bother going along to church. Creativity and strong musicianship is to be encouraged in churches \u2013 we don\u2019t want the devil to have all the good music \u2013 but it\u2019s not the be-all and end-all. Go to church to have an encounter with Jesus. Go along to church to hear the word of God. Go along to church to worship with your brothers and sisters, but if you want entertainment then you are in the wrong place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nSinging is what we do in a church service, mumbling however, is not. A mumble doesn\u2019t really arrest the heavenly hosts, it just sort of arises them from their slumber. We don\u2019t think God likes mumbling much \u2013 it\u2019s not scriptural. Ok, so Samuel heard God\u2019s whisper but he definitely didn\u2019t hear a mumble. If you want to stay quiet in church, that\u2019s fine. If you want to sing at the top of your voice, that\u2019s fine too. If you just want to sing normally, then God\u2019s pretty into that as well, but mumbling?<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>If you have watched the film River Runs Through It you\u2019ll get the point. In it there\u2019s a mantra that the key characters, the family McLean adhered to with religious ferocity. You must never be late for work, fishing and church. Now, you may not be a fisherman, but we think this is a pretty good rule. If you keep being late for work, you\u2019ll probably get the sack and although God forgives, try not to be late for church as well. If you turn up on time, you\u2019ll be all set for worship. Coming in late is like entering a party mid-flow \u2013 and that never works.<\/p>\n
\nWe always think there are three sermons that can be wrapped up pretty quickly. Read your bible. Embrace holiness. Pray. That\u2019s pretty much it.
\nIf you take the trouble to pray before you go to church you are giving yourself a head start. What does scripture say? It says: \u2018Ask, seek, knock and the door will be opened to you.\u2019 That\u2019s pretty clear isn\u2019t it? If you pray before a church service God won\u2019t close the door on you? Most worship groups and worship leaders pray before the service. They are asking God to bless them. As a member of the congregation you should not be any different.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Moaning is good fun isn\u2019t it? You can get all that bitterness off your chest, blame everyone else, be wholly self-righteous, pompous and feel secure that you are right and everyone else is wrong.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>Thankfully, there are churches that still use organs and sing hymns. These are traditional places that attract people who want to worship God in this way. There\u2019s nowt wrong with that. Still, times have moved on and contemporary worship is now part-and-parcel of church culture. We have learned to move with the times and the hymns that we have so much affection for have been \u2018sexed-up\u2019, so to speak. Sometimes, something so new takes us by surprise and our prejudices about what we think is right and wrong can colour what God is doing in our midst. It\u2019s scriptural when we talk of God doing \u2018a new thing\u2019. God loves creativity and he loves people who are prepared to step out in his name. New sounds, new ways of playing songs and the emergence of new worship leaders dedicated to what they are called to do should be embraced. That doesn\u2019t mean you dispense with wisdom and sound judgement but it does mean that you should keep your mind open to receive the breath of God.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>God\u2019s a fairly mobile character. He\u2019ll be there while you are doing your shopping, eating your breakfast, watching television or spending time with your friends. So, if you can switch on a tape, or if you can play an instrument, play some worship music at home. Even if you are just starting out as a musician have a go at writing some songs and praising God in your front room. Worship does not need to be dependent on the location so don\u2019t feel it needs to take place solely in a church setting.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>If you don\u2019t like a particular worship leader the worst thing you can do is boycott his or her services. This person needs your support and your prayers. If something about them irritates you ask God to give you grace to overcome it, or if it is something quite fundamentally wrong, try to find a way of communicating that to someone to address the issue. What you have to understand is that people have their foibles. We are well aware of worship leaders who do the most irritating things \u2013 that breathy vocal does drive us up the wall, but then God does use that \u2018breathy\u2019 worship leader in the most fantastic ways. Try not to underscore your prejudices and if you can get over these niggling foibles you\u2019ll feel like a better person.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>That\u2019s pretty much it. Worship does you good. God loves it. He loves to hear your praises. The heavens rejoice when you lift your voice to God. Worship at all times, worship in your life, in your deeds and with the people you love. You can\u2019t go wrong.<\/p>\nCheck out our other 10 Ten Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts<\/h2>\n