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Excellence in Worship

27-05-10 10:56:40

Excellence in Worship

Hey, I figure this is a simple question... easy way to start this area.
How important is excellence in sung worship times?
Before I give my thoughts, I'd be really interested to know what you think...
Do we need to perform something to the best of our ability, is it integral to a good sung worship time that people play well?

rex: 10 Posts

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27-05-10 12:39:22

Re: Excellence in Worship

Good question.

jules: 5 Posts

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27-05-10 14:12:35

Re: Excellence in Worship

I think it's really important to do you best for God. When it comes to worship there should be no exception. If you play an instrument you should play it as well as you can, and practice to your own level of excellence.

jules: 5 Posts

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27-05-10 14:14:14

Re: Excellence in Worship

I would say that it's all about the heart behind what you are doing. Not the quality of sound but the quality of heart.

Penny: 2 Posts

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28-05-10 01:27:45

Re: Excellence in Worship

I have thought about this lots over the last few years and there's a thousand answers all good and true but I've tried to reduce my thoughts to something simple, here it goes:

THEOLOGY 1: Heaven's currency is heart/relationship (Jesus said "Be gone, I never knew you" to people that had done great things.)
THEOLOGY 2: Jesus was the best worshipper that ever lived, not because of musical prowess, but because his heart hungered after God in a way we don't.
EXPERIENCE 1: One of the most humbling and anointed worship times I've experienced was a friend from Sierra Leone who loves Jesus playing my parent's piano about 15 years ago. He only played 2 notes at a time but the Spirit of God rushed in because of his heart.
EXPERIENCE 2: Most of the other incredible encounters with God that I've had have been in a small humble setting where music is not a hurdle.

I have to stop, but these are my thoughts. It's probably worth mentioning that music is in heaven unlike coffee, cakes, health and safety, PCCs, rotas etc which we have in our churches today. But there, I feel, it will be more like a river flowing out of us uncontrollably through gratitude and love for our Father.

I'd love to see what it would be like if a thread like this turned into a worship-thread and people got saved and healed just by reading words of truth!

Nick: Court Jester; 9 Posts

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31-05-10 08:03:23

Re: Excellence in Worship

I can see these points but what about doing everything to the best of your ability, practice, practice, be excellent at what you do.
Colossians 3:23
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."
If you are not very good at something you shouldn't be put in front of the church to do it badly, someone better should be encouraged to do it. It's annoying to go to church and hear someone playing badly, they are representing the church to the public, if someone comes in they should see us at our best.

jules: 5 Posts

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01-06-10 15:53:53

Re: Excellence in Worship

I don't know that there is anything that will ever top the current condition of your heart. No matter how well you play.

I have seen individuals with little talent usher in the presence of the Lord like none other and those with great musical talent struggle. Now in light of saying that, I do believe that you take everything you have and put it out at the feet of Jesus.

The other side to that is the anointment on some people is just insane. Just by playing the presence of the Holy Spirit rushes in.

I don't know this seems like a tough thing to talk about. I feel that it's about the condition of the heart but I would be the first to admit that I'm not sure and there is a lot to be looked at and questioned. I just pray that when I'm in the "lead" that God takes control despite my feeble heart and ability to play and sing smile .

jkprice7: 1 Posts

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02-07-10 06:58:38

Re: Excellence in Worship

jules wrote:
I can see these points but what about doing everything to the best of your ability, practice, practice, be excellent at what you do.
Colossians 3:23
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men."
If you are not very good at something you shouldn't be put in front of the church to do it badly, someone better should be encouraged to do it. It's annoying to go to church and hear someone playing badly, they are representing the church to the public, if someone comes in they should see us at our best.

Good point and I think it's good to do our best in everything we do (pretty tall order). But "work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." is very interesting. It doesn't say be the best you can be at something, that's perfectionism, it says work at it with all your heart, which means throwing yourself into it completely. As for the "as working for the Lord" part, I see it like this:

Imagine you set out (with all your heart) to cycle somewhere, let's say Devon as it rhymes with heaven. Now you might impress people by cycling no-handed, you impress people even more if you were to start juggling at the same time, imagine if you could build a house of cards whilst juggling 5 knives with your feet, and simultaneously cook a perfectly boiled egg. Now, apart from being incredibly impressive, this doesn't set out to achieve the goal of getting to Devon, in fact, it hinders it.

I believe music is like this in many of churches, we focus so much on getting the skills right in music that we miss the purpose of worship. God said of David that he was a man after God's own heart. What an endorsement! He was skilled at his instruments but God noticed that he was after His heart.

I'd always prefer someone anointed by God, with a love for His presence, to lead me in worship over the best musician in the world. When I worship, I want to please God and not my ears.

What do you think?