Mr. Perfect

Chosing the congregational worship songs for the coming week can be an interesting task for music pastors. Particularly after you've read the latest "how to" article by worship experts or experienced the power of silent refusal from a segment of the congregation. I'm not one to spend all day in prayer and fasting accomplishing this task. That's not to say I don't pray, because I do, or fast, yes I do. As a music pastor, knowing what facilitates true worship in your church should go with the territory. Our local church congregation is multicultural, multiethnic, multigenerational, multieconomic, multi-everything and we like it that way. Our musical style is contemporary, but not a concert format. We use songs that include the words "me" and "I" to increase the discipleship dimension of worship. Our worship songs convey our personal commitment to live and example bibical truth. We haven't placed any restrictions on our music such as...no pre 1980 songs allowed. Neither do we sing the songs of only one song writer or group of song writers. We sing at least one hymn in every service. Our church hasn't placed it's hope in technology (which we have a fair amount of). Our facility is adequate... hey, who couldn't use better facilities? Our choir is on the platform when we lead worship. We don't process in with banners, we file in from the sides. We've thought about the latest fads and cultural forecasts. We know we're living in a post-modern era and experts tell us things should be done a certain way to reach the unchurched. But the bottom line is this. In your church services, are you as a music pastor working with God, creating an atmoshere where God's people can truly worship, or not? Do you think it is happening? What does the Senior Pastor think? What do visitors think? How about visiting ministries? Is God inhabiting the praise of His people with a purpose? If not, God will help you make the right change. If it's not happening with the people in your church, it will not happen for the unsaved stepping through your front door. I've often said tongue in cheek, balanced music ministry means nobody is fully happy. We don't do everything perfectly. But, if you're called to music ministry, God will help you... and the congregation. Don't forget, using us was His plan not ours.
-Tim Covert