Tom’s Paradox of Worship

 The more we prepare for worship, the more spontaneous we may be in worship. Having spent significant time in the pulpit this century and a little in the previous millennium, I say unequivocally that preparation is not only essential, but it also approaches being the sine qua non of the experience.

The pastor is expected to prepare. The thinking is that he is the full-time paid guy or gal and needs to prepare so the rest of the body can just show up and be entertained. This has led to worshiptainment. This not only misses the mark, but it also works against corporate worship.

Our reasonable act of worship and service is how we live daily. We work out—live out—our lives as the most important thing that we do. That is service to God. That is genuine worship. But when we come together as a family of faith—the Covenant Community—it’s a special thing.

Imagine OU, OSU, or Texas heading to the college football playoffs. Imagine your team makes it to the championship game. Imagine getting premier seats with your good friends. Oh, by the way, they are on the fifty-yard line.

Now imagine the week before the big game you don’t watch the hype on television or social media. Imagine that you don’t talk about the game at all that week. Imagine driving to the stadium; everyone’s attitude is just, yeah, whatever. It’s just another game.

Whatever.

That’s hard to imagine. Now imagine driving to Sunday worship. You will be in the company of fellow believers. You are headed to worship in the assembly of believers. Whatever, it’s just another Sunday.

Maybe this isn’t quite as hard to imagine. Maybe it happens regularly. Maybe the world has co-opted not only your time but your heart and mind, too. Work, school, bills, and what lies ahead this week push out the things we should set our eyes, heart, and mind on—Jesus and how we will respond to the boundless love of God we know through him. Maybe it’s all we can do to get there.

Maybe?

What if preparing to worship the Lord in the assembly of believers is a decision? You decided to go; now decide to prepare. How?

Read the selected scriptures in advance. I always sent out a draft of our order of worship on Monday. I sent it to all elders, worship leaders, teachers, the people running the sound booth, and others. Some congregations are blessed to have those involved in leading worship meet in person early in the week. Some hold choir practice.

Many struggle to carve out time from an already saturated schedule to do these things. Somehow, we can fit in two or three more ball games per week than in previous years, but those are things you must do, right? Giving up another hour or half hour to prepare for worship with other believers is just a bridge too far.

Welcome to the third decade of this twenty-first century. The struggle is real, and believers are surrendering in massive numbers to the world's demands.

We justify to ourselves that the paid professional should handle the preparation. That’s what we pay him to do. That’s her job.

We rationalize not preparing by thinking that showing up is enough. Showing up is good but not sufficient. Sufficient for what?

Abundant Life!

 When we view corporate worship as a duty or a gotta do sort of thing, we miss the fulness of what worshiping the Lord does for us. Worship should be all about God, but the paradox is that the more we rid ourselves of our desires and make it all about God, the more blessing we realize in our selflessness.  

With such a return for getting out of our own way and worshiping the only One worth worshiping, why wait until we're parked in a padded seat in a sanctuary to do that?

This is especially important for those who lead worship. Pastors, liturgists, choir leaders, and the leading choir itself, and even elders not directly involved in a designated role, must prepare.  The intent of leadership in worship is to help all believers unite in praise and reverence for God and to responsively live out their salvation in this special time of worship.

But I want worship to be spontaneous. I don’t want my worship to become ritualistic. Then prepare for worship.

What? I just said that I want worship to be spontaneous. I don’t want my worship scripted.

Welcome to Tom’s Paradox of Worship. It’s simple.

Preparation enables spontaneity.

The more we prepare for worship, the more spontaneous we can be while staying genuine. This is critical for leaders.

One thing I did as pastor was include the proclamation of the good news in our worship service. I would lead it, or sometimes ask someone else to lead it, but we proclaimed it in unison. I always asked the congregation to stand. I think proclamations should be delivered standing.

The congregation continued this practice after I left. That is, they left it in the bulletin. A few times the congregation did it sitting. One time the liturgist, an elder, mumbled through the few words the congregation knew by heart. The congregation responded accordingly with a pedestrian effort.

Leadership in worship matters. It is not an administrative thing. It’s not a check-the-box thing. It’s not just get through this thing. It’s leadership.

Those entrusted with leadership must lead, and leading worship requires preparation. We can be solemn if we need to go that way. We may shout for joy when the flock needs to go that way. We may deliberately direct silence, so all may listen solely to God’s voice. No single model of worship exists, but all models share a common denominator. It is preparation. We all should prepare for worship. Leaders must prepare.

I’m adding Part Two to Tom’s Paradox of Worship.

Preparation enables genuineness.

Preparation gives us a better chance of truly encountering the living God. Leaders' preparation is essential to this, since many who come to worship don’t know their way around an offering, a hymnal, or a memory verse.

Imagine being a new believer at a worship service and being unsure what the congregation is doing now or next, or what your part is. No one should have to struggle because they don’t know. Leaders must prepare to lead. This next point is less a paradox and more a natural follow-on.

Preparation enables growth.

The one who prepares to lead worship grows in the process, and the one who needs leadership is led to grow in God’s grace. Leaders must prepare to be effective. Leaders don’t do lukewarm.

Preparation for worship enables spontaneity, genuineness, and growth in grace. It’s worth the effort.

Here are some thoughts on corporate worship leadership from our denominational directory of worship.

 

F. LEADERSHIP OF CORPORATE WORSHIP

 

General Guidelines

 

Thoughtful, responsible and imaginative leadership is critical for corporate worship; weak, careless and sloppy leadership diminishes significantly the worship of the people of God. The purpose of the leadership is to enable the worshipers to unite in their praise and homage to God, to act out the liturgical drama, and to respond obediently to God's claim on their lives. The leader directs the people with respect to actions or words.

 

There is no one way worship is to be conducted; the leadership will depend greatly upon the situation and the person or persons responsible for the leadership. The general rule for leadership is to do and say whatever is necessary to enable the worshipers to be certain what action is to take place or what is to be said, but do no more than is necessary. Some additional guidelines for leaders of worship are:

 

a. Present yourself as a worshiper along with the others;

b. Avoid any action or comment which primarily calls attention to yourself as a leader or distracts people from their worship;

c. Be direct and forceful in your leadership;

d. Plan carefully all comments and leadership actions;

e. Be brief and clear with all directions;

f. Learn how to lead non-verbally, and

g. Make use of the historically liturgical language in directing or leading the worshipers.

 

While the ordained minister is frequently the person most active in leading corporate worship, leadership of the worshipers is in no way restricted to the clergy. Various members of the congregation may function as leaders of worship and are encouraged to do so. The choir and instrumental musicians provide leadership for the parts of the worship involving music, and other laypersons also provide various types of leadership. It is paramount, however, that anyone who functions as a leader of worship be carefully prepared.

 

 

Symbols and Vestments

 

Through the centuries the Christian community has made use of symbols and vestments to aid in their worship. Christians can choose from this vast storehouse of symbols or create their own for use in the place designated for worship. What is crucial in use of symbols is that those who are asked to use them understand clearly their meaning and their function.

 

Vestments worn by leaders of worship may also enrich and enhance corporate worship. Robes worn by choir members and other musicians, clergy robes, albs, chasubles, stoles can all serve a useful purpose if they are properly introduced and understood. Vestments can fittingly symbolize the function of the leader of worship and can direct attention away from the individual to the responsibility the person is carrying out on behalf of the worshiper