We worship constantly. We worship when we don’t realize it. When we don’t feel like it. When it’s not intentional. It can really be quite subconscious...coming from a habit or even addiction. We give things value. We make them a ritual. Like coffee (guilty). Maybe it could be...shoes (guilty). Or our set list, our children, our gear, our appearance, our instrument, our title, our role, our romantic relationship (or lack there of). Maybe it’s food, the gym, the latest Netflix binge. Whatever it is for you, we are giving it a high value in our lives. We’re giving those things preference. Attaching significance by the sheer amount of time we devote to them and by the headspace they take up.
We also worship weekly. Maybe bi-weekly. Maybe more. It’s a different kind of worship. It’s corporate. It’s what we truly think of when someone says worship. It’s what many of us are hired for, volunteer for, or pour the majority of our working lives into. It typically involves our art form. We plan it. We prepare for it. We practice it. We communicate about it (or at least we should be!) We rest up for it. We put on our Sunday best. And we get to be a part of leading the body in corporate worship.
So when the weekend arrives, we will find that we are prepared in some ways. But how about spiritually? Are we setting aside time to worship in private? For finding out who God is through his word? Listening to him in silence? Our goal, in the words of Darlene Zschech, should be that “our worship is a well-worn path.” So that when we take on corporate times, we’re just leading people to a place we’ve been to many, many times before. We should have already worshipped our way through our set list for the weekend. Both individually and with our teams.
So this is a reminder, a wake-up-call. You’re not just worshipping when you’re on stage. Likewise you’re not just leading when you’re on stage. Your charge is to worship well. In all things. Lead your team, your family and your congregation in wearing that path to the throne of God. Be found diving into a bible study. Encourage those around you with scripture. Get on your face before God. Assign God the value he deserves. And ask him to fill you to overflowing. Then let the overflow spill out onto your team, your congregation and your family.
Let it be said of you that you worship on and off your stage. And know that regardless of the position you hold, now or in the future...no matter what your title is, how difficult your team is being, what’s going on in your personal life or your church culture...YOU ARE A WORSHIPPER. You’re a worshipper before you’re a worship leader. Or any other role you hold. And don’t you forget it.
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering.” Romans 12:1-2 MSG