What worship is, not - 20 clarifications for music ministers and worshipers
A lot of Christians today have wrong notions about what Worship is and is not,
Music ministers haven't made things easy as well, as they constantly tag worship to mean "slow song" and see worship time as a time to be sober in spirit.
Please read through and get the true meaning of worship.
1. Worship is not a Genre of Music.
2. Worship has nothing to do with Music.
3. Music is simply ONE of the channels through which Worship can be expressed
5. A song that has 'worship' in the lyrics may not necessarily be a worship song and a song having 'praise' in the lyrics doesn't mean it's a praise song
6. Worship is acknowledging the ONE whose presence you can't do without and whose absence you can't afford
7. God is searching for WORSHIPERS NOT Worship Leaders.
8. Worshiper is NOT a title. It's who you are supposed to be. It's your identity not your title or a nomenclature to boost your name
4. Worship is not the slow version of praise and praise is not the fast version of worship
9. Being a Worshiper simply means you are Christian, in other words every christian is a worshiper and every worshiper is a christian or 'supposed to be one'.
10. Musicians have 'colonized' the word Worshiper as a title, that is one of the greatest anomalies of the 21st Century. Only music people seem to be called Worshipers. This singular case has made many people in the church not see themselves as worshipers and it has made them believe how much they 'worship' during service is dependent on how 'good' the singer is. This makes them stand still and look until a song they like is raised.
11. A Carpenter can be worshiper, a doctor , a teacher, a nurse, a market woman- all these people are meant to be and can be a worshiper if they give God proper focus and priority.
12. Singing slow songs doesn't make you a worshiper or a worship leader
13. That it's a worship concert doesn't mean it also has to be a 'SLOW SONGS CONCERT'. It can be a worship concert and we dance, jump, stomp and rave through out. Don't box God or how He is worshiped.
14. There are expressions of worship but don't mistake the expressions for authentic worship.
15. While worshiping with music, the worship becomes effective when those who sing actually value God and obey him in their secret place and secret lives.
16. Songs of Worship must be about God or about his works. It must reflect our love and affection for Him. In order words WORSHIP IS VERTICAL at the end of the day.
17. There are songs of celebration and jubilation in God. Some of them are not necessarily worship songs. They can stir the atmosphere for worship and prepare the hearts of people but if you want an authentic worship session, use more of the VERTICAL SONGS. The songs of celebration can just be in-between.
18. Worship is expressed in several forms. It's wrong to be a WORSHIP REFEREE. You are not the judge of who a worshiper is or what real worship looks like. God is the one we worship and He is the one that accepts of rejects worship. Do your own and leave others alone. You don't even know if what you are doing is real worship. Worship is by faith.
19. There is a difference between PERSONAL WORSHIP IN YOUR SECRET PLACE and CORPORATE WORSHIP. Your secret place can be uncensored to a large extent. Corporate worship though free has to be more structured and must have certain principles and methods involved because ITS NO LONGER ABOUT YOU. Other people are involved. And what you are doing is part of a service not the only thing being done. Carry them along. Connect with people.
20. While involved in leading songs for corporate moments of worship, even though you're ensuring you carry people along, don't become a slave to people's feelings and expressions. Don't let their looks be the reason why you change a song or stay on a song. Let God be the reason why you sing. Don't be driven by the shouts of people or their silence.
11. A Carpenter can be worshiper, a doctor , a teacher, a nurse, a market woman- all these people are meant to be and can be a worshiper if they give God proper focus and priority.
12. Singing slow songs doesn't make you a worshiper or a worship leader
13. That it's a worship concert doesn't mean it also has to be a 'SLOW SONGS CONCERT'. It can be a worship concert and we dance, jump, stomp and rave through out. Don't box God or how He is worshiped.
14. There are expressions of worship but don't mistake the expressions for authentic worship.
15. While worshiping with music, the worship becomes effective when those who sing actually value God and obey him in their secret place and secret lives.
16. Songs of Worship must be about God or about his works. It must reflect our love and affection for Him. In order words WORSHIP IS VERTICAL at the end of the day.
17. There are songs of celebration and jubilation in God. Some of them are not necessarily worship songs. They can stir the atmosphere for worship and prepare the hearts of people but if you want an authentic worship session, use more of the VERTICAL SONGS. The songs of celebration can just be in-between.
18. Worship is expressed in several forms. It's wrong to be a WORSHIP REFEREE. You are not the judge of who a worshiper is or what real worship looks like. God is the one we worship and He is the one that accepts of rejects worship. Do your own and leave others alone. You don't even know if what you are doing is real worship. Worship is by faith.
19. There is a difference between PERSONAL WORSHIP IN YOUR SECRET PLACE and CORPORATE WORSHIP. Your secret place can be uncensored to a large extent. Corporate worship though free has to be more structured and must have certain principles and methods involved because ITS NO LONGER ABOUT YOU. Other people are involved. And what you are doing is part of a service not the only thing being done. Carry them along. Connect with people.
20. While involved in leading songs for corporate moments of worship, even though you're ensuring you carry people along, don't become a slave to people's feelings and expressions. Don't let their looks be the reason why you change a song or stay on a song. Let God be the reason why you sing. Don't be driven by the shouts of people or their silence.
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