To give a bit of context, I sing in the worship band at my church along with Dawn. I love being part of the worship band, for a few reasons:
- We have fun
- I love singing, (though I am not the best singer in the world, I still love singing! What a revelation!)
- I am convinced that all the members of the worship band understand that what we do is way more than just play an instrument, (or sing), and even rehearsals become worshipful experiences almost every week.
So what’s the issue? Well I have a bit of a ‘thing’ about standing on the platform to sing when I am worshipping – in full view of everyone. I know its not wrong – but it often feels really funny to me. Even though I am often truly worshipping, it can feel like it comes across as a performance. From many discussions we have had, I know that other members of the worship band are concerned that we never try to put on a performance – but rather that we aid worship. Therefore, we try not to worry too much if things go a little wrong, if we miss a key change every now and then and so on. It is nice that this is the aim – but I wonder how often it comes across as a performance rather than worship.
I thought about this a lot this weekend while I was away with the songsters, (the senior choir at my church). We went to the Salvation Army in Swindon to lead their worship for a Saturday night, and the two Sunday services. I happen to think that Romford songsters are always very careful to make what we present worship rather than a performance – thanks to the great leadership of Sharon.
All of this sounds really good – but I struggle mainly with the concept of how ‘good’ we are at what we do. I know it sounds arrogant and is probably a biased opinion, but I happen to think that we have really been blessed at Romford with many people with great skills to aid worship. I think the songsters are really good, so is the brass band, and the singing company and the young people’s band. The worship band are getting better, (I think), Doxology are brilliant. But not only just to do with music – we have people who are brilliant at drama and dance and speaking, and putting meetings together which are interesting and inspirational.
Of course the church isn’t perfect and there are many things which could be better, but this is really my point. Most of the people involved in the above ‘stuff’ go to rehearsals to enable us to get even better, or if not driven by rehearsals, people try very very hard to make sure that whatever is done on Sundays is of a high standard and is enjoyable and interesting. I just worry about how easy it can be to fall into the trap of making every Sunday a ‘show’ rather than worship. (Don’t get me wrong – I don’t think that actually happens – but you will see why this is a concern for me in a moment!)
I once went to a friends church to watch a talent show. To be honest, it was pretty poor standard, (I know how awful this sounds), but I would have been embarrassed taking a non-Christian friend to that – I don’t think it would encourage them to come back! I feel so guilty writing that because I know that we believe that in God’s eyes it was wonderful, (providing it was all coming from the heart!) and so it shouldn’t really matter that it wasn’t great in the ‘world’s standards’. But I am also so conscious of trying to make things culturally relevant, and being able to capture people’s attention, in order to get them interested in the message.
Where is the balance? How can we ensure that we don’t get so caught up in ‘putting on a good perfomance’ that it fails to be worship, and yet ensure that we are good enough to attract people’s attention, and to keep people interested and wanting to attend?
21 comments:
I think it's a really personal thing Kirsty and there is no way of checking someone's motivation in sung or played worship really.
I think people who visit our church or who are attracted by our music, whether we are worshipping while we are 'performing' or not, initially will enjoy it for what it is and maybe miusunderstand.I guess once they begin to show more of an interest is when we give them an opportunity to beecome more' educated' in terms of discipleship and why we do what we do.
...and music communicates with the emotions anyway, whether is worship style or heavy rock, so who is to say that someone can't connect with God through a great performance, even though WE know it's more than that?
Romford Band's motto is 'The Best for the Highest'!
Yeah - that adds another element to it. We should want to do our best for God - if we are worshipping Him - why is it wrong to want that worship to sound good, or be interesting etc etc. I guess its not.
I think I maybe need to clarify that I don't think anything we do is wrong really, its more just some thoughts that have been brewing.
I guess I have occasionally felt guilty using my time to 'practice worshipping!' I wonder whether practicing to make our worship better is actually a really good use of time, or whether God would prefer us to dbe doing something else. I am not sure what I think about this personally - I really don't know.
I assume at some point you've spoken to Glyn about this and why in his opinion the Christian arts should be the best quality that there is, given that God is perfection? And his irritation when they're not?
An interesting, but not short, discussion...
Actually, no! I have similar frustrations when it comes to drama - I hate cringeworthy drama, but I chastise myself often for hating it because if its worship, does it matter?
The Best for the Highest, but would God prefer the worship of people who are good at drama, (or dance or music etc etc) to the worship of those who aren't? Surely not?
It's tough because on the one hand (and this was something I really struggled with as a bandsman) there's the pursuit of excellence, which per se I don't think is wrong... but that has to apply across the board, to our relationships, our jobs, etc. Nothing should be done half-heartedly but often is.
And on the other hand there's doing all this as worship, which surely we must do, but trying not to make it a performance (sorry if this doesn't follow logically, had to come back to the comment so might have lost the flow a bit).
But what about if you're giving your best but your best ain't very good? Is it still worship? Is it just a clanging cymbal? Is playing/singing/acting really well when your heart's not in it any better? Grr... loads more questions than answers!
It boils down to doing your best at all times, fundamentally. Where it goes from there? Dunno...
no.. but I think he would begrudge having mediocre (spelling?) drama from someone who was great at drama. If you can practice and use the talent God gave to a brilliant standard then you should because not doing it well is a bit of a kick in the teeth isnt it? Worship is a performance- for God. For an audience of one. So why would you want to do it averagely?
Good point - I guess my concern is that its just so easy to get so worried about doing it well that we forget we are doing it for God.
I really want to pick up on Andy's point :
But what about if you're giving your best but your best ain't very good? Is it still worship? Is it just a clanging cymbal? Is playing/singing/acting really well when your heart's not in it any better? Grr... loads more questions than answers!
I have this issue with kids and worship relating specifically to our Performing Arts Day where my ethos was just to get kids knowing what it felt like to worship God freely - they get so structured in church, band and singing company. I know not all sections are boxed in, but most are, because the outcome has to be something good to 'perform' in a meeting. ( I will be happy to stand corrected here)They see people they love role modelling constrained worship and they copy it. My vision was to get them to go for it not mattering what the noise was. I had a chat with Matt about it and he felt the same as Glyn - there's a joyful noise and then there's a right racket.
That's why I changed the name of the event to Exploring Worship.For kids it should be more about the process than the product although it's hard to change their paradigm even the really little ones!
Oh Liz, I think that sums it up so incredibly well! That is totally what I am talking about. It is such a shame when people feel they can't be involved because they are not good enough - that they aren't allowed to express their worship in a particular way because other people will tell them they are rubbish at it. Worship is for God not other people so why should it matter if they think we are rubbish, and what gives them the right to say that anyway.
And yet - I still don't think it is wrong to try to do our best for God, and I still feel the cringe factor when i see something being done at a standard less than I am used to (especially in front of people I am trying to encourage to come to church). I guess that is my issue that i have to deal with then right?!
I guess there is a difference between corporate and personal worship. Anything you do personally to worship God is great and surely welcomed by God regardless of how "good" it is. He is interested in our hearts. However, when you play on a Sunday you are helping others to worship God. The better your playing/singing, the easier people will find it to worship. Now that in itself is a problem, for example when I hear the organ played awlfully I have to try hard to focus on God. But herein lies the problem - people find it hard if the music is poor. People also find it hard if they can't relate to the music.
In terms of you being watched, do all you can to put that aside. Focus on your own worship and lead by example. People who go to church as a routine without really experiencing God may well be encouraged in their worship by seeing the delight you have in your own worship.
P.S. Hope you're not blogging in work time 'cause that would be theft!!
Yes, I kind of think it is, but then you could use your amazing gifts in getting alongside and doing some gentle teaching and mentoring. God prompts us in all kinds of ways you know. Plenty of people tell you when they think the worship band are pants don't they? At least you have something to give to help A N Other.
(I know you'll have huge issues with this too, and it'll probably be another blog...who am I to suggest....etc....)
Nigel - another very good point. Roots for instance, (remember when I went for that weekend up to Southport and Geraldine Latty was 'leading the worship') was superb, and it makes it so much easier to focus - and on such occasions I do find that i am focussing on God and not on how good a performance it is - I don't even think of it like that. But you're right - if it was pants, then its likely that focus would have been harder to find. Hmm.
I guess it is possible to try to get better and do really well, and yet be totally committed to worshiping thprough it and not concerned about how we look at all - I guess that's the ideal to seek after.
Liz - I am not even going to start! It could spark all kinds of things in my head - there is too much in there already!
Oh and Nigel - hmm - I forgot you read my blog - no way out of that one, except to say that I am sure you will appreciate when you are looking at a TSM timetable all day and changing timings very slightly on random trips, a break to look at the blog is probably worth the companies time so that i don't make silly mistakes, (although i do anyway so that excuse probably doesn't hold!)
Hi Kirsty! How's it going?
Anyway, I was just reading your blog, and I thought that this is a topic I have been thinking about, because as I YP Bandleader, sometimes I get told that it doesn't matter what the music sounds like as it's for the kids, they need to enjoy it and the others in the church will just be happy to see the kids doing something.
While I agree with this to a point (obviously the kids need to enjoy what they're doing), I always say to the kids that the music should be as close to perfection as we can get it - not because we want everyone to say 'wow, that's a great band' or 'Ed is an amazing player' (we don't really have anyone called Ed), but because the better it is, the more likely it is that we will be ignored and the message of the music will come across.
I don't know if I'm explaining that well, but, for example, if I'm listening to a powerful piece of music, I can close my eyes and think about the words and what I can take from the song. As soon as every other B flat is played natural, it's almost impossible to focus on the meaning and you just end up thinking 'well, that was a dodgy note' or 'Jackie needs more practice' (we don't have anyone called Jackie either!)
I don't know how relevant that all is, but I think it's important to at least strive for perfection or get as close to it as possible, so that we can be ignored and the true message can come through.
Thanks John! Long time no speak! Yeah, that totally made sense. I completely agree - it seems really backwards but the idea that the better we are the less people will think about how good we are is probably true! Although very confusing!
I think all that is great as long as we don't end up breeding a culture that says that you can only be part of something if you are really good at it, or making people feel inadequate and therefore stop them from even wanting to 'do' anything in worship.
Liz, I completely agree it's more about process than product but can't immediately see the link between that and Matt and Glyn's comments.
Can you explain for me?
Well, Glyn believes that Christian Arts should be the of the highest quality and when I was explaining to Matt that, in my opinion, did it matter if kids played/ sang the notes all over the place during a Performing Arts Day,he indicated that, in his opinion, it really did (This was some time ago).
I guess if the item is to enhance other peoples worship ( does that make it a performance?) and agreeing with John's comment, then it does, as people might get distracted by wrong notes. HOWEVER, in the context of exploring worship and understanding the motivation for it and getting to know what that feels like, then - I dont think it does.
PS - this doesn't mean that I think kids shouldn't be encouraged to get it right eventually, or even straight away really. Good musical section leadership is really crucial and there is a massive responsibilty on those that are brave enough to accept it, to provide the kids with a balance and an environment of worship during practise times and work alongside the discipleship part of the CM and YM Team. This is a great theme and has made me consider how in my role I might be able to support Y.P.Section Leaders in this respect. John,I would appreciate your views on this.
I do think that the motivation for our worship is very important. Worship has to come from a heart dedicated to God, otherwise it is not really worship. Quality is all well and good but it is not essential to true worship. True worship cannot be rehearsed as it is something that comes out of the moment in which you are worshipping.
Jesus tells us to worship in spirit and truth, and the Bible is full of examples of what this worship should be like, with Amos 5:21-26.
Having said that, there is nothing wrong with rehearsal, and in fact I do believe that it is essential for those who are leading the congregation in worship. So our bands, songsters, worship bands etc should practice.
The danger, and I have seen this having been in the band and songsters at corps with 'good' sections and those with small 'poor' sections, is that we elevate them on the basis of quality of sound, rather than quality of heart. This is the sort of idolatry that Amos warns us against. I would suggest that the true heart of members of sections can be seen in what their attendance is like when their section is not 'on duty'.
One other thing! Whilst a 'good' quality worship service might be attractive, what will keep people coming is the warmth of the fellowship of the corps!
BANG! Sound of nail being hit squarely on head (that's by you, Graeme).
That pretty much encapsulates my feelings on the subject... just a shame I wasn't able to articulate them myself!
First of all Kirsty, congratulations on writing a post that's started so much debate! There aren't many posts that go into the 20s comment-wise...
ANYWAY, sorry for not replying to you Liz - I hadn't noticed that the conversation had gone on! You said you were interested to hear my thoughts - how exactly did you mean? (Obviously, I know how to give thoughts, I was just wondering what exactly you'd like them on... You catch my drift).
Kirsty
Firstly, I really think that your desire/passion for considering deeper issues like this is a real gift and contribution to our fellowship.
On the subject you raise I would share my own view. I think sometimes you have to separate the act of worship as a 'worshipper' and the responsibility of being a worship leader in the variety of senses of that.
I think that as a worhipper God will honour your worship in whatever form or 'standard' that is. As a worship leader or contributor there is a responsibility to create an atmosphere as conducive to worship as possible. That will be different for different people, hence the regular debates about style, however I think most people will feel more relaxed in worship if quality is high. Personally I find nothing more challenging to personal worship than feedback from an amp, a powerpoint that doesn't work or someone playing the wrong part in a hymn tune and not realising until the last verse.
Sometimes being a worship leader (in my case as a bandmaster) it can be a hinderance to personal worhip as the desire to ensure things are done properly means that corporate worship can be put before personal worship. I guess that is part of the responsibility of taking that kind of role.
Anyway enough of my thoughts....
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