SO YOU WANT TO SERVE IN THE CHOIR (OR ANYWHERE IN THE CHURCH)?
SO, YOU HAVE FINALLY GOT UP THE COURAGE TO “SERVE” IN THE CHURCH CHOIR. THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT!
FULL OF ENTHUSIASM AND NERVOUS JITTERS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY OUT INTO THE CHOIR LOFT AND TAKE YOUR SEAT. AS YOU SING PRAISES TO THE LORD, YOU LOOK OUT AND NOTICE VERY FEW PEOPLE ARE SINGING ALONG. A LITTLE DISHEARTENED, YOU PUSH ON SINGING YOUR SONGS TO THE LORD! THEN, YOU NOTICE THE BLANK STARES OF DISENGAGEMENT ON SOME FACES AND THE DISAPPROVING GLARES AND HEAD SHAKES OF OTHERS. NOT FEELING THAT GREAT ABOUT YOURSELF, BUT YOU KEEP GOING AND CONTINUE TO PRAISE THE LORD. AS YOU PREPARE TO DO IT ALL AGAIN THE NEXT WEEK YOU OVER HEAR BITS AND PIECES OF NEGATIVITY ABOUT YOUR PERFORMANCE THE WEEK BEFORE: “COULDN’T HEAR IT,” “DIDN’T LIKE IT,” “DIDN’T KNOW IT,” ETC. NOW YOU THINKING, “GOSH, SHOULD I EVEN GO BACK? ALL THAT TIME AND EFFORT, AND NO ONE APPRECIATES MY EFFORTS.”
THIS IS A SAD IMAGE OF WORSHIP, MOSTLY BECAUSE IT IS A TRUE PICTURE OF SUNDAY MORNINGS IN MANY CHURCHES. TO MANY OF OUR WORSHIP SERVICE’S ARE DRIZZLED WITH APATHY SAUCE. IN PLACES WHERE THE CHURCH ISN’T AS “FREE,” THEY ARE JUST GLAD TO WORSHIP GOD AND NOT BE KILLED (YOUR MOTHER USED TO TELL YOU THINGS LIKE THIS WHEN YOU WOULDN’T EAT YOUR PEAS). FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ALREADY SERVING IN YOUR LOCAL CHURCH, ON BEHALF OF ALL PASTORS AND CHURCHES LET ME OFFER TO YOU A HEART-FELT, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU! YOU HAVE TAKEN A GIANT STEP, THAT MANY OF YOUR PEERS WILL NEVER DARE TO TAKE. AS A PASTOR MYSELF I AM MOST GRATEFUL TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU, AND I ABSOLUTELY CHOOSE FAVORITES, AND THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WILLING TO SERVE IN WHATEVER WAY THAT BEST SERVES THE CHURCH ARE BY FAR MY FAVORITES.
ALSO, LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE SERVING NO MATTER WHAT OPPOSITION YOU FACE, WITH ONE CAVEAT, YOU MAY NOT BE SERVING IN THE PLACE YOU ARE MOST GIFTED, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY YOU MAY NOT BE SERVING IN THE PLACE THAT GOD HAS GIFTED YOU TO SERVE. THIS IS A GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE WITH YOUR PASTOR. HE/SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP YOU DISCOVER YOUR GIFTS, AND PLUG YOU INTO A PLACE THAT THE CHURCH WILL BEST BENEFIT FROM YOUR GIFTEDNESS. I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING, AND DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT, YOU HAVE BEEN GIFTED BY GOD, I GUARANTEE IT.
FINALLY, TO ALL MY GREAT SERVANTS OUT THERE LET ME OFFER THIS, GOD DESERVES OUR BEST, AND IN DEED, GOD DESERVES OUR ALL. BOTH OUR BEST, AND OUR ALL IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE 4 P’S: PLANNING, PRACTICE, PERSEVERANCE AND PRACTICE. A PASTOR FRIEND TOLD ME ONCE, “SUNDAY’S ARE MADE GREAT BY WHAT WE DO MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.” WHEN WE COME TOGETHER ON SUNDAY MORNING’S (OR WHATEVER DAY YOU WORSHIP), AND WE HAVE DONE ALL WE CAN DO TO ENSURE WE GIVE OUR BEST POSSIBLE PERFORMANCE TO GOD, NOW IT IS TIME TO LET GO AND LET GOD BE GLORIFIED IN OUR MIDST.
NOW, TO ALL YOU PEW WARMERS AND THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK THE CHURCH IS A BURGER KING DRIVE THRU; YOU KNOW, YOU THINK CHURCH IS ALL ABOUT “HAVING IT YOUR WAY;” WHILE I AGREE THAT PERFORMANCE MATTERS, AND THE CONGREGATION SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR, LIKEWISE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE A PERSON WHO CAN TEACH AND LEAD THE MUSIC WELL, I WOULD LIKE US TO ALL HAVE A HEART CHECKUP. JESUS SAID,“OUT OF THE HEART COME EVIL THOUGHTS, MURDERS, ADULTERY, SEXUAL SINS, THEFTS, FALSE TESTIMONIES, AND INSULTS.”(MATTHEW 15:19). WHEN THE CONGREGATION BECOMES THE SIMON COWELL’S (AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE) OF WORSHIP, AND FORGETS THEY ARE A PART OF THE WORSHIP, THEY HAVE ENSURED THE FAILURE OF THE SERVICE IN THEIR HEARTS. REMEMBER, GOD HAS NOT CALLED US TO BE CRITICS OF WORSHIP, BUT INSTEAD, HE HAS CALLED US TO BE PARTICIPANTS IN WORSHIP. LET US ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BE JOYFUL AT ALL TIMES.